No Crowds Photo by WDWShutterbug
Not surprisingly, September dates are generally less busy than the October dates, although Tuesdays are still the best days regardless of which month they are in. The one big exception to this last year was Friday, September 28, 2012, which was the bus est Halloween party we tracked. The most likely cause was that this was also the opening weekend of the Epcot Food & Wine Festival as well as the weekend of the Wine & Dine Half Marathon.
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“all the parties near Halloween tend to be quite busy”
A strange quirk in attraction wait times is that October 31, 2012 (Halloween), was one of the parties with very low wait times. In this case the data is deceiving, as that party was sold out (as was Sunday, October 28). While the sellout indicates high crowds, our research shows very short attraction lines. In reality, both of those are true, and all of the parties near Halloween tend to be quite busy, regardless of the wait times.
If you are considering other dates, here are our predicted rankings of attraction wait times at each of the 2013 Mickey’s Not-SoScary Halloween Parties. [Please note that the military discount ends following the September 27 party and the Advance Annual Pass and Disney Vacation Club discounts end following the October 24 party, but are also not available for the parties on October 4, 11, or 18.]
Party Date
Ticket Price
Notes
Tuesday, September 17
$59
Tuesday, October 22
$62
Tuesday, September 10
$59
Estimated because we do not have any 2012 data
Thursday, October 31
$73
Sold out 4 days in advance in 2012 and 2 days in advance in 2011. Lines for character greetings and parade viewing spots will be long.
Friday, September 13
$59
Sunday, October 27
$62
MNSSHP Attendance Chart
Friday, September 20
$59
Tuesday, October 29
$62
Friday, October 11
$67
If you are considering other dates, here are our predicted rankings of attraction wait times at each of the 2013 Mickey’s NotSo-Scary Halloween Parties.
Monday, October 14
$62
Sunday September 29
$62
Thursday October 3
$62
Tuesday, September 24
$59
Friday, October 4
$62
Sunday, October 6
$62
Estimated because there is no equivalent 2012 date
Friday, October 18
$67
Sold out 1 day in advance in 2012
Thursday, October 17
$62
Friday, October 25
$67
Friday, November 1
$62
Thursday, October 24
$62
Sunday, October 20
$62
Thursday, October 10
$62
Friday, September 27
$59
Lines for character greetings and parade viewing spots will be long
Sold out 1 day in advance in 2011
If you consider yourself handy with a camera, or if you simply want better pictures, you can’t go wrong with Tom Bricker’s tips on photographing the Halloween party. Now that you are armed with the most powerful weapon…knowledge, you can plan your 2013 trip to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. This blog post will help you find all of the party dates and prices. Hopefully this analysis will help you choose the best Halloween Party to attend. Make sure to check back here later, where we’ll soon be breaking down Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, as well. Thanks!
BRIAN MCNICHOLS In addition to blogging, I also do some analyzin' at Touring Plans. I am a travel nut, planning nut, Disney nut, wall nut. Husband of 1, father of 2. Hilariously funny in my own mind. Find me on Twitter @YesThatBrian if you like really dumb jokes.
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booths that focus on a specific theme, including: Cheese, Desserts and Champagne, Hops & Barley, Refreshment Port (Dole), and Terra (Vegan). And if you’re simply looking to skip the snacks and find a tipple, head for these booths: American Adventure Coffee Cart, Brewer’s Collection, Craft Beers, Fife and Drum, and The Outpost.
