Category Archives: Reviews

Review of Disneyland: Sunrise to Sunrise, by Tom Bricker

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If you subscribe to TouringPlans.com, you are probably familiar with the photographic genius of Tom Bricker. Tom is the Chief Photographer for TouringPlans, and as such is responsible for the photos at the top of each page of the website as well as the attraction photo galleries and other assignments. You may also recognize Tom’s photography from the Unofficial Guide: Color Companion to Walt Disney WorldPopular Photography Magazine, or his daily Disney photos featured on the blog he and his wife Sarah operate.

Launching the new line of eBooks produced by the TouringPlans team, Tom recently published a beautiful new eBook, Disneyland: Sunrise to Sunrise. As Tom explains, the project was born of two “crazy ideas.” One, the Walt Disney Company’s One More Disney Day promotion, which kept Disneyland Park open an entire 24 hours to celebrate Leap Day on February 29, 2012, and two, Tom’s plan to be there for it!

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In Disneyland: Sunrise to Sunrise, Tom Bricker highlights some 200 stunning photographs that capture two sunrises, one sunset and all the magic of that historic Disney day. The pictures indeed are worth a thousand words, but Tom complements them nicely with tidbits of Disney trivia interspersed throughout the book. I especially appreciate the many views of the Walt and Mickey “Partners” statue. It’s as if they kept watch that day, smiling along with hitchhiking ghosts, Captain Jack Sparrow, Cast Members, Guests, and dozens of delightful details that keep one man’s dream alive.

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Disneyland: Sunrise to Sunrise has been released as a high-quality full-color PDF that can be downloaded instantly and read on your computer or the go on your iPhone, iPad, or other eReader. It is available at a very reasonable $8.00 (USDollars). For a limited time readers of TouringPlans Blog can use discount code SUNRISE2012 at checkout to receive 25% off the purchase of Disneyland: Sunrise to Sunrise.  

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You can purchase Disneyland: Sunrise to Sunrise directly by clicking here.

 

 

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You should check out The Disney Wilderness Preserve

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Walt Disney World is a wonder of human invention and innovation, of “Imagineering” in Disney terminology. But what did that piece of real estate Walt Disney turned into his vacation dream land look like before the Imagineers got a hold of it?

Constructing Walt Disney World impacted the environment drastically, and in the early 1990s the Walt Disney Company partnered with the Nature Conservancy to mitigate some of that change by turning a huge swath of undeveloped land at the headwaters of the Everglades into a nature preserve. Today the original 8,500 acres donated by the Walt Disney Company has grown into 12,000 acres of wilderness filled with wildlife. The Nature Conservancy’s Disney Wilderness Preserve is just a 28-mile drive south of the resort entrance and provides an interesting side trip for environmentally-inclined visitors.

The site of the preserve was once heavily logged and used as ranch land, but it has been restored to near pristine condition as described by the first Spanish missionaries to visit what is now Florida. Many species of birds have returned to the area, including bald eagles and sandhill cranes. Walt Disney’s Animal Kingdom has partnered with the Nature Conservancy to monitor one of the nation’s largest rookeries of wood storks as hundreds of mated pairs arrive each spring to nest among the bald cypress. The preserve also is home to big-eared bats, gopher tortoises and indigo snakes. The occasional Florida panther has even been seen passing through!

A hiking trail leaves the visitor center parking lot and offers a view of Lake Russell, with one of Florida’s last undeveloped lake fronts, along with an optional 2.5-mile loop showcasing more of the area’s unique plant and animal species.

For a little break from theme parks, or just to see some of what nature has to offer, visit the Disney Nature Conservancy at 2700 Scrub Jay Trail in Kissimmee. Hours are Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except major holidays. You can learn more by calling the Nature Conservancy visitor center at (407) 935-0002 or visiting the web site here.

Jeffrey is a father, husband, Disney fan and refugee from the real world. While planning his next Disney trip, he enjoys bringing the Magic into his life in all ways possible, including his personal blog, Pooh Sticks.

