Pandora’s Box

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Photo courtesy of thedisneyblog.com

If you haven’t heard yet, Pandora, the world of the Avatar films, has been having a soft beta opening this past week.

A group of lucky guests have had the opportunity to explore this incredible, new world situated in Disney’s Animal Kingdom before it opens to the public on May 27.

Here is a round up of some of the early reviews on what people are saying.

To Eat

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When it comes to food, Pandora has two options that have items for both the timid and adventerous palate.

The first is the Satu’li Canteen, a quick service restaurant.

The food looks amazing, and what I have heard it tastes just as good, too.

Being a vegetarian, I am happy that they have plenty of options available that would qualify as a full meal.

One of the best deals here are the different bowls (slow roasted sliced beef, chopped woodfire chicken, sustainable fish bowl, or the chili-spiced crispy tofu bowl). Chalk full of vegetables and Boba balls, you get a pretty good bang for your around $12 buck.

Another option, if you are looking for a quick beverage (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) can be found at Pongu Pongu.

There are a ton of exotic looking drinks here to wet your whistle including the Mo’ara Margarita in a Souviner Mug with a Glowing Unadelta Seed for $18.25.

To Buy

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Photo courtesy of WaltDisneyWorld.com

Inside of Pandora there is one store that sells souviners called Windtraders.

Here you will find cultural artifacts of the Na’vi, science kits, specialized apparel and even some of the region’s more colorful creatures.

To Do

Let’s face it, the main reason why people are in the area is to experience the attractions that this area has to offer.

The first is the Na’vi River Journey.

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Photo courtesy of WaltDisneyWorld.com

Think of this attraction as a sort of high tech Small World. You go on a boat where you look at the amazing flora and fauna and the super sophisitcated animatronics.

People have been saying this has been blowing guests away. It is beautiful and you swear that the animatroics are real people.

The other attraction in Pandora, Flight of Passage, has been blowing people away for a wide variety of reasons, not all of them good.

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Photo courtesy of WaltDisneyWorld.com

On this ride you board your very own banshee and take to the skies of Pandora.

While on the ride vehicle you wear special glasses and view a large screen that is similar to Soarin’.

People who have been on the attraction have been raving about how amazing the experience is and that is like none other in the entire resort.

However, the Disney community has also been up in arms over the attraction as well.

When the rider steps onto the vehicle they have to sit on it like a motorcycle. Then a support comes up and pushes against the back while two braces come behind the calves and they also push forward.

The problem is that many people who are either tall or of the “Winnie the Pooh” shaped variety are having a difficult time fitting onto the ride and are subsequently being asked leave the ride.

One early previewer said that she had estimated 22% of the people that were slated to ride were asked to leave.

Another person said that in one group four out of 12 and seven out of 12 were asked to leave.

Some people are saying that because of the calf area being tight, people with either larger calves or taller people couldn’t fit properly into the restraints.

Supposdly, cast members are taking note of how many people are asked to leave the vehicle and the reason, so there is hope that this issues will be fixed in the future.

Are you looking forward to visiting Pandora? What are you most looking forward to?

A New Meal with Character

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Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

When you have a little one who is obsessed with seeing the Disney characters up close and personal it can be difficult to try and track them down all over the parks.

This is why, in my opinion, the best option is to plan a character meal.

There are lots to choose from that cover all three major meals and offer a bunch of different characters.

This week, the Disney Parks Blog announced that a special breakfast featuring some of Disney’s most popular couples will be offered this spring.

This new breakfast will take place at Trattoria al Forno located at the Boardwalk Resort.

Currently, the power couples from “The Little Mermaid” and “Tangled” are slated to make appearances at the breakfast.

Right now, information regarding prices and menu have not been released yet.

If you are looking for a great character breakfast that is currently offered is Tusker House at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park.

You get to see Mickey and the gang, the buffet has plenty of traditional breakfast staples plus some additional offerings that are unique to the restaurant.

When we have gone in the past it hasn’t been that busy so we were able to spend a lot of time with the characters and got some really cute photos.

Huge Discount on WDW Park Tickets

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This is a pretty big deal!

Disney just announced Thursday that they are going to be offering a huge discount on park tickets for certain days.

The “4 Park Magic Ticket” allows guests one admission to each of the four theme parks on four separate days for only $70 per day plus tax.

The window to use the ticket is now through May 26, 2017. Block out days are Dec. 17-Jan. 2 and April 10-21.

This is an amazing deal considering tickets are well over $100 and their isn’t an upcharge for the Magic Kingdom.

