Magical Beginnings

The first time is the most magical! Enjoy Magical Beginnings presented by PLAYSKOOL®*, with age-appropriate attractions, entertainment, special services and awesome special events just for preschoolers! Discover tips and tools for planning a truly memorable experience with little ones.

Plan ahead with these great tools.
Find age-appropriate attractions and entertainment, and helpful tips for traveling with little ones!

Magical Beginnings Park Maps

•Magic Kingdom® Park (Adobe PDF)

•Epcot® (Adobe PDF)

•Disney's Hollywood StudiosTM (Adobe PDF)

•Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park (Adobe PDF)

Height Requirements Chart (Adobe PDF)


Disney Value

•Little Guests under the age of 3 get into the Parks for free!
•Disney Resort Guests enjoy lighter crowds with Extra Magic Hours.
•Disney’s Magical Express offers complimentary shuttle and luggage service from the Orlando airport to their Disney Resort.
•Guests staying at a Walt Disney World® Resort enjoy free transportation and free parking at the Theme Parks.
•Value, Moderate, and Deluxe Resort hotels are available to suit any budget.

Services Just for Little Ones

•Length-of-stay stroller rentals are available for Guests who don’t want to bring their own.
•Baby Care Centers in Disney Theme Parks offer private rooms with rocking chairs for nursing mothers, diaper-changing rooms and rooms with highchairs. Diapers, formula and teethers are for sale.
•Dining locations offer children's menus, crayons and coloring books.
•Cribs, bed guardrails, baby-sitting services and child-care programs are available.

Hassle-Free Travel

•Disney's FASTPASS® Service allows Guests to spend less time waiting in lines.
•A "rider swap" program lets both parents enjoy a ride - one parent waits with the child while one parent rides. Afterwards, they switch places.
•Disney Gifts or souvenirs purchased within Walt Disney World® Resort can be delivered to the front of the Theme Park or to a Disney Resort for free.
•When staying at a Disney Resort, it’s a short trip back to the room for a nap before returning to the Park to watch fireworks at night!

Disney Cruise Line lowers height requirement for Disney Dream’s AquaDuck

A Mom and The Mouse, Kristin Ford — posted on February, 24 2011 12:51 AM

Beginning today, more kids will be able to ride the AquaDuck, the water coaster onboard Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Dream.

MousePlanet.com first reported and a DCL spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that the minimum height requirement for kids will drop from 48 inches to 42 inches.

To ride alone, however, the height requirement increases from 48 inches to 54 inches. Also, kids must be at least 7 years old to ride alone. Otherwise, they must ride with someone 14 or older.

The cast member loading the AquaDuck when I rode it last month indicated the cruise line was still tinkering with requirements, largely because without enough weight, the two-person rafts can get stuck in the tubes.

Kids riding solo before me were advised to pull in on the handles and lean back if they found themselves stopped. Don’t worry: This isn’t a common occurrence.

Disney says guests will be able to reserve ride times from home

By Jason Garcia, Orlando Sentinel
6:23 p.m. EST, February 17, 2011

Future visitors to Walt Disney World will be able to reserve ride times from their home computers and bypass hotel check-in desks once they arrive at the resort, the head of the Walt Disney Co.'s global theme-park division said during an investors conference Thursday.

Those advances are among of a series of technological initiatives Disney is developing in hopes of making visits to its increasingly crowded theme parks easier to plan and less intimidating to navigate, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs said at the conference in Anaheim, Calif.

"In the coming years, we'll introduce a broad set of systems and tools that will help us create a more seamless and personalized experience and help guests get more out of their visit with us," Staggs said. The ultimate goal, he added, is "to welcome more and more people, while making their experience more satisfying, more personal and more immersive."

Staggs' comments provided the first detailed glimpse at a secretive initiative dubbed "Next Generation Experience," or "NextGen," that Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has been working on for more than a year. The budget for the project is said to be around $1 billion — as much money as Disney spent to build its recently launched Disney Dream cruise ship.

In his remarks Thursday, Staggs described a "version of Fast Pass for an entire Disney vacation." Future guests, he said, will be able to reserve specific ride times for popular attractions, secure seating for shows, make restaurant reservations and pre-book other experiences before they leave their homes on vacation.

They will also be able to obtain their room keys in advance, eliminating the need to check into hotels and allowing them to proceed immediately to their rooms or a theme park once they arrive on Disney property.

Other advances, he said, will include personalizing rides and character greetings for individual guests, adding more interactive queues to entertain people while they wait in line for attractions, and designing behind-the-scenes systems for operations workers to better monitor and steer crowd flow to ease congestion.

Disney will also aim to cull more personal information from its guests, which Staggs said "will put better information into the hands of our cast, so they can deliver even better and more personalized service for our guests." Although Staggs did not specify what information Disney would seek, possibilities range from simple details such as names and birth dates to favorite characters and credit-card numbers. Access to such information would allow Disney to target more personalized sales offers to guests, even as they wander around its parks.

Staggs didn't go into further details about how Disney intends to implement some of the plans, and the company would not elaborate on his comments. But there is widespread speculation among former Disney executives and bloggers who follow the company that some of the plans will use radio-frequency identification, or RFID, microchips that can be implanted into tickets or wristbands, loaded with personal information and used to interact with sensors installed in everything from hotel-room doors to ride animatronics.

Disney has signed a confidentiality agreement with a California company that manufactures RFID wristbands, whose clients include other amusement operators such as Great Wolf Resorts.

Staggs declined to say when Disney will launch many of the initiatives, though some elements — such as interactive queues — have been slowly rolling out in parks in recent months. Staggs said Disney has applied for "a number" of patents related to the work.

"It will be some time before we roll out the bulk of these developments," he said. "But we're well into development."

The decision to pump $1 billion or more into developing systems that help with vacation planning and crowd flow underscores one of the biggest challenges facing Disney's flagship theme-park resorts — particularly Disney World, which has four parks and roughly 25,000 hotel rooms.