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Father of the Bride 2-Movie Collection Coming to Blu Ray!

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Celebrate the platinum anniversary of the unforgettable comedy classic “Father of the Bride” plus the uproarious follow-up “Father of the Bride Part II” on Blu-ray™ for the first time ever. Screen legends Steve Martin, Diane Keaton and Martin Short star in these warm and witty family favorites, complete with a new digital restoration.

Things get out of hand for befuddled father George Banks (Martin) when his young daughter unexpectedly announces her plans to wed. Life gets even crazier in the sidesplitting sequel when his daughter and his wife (Keaton) both announce they are pregnant, and George desperately tries to capture the wild and crazy days of his youth.

Relive every heartwarming and hilarious moment in this special 2-Movie Collection. It’s fantastic family entertainment that really delivers!

Special Features included for each movie include:

Father of the Bride

Original Score Soundtrack

An Invitation To Father Of The Bride 

Steve Martin & Martin Short Interview Each Other

Audio Commentary With Director/Screenwriter Charles Shyer

Father of the Bride II 

Audio Commentary With Steve Martin And Martin Short

Production Featurette

 

Don’t miss out on these fun comedies available to own on blu ray May 15th!

 

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Signature Restaurants – Are They Worth It? Part 2

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Walt Disney World is FULL of amazing restaurants, and a select handful of them are good enough to earn the title of “Signature Restaurant”. These restaurants offer some of the finest food and drink options in the best settings in all of Walt Disney World.

So when it comes to picking where you will be making your Advance Dining Reservations (or ADR’s) for your WDW vacation, one question you will have to ask yourself when it comes to the Signature Restaurants is, Are they worth it? Is it worth the extra money or extra Table Service credit (as Signature Restaurants will set you back 2 table service credits apiece on the Disney Dining Plan)?

Last week I reviewed some of these restaurants in an attempt to answer the question of ‘are they worth it?’ (if you missed those reviews check them out here) and now I want to talk about the rest of the Disney Signature Restaurants in hopes that the information will help you make the right dining decisions for your vacation (because as we all know, food is one of the best parts of any vacation!)

So, here we go:

Yachtsman Steakhouse – Located at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, this New England themed restaurant offers a variety of dishes, but it’s main focus is – you guessed it – steak. And they do it well – from the braised beef ravioli, to the boneless Rib-eye, to the deconstructed Beef Wellington, they are all delicious. Some common complaints about the restaurant are that the service can tend to be slow and the food inconsistent, but I have not found those to be true. The setting is great, the Resort is beautiful, and it’s definitely worth the trip to have dinner here
Survey Says: If you like steak, you’ll like Yachtsman Steakhouse

Le Cellier Steakhouse – Head over to the Canada area of Epcot’s World Showcase for lunch or dinner here, where you can feast on Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup (made with beer and bacon!), Filet mignon or king salmon or pan-seared cod, with a trio of chocolate to finish off the meal. An added bonus of this restaurant – they serve dinner AND lunch, and lunch is usually cheaper than dinner, plus lunch will only cost you ONE table service credit per person (whereas dinner will cost 2 credits)
Survey Says: The price for dinner is a little high, so I suggest grabbing lunch here (it’s the same experience, for less money!)

Bistro De Paris – Celebrate a special occasion in style at this intimate restaurant in the France pavillion of Epcot’s World Showcase. They do a Prix Fixe menu where you can select from scallops, beef, or or chicken for your main course with options for dessert and starters as well (you can also choose to have wine pairings included, for an additional fee). It’s the perfect place to enjoy a romantic dinner, as it’s a smaller, more upscale restaurant (and there tends to be fewer families and young children dining here), and it’s also a great spot to view the nightly Illuminations show. It’s main drawback? Price – it’s not cheap, and if you aren’t sure if you like French food this might not be the best place for you to dine
Survey Says: It isn’t cheap, but it’s a great place to celebrate!