Desserts and Champagne Photo by Hyku
While you can get your fill simply strolling around World Showcase, the Festival draws foodies from Florida and afar, so there are lots of special dining events that you can make reservations to attend. The two showstoppers are the Party for the Senses and 3D Dessert Discovery held in the World Showcase Events Pavilion on Friday and Saturday nights – these are lengthy, expensive, and incredibly indulgent experiences. A variety of smaller events, centered around meals and tastings happen throughout the event, including Cheese Seminars, The Discovery of Chocolate, Epcot Wine Schools, Food and Beverage Pairings, French Regional Lunches, The Hibachi Experience, Kitchen Memories, Mexican Tequila Lunch, Mixology Series, Parisian Breakfast, Scotland: Land of Food and Drink, Spirits Confidential, Sweet Sundays, Italian Food and Wine Pairings, and an Italian White Truffle Lunch. The whole Walt Disney World Resort gets into the spirit of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival by offering Culinary Adventures in Signature Dining – a great way to beat Epcot crowds by visiting other parks and hotels for your foodie fix. And just a stone’s throw away from Epcot on Disney’s BoardWalk, the Flying Fish Café offers Specialty Wine Dinners (on
October 17 this event will be hosted by Mr. & Mrs. John Lasseter – who wouldn’t love to dine with a Pixar and Disney modern-day legend?). Food enthusiasts and novices alike will also enjoy many free or low-cost speakers and seminars that will be featured in the Festival Welcome Centre (you may remember it as the old Wonders of Life Pavilion). These events include Epcot Food and Wine Festival Culinary Demonstrations, Wine and Beverage Seminars, and Mixology Seminars – each focusing on a different key ingredient and led by a WDW chef or sommelier, or an industry professional. You can also expect to find book signings and author meetand-greet opportunities, bottle signings, and authentic taste seminars in the Festival Center. Plus, you can stop in anytime to The Chocolate Experience: From the Bean to the Bar and learn all about how this delightful treat is made!
Ming Tsai that looks yummy Photo by Zannaland
This year, a special event is even being offered for D23 fan club members who qualify (gold or silver level membership is required) – it’s called the D23 Sip and Stroll. All that food is bound to leave you a little lethargic, so why not shake things up at the Eat to the Beat Concert Series with some classic rock bands performing at the America Gardens Theater? Three times each night, a band will take the stage to play songs we all remember from the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s! These concerts are FREE with park admission, so grab someone you love and head over to dance or eat along with the show! In 2013, Eat to the Beat will feature Starship starring Mickey Thomas, The Go-Go’s, Air Supply, Sister Hazel, Sugar Ray, Edwin McCain, The Manhattan Transfer, Wilson Phillips, The Pointer Sisters, Night Ranger, Boyz II Men, Survivor, 38 Special, Smash Mouth, the Spin Doctors, Christopher Cross, Hanson, Dennis DeYoung, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy!
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Eat to the Beat Photo by Rhys A.
And, if you want to work off all those extra calories before you head home, you can always opt to participate in the 2013 Wine and Dine Half Marathon, happening this year on November 9! Whether you’re a seasoned Disney traveller looking for something new to try at WDW, a foodie on the hunt for the perfect bite, or a world adventurer ready to take in the tastes of the globe in one fowl swoop – the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is not-to-be-missed!
STEPHANIE SHUSTER I’m a life-long Disney devotee, living in Hamilton, Canada and dreaming of WDW every day. In between my trips to the most magical place on earth, I love cooking, yoga, and travelling with my husband. I’m a writer for DadsGuidetoWDW.com, and if you’d like to connect you can follow me on Twitter @stephshuster.
9) Call a Cab Needless to say, there is a lot of alcohol at the Food and Wine Festival. (124 different beverages to be exact.) If you are one to partake then don’t even think about driving back to your hotel when you are done. If you are staying on Disney property you will have free transportation back to your hotel but remember that the buses get crowded when the park closes. If you take a taxi you will make it back to your room, whether on or off property, safely and quickly. There are plenty of cabs waiting in the parking lot at the front entrance. All that you need to do is grab one. If staying off property and you are planning on drinking you might want to take a cab to Epcot in the morning as well. That way you will not be worried about your car.
Grilled Lamb Chop Photo by Disney Dining
8) Learn to Share There are so many delicious and different choices available only at the International Food and Wine Festival, you can fill up quick and run out of money even quicker. That is why you sharing with the person or group that you travel with is a smart idea. When you share, everyone will have a chance to sample more choices and no one will get filled up too quickly. You don’t want to feel bloated while making your way to the next booth. Sharing will give you smaller portions, which means you can try more of a selection. (Again, see tip 4)
7) Drink Plenty of Water Even in November the heat can be brutal in Central Florida. Drinking water is important no matter when you visit. It is even more important during the Food and Wine Festival. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect, making your body need water even more. Add in the walking and the standing in line, drinking water will help you to feel your best. You will also want water because dozens of items at F&W are hot and spicy. A cold bottle of water will bring welcome relief. Keep a water bottle with you at all times. You’ll be glad you did.