It also sounds like these tickets will be available during the RunDisney Marathon weekend in January and the Princess Half Marathon weekend in February.

If you can pair this with a room discount, you can really have a great bargain on your hands.

The “4 Park Magic Ticket” is on sale now and can be purchased at Disneyworld.com/tickets or by calling 407-939-5277.

Does this low ticket price entice you to visit Walt Disney World toward the beginning of 2017? Leave your comments below.

Tot Five: News out of WDW This Week

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Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

There have been a lot of announcements out of Walt Disney World this week including a new holiday show, new princess meet and greet, the return of favorite food items and more.

For this week’s Tot Five we will take a look all of this news so you can plan your upcoming holiday vacation.

1. “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!”

Even thought Halloween isn’t here yet, Walt Disney World is looking to the holiday season and just made an exciting announcement concerning Hollywood Studios.

A new nighttime projection show, “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!” (JBJB) will start Nov. 14 at the studios.

According to the Disney Park’s Blog, “The show comes to life on, above and around the Chinese Theater with state-of-the-art projections, special effects, fireworks and a rousing seasonal musical score.”

The show will feature musical numbers from Disney favorite movies including “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and more.

There will also be a Holiday Dessert Party that can be purchased for an additional fee.

2. Meet and Greet with Princess Elena of Avalor at the Magic Kingdom

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Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Ever since the coronation of Princess Elena of Avalor it was only a matter of time before she started meeting guests in the kingdom.

Starting Nov. 24 Princess Elena will meet with guests at the Princess Fairytale Hall with her other princess friends

I am so bummed out that we are going to miss seeing her when we go down for our latest trip.

3. DINOSAUR down for a longer than planned Refurb

The Animal Kingdom attraction was closed this summer for a refurbishment and was scheduled to open next Thursday, is going to be closed for awhile longer.

There have been reports of people who made FastPass+ reservations for the high intensity attraction all the way out to the middle of November have had their passes switched out for Expedition Everest passes.

So far, there hasn’t been an official comment about what happened with the attraction. I just hope that it isn’t going extinct.

4. Culinary favorite makes a return

Fans of the Sweet and Spicy Chicken Waffle Sandwich at Sleepy Hollow can rejoice. The snack is back.

The sandwich, available at this eatery located at Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom, retails for $10.29.

5. Magical Night Time Weddings

Wanna get married at the Magic Kingdom at Night? You can do that now.

Yep, you can have your own Cinderella dream wedding after 11 p.m. at the kingdom and can be custom made for whatever your heart desires.

The wedding can accommodate up to 300 guests in Fantasyland.

Watch the video below to see a snippet of what your dream wedding can be like.

What are you most excited about when it comes to these new announcements? Leave your comments below.

Making Memories Easier

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Photo courtesy of Attractions Magazine

It never fails.

You want to try and capture as many memories of your family’s visit to Walt Disney World.

Unfortunately, one person always ends up being the unofficial family vacation photographer.

When you look back at the photos many years from now, you will wonder if you actually went on that vacation because there isn’t a record of you talking with Mickey or eating a giant turkey leg.

Luckily, Disney found a solution that is the Memory Maker.

Memory Maker is an add on to your Walt Disney World package that allows you unlimited downloads of photos taken by Disney Photopass photographers, ride photos/videos and any restaurant photos.

There are hundreds of locations where you can have a photo taken with memory maker.

Some locations that you won’t want to miss include Main Street U.S.A. in front of Cinderella’s Castle, meeting Anna and Elsa at Princess Fairytale Hall, the bridge near International Gateway with the France pavilion in the background at Epcot, Overlooking the Hollywood Hotel at Hollywood Studios and around the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

You will also want to ask some photographers about magic shots.

These shots add a little bit of pixie dust to your photos.

For example, at Animal Kingdom you can have a photo of you holding a baby Simba. This is done by adding a cartoon image of Simba in post-production.

Or, if you are near Princess Tiana’s meet and greet you can ask about kissing a frog.

You also don’t want to forget to link your attraction photos to your Memory Maker package.

After you get off an attraction that takes your photo, you will see a bank of screens displaying the ride photos off to the side. You will want to go up to the sales center kiosk and link the photo to your MagicBand or card that is linked to your Memory Maker account.

In addition to photos, a lot of attractions include really cute videos. Check out the Tower of Terror’s and Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train videos online.

You only have a 30 day window, that starts when the first photo is taken, to sign into your account and began to download pictures.

