Disney Pins Part 2

I would suggest stopping by your local Disney Store and picking up a few pins there, you can get some as low as $4. I would then take those cheaper pins to Disney and trade a cast member or another guest for a bigger, better one. There are pin stations at all four of the Disney theme parks as well as Down Town Disney. At these pin stations they have numerous pins that you can purchase as well as pin linyards, hats, vests, and a books to keep your pins in. The book they make to keep the pins in are really neat I think. My aunt has a really nice one, they look like a regular scrapbook but the pages are made out of velvet. There are a few places online that you can get pins at as well. I would recommend ebay. Type in pins Disney in the ebay search box and thousand of pins will pop up. I would suggest stopping by there, you can get some really great deals on the pins. I noticed there are some really old pins for sale on there as well. Of course you can go to Disney Shopping Online and buy pins that way. If you go there you will be able to see pins are new and which ones will be released soon. For all you Pirate of the Caribbean fans out there a pin is being released on June 23 so keep your eye out for that one. Like I said yesterday there is no right or wrong way to collect these Disney Pins just have fun and try not to spend too much money on them. Tags: Disney, pins, trading, ebay Powered by Qumana

Disney Pins

In the past few years Disney Pin trading has become very popular, but if you are not careful you can end up spending a fortune on these pins. I will admit I only have 2 Disney Pins. I have one of Tinker Bell and one with Mickey, Goofy and Donald and it has my name on it. I will say I can see how people can get addicted to these pins. There are so many of them and they all are so cute in their own way. Here are some tips when thinking about pin trading or collecting. First of all, did you know if you are at any of the Disney theme parks and you come across a cast member that is wearing a pin trading linyard, you can ask to trade pins with them and they have to give it to you. The only caught is you can only make 2 trades per linyard per cast member per day. Also when you are trading with a cast member do not trade them a pin that is already on their linyard. A little hint when trading pins with a cast member, ask to have their biggest pin, that way you will save money, b/c the big pins are pretty pricey. Of course there is no right or wrong way to trade pins. I would suggest collecting pins that mean something to you and your family. Make it fun, say if you like Tinker Bell try collecting nothing but Tink pins, there are a ton of them out there. Try collecting your favorite character, or favorite movie. One thing I would recommend is buy the pins that have the year on them, that way you can get a pin for every year that you visit. Stay tuned for more on Disney Pins and pin trading. Tags: Disney, Pins, trading Powered by Qumana

Universal Studio Tips

If you are a regular here you probably have heard me say before that Universal Studios has been suffering in their attendance lately. That's why they reportedly raised their ticket prices. Well with that said, I think it's safe to say if you went there over the summer it may not be as crowded since their numbers have dropped a little. So why not give Universal Studios a chance and plan to go there. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you are at Universal Studios. First of all you want to arrive at least 30 minutes before the park opens. The parks usually open at 8:00 a.m. in the summer. If possible try to purchase your tickets online so you don't have to wait in a long line to get them. Plus if you purchase them online you get a discount. If you have small children with you head straight for Sherk 4-D or Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon blast. These attractions always have a very long line. If you have teenagers with you head to Men In Black and Back To The Future. Those are also popular rides, as well as The Mummy. If you want a great backdrop for a family picture. Go to Mel's Diner there are a few vintage cars parked outside the diner. Also if you are in the Monster Cafe keep your eyes pealed, sometimes characters will pop in there. I know one time I was there BeetleJuice came in. This is also a very nice feature if you have a child that is too young to ride a ride you want to ride. Use the baby/child swap option. Let a ride attendant know you want to baby swap, that way both of you can ride the ride without waiting in line twice. And one of you can stay behind with the child. Also a great tip is The Nickelodeon Studios are right in Universal Studios so if you know they might be taping a show keep an eye out for the stars. The appear on Nickelodeon Way sometimes. If you want to get your picture taken on the bike with ET go to The ET Toy Chest. The last time I was there it cost $10.00, the price may have gone up. Also please be sure to wear and bring sun tan lotion. It is very hot in Orlando and the last thing you want on your vacation is to get a sunburn. Oh and if you don't have a digital camera make sure you bring extra film with you, the film at Universal is a lot more expensive. I hope these tips will help you to have a better and more enjoyable trip at Universal Studios. Tags: Universal Studios, tips Powered by Qumana

Soilders Get In Free To Sea World

That's right you heard me, if you are an active member of the military you can get into Sea World, and Busch Gardens for free. Also you can get in 3 family members free as well. All you have to do is register online at Sea World Orlando or you can do it at the gate at Sea World. You must present a valid military ID for them to let you in for free. It is their way of saying thank you for serving our country. Also I was reading a web release for North Eastern Marine electronics and I thought this was pretty cool. Mariners can get free downloads of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations' Raster Navigational Charts. By them provided this service for free to the mariners, they can ensure the waters will be safer in the U.S. They also offer other electronics besides Marine Electronics, they offer things for biking, hiking, camping, fishing, and driving. Why not head on over to them and check their equipment out. Tags: soilders, get, in, free, to, Sea World Powered by Qumana