6) Book Events Early The special events held at the Food and Wine Festival are part of what makes it so much fun. With choices such as The Discovery of Chocolate, Kitchen Memories, Cheese Seminars, and Food & Wine Pairings you are sure to find something that you will want to attend. Many of the special events require registration and they will often fill up long before the day that they are to be held. Sometimes, minutes after reservations open. As soon as you see a dinner or event that interests you, make the reservation. There are also events that are included with your park admission and don’t require special registration. You will want to arrive early for those because seat ng s imited for most of them. Th s includes the Home Entertaining Seminars Hosted by HGTV and the Eat to the Beat Concert Series.
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Seasons of the Vine Photo by Disney Dining
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5) Bring Your Piggy Bank Set aside some extra cash for the festival. Probably double what you think you will need. Although the food and beverages at the tasting booths does not seem to cost a lot per item, it is stunning how quickly it can add up. The same holds true for the wine tastings. When you add on the cost of the special events and the must have souvenirs you will most likely spend quite a bit. Plan accordingly so you won’t be shocked once your credit card bill arrives. Remember too that there are many items for sale that you will have a hard time finding somewhere else, whether it’s that rare bottle of wine or an autographed cookbook for your grandmother. Go ahead and splurge.
That looks soothing Photo by Disney Diinng
4) Don’t Try to Do It All in One Day Epcot is hard to do in a day when there isn’t a special event going on. Trying to cram everything into 12 short hours is going to be next to impossible. You might have a chance to see everything but how much of it will you remember? If you plan at least two days at the Festival you will be able to take more time and really enjoy it. You might even have a chance to ride Soarin’, but remember that you probably should do that before you’ve had your first taste of wine for the day.
3) Avoid the Weekends Weekends at Disney are usually busy. During the Food and Wine Festival they are insane. Lots of people arrive for the weekend only to take part in all
of the festivities. You will have local residents and college students as well as those who will be there on a short, two-day vacation. If you really want to be able to enjoy your time at the Festival you will want to try to come on weekdays instead of weekends. If the weekend is your only choice, relax and enjoy. The lines will be longer, but after about 4 booths, you may not mind so much.
Food and Wine Festival T-Shirt Photo by Disney Dining
2) Start at the Festival Welcome Center If you have never been to the Festival before, the cast members at the Welcome Center will be able to give you all the information that you need and
help you get acclimated. If you have been there before they will be able to fill you in on all of your favorite events from the past and what is new for 2013. Also at the Welcome Center you can pick up a Marketplace Discovery Passport. Take it around with you and have it stamped at each place you stop for a great keepsake. At the Welcome Center you can also find out book and bottle signings, check out a specialty shop, or enjoy a seminar. It opens daily at 9:00am and stays open until the park closes in the evening. It’s located between Mission: SPACE and the Universe of Energy Pavilion, in the Future World section of the park.
1) Buy a Preloaded Wristband At all the food tasting stations you can purchase a preloaded wristband, which works just like a gift card. Purchasing one is a great idea for two reasons. First and foremost, the wristband is going to save you a lot of time and hassle, you won’t have to pull out your wallet every few minutes and sign credit card receipts. Second, the wristband will allow you to better control your spending. (Which I personally think is a bad idea. Mostly kidding.) If you need to set a budget and stick to it, there is no better way to buy a card set it at your limit. When you are done, you are done. You won’t overdo it because the amount that you can spend has already been set.
SUBMITTED BY DISNEY DINING DisneyDining.com’s mission is to help others discover, with proper planning, how amazing dining at Disney can be. We wanted to do something a little different and build a site that was 100% focused on dining in and around “The Happiest Place on Earth.” We hope it will enhance your vacation.
Festival Central Photo by Undercover Tourist
If it’s not too crowded, start the festival here with wine and chocolate samples or purchase a full glass at the Intermissions Café. Leap and I grabbed a glass of Capsolado Prosecco at the café and took a leisurely stroll through the pavilion, taking in the sights and sounds. We enjoyed this time alone, since we used Disney’s recommended sitter service for Leap and Lily. (You can most certainly bri g children to the festival but we’d suggest breaking up your stops at the booths with vis ts to the various world pavilions and Kidcot Fun Stops to color their very own Duffy the Disney Bear.)