As those resorts have grown bigger over the years, they have also become more complex to navigate and more crowded, threatening to undermine Disney's historically high guest-satisfaction ratings and to deter repeat visits.

"We know that our guests love creating great memories," Staggs said. "We also know they don't exactly relish waiting in line, checking in at the resort, worrying about missing their favorite attractions, or feeling uncertain about how to best navigate and access our properties."

There are risks. Former company officials have questioned whether technological advances would boost attendance or guest-spending enough to justify the billion-dollar price tag — or whether advance-planning by some guests could spoil the experience for those who do not pre-plan and arrive at a park only to find the most popular attractions already booked.

Privacy advocates could also protest if they think Disney is collecting too much personal information about its guests.

But Scott Smith, an instructor at the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management, said there are also several advantages to the projects Disney described. Issuing hotel-room keys in advance, for instance, will ensure Disney gets its guests into its parks more quickly.

Smith likened it to similar advance-check-in options at some Las Vegas casino resorts where "the idea is that you go right to the craps table.

"Disney is probably looking at the same type of philosophy," Scott said. "The sooner we check you in, the sooner you go into our parks and start spending money."

Also, a new generation of technology-savvy travelers increasingly expects features such as customizable vacations and interactive attractions, he said.

"Their audience is so much more sophisticated now," Smith said. "If you're not investing in this already, you're going to get left behind. And the last thing Disney wants is to be saddled with the reputation of being old school."

jrgarcia@tribune.com or 407-420-5414

Renee's note: If this sounds a bit overwhelming, using a Disney Earmarked Travel Agent is a smart way to take advantage of expert planning at no fee to you! We keep up to date on what's new and how to best plan your Disney vacation - saving you both time and money! We will even book your dining reservations - and maybe in the future help you plan your rides too!

Epcot® International Flower and Garden Festival

The 18th annual Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival coming spring 2011. Amid a colorful tableau of flowers, plants and topiaries, Walt Disney World® guests of all ages can explore myriad exhibits and activities geared toward gardening and outdoor fun. Weekend Flower Power concerts will pump up the volume and spread a groovy vibe at America Gardens Theatre in World Showcase
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Event Dates:
March 2 - May 15, 2011
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Event Tickets:
Admission to Epcot® required.
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Festival Highlights

Toy Story 3 Topiary - Presented by Disney•Pixar - Main Entrance
Don't miss Buzz, Woody and Lotso as they come out of the Toy Story 3 toy box as topiaries. The newest living sculptures at the Festival and the newest Disney•Pixar movie take you to infinity and beyond.

Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden - Presented by Tinker Bell and the Pixie Hollow Games -
Test Track Walkway
Take flight into the garden world of Pixie Hollow and see some of your favorite fairies presented in topiary. Play structures designed for ages 2 -5.
Bambi's Butterfly House - Presented by HGTV - Imagination Walkway

Experience a Festival favorite, now, more than double the size! Wander among hundreds of native butterflies and see some of your favorite characters from Bambi, presented in topiary. Join us as we celebrate the release of Bambi Diamond Edition, the timeless classic now for the very first time on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def.

Healthy Living Garden – Presented by Syngenta - Imagination Walkway
Experience fun activities that can help lead to improved health and well being.
Cars 2 Topiary – Presented by Disney•Pixar - Coming to Theaters June 24th - World

Showcase Plaza
Lightning McQueen and Mater zoom back into action, but this time they're pruned and trained in topiary form. Rev up your engines for this unforgettable collection of characters seen in living art form like never before.
Winnie the Pooh Topiary - Presented by The Pooh Movie - Coming to Theaters this Summer

Between Future World & World Showcse
Take a glimpse into the Hundred Acre Wood with Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger and Friends in a stunning display of topiary show gardens. Vibrant varieties of striking wild flower combinations make this a "must see" of the Festival.
Beauty and the Beast Topiary Gardens – Presented by Beauty & The Beast Diamond Edition

France Pavilion
Be our guest and see some of your favorite characters from Beauty & The Beast come to spectacular life in this stunning floral garden of topiaries and colorful arrays of flowers and foliage. Join the beloved Belle and Beast in a dance of manicured landscape and magical gardens.

The Art of Green Living – Adjacent to the Morocco Pavilion - Presented by FNGLA
Discover how you can create an environmentally friendly, low-input garden of your own as you explore this unique garden.

Rapunzel's Tower – Presented by Tangled - On Blu-ray™ Combo-pack & DVD
Between the Germany and Italy Pavilions
Rapunzel's secret tower comes to life in the Tangled Magical Garden inspired by Walt Disney Pictures newest animated film, Tangled. You won't want to miss this breathtaking photo location where whimsy and splendor meet floral beauty and garden design as only the Disney Horticulture team can create.

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Flower Power Concert Series - The America Gardens Theatre
Friday, Saturday & Sunday - 5:15, 6:30 & 7:45 pm

2011 Schedule of Performers*

March 4 to 6
Jose Feliciano (Light My Fire)
March 11 to 13
The Guess Who (American Woman)
March 18 to 20
Chubby Checker and the Wildcats (The Twist)
March 25 to 27
New - Melissa Manchester (Don't Cry Out Loud)
April 1 to 3
Starship starring Mickey Thomas (We Built This City)
April 8 to 10
New - Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. (You Don't Have to be a Star (to be in My Show))
April 15 to 17
New - Juice Newton (Queen of Hearts)
April 22 to 24
Ricky Nelson Remembered featuring The Nelsons (Poor Little Fool)
April 29 to May 1
Paul Revere & The Raiders (Good Thing)
May 6 to 8
Davy Jones (I'm a Believer)
May 13 to 15
Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone (I'm Henry VIII, I Am)


Entertainment is subject to change without notice. Songs listed are for artist recognition only and may not be in the playlist.

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*Entertainment is subject to change without notice.
Songs listed are for artist recognition only and may not be in the playlist.