Gas Prices Not Effecting Disney Attendance

I read this article a week or so ago and forgot about until now. The article stated that a Disney spokes person said that the high rising gas prices would not effect Disney attendance this summer season. He is basing this on last year's attendance record. He said per last year when gas prices were so high we didn't see a declaim in our attendance. So I guess they are assuming the same will be for this year. Right now the cheapest gas in Orlando is $2.75 for regular. One tip that I have for travelers is try to get gas in a residential area rather than the tourist trap as they like to call it. Gas stations that are on the way to Disney or near Universal the prices will be more. I know the gas station right outside of Universal Studios entrance is usually a good price. Also if you are in downtown Disney, there is a gas station as soon as you turn in there on the left. You can usually find cheaper gas there. Tags: gas, prices, not, effecting, Disney, attendance Powered by Qumana

Disney Fun Facts

I thought I would do something a little different today. I've been reading about some fun facts about the Happiest Place On Earth and I thought I would share some of them with you. Each night the maintenance crew hoses down the park with 120 degree water, the reason they do this is so the gum will melt off the of the mid-ways. Also The Magic Kingdom does 68 tons of laundry a day and accumulates 115 pounds of lint. Magic Kingdom can hold 100,000 people. They often close the parking lot when it reaches 75,000. Don't worry you can still catch a bus from one of the resorts. It has been reported that sometimes supervisors will put a penny under a trash can or on the top of a partition in the bathroom. The reason they do this is to see if the cleaning crew is doing their job. Cast Members are allowed to purchase all the lost and found goodies that are not collected after a certain waiting period has expired. I remember my aunt mentioning this to me before. I think she has gotten something from there. For the life of me I can't remember what it was. She did mention that someone bought a Rolex and a camera bag for $150, now that's a deal. It's reported that cast member get a 75% discount on all items not claimed. Maybe I should say something to my aunt the next time I'm down there and see if I can get my hands on some goodies. LOL. Lastly you will never hear an announcement over a load speaker at Disney World. So if you have a lost child, friend anything they will not make an announcement. They only time they disturb their guests is when some one has died or there is an extreme emergency. If you do by chance loose your child, don't worry cast members are equipped with walkie talkies and if they don't have one, they will find someone who has one. This system has worked very well for them. Hope you enjoyed those little fun facts. Tags: Disney, fun, facts Powered by Qumana

Disney Characters

Have y'all every wondered about the people who dress up as your favorite characters at the Disney theme parks? The reason I bring this up is because I was thinking about it last night. My cousin used to always tease me and say I should get a job at Disney World as one of the characters. The reason she said this is b/c you have to be 5 foot tall to wear the costumes and you have to weigh a certain amount and since I am 5 foot she thought it would be perfect. I tell you what I give it up to the people who dress up as the characters b/c you know they have got to be burning up in those costumes. Some of the other requirements for goofy and the villains are you have to be at least 6 feet tall. Also Halloween is a great time to see all the villains out and about around the theme parks. Another funny little story is when my cousin and I were in high school and we would go to Disney she would never hug a character or get her picture taken with one. The reason being a ton of people from her school worked there and she was afraid she would hug someone she knew. A little fun fact, it is almost always a girl in the costumes. Tags: disney, characters, disney world Powered by Qumana