The Hollywood Brown Derby- Head over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a meal at this restaurant that is a replica of the original Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood. Try the signature Brown Derby Cobb Salad, or the Duck Two Ways, and finish off your meal with their famous Grapefruit Cake (and it’s famous for a good reason – because it’s delicious!). They also have some amazing wines and martinis, and do wine pairings as well. The decor is fun, with drawings of Hollywood stars on the walls, and it has a great “old school tinseltown” feel to it
Survey Says: If you’re a movie fan, this is the place for you – you can grab a martini and relax in the elegant setting of the Brown Derby

Fulton’s Crab House - This restaurant’s location in Downtown Disney is unique – it is actually a replica of an old riverboat that is docked right on the waterfront! The location is a huge part of it’s appeal – who wouldn’t want to eat on an old riverboat? The food has appeal too – crab cakes, oysters, and mussels grace the menu, as well as a few non-seafood selections.
Survey Says: Seafood fans will love eating here, and even non seafood fans will love the old riverboat setting

Wolfgang Puck: The Dining Room – Guests who dine here will get to experience the chef’s truly unique Asian/Californian fusion in an upscale setting. Lobster risotto, a selection of sushi, and banana beignets are just some of the items you can expect to find here, as well as prix fixe menus of specially selected items, like the Austrian 2 Course Tour. Enjoy some wine and watch as your food is prepared in the open kitchen
Survey Says: If you are looking for something truly unique and different, this is the place for you

Whether you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary, wedding, engagement, promotion, or simply the fact that you are on vacation at Walt Disney World (reason enough to celebrate in my mind!), I urge you to check out some of these Signature Restaurants for great food, drink, and atmosphere – there are so many choices that chances are one will be perfect for you!

Stay tuned right here on Chip and Co for part 3 where I will be discussing the character meals and dinner shows that will set you back 2 Table Service credits (while they aren’t technically “Signature” restaurants, they are unique and therefore more expensive than other restaurants. What makes them special? Check back next week to find out!)

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Bring Home Bringing Down the House on Blu Ray May 15th!

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Synopsis: The laugh-out-loud comedy “Bringing Down The House” will be available for the first time on Blu-ray™, May 15th, with a stunning new digital transfer!

The hilarious Steve Martin (Father Of The Bride) and Academy Award® nominee Queen Latifah (Best Actress In A Supporting Role, Chicago, 2002) star with Eugene Levy (American Pie) and Betty White (The Proposal) in this hysterical culture clash hit.

When Peter Sanderson (Martin), a divorced, uptight lawyer, meets Charlene (Latifah), a street-smart soul sister who’s just escaped from prison, his life is turned upside down. Crazy complications abound, and Peter soon discovers he may need Charlene just as much as she needs him. It’s a houseful of fun your family will enjoy again and again.

Cast: Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, Betty White, Eugene Levy, Joan Plowright 

Director: Adam Shankman (Cheaper by the Dozen, Bedtime Stories)

Producers: Jane Bartelme (Sleepless In Seattle), Queen Latifah (Just Wright), Ashok Amritraj (Machete), David Hoberman (The Muppets), Todd Lieberman (The Proposal), Cookie Carosella (Revista Rossa)

Writer: Jason Filardi (17 Again) 

Bonus Features:

  • Deleted Scenes
  • Gag Reel
  • Breaking Down Bringing Down the House Behind-The-Scenes Featurette
  • Queen Latifah Music Video “Better than the Rest”
  • The Godfather of Hop Featurette
  • Da’ Commentary with Director Adam Shankman and writer Jason Filardi

Rating: PG-13 (bonus material not rated)

Feature Run Time: 105 minutes

Aspect Ratio: 1080p High Definition, Widescreen (2.35:1)

Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, French 5.1 Dolby Digital & Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital

Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish & French (applies to film content only)

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