Mickey FASTPASS: Guests Will Be Able To Determine a Time To Meet Mickey Mouse Beginning This Spring at Magic Kingdom

How about this: For the first time at Disney Parks, you’ll have the opportunity to nail down a time for a face-to-face meeting with Mickey Mouse at the Walt Disney World Resort. Beginning this spring, we’ll be offering FASTPASS for Mickey at his new permanent home, Town Square Theater, located inside the current Exposition Hall area at the entrance of Magic Kingdom park.

Once open, it’ll be more than just a new greeting space for Mickey. Imagineers are creating new elements and surprises for Magic Kingdom park guests, including an interactive queue – with an extra touch of Disney magic. Also, during the New Fantasyland construction, royalty will be visiting as the Disney Princesses will be in Town Square Theater to meet and greet their loyal subjects this spring.

How will it work? Magic Kingdom guests will be able obtain a Disney’s FASTPASS specifying a one-hour window when they can return to see the popular character for hugs, photos and autographs – without waiting in the standby queue. This marks the first time the complimentary, computerized service has been utilized for a character meet-and-greet at any Disney Park.

Walt Disney Imagineers are already working to completely transform the space for the new experience. Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for more updates on this one-of-a-kind experience.

(posted on February 22nd, 2011 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks)

Richard Petty Driving Experience

Are you looking for the ultimate thrill ride during your next trip to Walt Disney World®? Complete your next Orlando vacation by driving or riding in a 600HP NASCAR race car. A racing experience with Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World® Speedway is where grown-up dreams come true. There is no better memory of Orlando than roaring around the track at speeds of up to 120 MPH while your friends and family cheer you on from pit road.

Walt Disney World Speedway, located in Orlando, FL, is a 1 mile tri-oval. It was built in 1995 as a venue for the Izod IndyCar Series and is now the exclusive home to Richard Petty Driving Experience year-round.

Get behind the wheel and feel your adrenaline pumping as you race around the mile-long, tri-oval racetrack! Experience the thrill of a lifetime as you go for 8, 18 or even 30 laps. You can also ride-along in the passenger seat for 3 heart-pounding laps with one of our professional instructors.

All participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.


Choose from the following experiences:

Ride-Along Experience

•Experience real life racing thrills by riding shotgun in a 2-seat stock car driven by one of our professional instructors for a 3-lap NASCAR qualifying run at speeds up to 145 MPH. Ride-Along participants must be at least 16 years old.
Driving Experiences
•Rookie Experience (8 laps over 1 session)

Your hands are on the wheel, your foot is on the gas and you are in the driver's seat for 8 laps around the track.

•King's Experience (18 laps over 2 sessions)

Satisfy your need for speed while trying to tame the speedway in this high-thrill, 18-lap program.
•Experience of a Lifetime (30 laps over 3 sessions)

Think you can handle 30 laps of white-knuckled, heart-pounding acceleration? Improve your driving line, increase your speed and consider a career change.
Participants must be at least 18 years old with a valid driver's license and be able to drive a standard transmission. Driving experiences require reservations.

Each program lasts approximately three hours, but the memories last a lifetime!

Grand Gatherings

A Grand Gathering is defined as a party of eight or more guests (ages 3 and up*) staying at a Walt Disney World® Resort hotel.

Take advantage of exclusive itinerary planning assistance and add special functions designed for groups. A dedicated team of Grand Gatherings Travel Planners at the Disney Reservation Center will assist in booking resort hotel rooms and packages, arranging special Grand Gathering Experiences, dining, golf, and spa reservations, as well as pre-order merchandise.


Grand Gathering Experiences
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International Dinner & Illuminations Dessert Reception

This event is hosted by "Auntie Roz" at Epcot's Odyssey Restaurant. Served buffet style, this International dinner features the cuisine from five different nations.

While enjoying your meal, storytelling and live musical entertainment is provided. This event features some of your favorite Disney Characters who join the guests on the dance floor.
If you're celebrating a special occasion, just let Auntie Roz know and she'll take it from there.

Once you've enjoyed your evening of food and fun, you're escorted to a reserved viewing area for the nightly "Illuminations: Reflections of Earth" where a delicious dessert buffet is served.

Disney Dining Plan: 2 Table Service credits
Meeting location: Odyssey Restaurant
Valid theme park admission is required

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Safari Celebration Dinner

This special event begins with an end of day Kilimanjaro Safari ride. You'll meet your guide in Disney's Animal Kingdom's Asia section and be taken on your tour.

Following your Safari is dinner in the Tusker House Restaurant. Featuring African inspired cuisine, your all you care to eat dinner is served family style.

While enjoying your meal, Disney Characters will be available for photos and fun. As an added treat, you'll get an up close look at a few of Animal Kingdom's exotic species.

Birthdays and special occasions will be given recognition.

Disney Dining Plan: 2 Table Service credits
Meeting location: Flights of Wonder Theater
Valid theme park admission is required

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Good Morning Gathering

Ciao! and welcome to Tony's Town Square Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. Here Tony invites you to enjoy a delicious all you care to eat breakfast. Mickey and Friends are there for treasured photos and fun interaction.

Tony will be happy to note special occasions. Guests celebrating anniversaries will be serenaded with "Bella Notte," the classic song from Disney's Lady & the Tramp. Following this memorable start to your day, you'll have preferred entry to "Mickey's PhilharMagic."

Meeting location: Tony's Town Square Restaurant
Valid theme park admission is required
Available with the Dining plan as well

Phineas and Ferb “know what they’re gonna do today”

And I know where I want to go! Disney World has announced that Phineas and Ferb, animated characters in a popular Disney Channel show, will begin interacting with guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in May.



The experience is billed as a play-and-greet where Phineas and Ferb actually “know what they’re gonna do today” — they’re making a movie about all their crazy adventures. With the help of guests and movie director Cletus Filmore, they will recreate some of their favorite moments. But there will be plenty of time for breaks to meet with their fans, sign autographs and take pictures.



