Disney Free Dining Returns for 2013!

Whether you’re celebrating or not, Disney Free Dining is the way to go.

Disney Free Dining is making it’s annual return to Walt Disney World offering guests a free meal plan when they book their Disney vacation. You need to be checking in between Sept. 2 and 25th in order to take advantage of this promotion.
If you’re staying at a moderate or deluxe resort, you get the Disney Dining plan free which includes 1 table service, one quick service (counter service) meal, and one snack per person per night of stay. You will also receive the souvenir mug that can be refilled at your resort food court for free. If you’re staying at a value resort you will get the quick service dining plan free. That plan gives you 2 quick service meals per day, one snack and the refillable mug. You can upgrade to the regular dining plan for the difference in cost between the two. You can also upgrade to the deluxe dining plan the same way.
There is a 3 night minimum stay to take advantage of this promotion and it requires the purchase of at least a 2 day park pass.
Disney free dining is one of the most highly sought after promotions each year because of it’s value.

For expert assistance in planning your Walt Disney World vacation contact
Sharon Spohn, Liberty Travel Vacation Expert specializing in Disney, at 610-524-2930 or spohns@libertytravel.com.

Disney Launches Bi-Coastal All Nighter to Kick Off Summer

Have you always wanted to spend the whole night in the Magic Kingdom? If so, you’ll get your chance Memorial Day weekend when both Walt Disney World and Disneyland stay open for 24 hours straight.
The party begins May 24th at 6 a.m. and continues until 6 a.m. May 25th.
Disney is calling it the kick off to it’s Monstrous Summer, which promotes the June 21st launch of the Disney Pixar movie Monsters University.
To add to the celebration, Spaceship Earth has been transformed from it’s silver golf ball-like state to the one-eyed green character Mike Wazowski from the prequel Monsters Inc.
In addition to the New Fantasyland that opened late last year, guests will also experience the new Pirates Adventure interactive game in the Magic Kingdom.
For more information about Disney’s Monstrous Summer Celebration visit

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/let-the-memories-begin/

New Wristband In Disney Adds Convenience For Planners

Tired of pulling your Disney park pass  out of you wallet each time you enter a park, get a Fast Pass or make a purchase in a gift shop? 

Soon, you’ll be able to accomplish all of the above (and more!) with the flick of a wrist. The New Magic Band is part of Disney’s newest initiative, My Magic +. 

The RFID-enabled band is made from a hypoallergenic material and is worn on the wrist. It serves as your room key, park pass and also contains your pre-arranged Fast Pass reservations, Photo Pass pictures, and an option to have a charge card attached to make purchases.

 

 

Guests will be able to use My Disney Experience app on their Smartphones and set up pre-arranged Fast Passes prior to arrival. The new program also allows Disney to monitor and track guests patterns in the parks.
Thew new wristbands are expected to be implemented in Walt Disney World later this year.

The New Fantasyland Opens in Walt Disney World

Cinderella’s is no longer the only castle on the block when you visit Walt Disney World. Just beyond it, on a rock-covered hill surrounded by woods and waterfalls, is Beast’s Castle, the icon of the New Fantasyland.

Inside the castle is Disney’s newest and now largest restaurant – Be Our Guest Restaurant, which has quick service dining for lunch and table service dining for dinner. If you’re looking to make a table service reservation for this restaurant, be prepared to make it 6 months in advance as it has quickly become one of the most sought-after dining reservations in Walt Disney World.

Next to Beast’s Castle is an attraction called Enchanted Tales with Belle. From the outside it just looks like a meet and greet attraction but it’s more of a storytelling adventure. Guests walk through Maurice’s workshop and then an enchanted mirror turns into a doorway that takes you into a room where a talking wardrobe and a Disney Cast Member begin to assign parts to each child (and a couple of adults). After all the parts are cast, you’ll move into the Library, where along with Lumiere and Belle, guests participate in a re-telling of the Tale As Old as Time. Afterward, a Disney Photograph Photographer is available to take your picture with Belle.