Extra Magic Hours Part 2

Here is the list of rides and attractions that are open during the extra magic hours. The rides that are open at Magic Kingdom for the morning extra hours are: Astro Orbiter Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin Cinderella's Golden Carrousel Dumbo the Flying Elephant "it's a small world" Mad Tea Party The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Mickey's PhilharMagic Peter Pan's Flight Snow White's Scary Adventures Space Mountain Stitch's Great Escape Tomorrowland Indy Speedway Tomorrowland Transit Authority Epcot: Living with the Land Mission: SPACE Soarin' Spaceship Earth Test Track MGM: Studios Backlot Tour Muppet*Vision 3-D Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Star Tours The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Animal Kingdom: Dinosaur Expedition Everest It's Tough to be a Bug Kilimanjaro Safaris Primeval Whirl Triceratop Spin Now for what is opened durning the evening.. Magic Kingdom: Astro Orbiter Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin Cinderella's Golden Carrousel Country Bear Jamboree Dumbo the Flying Elephant Haunted Mansion "it's a small world" Jungle Cruise Mad Tea Party Magic Carpets of Aladdin The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Mickey's PhilharMagic Peter Pan's Flight Snow White's Scary Adventures Space Mountain Splash Mountain Stitch's Great Escape Tomorrowland Indy Speedway Tomorrowland Transit Authority Dining Locations that are open: Casey's Corner Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe Pecos Bill Cafe Epcot: American Adventure Circle of Life El Rio del Tiempo Honey I Shrunk the Audience Journey into Imagination with Figment Living with the Land Living Seas Maelstrom Mission: SPACE O Canada! Soarin' Spaceship Earth Test Track Kidcot Fun Stops until 11 p.m. Dining Locations that are open: Bistro de Paris Boulangerie Patisserie (France) Cantina de San Angel (Mexico) Chefs de France (France) Electric Umbrella (Future World) Harry Ramsden (United Kingdom) Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe (Norway) L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante (Italy) Lotus Blossom Café (China) Mitsukoshi Restaurant Teppanyaki Dining (Japan) Outpost Refreshment Port Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room San Angel Inn (Mexico) Sommerfest (Germany) Sunshine Seasons (The Land) Tangierine Cafe (Morocco) Yakitori House MGM: The Great Movie Ride Magic of Disney Animation Muppet*Vision 3D Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Star Tours Tower of Terror Voyage of the Little Mermaid Dining Locations that are open: Catalina Eddie's 50's Prime Time Cafe Sci-Fi Dine In Theater Rosie's All-American Cafe Animal Kingdom: Dinosaur Expedition Everest Festival of the Lion King It's Tough to be a Bug Kali River Rapids (Seasonal) Primeval Whirl TriceraTop Spin Dining Locations that are open: Flame Tree Barbecue - Closes at 8 p.m. Pizzafari - Closes at 8 p.m. Rainforest Cafe Restaurantosaurus - Closes at 9 p.m. As you can see there are a lot more rides and attraction opened at night. I would suggest to do the evening extra magic hours. And make sure you get hopper tickets so you will be able to take part in all the extra magic hours at the different parks. Also don't forget you can leave the park and go back to the hotel and rest. Then come back and enjoy the park when most of the tourist have gone home. Tags: extra, magic, hours, disney, epcot, animal kingdom, MGM Powered by Qumana

Tips on How To Not Get Your Car Stolen

I know this maybe a little off topic, but with the topic of my blog being traveling to Orlando. I thought the press release I can across for car insurance quote for CarInsurance.com was relevant. The last thing you want to happened when you are traveling is have your car stolen. So here some tips to keep in mind when you are traveling. Always keep your doors locked. No matter how hot is gets in Orlando never leave your sunroof/moonroof or windows open. Always park in a crowded area, car thefts thrive off of cars that are sitting all by themselves. Also there a technique that carjackers are using, called "the bump and rob." They hit your car from behind and when you get out of your car to look at the damage they slip right into your car and drive off. Also don't leave your car's registration in your car. If a theft steals your car and are stopped by police and can provide registration they will let them go. If more than one person drives the car, find a hiding place in the car to hide it. Oh here is a good one for vacationers don't leave valuables visible in your car. This can entice anyone to want to break into your car and steal it. I hope these tips have helped you out. The last thing you want to deal with when on vacation is your car getting stolen. Tags: car, traveling, tips Powered by Qumana

Extra Magic Hours

I have mentioned in other posts about Extra Magic Hours at Disney World. Well I thought I would go into a little more detail about them. As I've said before the extra magic hours are only for guests that are staying at one of the many Disney Resorts. You have to present a vaild resort id to be able to enter the park early or stay after hours. If you want to take advantage of staying after the park closes you have to obtain a wristband. You can get this at several of the World Card location around the park. Also please keep in mind if you don't have the park hopper on your ticket you may not be able to participate in the morning or evening extra magic hours. For example, if you have a ticket to Magic Kingdom and MGM is having evening extra hours you will not be able to attend b/c you only have the Magic Kingdom ticket. But if you have a hopper ticket you will be able to attend. Now for what you are all waiting for, what parks are opening or closing late. The Magic Kingdom's extra magic hours in the morning are: June 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29, July 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27. Epcot's are: June 4, 11, 18, 25, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. MGM's are: June 2, 5, 9, 12, 26, 19, 23, 26, 30, July 3,7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 31. Animal Kingdom's are: June 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, July 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29. Blizzard Beach's are June 1-30, July 1-31. Now for the evening extra magic hours. Magic Kingdom's are: June 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29, July 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30. Epcot's are: June 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29, July 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27. MGM's are: June 7, 14, 21, 28, July 5, 12, 19, 26. Animal Kingdom's are: June 5, 12, 19, 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31. And Typhoon Lagoon's are: June 3, 10, 17, 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29. Please stay tuned for the second installment of Extra Magic Hours. I'll let you know what rides and restaurants are open. Just a little side note. If you are thinking about investing in something why not think about precoius metals. They retain their value better than the U.S. dollar. Monex is a good company to look at if you want to Buy Silver Bars, gold, platinum or bullion coins Tags: Extra, Magic, Hours, at Disney World Powered by Qumana