The Phineas and Ferb meet-and-play will be located near the exit to Muppet*Vision 3-D.

Phineas and Ferb made their first appearance in the Disney Parks when they rode in the the 2009 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade at Disneyland.

Aulani's Exhilarating Water Feature will Provide Adventure and Fun for All Ages

The Waikolohe Stream, inspired by the natural landscape of the islands themselves, will provide adventure and fun for all ages when Aulani opens to Guests in August 2011.

Waikolohe means “mischievous water,” and it’s a fitting name for the floating tube journey along Waikolohe Stream. Guests will launch into the water starting with an exhilarating water slide into a course that will take adventurers through an eye-catching lava outcropping (called Pu`u Kino) and through misty caverns dotted by beads of sunlight that will find their way through the rock. The occasional hot spring will blow off a little steam, while cooler and more “mischievous” fountain springs will surprise explorers with a bit of “added refreshment.”

Disney Fantasy Begins to Take Shape

On Feb. 11, 2011, Disney Cruise Line® celebrated the keel laying of the Disney Fantasy™ at the Meyer Werft shipyard. This is the second of two newly designed ships that take the family cruise experience to all-new heights. The sister ship to the Disney Fantasy, the Disney Dream™ entered service on Jan. 26, 2011.

The keel laying ceremony is a significant milestone in the ship building process when the first block, or section of the ship, is lowered into the building dock and a coin is placed under the keel for good fortune. Placing the coin was Karl Holz, President of Disney Cruise Line, assisted by Minnie Mouse.

The Disney Fantasy will offer many of the innovations that the Disney Dream currently features and brought to the cruise industry for the very first time, including AquaDuck -- the world’s first shipboard water coaster. However, the Disney Fantasy will feature a few new design elements and Guest experiences that will give the ship a unique identity all her own.

The 4,000-passenger Disney Fantasy will sail weeklong Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Fla., beginning with its maiden voyage scheduled for March 31, 2012. In addition, the Western Caribbean itinerary will change to feature a stop at Costa Maya. Bookings are now open for sail dates through August 2012.

Date night at Palo

We really enjoy our date night at Palo. It is a 130-seat, Adult Exclusive restaurant that boasts Northern Italian cuisine for dinner nightly, in addition to brunch on 4-night and longer cruises, and high tea on 7-night and longer cruises.

Named after the signature long poles used to push and pull gondolas in and around Venice, Palo is the preeminent venue for Disney dining on the high seas. Boasting elegant Venetian glass, inlaid wood paneling and sweeping 270-degree panoramic ocean views thanks to the restaurant's elegant floor-to-ceiling windows and semi-circular layout, Palo is the perfect setting for Guests 18 years of age or older looking for a more intimate—and more romantic—dining experience. Venetian masks adorning the walls, a backlit bar at the restaurant's center and an open kitchen only add to the magic.

Palo Reservations
Reservations are required and can be made online or upon boarding the ship. When dining at Palo, Guests will skip the regularly scheduled Main Dining restaurant.

Online reservations are available at the following times:

Platinum Castaway Club, Suites/Concierge, Weddings/Vow Renewal, VIP, Media and Make a Wish Guest Types: 120 days in advance
Gold Castaway Club: 105 days in advance
Silver Castaway Club: 90 days in advance
All Other Reservations: 75 days in advance
An additional charge is required to dine at Palo:

Dinner: $20 dining charge, per person
Brunch: $20 dining charge, per person
High Tea: $10 dining charge, per person
Please note prices are subject to change without notice.

When Guests have not cancelled a dining reservation at Palo or Remy by 2:00 p.m. on the day of the reservation or do not show to the restaurant to honor their reservation, the reservation is considered confirmed and 100% of the Dining Option is applied to the Guests' folio.

Dress Code
A dress shirt or jacket is required for men and a dress or pantsuit is required for women. No jeans allowed. At brunch and high tea, attire is cruise casual, meaning no shorts, jeans, swimwear or tank tops.

Dinner
Dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. nightly; the final reservation time is 9:00 p.m.

Over subtle classical Italian music, Palo boasts the best in fine Northern Italian dining, serving a varied selection of tantalizing favorites with a mouth-watering contemporary twist.

Although subject to change, dinnertime menu items may include:

Appetizers/Soups & Salads:
Sicilian Pesto Marinated Shrimp Salad
Grilled Portobello Mushroom and Polenta with a Roasted Shallot Sauce
Main Courses:
Lobster and Mascarpone Ravioli
Risotto di Mare
Pumpkin and Broccoli with Shrimp and Grappa Sauce
Penne Arrabbiata
Chicken Braciola
Garlic Roasted Rack of Lamb
Brunch
Brunch is served from 10:30 a.m. to noon while the ship is out at sea during Disney 4-Night and longer cruises. During visits to Key West, brunch is served from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Check the Personal Navigator—the Disney Cruise Line daily newsletter detailing all there is to see and do—for specific dates and times of activities while onboard.

Palo continues its commitment to fine Italian dining, offering a varied selection of classic favorites with a contemporary twist.

Although subject to change, Palo Brunch offerings may include:

A Selection of Baked Breads and Pastries
Grilled Marinated Vegetables
Alaska King Crab Legs
Homemade Pizzas
Smoked Salmon and Mixed Greens
Freshly-made Pancakes
Tiramisu
Lemon Meringue Pie
Champagne, along with specialty drinks like Mimosas and delicious ice-cream blended smoothies, may be purchased for an additional cost.

Open seating is available when dining at Palo for brunch, meaning you and your family are invited to dine at any table you choose.

Vegetarian delights include assorted cereals, salads, fresh fruits and berries and a selection of cheeses.

High Tea
High Tea is served from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. while the ship is out at sea on Disney 7-Night and longer cruises. Check the Personal Navigator—the Disney Cruise Line daily newsletter detailing all there is to see and do—for specific dates and times of activities while onboard.