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Intermissions Cafe Menu Photo by Undercover Tourist
Even on opening day, the crowds were quite manageable, but we suggest you check the crowd calendar when you plan your trip. As we mentioned in our look ahead at October, Epcot® will see it’s biggest crowds on Saturdays this month.
After we left the Festival Center, we made our way to World Showcase, taking in the cranberry bog that made its debut at last year’s festival and a watermelon patch that is new. I don’t know about you, but since I grew up in the pond, I had never seen watermelons still on the vine!
Watermelon Patch Photo by Undercover Tourist
Following Theme Park Foodie’s suggested tips for touring the festival, we stopped a the outdoor g ft shop next to the bog to purchase a festival-themed mini gift card. Since Leap and I are on a budget, this was great because we could decide in advance how much we wanted to spend at the international marketplace booths, and we didn’t have to worry about pulling out our wallets at every turn. Each of the booths offers small plates ($3-$7), desserts and drinks from that region or nation.
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Here is a map of the international marketplaces, so you can plan your stops. Since it was nearly lunchtime and we had skipped breakfast so we could save room for all of the fantastic eating we were going to do, we made our way clockwise around the world, starting with Terra. This all-vegan booth new to the festival saw long lines while we were walking though. Mexico was especially tempting, in no small part because it was offering a tequila flight of Tequila Blanco, Reposado and Anejo, but we wanted to see a few more booths before we committed. For our first booth, we settled on Morocco. The lines were short compared to its neighbors, New Zealand and Belgium. While the booths generally offer smaller portions so you can sample to your heart’s content, Morocco offered the largest piece of baklava I have ever seen — and the most tasty! Coarsely chopped pistachios were nestled between layers of honey and flaky phyllo
dough. We paired it with the sangria and the merguez sausage, made of beef and lamb, and sautéed onions and peppers. Next we headed to France, lured by the Eiffel Sour Cosmo Slushes we were seeing being consumed in abundance on the unseasonably warm September day. We also sampled the Coq au Vin sur Gratin de Macaroni, Escargots Persillade en Brioche and the smooth Créme Brûlée au Chocolat au Lait. I can never have enough chocolate, but the icing on the cake for me (literally) was the thin layer of carmelized sugar topping this creamy delight!
Escargots and Créme Brûlée au Chocolat au Lait Photo by Undercover Tourist
We continued walking around the world and headed to the Canada booth for Le Cellier‘s famed Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup, made with Moosehead Beer and bacon. Speaking of Le Cellier, the famed steakhouse was living up to its reputation as the most difficult reservation in Walt Disney World, with a packed house despite the festival! On the topic of reservations, Theme Park Foodie suggested taking advantage of the great food at the booths and skipping the restaurants. But there are exceptions: If you rarely visit Epcot® and have a restaurant you’d like to try, this is a good time to go! Since so many people are doing the opposite, you can more easily snag last-minute advance dining reservations. If you’re taking kids, a sit-down or a quick-service restaurant is a good way to go, if for
no other reason than to get a drink and rest your feet in the air conditioning! We made it around the world and back over to Soarin’™ Attraction within 2 minutes of our Fastpass window (yes, the cast member checked) and enjoyed the tour high above California as our day at the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival came to a close! Headed to the festival? Let us know what part you love the most!