New Mission Space Ride

I'm not sure if any of you are aware that 2 people died this year after riding The Mission Space Ride at Epcot. One was a 4 year old boy, but the ride was not the reason of his death. He had an undiagnosed heart problem. The last person to die was a women. She was stated feeling weak, dizzy and nauseous after getting off the ride. She was taken to the hospital and died the next day. An autopsy was performed and it discovered she died of bleeding of the brain, she also had severally high blood pressure. There are several signs posted before you get on The Mission Space Ride that if you have heart, back, neck problems do not get on the ride. Disney has decided to make a tamer version of Mission Space. The new version actually opened this morning at Epcot. Disney states that the two deaths are not the reasoning for making a tamer version of the ride. They wanted to have more options for their guests that are prone to motion sickness or any other problems. The Mission Space Ride simulates a mock spaceflight to Mars and spins you around in a centrifuge and you experience twice the normal force of gravity. They even offer sickness bags before you get on the ride. So if you have a weak stomach I'd go with the new tamer ride. Tags: Tamer, Mission, Space, Ride, Disney, Epcot Powered by Qumana

Sequel To The Chronicles Of Narnia

You may or may not have known that Disney is making a sequel to the smash hit The Chronicles of Narnia. The sequel is titled Prince Caspian, unfortunately Disney just announced that they are pushing back the release date to this movie. It was scheduled to open in the 2007 holiday season, but now it is scheduled to open in the summer of 2008. The reason for the delay is the director wanted more time to work on the unbelievable special effects and computer animation . The Chronicles of Narnia was released last year during the holiday season, it quickly became Disney's highest grossing live action movie, earning $742 million dollars worldwide. I've also heard some rumors that Disney maybe in the works of adding a ride or some kind of attraction based around The Chronicles of Narnia. But who knows it may never happen. Tags: sequel, to the, chronicles, of, Narnia, Disney Powered by Qumana

Disney Desserts

For some reason yesterday I was thinking about chocolate and desserts. So I thought I would investigate some desserts that some of the Walt Disney World Restaurants are offering. One that I thought sounded extremely yummy was a chocolate slipper filled with chocolate mousse served on angel food cake, and is also accompanied by some fresh fruit. This yummy dessert dish can be found at Cinderella's Royal Table. This restaurant is kind of pricey it ranges form $30 to $50 per person. Also with the open of Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom a lot of the restaurant's have come up with a dessert named after the new thrill ride. Disney's Wilderness Lodge has "Everest Cake" at Whispering Canyon Cafe, topped with fluffy white meringue. Disney's Contemporary Resort California Grill has a vanilla sponge cake with honey-scented cream, peaches, nectarines and crunchy candy crumbles. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge has "Snow-Capped Everest Cakes" soaked in Amarula, an African liqueur, and it is topped with white chocolate. You can find this at the Boma-Flavors of Africa. If you are a sundae person head to The Cooking Place, they have the "Expedition To Everest Sundae" Lastly the Disney Caribbean Beach Resort has the "Everest Snowballs" which is an Oreo cake dipped in white chocolate and coconut, served with a chocolate cookie and chocolate and strawberry sauces, this yummy dessert cam be found at Shutters at Old Port Royal. Ok I've made myself hungry for some chocolate. So if you are like me and have a huge sweet tooth check out some of these restaurants and order some of these yummy desserts. After all who says you have to eat dinner first. One of the best parts about being on vacation is treating yourself to something you wouldn't normally do. Tags: Disney, desserts, at, Walt, Disney, World, Restaurant, chocolate Powered by Qumana

Islands Of Adventures Part 3

The one island that your children will just love is Seuss Landing. You actually feel like you have stepped inside of one of Dr. Seuss' Books. There are crazy signs posted all over the place. One sign that I love says To Here with and arrow and To There with an arrow. The Cat In The Hat ride is a really nice treat, mainly b/c the ride is inside and it's freezing in there. I always love to get on this ride b/c it gives me a chance to cool down for about 15 to 20 minutes. The ride is really cute too. You sit on a couch and you are taken through the pages of The Cat In The Hat book. Another really great ride there is the Caro-Seuss-el. This is not you typical carousel. There are no horses to sit on, instead it's crazy creatures from Dr. Seuss' books. There is another ride there but I've never ridden it before, b/c the line is always too long. It's called One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. It's just like the dumbo ride at Disney, except you steer your fish through an obstacle of fountains that squirt water in sync with the music. Oh before you leave Seuss Landing you have to get a Moose Juice or a Goose Juice. There are slushies that are to die for. The last Island is The Lost Continent. I really like this island too. The way it is decorated makes you feel like you are back in midlevel times. The ride to ride here is The Dueling Dragons. The locals refer to them as Fire and Ice. These two roller coasters are the coolest ever. I absolutely love them. What makes these two roller coasters so special is they are on separate tracks and each roller coaster is completely different but at one point in the ride you think you are going to run right into each other then you are quickly hurled up side down. To get the full effect of these awesome roller coaster you have to be sitting in the front. The line will be longer for the front row but it is defiantly worth the little extra wait. The lines for Fire and Ice are typically 15 to 25 minutes. I prefer Ice over Fire but that's me. One thing I really like about these roller coasters is after you get off one, you don't have to go all the way back to the beginning of the line you can get back in line for the other roller coaster or back in line for the one you just got off of. Just a little FYI Fire and Ice are being repainted right now and they are not going to open up until early to mid June. They may have them open on the weekends but I'm not 100% on that. To be honest with you Fire and Ice are the only rides I have ridden in the Lost Continent. I've seen The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad as I mentioned in a post last week. So there it is everyone a little run down of Islands Of Adventures. I suggest that you add this great theme park on your agenda when vacationing in Orlando. Tags: Islands Of Adventures, great, theme.park, Dr Seuss Powered by Qumana