Amid an elegant upscale environment, Palo invites you to relax and unwind during your cruise vacation with a soothing selection of traditional, flavored and herbal teas, finger foods and desserts to delight even the most discerning palates.

Although subject to change, High Tea offerings may include:

A Selection of Premium Teas
High Tea Finger Sandwiches
Warm scones and a Selection of Jams
Chocolate Eclairs

Palo at High Tea also offers espresso, café latte, cappuccino, mineral water, café mocha, café mélange, sparkling water, and a full selection of wine and mixed drinks for an additional cost.

Romantic Vista Spa Villa for Two

One of our favorite dates is having a couples massage on our curise!

Amenities at the Spa Villas include:
Spa treatment rooms
Couples massages
Private verandah
Personal whirlpool
Open air shower
Roman bed with canopy
Tea Ceremony
Foot Cleansing Ceremony
Pamper yourself by relaxing in a soothing whirlpool, or feel tensions melt away amidst incredible ocean vistas and warm tropical breezes from an ideal perch on a canopied Roman bed. Treatments at the marvelous Villas range from 105-minute individual sessions to ultra-decadent 155-minute sessions for couples.

Included with every reservation are:
Tea ceremony
Bathing ritual of your choice
Foot cleansing ceremony
For an extra fee, you can even have a bottle of champagne, strawberries and additional treatments added to your private session—tailor-made to deliver you into blissful divinity.

Couple's Choice
Duration 130 min
Price $475
The Couple's Choice delivers 130 minutes of comfort and pleasure, and includes a 75-minute spa treatment of your choice. Select from a range of treatments, including the Elemis Aroma Stone Therapy, an Elemis Cellutox Aroma Spa Ocean Wrap, an Elemis Musclease Aroma Spa Ocean Wrap, an Exotic Lime & Ginger Salt Glow with half-body massage, an Exotic Frangipani Body Nourish Wrap with half-body massage, or an Exotic Coconut Rub & Milk Ritual Wrap with half-body massage. This sensual package may be booked online or onboard at the Vista Spa.

Romantic Hideaway
Duration 120 min
Price $449
The Romantic Hideaway package offers irresistible relaxation and rejuvenation options. Select the La Thérapie HydraLift Facial, an Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Facial, an Elemis Deep Tissue Muscle Massage, a Swedish Massage, or an Elemis Exotic Lime & Ginger Salt Glow with half-body massage. Please note this enchanting package may only be booked onboard at the Vista Spa & Salon.

Ultimate Indulgence
Duration 150 min
Price $589
The Ultimate Indulgence package combines our most sumptuous pleasures—a revolutionary Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Facial and our soothing Elemis Deep Tissue Muscle Massage—in an unforgettable retreat into ecstasy for the body and spirit. Couples seeking quiet time together will find this package ideal. The facial miraculously rejuvenates and reduces signs of aging, while the massage brings the body into balance. Please note this heavenly package may only be booked onboard at the Vista Spa & Salon.

The Dream's Senses Spa & Salon looks incredible! It spans two decks. Guests who have booked a treatment are welcome to relax and linger in the Relax Room, as well as enjoy the rainforest-themed aromatherapy steam room. Discover the benefits of steam, heat and hydrotherapy combined with the power of aromatherapy to relax the mind and body. Specialized areas within the Rainforest room include a Hamam (steam bath), a Caldarium (steam room) and Laconium (dry sauna). The Dream spa offers the same couple's villa choices.

Gnome Sweet Gnome

02.10.11 - Touchstone Pictures' Gnomeo & Juliet, made in collaboration with Sir Elton John's Rocket Pictures, begins charming audiences February 11.

(L-R) Juliet, Gnomeo and Benny — gnomes from opposite sides of the lawn in Gnomeo & Juliet. The film was directed by Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2).

If you've come across the movie poster for Touchstone Pictures' Gnomeo & Juliet, then you've seen the image of the backyard garden gnome stuck in the grass upside down. Your eyes follow up the sides of the oversized blue hat, traveling up to the gnomes grimacing and pudgy face. On top, his yellow crossed arms and green pants, with stunted legs, stick out toward the sky. In the background, a half a dozen even smaller gnomes in red hats laugh hysterically at the mess he's in. And that basically sums up exactly what the film has done to the Shakespearean classic Romeo and Juliet. It's completely turned the story on its head. Then, it has a little fun with it.

The film takes the phrase, "To be, or not to be" and turns it into an address — 2B and Not 2B — the place where the backyard story unfolds. And those ruthless battles between the Capulets and Montagues — well, in this hilarious film one of the biggest battles fought is a lawnmower race in a suburban alley. And to top it off, and the reason why this unlikely version of this hundreds-year-old tale has you totally transfixed, is the film's irony. It takes garden gnomes that are made of concrete and tells the greatest love story ever told. Somehow, through all this madness, Gnomeo & Juliet seems to captures a heartwarming tale for the whole family.

Casting a Shakespearean story with tacky and lowbrow (but totally charming) garden gnomes gave director Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2) the opportunity to add loads of fun to this classic drama. "The casting director brought us several different recorded voices and they didn't tell us who they were," says Kelly, who collaborated with producers David Furnish, Baker Bloodworth and Steve Hamilton Shaw to bring together the star-crossed cast that includes the likes of James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Jason Statham, Patrick Stewart, Dame Maggie Smith and even Dolly Parton. "We matched the voices with the characters that seemed right for the film and that's how we cast the movie. Ozzy Osbourne was an exception. We had this cute little concrete deer [Fawn] and we thought, 'Who would be the least expected voice to come out of that character?'"

Juliet, voiced by The Devil Wears Prada's Emily Blunt, lives her gnome life high above the fray on a backyard water fountain. She's been placed there by her overprotective father, Lord Redbrick (played in a comic turn by the incomparable Michael Caine), a father gnome intent upon keeping his beloved daughter forever unchipped. "She's no delicate flower," says Emily, who was first cast as a rebellious and hot-tempered Juliet at the age of 19 at the Chichester Festival Theatre in England. "I loved playing her onstage in this way and when I met Kelly [Asbury] it was really great to hear that he also wanted to do a tough little Juliet."