Just beyond Beast’s Castle is Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid. And that is exactly what it is, a journey. A walkway into the grotto takes you deep down under until you arrive at the sea where you board your clam shell to ride through the story of The Little Mermaid. When you’re finished you can go right next door to Ariel’s Grotto – a meet-and-greet attraction with Ariel.
Another area of the New Fantasyland – Storybook Circus- is the home of not one but two Dumbo the Flying Elephant rides! One serves as the Standby line and the other is only for Fast Pass riders. The Barnstormer was also relocated to this area. A water splash area called Casey Jr. Splash and Soak is a fun way to cool off on a hot day.
These attractions are now all open and but construction is not complete.
The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is scheduled to open in 2014. Guests will board a mine car and travel through a story that focuses primarily on the Seven Dwarfs.
The New Fantasyland is the largest expansion to the Magic Kingdom in the park’s 41-year history.

The Gift of Reading

A few weeks ago my 4-year-old granddaughter Arianna read a book to me and I was amazed at how well she could read. She knew all the words and  the ones she was unsure of she sounded out. She loves to read and every night before bed she has quiet time where she reads her books. She is fortunate to have such an early start on reading and to enjoy it so much. And her love of books is rubbing off on her little sister. Although she’s only 16 months old, Alayna sometimes will sit and page through the books and look at the pictures. She likes the ones with furry textures of different animals on the pages.

Recently, my daughter asked me not to buy the girls toys for Christmas and instead buy them books; I didn’t mind the request. Books will last longer and they can be passed down through generations. I think most of us have a favorite childhood book or book series.

But that’s not the case for some adults.

Unfortunately for some, they never learned to read beyond a 5th grade level. A campaign to help fund the Pottstown YWCA Literacy Program started earlier this month and runs through Dec. 11th. An anonymous donor has offered  to donate $1 to the literacy program for each valid name and e-mail address collected. If you would like to help support literacy by giving your name and e-mail address, please click on the link below:

Here is the link https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?pli=1&formkey=dEJLd0Z4NTBCZm44NWk3V2NjYkpIdHc6MQ#gid=0

Getting Your Disney Legs On!

Most people don’t realize till they arrive in Walt Disney World how much walking is involved with a Disney vacation.

One year, our daughters decided to take along a pedometer because they wanted to know how much walking we did each day. After the week was over, we tallied the miles and we walked between 11 and 14 miles each day!

So to prepare for 10 days in Disney, my husband and I (who walk the dog regularly) decided to increase our walking to 2.5 miles 4 days a week. It’s not easy carving time out of busy schedules to do this but we use the time to tweak our day to day plans for the trip. We typically do this before each trip as more of a warning to our muscles of what’s to come. And despite the “practice” there’s always some sore muscles after a day or two. But fortunately, we always book a Disney resort that has a hot tub which becomes a welcome end-of-the-day routine.

The other issue from all that walking are the feet! The right shoes – or for me I should say sneakers – are imperative. I’ve always invested in good supportive sneakers because of past issues with Plantar Fasciitis and heel fractures, but I usually buy a couple of new pair a month or so before my trip. I also take 2 pair of  sneakers and alternate them.

And don’t forget blisters. I’ve never got through a trip without at least one. But I found that Band Aid Blister Cushions work well for those.

And all this doesn’t mean the feet and muscles won’t hurt at the end of the day…they’ll just hurt a little less!

Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2012

Friday begins one of the most anticipated annual events to Walt Disney World – the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.

From September 28th through November 12th, visitors to Epcot can experience culinary bliss as they stroll through the World Showcase. There will be 29 booths from different countries offering food and wine and craft beer. The price for the samplings which are about the size of an appetizer, run between $3-8.

For a list of countries and their offerings click here http://disdining.com/news/news-epcot-food-and-wine-menus-released/ 

Park admission is the only requirement to get into the Food and Wine Festival however there are events that require additional tickets.

For more details about the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival and a detailed review of activities, visit www.DisDining.com