Islands Of Adventures Part 2

Another ride in the Marvel Comic Island is Doctor Doom's Fearfall. This ride isn't really anything spectacular but it sure does give you a rush. You are raised up 200 feet in the air and then you are dropped. But the line is very long and doesn't move very fast. So if you skip this ride you won't really be missing out on anything. Also while you are in the Marvel comic Island keep an eye out for Spider-Man, Wolverine, Storm, Captain America and many other Marvel Super Hero's they parade around the Island often. Toon Lagoon is located right next to the Marvel Comic Island. I've only ridden one ride in this island and it was Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls. This ride is a water ride. Like I said I've only ridden it once and I didn't really like it. I was soaked from head to toe, which was alright b/c it was so hot outside but I didn't really enjoy the ride. The other Island that I'm not too fond of is Jurassic Park. I've only ridden the Jurassic Park River Adventure once. The ride was hipped up more than it should have been. I waited in a long line. Then once I was sited on the boat nothing really impressed me. Then at the end of the ride you are dropped like you are in Splash Mountain at Disney, but I didn't get wet.. There are plenty of other rides in this Island but I have never ridden them. Not to say that Jurassic Park is a bad Island but it just doesn't appeal to me. If your child loves dinosaurs then this would be a perfect island for them to visit. There is a Discovery Center there that teaches you all about dinosaurs and you even get to watch some raptor eggs hatch. Stay tuned for part 3 of Islands of Adventures Tags: Islands Of Adventures, Spider-Man, dinosaurs Powered by Qumana

Islands Of Adventures Part 1

If you are a regular here at my blog you probably have noticed that I have been mentioning Islands of Adventures a bit. In case you have never heard of it or never been there I'll tell you a little bit about it. Islands of Adventures is part of Universal Studios, which I'm so glad they added this theme park here b/c Universal is getting kind of out dated with it's rides. Islands of Adventures is divided into five islands, Marvel Super Hero Island, The Lost Continent, Jurassic Park, Seuss Landing, and Toon Lagoon. Just a little helpful hint, they say when people enter a theme park the usually turn left. Now I will 100% agreed with them b/c at Islands of Adventures everyone turns left as soon as they walk in the gate. But it's b/c everyone is enticed by The Hulk. The Hulk is the first ride you seen once you walk into the gates you can't help to miss it b/c it is bright lime green It's also one of the most popular rides besides Spider-Man. The Hulk is a incredible roller coaster ride that surprises you right out of the gate. The first time I went to Islands of Adventures my cousin told me there was a surprise on the roller coaster. I had no idea what she was talking about. Well I soon found out when the ride started. Which I'm not going to divulge to you, you have to ride the ride yourself and find out what the awesome surprise is. The first time my hubby rode this roller coaster he was as confused as I was when I told him there was a surprise. Once we got off the Hulk he told me, wow more roller coasters need to be made like that. I would have to agree with him. Ordinarily I would advise you to turn right but I would ride The Hulk as soon as you walk in b/c there usually is a long wait time for this roller coaster. Another helpful hint at all the rides at Islands Of Adventures there is a sign with a wait time on it, just take a peak at it, most of the time the wait times are correct. Now for Spider-Man, it is the most popular ride at Islands Of Adventures and it also has the longest line. So I would suggest riding Spider-Man first or right after you get off The Hulk run over to Spider-Man it's two rides down from The Hulk. Once you enter The Daily Planet and watch a little movie you get to walk through the news room, which is something neat to look at while you are waiting in line. After you get out of the news room you are almost ready for the ride. Once you pick up your 3-D glasses then you are all set to hop on the ride. You are basically climbing onto a simulators that is on a moving track. You will be amazed at all the special effects and how real everything feels. B/c believe me you will feel everything. If you notice the wait time for this ride is 60 minutes or longer, it is worth the wait to ride this ride, if you have never ridden it. Let my put it this way T2 at Universal Studios has nothing on Spider-Man it is 100% better. Stay tuned for a lot more about Islands Of Adventures. Tags: Islands Of Adventures Powered by Qumana