Juliet's Gnomeo and the star gardener for the Blues is voiced by The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe's James McAvoy. "The story of Romeo and Juliet has a lot of nice morals — like how to be aware of preconceptions and how forgiveness is important," James points out. "But you can't tell kids the story of Romeo and Juliet because there is a lot of death and hostility. So, with little garden gnomes you can tell all those morals without all the violence." And the result is a story that's wickedly funny, tender in places and sincere in every frame.

Sir Elton John's cameo appearance as a gnome in Gnomeo & Juliet. The film is out February 11.

Asked how such a dream cast came to be, the film's executive producer, Sir Elton John, whose production company Rocket Pictures made the movie in collaboration with Touchstone, adopts a lighthearted approach. "We begged," he laughs. Scoring the movie and punctuating it with some of the most widely recognized and beloved songs in pop music didn't hurt either. "It's the first time I ever allowed [so much of] my music or my catalog to be used in a movie," Elton says. "[Lyricist and longtime songwriting partner] Bernie [Taupin] and I wrote five new songs — two of which ended up in the film," he adds. "One is a duet with Lady Gaga called 'Hello Hello.' It was hard to pin her down because she's on tour, but she started work on it one week in November in Sweden and finished it off a week or so later in London. There's also a version of 'Crocodile Rock' at the end with Nelly Furtado and me, which is fantastic and a lot of fun."

As hilarious, musical and character-driven as Gnomeo & Juliet is, the movie also has a deep emotional heart, a lingering sense of the importance of the lessons contained in Shakespeare's story of doomed love. In the final act, our protagonists wander away to find their own garden — a place where nothing blue or red can bother them. There, they wonder if it's at all possible to break down the wall between their two families and the hatred that's endured for so long. "It sends out an important message for people to talk and put their differences aside," Elton says. "Even if we're worlds apart we should try to meet in the middle and work something out. That is what life is all about."

By D23's Billy Stanek.

Disney's Blizzard Beach

With so many of us dealing with snow and cold weather, I thought this might be a fun twist!

Blizzard Beach Attractions

Disney legend has it that after a freak winter storm blanketed the area with snow, Florida's first ski resort was born. When temperatures returned to normal, the powdery snow turned to slippery slush. Slalom courses, bobsled and toboggan runs became downhill waterslides. The chair lift carried swimmers instead of skiers. The ski jump became the tallest, fastest waterslide in the nation.

You are invited to what has become Disney's Blizzard Beach, the most slushy, slippery, exhilarating beach water park anywhere!


Chairlift
Scale the slopes in a colorful, fanciful wooden chair lift with umbrellas and dangling skis. Hop aboard this one-way access to the top of Mount Gushmore for access to Summit Plummet, Slush Gusher, Teamboat Springs, Toboggan Racers and Snow Stormers.

Cross Country Creek
Kick back and "chill" in an inner tube on this gently meandering river that flows around the entire Park. Bask in the warmth of the sun. Use the Creek as a transportation system to effortlessly get from one area of the Park to the next or just ride along and watch the world drift slowly by.

Downhill Double Dipper
Shoot the tube and blast down the slopes at 25 miles per hour in these side-by-side speed slides. Hop on your inner tube and disappear into a tunnel before remerging seconds before your splashdown. These two parallel 230-foot-long racing slides are a slippery good time.
Height Requirement: 48" (122 cm) or taller

Melt Away Bay
Take a dip in the gently bobbing waters of this bay that is fed by the melting snow run-off from Mount Gushmore. The expansive one-acre pool is great for those who want to wade in and just get their feet wet or take an invigorating swim. Pounding waterfalls make a great retreat when you really need a refreshing plunge.

Runoff Rapids
Take your choice of three incredible inner tube rides that careen down the hill into a refreshing plunge pool. Each flume is different, so try all three! One is completely enclosed, while the others are open. All three twist and turn on tantalizing water-logged journeys down the banks of Mount Gushmore!

Ski Patrol Training Camp
Make a real splash at this training camp play area, designed especially for pre-teens. Swoosh down inner-tube slides, slide hanging from a T-bar, whisk down curvy slides and take a challenging ice-flow walk across floating icebergs.

Slush Gusher
Speed down the 90-foot tall Mount Gushmore in a slush-banked mountain gully. Two humps create brisk fun-filled ups and downs on your journey to the bottom of the mountain. Launch down the slopes in the shadow of Summit Plummet.
Height Requirement: 48" (122 cm) or taller

Snow Stormers
Speed down the slopes in switchback slalom-style racing slides. Bank through the curvy path marked by ski-type gates. Choose from one of three different downhill racing courses. Hop on your mat and compete with your friends. Meet in the plunge pool at the bottom of the course and hop out of the water to start all over again!

Summit Plummet
Look out below! Dare to take the vertical plunge from the top of the world's tallest and fastest free-fall body slide. At an exhilarating height of 120 feet, this sky-scraping ski jump of a thrill ride drops you down the slopes at a speed-limit-breaking 55 miles per hour for a 360-foot long trip back to the lower atmosphere.
Height Requirement: 48" (122 cm) or taller

Teamboat Springs
Bring the whole gang aboard one of the longest family raft rides in the country. Twelve hundred feet of white water and rushing waterfalls make the twisting, turning journey from the top of the mountain to the bottom a giggling, screaming adventure. Three- to six-passenger inner tubes ensure that the family that rafts together, laughs together!

Tike's Peak
Little kids are invited to have mountains of fun in this water play area. The youngest Blizzard Beach goers can slide, splash and swim while sunning in the "snow" in this spot reserved just for them. Gentle body slides, an inner tube slide, interactive fountains, pop jets and a wading pool ensure a chillin' good time.