If you pre-purchase the package before you go, then the program is $149. If you wait until you get to Disney, the cost goes up about $20.

Also, there is a three day window if you purchase when you arrive at Walt Disney World. During this three day period you will have to pay for each photo individually.

You can also link the photos that are taken of other people in your party with the Memory Maker.

The number one tip is to always have your MagicBand, you would anyway, to easily add the photos on to your account.

The biggest thing for you to consider is would this be something that is important to your family given the hefty price tag that is attached.

Do you think this is something that would be beneficial to your family?

Leave a comment below.

Getting to Know: DiVine

 

Walt Disney World is known for employing a variety of unique characters that make the resort the popular destination it is.

Previously we looked at the Dapper Dans and now let’s take a look, we will have to look real close, at one of the unique characters found in Animal Kingdom, DiVine.

 

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Photo courtesy of FlickRiver.com

Hanging out in the jungles of Animal Kingdom, towering over guests and hidden among the trees is DiVine, a very talented cast member who is dressed in camouflage of vines and makeup that interacts with guests by moving slightly and surprising guests.

She has to have perfect balance because she uses two sets of stilts to make her so tall.

Big Fat Panda has a video on his YouTube channel that shows DiVine at work:

Have you had the opportunity to see DiVine in action? Leave your comments below.

 

Getting to Know Me: Disney Edition

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In a little change of pace, I thought it would be fun to do a little Disney quiz to get to know me a little better, when it comes to Disney and Walt Disney World.

So here are my 53 Disney questions and answers:

1. All Time Favorite Disney Movie: “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” (currently; this changes all the time.)

2. Top Five Disney Movies: “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” “The Little Mermaid” “The Lion King” “Peter Pan” “Bedknobs and Broomsticks”

3. Favorite Princess: Tiana

4. Favorite Prince: Eugene (if he counts as a prince)

5. Favorite Couple: Eglantine Price and Dr. Emelius Brown

6. Favorite Villain: Ursula

7. Favorite Heroine: Tiana

8. Favorite Hero: Aladdin

9. Favorite Sidekick: Mushu

10. Disneyland or Disney World: I have only been to Walt Disney World, so I will choice that one.

11. Favorite Attraction: Splash Mountain

12: Favorite Park inside the Resort (ie EPCOT): Magic Kingdom. To me that is the epitome of Walt Disney World.

13: Favorite land inside of the resort (ie Adventureland): This is a tie either Tomorrowland at night or Frontieerland at night. I love the Magic Kingdom at night. It seems more magical.

14: Favorite Disney Snack: Dole Whip Float

15: Favorite Disney Restaurant: Boma. It is a buffet, so you get to try a bunch of different things; it has many exotic foods that I can’t get at home; and the atmosphere is so beautiful.

16: Favorite attraction/show: Muppet Vision 3D

17: If you had the chance to stay anywhere overnight in the park, where would you stay: The Cinderella Suite in the castle in Magic Kingdom

18: Favorite Character to Interact With: Tiana or Ariel

19: Which character’s handwriting do you wish you had: Tinkerbell’s

20: Which character are you afraid of approaching: No one really

21: Favorite Disney Hotel: Port Orleans French Quarter. The smallest resort means that you are closer to everything. Plus the walk along the river to the sister resort, Port Orleans Riverside is beautiful in the morning.

22: Describe a Typical Day at Disney for You: Get up in the morning, have breakfast. Head to our park of choice, go back to the resort for naps or swimming, have a nice dinner and end the night in the park with late night magic hours.

23: Snow White or Cinderella: Snow White

24: Ariel or Belle? Belle, I love books.

25: Pocahontas or Mulan: Pocahontas

26: Aurora or Rapunzel: Rapunzel. I see a lot of myself in her.

27: Tiana or Jasmin: Tiana

28: Meg or Kida: Meg

29: Stitch or Pooh: Pooh

30: Eugene Fitzherbert or Prince Eric: I gotta go with Gene. Prince Eric is a little too dense for me.

31: Prince Charming or Prince Ferdinand: Who the heck is Ferdinand?

32: Li Shang or John Smith: John Smith. Common Li Shang, you didn’t know he was a woman?

33: Prince Philip or Prince Adam/The Beast: The Beast. Come on, he gave her a library.

34: Prince Naveen or Aladdin: Aladdin. He was brave and bold

35: Genie or Mushu: Genie. He is the absolute favorite of our Mousekatot

36: Hercules or Milo: I gotta go for Milo. I love a guy who uses his brain!