– Mommy Frog
MOMMY FROG Undercover Tourist is the leading supplier of online discount tickets to Orlando, Florida-area attractions, including Walt Disney World® Resort, Universal Studios Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and more. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest
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terra Photo by Disney Dining
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Brazil (All-New Menu)
Australia
Seared Scallop with Ragout of Tomatoes, Peppers, Hearts of Palm and Steamed Rice Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Onions, Avocado and Cilantro Cerveharias Kaiser Brewery Xingu Black Beer Carnaval Moscato White Frozen Caipirinha featuring LeBlon Cachaça
Garlic Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes, Lemon Myrtle and Rapini Grilled Lamb Chop with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies Pavlova (Crispy Meringue Shell with Fresh Driscoll’s® Berries and Vanilla Custard) Rosemont Estate Pinot Grigio Wolf Blass Gold Label Chardonnay Rosemont Estate Merlot Penfolds Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz
Argentina Beef Empanada Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Purée Pascual Toso Sparkling Brut Terrazas Reserva Malbec Terrazas Reserva Torrontes Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon
Mexico Shrimp Taco with Purple Cabbage Taco de Ribeye with Salsa de Chipotle Rice Pudding Dos Equis Beer Sangria Tequila Flight Mango-Habanero Margarita
Craft Beers
Red Hook, Audible Ale
Dogfish Head Brewery, Namaste Abita Brewing Company, Fall Fest Leinenkugel’s® Seasonal Shandy, (Summer Shandy/Orange Shandy) Florida Beer Company, Devil’s Triangle New Belgium Brewing Company, Fat Tire Widmer Brothers Brewing®, Alchemy Ale
Sierra Nevada, Torpedo® Extra IPA Beer Flight 1: Dogfish Head Brewery Namaste, Abita Brewing Company Fall Fest, Leinenkugel’s® Seasonal Shandy, Florida Beer Company Devil’s Triangle Beer Flight 2: New Belgium Brewing Company Fat Tire, Widmer Brother s Brewing Alchemy Ale, Red Hook Audible Ale, Sierra Nevada Torpedo®
Scotland (New) Seared Scottish Salmon with Cauliflower Puree, Watercress and Malt Vinaigrette Vegetarian Haggis with Neeps and TattiesGriddled Vegetable Cake with Rutabaga and Mashed Potatoes
SUBMITTED BY DISNEY DINING DisneyDining.com’s mission is to help others discover, with proper planning, how amazing dining at Disney can be. We wanted to do something a little different and build a site that was 100% focused on dining in and around “The Happiest Place on Earth.”
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We hope it will enhance your vacation.
Walt Disney World gets all kids involved with the runDisney Kids Races. All children age 13 years old and younger are invited to take place in Kids Races at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Track and Field Complex. Racers start with the 200 meter dash, then the 400 meter dash. The last race is the Diaper Dash for the littlest runners. Young runners participating in the One Mile run use the same finish location. The main event is on November 9th, 2013 and kicks off at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. This is the only Run Disney event that takes place at night. The race starts at 10 p.m. The course takes runners through 3 of the 4 Walt Disney World Theme Parks. The race course tracks through Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and ends at Epcot. After the races runners are invited to a one of a kind Finish Line Party in Epcot. Here runners get to refuel on the food and wines featured at the International Food and Wine Festival. The Finish Line Party is a great way to celebrate the accomplishment of a half marathon. This party gives runners after hours access to all the Epcot attractions. Runners can also enjoy food and drinks for 25 different kiosks. All participants receive a finisher medal and a bag full of goodies. All racers must pick up their pack at the Fitness Expo, this is the only place they are available. The Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon has an event for runners of every level. This is a really great family fun event. Spots do fill up fast so make your reservations today.
WDW Magazine STEFANIE PATTON
Stefanie Patton (or The Princess) is the daughter of Dad from Dad’s Guide to WDW. She’s a frequent contributor to all that Dad does as well as an inspiration for most of his work.
Of course, there are Disney fans out there that can’t imagine only going once and in fact a lot of them visit every year. If you want to have the best first visit, whether or not you can return really matters. I’ll be picking up the other points in later entries in this column, so for now, let’s focus on how old and tall your kids should be. If this may be their only childhood visit, wait until your youngest child is around 8, and the shortest around 48 inches tall. Why? Because Walt Disney World is not designed for children. It is designed for children and their parents. Among Walt Disney’s frustrations that led him to the concept of Disneyland—which set the tone for all the other Disney parks that followed—was watching his daughters enjoy rides that were too dull for him. That led him to a park design that children and their parents could each enjoy together.
“Walt Disney World is not designed for W children”
As a result, much of the best of Walt Disney World has a level of sophistication, and of physical and emotional demands, that will escape, or worse, overwhelm, children younger than 8 or so.