Toboggan Racers
Race in one of eight side-by-side lanes that toboggan down the mountain. Hang on to your mat and head down the slopes. Exhilarating dips make your charge to the finish line an avalanche of fun.


http://www.disneytravelagents.com/StaticFiles/DTA-Domestic/Flash/WDW/Theme%20Parks%20and%20More/BlizzardBeach.html

Happy 10th Anniversary California Adventure!

Disney California Adventure, or simply California Adventure, is a theme park in Anaheim, California, adjacent to Disneyland Park and part of the larger Disneyland Resort. It opened on February 8, 2001 as Disney's California Adventure Park. The park is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. On May 28, 2010, it was announced through the official Disney Parks Blog that Disney's California Adventure Park would be renamed to its current title, Disney California Adventure.
This 55-acre theme park was constructed as part of a major expansion that transformed the Disneyland area and its hotels into the Disneyland Resort and consists of five areas: Sunshine Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, The Golden State, A Bug's Land and Paradise Pier. Each area is meant to resemble various aspects of California, its culture, landmarks and history.

In 2009, the park attracted approximately 6.05 million guests, making it the 11th-most visited theme park in the world, its highest ever attendance total for a calendar year.

Many Disney characters can be found throughout the park, greeting visitors, interacting with children, and posing for photos. Some characters have specific areas where they are scheduled to appear, but can be found wandering as well.

There have been some wonderful new additions such as World of Color, which is a new nighttime show at Disney California Adventure that was designed by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment. This show has more than 1200 fountains and includes lasers, lights, and fire with high-definition projections on mist screens similar to the ones used in Fantasmic! at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The show is expected to change regularly and feature seasonal overlays for Halloween and Christmas, says show creator Steve Davison.

The Pixar Play Parade features floats and characters based on the Disney·Pixar films Monsters Inc, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, and Cars.

"ElecTRONica" is an interactive nighttime dance party in Hollywood Pictures Backlot. It is considered a similar experience to Glow Fest, which was staged in the same area in summer 2010, but this party is themed to Disney's new film, Tron: Legacy. ElecTRONica features lights, music, projections, and more to promote the new film. Past performances from live DJs include: Giang Star (Fridays), Michael Paul (Saturdays), Adam Auburn (Sundays) and Josh Billings.

There are some exciting things planned for the future of California Adventure. The one I am most looking forward to is the new Cars Land that will contain three attractions and will span 12 acres (49,000 m2). The first, Radiator Springs Racers, will be an E ticket ride using the technology of Epcot's Test Track. It will be among the most expensive rides ever built at an estimated US$200 million. It will be a detailed dark ride that ends with an outdoor side-by-side dueling racing finale. The ride will begin with a race briefing from Lightning McQueen and end at the Wheel Well Motel from the movie. Some elements said to be featured as road details in the attraction are switchbacks, tunnels, bridges, waterfalls and banked turns.

The other two attractions are going to be smaller family attractions with smaller height requirements featuring Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, a tea-cup like attraction, and Luigi's Roamin' Tires, which looks like the 1960s Tomorrowland "Flying Saucers" ride. Cars Land will also feature a life-size model of Radiator Springs and several dining and shopping venues.

It will take the place of the existing Timon parking lot behind the Tower of Terror and is supposed to open in 2012, after the park celebrates its 10th anniversary. Cars Land will also serve as a connection between the Golden State and Hollywood Pictures Backlot lands, to eliminate the awkward dead end at the foot of the Tower of Terror attraction. Construction began in July 2009. The structural steel has been being laid out for months as they are building Radiator Springs Racers.

Star Wars Weekends

While Disney Imagineers continue to help create the newest Star Tours adventure at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, plenty of Jedi, Wookiees and droids (oh my!) are gearing up for Star Wars Weekends, the annual celebration of all-things-Star Wars at Walt Disney World Resort.

And today you can start making your plans to journey to a galaxy far, far away and step into the Star Wars saga, as we officially announce this year’s event dates for the first time. Star Wars Weekends 2011 will be held at Disney’s Hollywood Studios every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 20-June 12.

The event features one of the galaxy’s largest gatherings of Star Wars characters all around the theme park, offering photo and autograph opportunities (I mean, c’mon – where else can you ask the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader, for his autograph??? Just don’t ask him to smile for your photo). There are special Star Wars parades, trivia challenges, Jedi Training Academy, limited-edition merchandise and memorabilia, behind-the-scenes presentations, star conversations and more.

Star Wars celebrities make special appearances in talk shows and grand motorcades, and sign autographs throughout the weekend (here’s a tip: make sure you’re at the theme park first-thing in the morning to secure a spot in one of the celebrity autograph queues for that day).

We’ll announce a complete and more detailed Star Wars Weekends celebrity lineup soon, but we can tell you now about two fan-favorites returning for 2011.

Anthony Daniels, known worldwide for his portrayal of everyone’s favorite protocol droid, C-3PO, will return this year for Weekend 1 (May 20-22) and Weekend 2 (May 27-29). Trivia fact: C-3PO (or “See-Threepio” as many fans remember) is one of the few characters to appear in all seven Star Wars feature films.

Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano (pictured above), in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” will appear each weekend this year as Celebrity Host of a behind-the-scenes talk show entitled “Clone Wars: Behind the Force.” Ashley is no stranger to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Ashley, who grew up in central Florida, had one of her first show-business roles as a parade performer at the theme park.

Peter Pan released February 5, 1953

Peter Pan is the fourteenth full-length animated feature film in the Disney canon. It was the last Disney animated film to use the RKO Radio Pictures logo in 1953.

In Edwardian London, in the neighborhood of Bloomsbury, George and Mary Darling's preparations to attend a party are disrupted by the antics of the boys, John and Michael, acting out a story about Peter Pan and the pirates that was told to them by their older sister, Wendy. Their father angrily declares that Wendy has gotten too old to continue staying in the nursery with them, and it's time for her to grow up. That night they are visited in the nursery by Peter Pan himself, who teaches them to fly with the help of his pixie friend, Tinker Bell, and takes them with him to the island of Never Land.