37: Two Characters that Would be Great Friends: Ariel and Kida

38: All Time Favorite Song: This is so tough. I will go with what I am feeling now, which is “At Last I see the Light”

39: Favorite Wardrobe: Tiana’s. Just because of the Lily pad gown at the end.

40: Outfit you wish you had: See above

41: What food from a Disney Movie do you want to try in real life: The rock cakes and bubbling beverage from Return to Oz

42: Character You Look Like: This is tough. Probably Ursula. hahahaha IDK.

43:Whose voice do you wish you had (singing and speaking): Ariel

44: What Disney movie cheers you up: Pirates of the Caribbean or Cars 2

45: What Disney Movie Makes You Sad: Inside Out or Toy Story 3. I refuse to watch these again.

46: What is the Most Underrated Disney Movie: Cars 2. People hate this movie, and I don’t know why. It is funny and isn’t sad at all.

47: Favorite Pixar Movie: Up. This is our movie.

48: Favorite Quote: There are so many, but if I am picking one: “Adventure is Out There” from Up

49: Favorite non-animated Disney Movie: Bedknobs and Broomsticks

50: Best Soundtrack: The Lion King….”Baaaaaahhhhhh zimbwaya!”

51: Last Disney Movie You Watched: The Many Adventures of Winne the Pooh

52: Two Characters Who Would be Enemies: Merida and Jafar because of how he treats women.

53: Two Characters that Should Be Paired Up But Aren’t: Merida and Eugene. They would got on so many adventures together!

Now your turn for some fun: answer your three favorite questions down in the comments below, so we can get to know you.

Thanks to Reillysinneverland for the questions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tot Five: The Most Important Thing for Parents

 

In yesterday’s post I talked about where to go for a delightful tea. Now, today I want to share with you one of the most important things a parent of a toddler should have in their arsenal, especially when they are at Walt Disney World: coffee.

Not all coffee is created equal at Walt Disney World. Some places have Nescafe coffees while others have full bodied coffee.

If you don’t love Nescafe as much as I do, I seriously love the stuff, here are the tot five best places to grab a cup of caffeine to help you keep up with your tot at Walt Disney World.

 

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Photo courtesy of Kimberly Fydyan.

 

1. Main Street Bakery, Magic Kingdom (Starbucks Location)

When the bakery was converted into a Starbucks location, there was a lot of uproar. Lots of people were upset that the  unique bakery was being turned into another Starbucks location, others were excited because this meant that they could have their favorite Starbucks beverage while wandering the Magic Kingdom.

 

I have heard that the service is quick and wonderful at this location and you can get all your favorite drinks to help you keep up with your little Mousekatot.

2. Kona Café (The Polynesian Village Resort)

Many people report that the best coffee on property can be found inside of the Polynesian Village Resort at the Kona Café.

The 100 percent Kona Coffee is served in a French Press pot. The cost is $8 and serves two. Added bonus, you can get Tonga Toast at this location, so you can’t beat that!

 

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Photo courtesy of Disney Tourist Blog

3. Tea Traders Café by Joffrey’s in Disney Springs

Not everyone gets their caffeine fix from coffee. Black tea can have up to 70mg of caffeine per cup. Joffrey’s is the place to be. They have every type of tea imaginable.

From black, oolong, green, herbal, ect., they have it all. You can also have tea lattes, lose leaf brewed beverages and, for later in the day, alcoholic beverages mixed with tea.

This is the place to get your tea on!

4. Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery (Animal Kingdom Park)

If you are up early connecting with your wild side at the Animal Kingdom theme park, you can get your java fix at the Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery located in the Africa section of the park.

This location offers coffee, both iced and regular, espresso, cappuccino and more.

There are also a variety of pastries to have along with your coffee.

5. Tangierine Café (Epcot

If you want to try something that is a little more exotic than a traditional cup of Joe should head to the Tangierine Café located in World Showcase at Epcot.

You can get a cup of Moorish coffee, coffee with cinnamon; a Casablanca, with vanilla liqueur; the Kasbah with hazelnut liqueur and more.

Which location would you like to get your cup of Joe from at Walt Disney World? Have you tried any of the above listed locations? Leave your comments below.