Money Saving Tip For Picky Eating Children

I have a feeling that a lot of parents have at least one child that is a picky eater. Well I have a money saving tip for you when you are at Disney World. Most Walt Disney World sit down restaurants can make something for your little one that is not on the menu, you just have to ask. Sometimes they even get creative and make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into Mickey Mouse ears. Another great idea to keep in mind is if you know your child will not eat half of what they are going to order. Order them a side, of Mac and Cheese or French fires. You will end up saving probably $5 or $7 by doing so. Lastly, if your child loves fruit consider getting them a fruit cup at one of the theme parks. It comes with sliced apples, grapes and a few slices of cheese. The best part is it only cost $3.49. My nephew loves fruit and when he went to Disney when he was 2 he loved having the fruit cup. So if you have a picky eater in your family keep these little tips in mind. Tags: money, saving, tip, for picky, eating, children Powered by Qumana

Toy Story 3

About a month ago I found out there was going to be a Toy Story 3, then 2 days later I found out they had scraped the idea. Well great news, Robert Inger CEO of Disney announced in a conference call on May 10, 2006 that Toy Story 3 is in production as we speak. He also admitted that there will be many other sequels to some of Pixar's other classic movies. I am so excited about Toy Story 3. I loved the first two movies and I can't wait for this one to come out. There is no release date as of yet, but I'm sure it will be worth the wait. Toy Story 3 is going to be centered around Buzz Lightyear. Supposedly, a recall has been issued on all the Buzz Lightyears and Buzz gets shipped back to Taiwan. I'm assuming that Woody and the gang some how manage to make their way to Taiwan and help bring Buzz home in one piece. I guess we will have to wait and find out. So keep your eyes and ears pealed for the release date to this movie. Tags: Toy, Story, 3 Powered by Qumana

Live Shows At Theme Parks

I think it's safe to say that when you go to a theme park in Orlando you often forget about the great live shows they offer. I say this b/c I'm guilty of it myself., I'm always so excited to ride a roller coaster or some other ride I forget about the live shows. One of my favorite live shows at Universal Studios is Beetlejuce's Graveyard Revue. Dracula, Wolfman, Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein accompany Beetlejuice in this action packed live rock show. All these characters put on a great concert filled with some funny jokes. Of course the involve the audience and play some jokes on audience members. Starting Memorial Day weekend the show will be featuring new songs, dances, and costumes. I've also been informed there will be a surprise ending. Another live show that I enjoyed at Universal Studios is Indiana Jones. But I'm 99.9% sure that show is no longer being performed. The last time I went to Universal I don't remember seeing it and on Universal's web site they do not list it. Oh well it was a great show while it lasted. A really great live show to check out at Islands of Adventures is The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad. This show is very entertaining and really comical. There are a ton of great stunts and special effects through the whole show. Also Sinbad's sidekick Kabob brings a lot of great laughs to the show. So this summer when you are visiting one of the many Orlando theme parks don't forget to check out some of the live shows. In doing so you will be able to rest your feet and seat in the shade for 25 to 30 minutes. Just a friendly reminder that Mother's Day is this Sunday. Don't forget to send flowers to mom. Beyondblossoms has some very pretty bouquets to choose from. I can across this article titled Cooking with flowers. Now this is something that I have never heard of before. Granted it has been around since the 17 th and 18th centuries so many of you may have heard of it. It seems the British used nasturtiums,borage and lavender when cooking, but after the 18th century edible flowers simply went out of fashion. So if you are trying to think of a unique recipe for mom why not cook her something with flowers in it. There are several recipes at this site that sound very yummy. For more information visit http://www.beyondblossoms.com/blog/2006/05/08/cooking-with-flowers Tags: live, shows, at, theme, parks, mother's day Powered by Qumana