A ship of pirates is anchored off Never Land, commanded by Captain Hook with his sidekick Mr. Smee. Hook boldly plots to take revenge upon Peter Pan for cutting off his hand, but he trembles when the crocodile that ate it arrives; it now stalks him hoping to taste more. The crew's restlessness is interrupted by the arrival of Peter and the Darlings. The children easily evade them, and despite a trick by jealous Tinker Bell to have Wendy killed, they meet up with the Lost Boys: six lads in animal-costume pajamas, who look to Peter as their leader. John and Michael set off with the Lost Boys to find the island's Indians, who instead capture them, believing them responsible for taking the chief's daughter Tiger Lily.

Meanwhile, Peter takes Wendy to see the mermaids, where they see that Hook and Smee have captured Tiger Lily, to coerce her into revealing Peter's hideout. Peter and Wendy free her, and Peter is honored by the tribe. Hook then plots to take advantage of Tinker Bell's jealousy of Wendy, tricking her into revealing the location of Peter's lair. The pirates lie in wait and capture the Lost Boys and the Darlings as they exit, leaving behind a time bomb to kill Peter. Tinker Bell learns of the plot just in time to snatch the bomb from Peter as it explodes.

Peter rescues Tinker Bell from the rubble and together they confront the pirates, releasing the children before they can be forced to walk the plank. Peter engages Hook in single combat as the children fight off the crew, and finally succeeds in humiliating the captain. Hook and his crew flee, with the crocodile in hot pursuit. Peter gallantly commandeers the deserted ship, and with the aid of Tinker Bell's pixie dust, flies it to London with the children aboard.

Mr. and Mrs. Darling return home from the party to find Wendy not in her bed, but sleeping at the open window; John and Michael are asleep in their beds. Wendy wakes and excitedly tells about their adventures. The parents look out the window and see what appears to be a pirate ship in the clouds. Mr. Darling, who has softened his position about Wendy staying in the nursery, recognizes it from his own childhood, as it breaks up into clouds itself.

Peter Pan’s Flight is a popular ride found at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland. Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee make appearances in the parades, as well as greetings throughout the theme parks.

Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, and the Pirates are featured in a scene during Disneyland's version of "Fantasmic!"

On our cruise this past December, Peter Pan was a close and personal friend to my kids. He spent a good amount of time with them in the Oceaneer's Club playing pirate and crowing with my son into the lobby of the ship! Wendy has also been one of our favorites to cruise with leading my children in a game of 'Wendy Says' when she did not have people in her line! My son and Captin Hook were great fun to watch as he chased Hook everywhere laughing and yelling "Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock." Hook was a great sport and even gave AJ the 'I'm watching you' look from across the ship. Peter Pan will remain one of our favorite Disney movies and the characters have a special place in our heart! Thanks for the great memories!

Fairy Tale Suite Debuts at the Disneyland Hotel

Dream happily ever after in the new Fairy Tale Suite at the Disneyland® Hotel, a 750-square-foot getaway providing a Fantasyland®-like romantic retreat for couples on the top floor of the newly renovated Dreams Tower.

Upon entering the Fairy Tale Suite, Guests are welcomed by pixie dust and the appearance of Tinker Bell, who illuminates a crystal castle encased in the wall. A marble foyer descends into an enormous bedroom with a panoramic view of the Disneyland Resort through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Sage and champagne colors used throughout the suite elegantly blend the combination of blond and glass furniture. The suite’s centerpiece is a plush, royal-canopy bed, and the room’s finishing touches include elegant crown molding, automatic drapes and a custom-designed dresser from which a flat-panel television magically ascends at the touch of a button.

The focal point in the suite’s bathroom is a beautiful, hand-cut mosaic of a stylized Sleeping Beauty Castle. The mirror disguises a television, and the double-vanity countertop twinkles with dozens of shooting stars. Domes and Corinthian columns mix thematically with an abundance of modern amenities, including a steam shower and Jacuzzi tub featuring chromo-therapy.

The Fairy Tale Suite further expands the portfolio of signature suites at the Disneyland Hotel, which is undergoing a significant “re-imagination” project that includes remodeling guest rooms, building a new pool and water play area with monorail-inspired slides, renovating the existing pool, and opening a new restaurant and bar. Other one-of-a kind options now available include the Mickey Mouse Penthouse, Pirates of the Caribbean Suite and Big Thunder Suite.

Pirates IN the Caribbean Disney Magic

One of my favorite activities on our Disney cruises is the Pirates IN the Caribbean party. This event is a part of the Disney tradition that makes their cruises so special. I would encourage you to add to your packing list pirate attire! It is not required, but it does make for a fun evening!

Pirates IN the Caribbean
Ship: Disney Magic, Disney Wonder
This deck party celebrates what it means to be a pirate. The event begins with a pirate-themed dinner in one of the Main Dining restaurants. After dinner, venture to Decks 9 and 10 for a treasure trove of entertainment starring some of your favorite Disney Characters bedecked in pirate garb. As the fun hits full swing, skull-and-cross bone projections signal the arrival of Captain Hook, Mr. Smee and a gang of pirate baddies. But not to worry, you can be sure Mickey and friends save the day. Featuring a breathtaking finale, revel in a spectacular fireworks display*-the only one in the world that is offered by a cruise line.
*Fireworks are weather permitting and not offered during 2011 Alaskan cruises.

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Mickey’s Pirates IN the Caribbean
Ship: Disney Dream
A family-friendly interactive show featuring the famous Disney characters. Guests become members of Mickey's Pirate Crew as they participate in a series of pirate-themed musical numbers. As a new addition to "Mickey's Pirates IN the Caribbean" celebration, the skies above the Disney Dream will explode with brilliant colors during "Buccaneer Blast!", the largest fireworks* extravaganza presented aboard a cruise ship. This pyrotechnic spectacular is choreographed to songs from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Peter Pan and the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at the Disney theme parks.
*Fireworks are weather permitting.