 

 

 

 

 

Tot Five: How to Handle Food Allergies

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Photo courtesy of Disney Food Blog
One of the best things about Walt Disney World, Disneyland and the Disney Cruise Line is they cater to the needs of everyone.
For those dealing with food allergies dining out can be come complicated and even dangerous, depending on the severity of the allergy.
Disney has many precautions in place that help people avoid contamination.
Here are the tot five ways to help manage food allergies in your family while at a Disney property.
1. Send an email
If you or a family member have a serious, uncommon food allergy, the number one thing you should do is send an email to special.diets@disneyworld.com. You need to send the email after you have made your dining reservations and at least 14 days prior to your vacation.
People who have an allergy with the following need to send the email:
•Any allergy or intolerance not listed as a common food allergy (i.e. Gluten or wheat, lactose or milk, peanuts or tree nuts, shellfish, soy, fish, eggs and corn)
•Phenylketonuria (PKU)
•Metabolic disorders
•A single guest with multiple allergies/intolerances or multiple guests with allergies/intolerances within the same party
2. Ask for the allergy menu
All restaurants, have a list of the ingredients that are in their menu items, include the counter service restaurants.
Some of the table service restaurants will have a special allergy menu, so don’t forget to talk to your server.
3. Indicate an allergy when making a reservation
It doesn’t matter if you make your reservations online, through the My Disney Experience app or over the phone you can indicate that you have a food allergy.
Because you have this indicated with your reservation you are more likely to have a chief come out and talk to you about your allergies.
4.  Make sure you are prepared
No one wants to think that something will happen on their vacation concerning their food allergies. However, you always have to be prepared with your medication should a need arise.
If there would be an emergency, and you forgot your EpiPen there are several stations throughout Walt Disney World that have EpiPens available.
The stations are located on the guide maps.
5. Don’t be afraid to speak up
If you think there might be an issue with your order or if you don’t trust an ingredient, please speak up. You are never inconveniencing the people that work at Disney. They want you to be safe and not see something happen to you.
Do you have any tips on dealing with food allergies? Leave them in the comments below.

Tot Five: Best Spots to Grab a Quick and Healthy Lunch

A lot of people seem to think that if you are on vacation you have to face the dreaded “vacation weight gain” when you return home.

However, if you do a little planning before you go you can make smart choices when it comes to dining at Disney.

So here are the tot five places to grab a quick and healthy lunch in Walt Disney World.

1. Columbia Harbor House

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Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World

Tucked away in Liberty Square is a really great quick service restaurant called Columbia Harbor House.

While the restaurant caters mostly to typical New England fare like fried shrimp and clam chowder, it is also surprisingly has some great lighter options including the Lighthouse Sandwich (hummus tomato, broccoli slaw on toasted multigrain bread), grilled salmon with couscous and corn cobbette,  and broccoli peppercorn salad.

2. Tangierine Café

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Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World

Tangerine Café, located in the Morocco pavilion in EPCOT, offers a lot of different Mediterranean foods which are usually very healthy and contain a lot of fresh ingredients, healthy fats and savory spices.

Healthy choices here include the vegetarian platter( hummus, tabbouleh, lentils, falafel and marinated olives with fresh Moroccan Bread), Shawarma Chicken Platter (served with a side of Hummus, Tabbouleh, and Tangerine Couscous Salad with fresh Moroccan Bread) and Tabbouleh.

3. Sunshine Seasons

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Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World

 

Inside of The Land pavilion in EPCOT’s Future World is Sunshine Seasons, a quick service restaurant that is known for providing quick, tasty and healthy food.

Offering selections for all three major meals, some healthy options include Bircher Muesli for breakfast, Power Salad with Oak-fired Chicken, Quinoa, Almonds and Honey Vinaigrette for lunch and Sesame Crusted Tuna with Asian Vegetable Noodle Salad.

4. Harambe Market

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Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World

 

Animal Kingdom Park is home to some of the most flavorful and unique dining experiences in the entire resort. Luckily, these places also offer many healthy options including Harambe Market located in the Africa section of the park.

Yummy and healthy options include Grilled Vegetable Stack served with Green Papya Slaw and Black-Eyed Pea, Corn and Tomato Salad, Grilled Chicken Skewer (with the same sides) and Green Papaya-Carrot Slaw Side.

5. Anaheim Produce

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Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World

Sometimes when it is so hot outside, like Orlando is often, I really don’t feel like eating a big meal.

Luckily, Anaheim Produce, in Hollywood Studios, offers a wide variety of lighter and healthy fare including a variety of fresh fruit, Hayden Valley Raw Energy Mix, carrot and celery sticks and whole pickles.

While eating healthy is definitely an option while you are on vacation, you need to also find that right balance between treating yourself on occasion and eating healthy. You are on vacation after all and don’t want to feel too deprived.

What is your favorite healthy lunch at Walt Disney World? Leave your answer in the comments below.