Eat Breakfast With Spider-Man And The Cat In The Hat

Starting this summer Islands Of Adventures is offering breakfast with Spider-Man and The Cat In The Hat. We all know that almost every young boy and maybe girls love Spider-Man, so why not make their day by eating breakfast with their favorite super hero. I think this is great idea b/c it is very hard to get your photo taken with Spider-Man when he is walking around the park, b/c he is so popular. So if you are in Orlando this summer and your little one loves Spider-Man or The Cat In The Hat, why not make a reservation to eat breakfast with them. Breakfast will be held at Confisco Grille on every Thursday-Sunday morning from park opening until 10:30 a.m.. The breakfast is $15.95 for adults and $9.95 for children. I'm assuming you have to buy a one day admission to the park as well. Which is $59.75 plus tax for adults and $48.00 plus tax for children if you buy tickets online. If you purchase tickets at the gate it will be $63.00 plus tax for an adult and $52.00 plus tax for children. If you are interested call 407-224-4012 to make your reservation. Just a side note I became aware today of a Renu lawsuit . Parker &Waichman, LLP filed this suit against Bausch & Lomb on behalf of this women who became permently blind in her left eye after using these contact lenses. This news really stunned me. I have never worn contact leneses due to the fact I have really dry eyes. It is estimated that 30 million people wear soft contact lenses in the United States. Of that 30 million it's estimates that 4-21 per 10,000 people develope microbial keratitis which caused this women to go blind. For more information on this bizarre case visit http://www.yourlawyer.com or http://www.renulawsuit.com . Tags: eat, breakfast, with, spider-man, and, The cat In The Hat, Islands of Adventures Powered by Qumana

Disney says bye-bye to McDonalds

Disney has just announced that they will not be renewing a 10 year contract with McDonalds. Disney says they are very concerned about our children and how obese they have gotten, so they have chosen to stop making Happy Meal toys. After the releases of "Cars" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" this summer you will not see any more Disney related Happy Meal toys. Now I wonder what they are going to do with The McDonalds that is inside Disney's Animal Kingdom? McDonald's claims that they are not promoting obesity and that children want the Happy Meal for just the toy. Now I agree and disagree with that. I will admit when I was a kid and heck even now I would get a Happy Meal just for the toy. But I think it's great that Disney doesn't want to promote obesity in our children, b/c it is a huge problem in today's society. It seems that Dreamworks maybe taking the place of Disney. There is some talk that there will be "Shrek 3" toys in Happy Meals next year. But it seems that DreamWorks maybe having second thoughts about promoting the Happy Meal. They are thinking maybe Shrek should promote McDonalds "healthier" menu. I guess we will have to wait and see. I will admit that I love fast food just as much as the next person. But after I watched Super Size Me, I have a totally different out look on fast food. I strongly suggest if you haven't watched this documentary that you do so. So break it to your children gently parents. There will be no more Disney toys in their Happy Meals. Tags: Disney, says, bye, bye, Mcdonalds, Happy, Meal Powered by Qumana

Disney Magical Beginnings Packages

Hot off the presses everyone. Disney just announced a new vacation package they are offering. If you have little ones under the age of nine you are in for a treat. After some research was conducted it showed 80 percent of families think the age of 5 is the right age to have a big family vacation to Disney World. So Disney decided to offer this great new package deal called Magical Beginnings. The Magical Beginnings Package offers five day, four night stay at one of the four Disney Value Resorts, Magic Your Way them park tickets and a Disney Dinning plan. This package starts at $950 for 2 adults and one child age 3 to 9. If you have more than one child it will be an extra $173 per child. The Magic Your Way theme park tickets includes one ticket to all 4 Disney theme parks. So you can spend one full day at each Disney theme park. This is a unbelievable deal. The Disney Dining Plan includes one table meal, one quick service meal, and one snack per person per night. Keep in mind this is only at selected Disney restaurants and your little one has to eat off the kids menu. There is however, a time limit on this great deal. You have to have made your reservations by June 4, 2006, and you have to visit Disney World from August 13 to September 30 2006. During this time there are going to be extra activities going on at Disney World that will interest you little one. Playhouse Disney will be putting on concerts at MGM, featuring The Wiggles, The Doodlebops and more. Also if you are staying at one of the Disney Resorts The Magic Kingdom will open an hour early so your little one can enjoy Fantasyland, Dumbo and Peter Pan without the crowds. So if you have little ones that are not in school this would be a perfect time to plan a family vacation to Disney World. You would be getting a excellent deal with this package. You will save nearly $400 maybe more, so what are you waiting for? Click here to make reservations Tags: Disney, Magical, Beginnings, Packages, great, deals Powered by Qumana

New Restaurant's Coming To CityWalk

Great news everyone, there are two new restaurants opening at CityWalk this summer. For those of you who are not familiar with CityWalk, I'll tell you a little about it. CityWalk is basically this little City you have to walk through to get to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventures. It consists of restaurants, shops, and a huge movie theater. With that said the two new restaurants are Red Coconut Club and Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. The Red Coconut Club will be a two story high class cocktail lounge. The creators of the Red Coconut were going for a "rat pack" feel when they decorated the lounge, so keep your eyes open for some cool decor. This hip lounge is schedule to open some time in June so keep an eye open when you are in Citywalk. The new hot hang out is going to feature some signature drinks called the flaming Hot Tiki, and The Red Coconut. There will also be dancing and live music to entertain you. Now for Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. We all know about this famous restaurant that was talked about in the blockbuster film "Forrest Gump" Well in case you didn't know there are several Bubba Gump Restaurants across the United States. I have never eaten at one but my cousin, sister and brother-in-law have and they all said the food there was great. So if you are in Orlando in July stop by and see if this infamous restaurant is open. Tags: new, restaurant's, coming, to, CityWalk Powered by Qumana

New Attractions at Universal Studios

Universal Studios has been having some trouble in the last year getting guest to come and visit. Which I think that's why they raised their ticket prices. As I mentioned in a previous post. So they have decided to add a new ride and a laser show. The new ride is at Islands of Adventure's in Seuss Landing. The ride is called High In The Sky Seuss Trolley Train. This ride is slated to open in June. But like I've mentioned before if you are there during May you might be able to get a sneak peek of the ride. You can assume from the name that this trolley will lift you up in the air and take you all around Seuss Landing. You and you family will get to travel through seven different scenes from several of the famous Dr. Seuss books. All in all I think it will be a great ride for your little ones and for you. B/c it's not a fast paced ride and it will give you a chance to get a bird's eye view of the park, which is always neat. Now this laser show that I mentioned. It is entitled Universal 360 A Cinesphere Spectacular. My cousin gave me the heads up on this one. So thank you Laura. Universal is planning on opening this show in July. The whole premises of this show is to celebrate blockbuster films like no one has ever dreamed of. Basically Universal has planted a four 36 feet tall and 30 feet wide, 360 degree projection which they are calling "cinesphere" in the lagoon. An original music score, 300 outdoor speakers, pyro-technic's and lasers will put guests in the middle of their favorite movies. Universal is also planning on using this cinesphers for Halloween Horror Nights and for other holiday celebrations. Sounds like these cinesphers are going be something to see. Tags: New, attractions, at, Unviersal, Studios Powered by Qumana

Make A Wish

I thought that I would pass this along to all my regular readers. I got an email today from Disney informing me they have Pooh Wishbands that you can buy to benefit Make A Wish Foundation. The wishbands are really cute and they only cost $2.00. The wishband come in pairs, so you can keep one and you can pass one along to a special friend. The bands come in 2 colors, red and gold. The red band reads "Friends Forever" and the gold one reads "Always Together" Both of the wishbands have either Pooh, Tigger, Piglet or Eeyore imprinted on them. The bands are connected with small tabs so you can pull them a part and make a wish. Seventy Five Percent of the proceeds goes to Make A Wish Foundation. You can buy this wishbands at the Disney Store or online at Disney Online. If you buy the wishbands online you will be charge $1.75 for shipping and handling. So if you can buy one of these wishbands and help a make a child with a life threatening medical condition get one step closer to their wish. Tags: Make, A, Wish, Foundation, Pooh, Wishbands Powered by Qumana

Disney Gifts

As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, if you haven' already signed up for the Disney Online email I would recommend that you do it. I got another email from them today with another promotion. Since I love all things Disney I was curious and clicked on the ad. Well it brought me to the home page of Disney Shopping. Well I noticed there was a section at the bottom titled gift finder. Well they actually have a section entitled Wedding Collection. Now this really got me curious. I just got married 8 months ago so I'm still kind of in wedding mode. I know I hate to admit it. I think it's b/c my hubby and I eloped and I didn't actually have a wedding. Well anyway's, there are some really cute things in there. There is a really cute personalized Mickey and Minnie wedding gram with a frame. Also a really cute cake topper of Mickey and Minnie. There are a few really nice silver photo albums in there with Mickey and Minnie on them. So if you know anyone that is getting married anytime soon and likes all things Disney keep this in mind. Wedding season is vastly approaching us. June will be here before you know it. I know it is a bit early to start thinking about Father's Day since Mother's day hasn't even passed yet. Put I thought I would give everyone a heads up. On Disney Online there is this really cute Tigger stuffed animal with a robe on that comes with a personalized mug just for dad. There are some personalized silver-plated Mickey Icon Cuff Links that look real nice. There is even a Mickey card case and pin set that's in all silver. You can even get dad a sweatshirt of Mr. Incredible on it and have his name put on it. Or if dad likes to work out you can have a Mickey gym bag personalized for him. I were you ya'll I would wait until it got a little closer to Father's day before you purchase one of these items b/c the price will more than likely go down. But I thought I would give everyone a heads up. After all you father always give you the best so why not get him something really nice to show how much you appreciate him. I think we should all thank Sonora Dodd of Washington for coming up with the idea of Father's day back in 1909 when she was actually listening to a mother's day sermon. She felt her father William Smart deserved to have a special day to honor him b/c he devoted his life to his 6 children after his wife died in child birth. So if your dad doesn't like anything Disney why not get him a fathers day gift basket. Gourmet Gift Basket fills their fathers day gift baskets with the finest chocolates, nuts, wines, cheeses and fruits. You can also create your own personalized gift basket for dad. So you can give him something that he will love and enjoy. Tags: Disney, Gift, Wedding, gifts, father's, day Powered by Qumana