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Disney Wo ld itself is only half of the equation—it requires the other half, your child’s mind, to complete the experience of the place. The play world of kids is grounded firmly in what they understand of the real world, and a kid with an understanding of the real world below that of the typical eight year old just won’t get as much fun out of Disney World as a more sophisticated and experienced kid will. Height is the second issue. A couple of Disney World’s best rides require kids to be 48 inches tall, and several more of the best require a kid to be at least 44 inches tall. Some of this is for safety reasons, and some is a way of marking that a ride just isn’t for the littlest kids.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Photo by WDW Shutterbug
seeing his mannerisms and reactions to various stimuli. I also knew I at least wanted him to be able to be aware of and participate in his environment, the characters and rides and not just have that blank newborn stare at everything. We took Trent to WDW for the first time when he was 10 months old. I won't say it's the perfect age, because each person may have different opinions on that, but I will say...we had a blast and felt it was a great age to go! We went into the trip knowing it would be different...there would be more breaks along the way, no thrill rides (unless we used child-swap), and the potential to have to suddenly change plans, if we even made any to begin with. In some ways, yes, our trip was different, but in most ways it was exactly the same. We still ate at our favorite restaurants, went on many of the same rides and enjoyed the same shows, but it was much better because we were sharing it with Trent. Here are some highlights from our trip with a 10 month old:
First Visit Pin Photo by Brett Svenson
We planned the car rides during times we hoped he would nap. The rest of the time he was occupied with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the iPad (you can download entire seasons of your child’s favorite cartoon!), various toys
snacks and me sitting back there playing with him. We stayed in two different rooms at the Art of Animation…a few days each in a Little Mermaid Standard Room and a Lion King Suite. Of course, the Suite was much more spacious and allowed Trent to nap in a separate room so we wouldn’t disturb him. It was also much closer to the main area with the food court and large pool. Know your room location preference if you think you will be using those areas frequently throughout your trip. Being closer made that part of the trip much easier. We brought bath toys and other items from home to make him comfortable with his environment. Each night, he would get a bath just like at home. So even though the routine was pushed back much later than he’s used to, it was still something he knew and was familiar with.
First Dumbo Ride Photo by Brett Svenson
We were extremely fortunate at how well Trent did with rides. He could go on anything without a height restriction and enjoyed everything from Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin to Haunted Mansion…and of course, Dumbo! Even though we had a stroller to carry as much as we wanted, we kept our list of items to bring in the parks to a minimum. We also zip-tied a large
laminated sign with our last name on it to the stroller to help us find it more easily in the sea of stroller parking. We took a midday break every day. We never used to take breaks and preferred to park hop without a break, but we learned the importance (and fun) of a midday break. Not only did we avoid the hottest and most crowded part of the day in the parks, Trent went crazy for the splash area and pool, especially the zero entry, where he could crawl around and splash freely.
First Disney World Swim Photo by Brett Svenson
By letting him get a long nap in the middle of the day, it allowed us to see more at night. He enjoyed fireworks and nighttime parades because he was rested. We even got to take advantage of non-existent lines as parks were closing, getting more done in less time. We never waited in a line longer than 20 minutes, which we think helped prevent crankiness from boredom.
First Fireworks Show Photo by Brett Svenson
We booked several buffet and character meals throughout the week, since kids under 3 years old eat free at WDW buffets. At 10 months old, Trent had already started eating some adult foods, but we took the opportunity to let him try a little bit of everything. This helped us learn what new items he liked and took that knowledge back home with us. Sorry, Trent, you can’t get a Dole Whip at home. Even better was that the character meals provided a much more relaxed environment for character interactions. We weren’t sure how he would react to characters in his face, but he had so much fun with them! We got amazing photos and we didn’t have to stand in a line in the hot sun.
First Hug by Pooh Photo by Brett Svenson
Glow sticks from home = instant nighttime crankiness cure. Since this was our first trip with a baby, we had to be better about remembering to reapply sunscreen and drink lots of water. We could get away with it when it was just us, but not with a little one. Take LOTS of photos! There will only be one “Baby’s first WDW trip” and you are sure to make many memories that you will want to look back on. While Trent may not remember his first trip, which is one of the main arguments I see for not bringing a child so soon, our trip was full of fun and happiness and was one that we’ll never forget. That’s what makes an amazing WDW trip, no matter how old you or your children are.
LYNN SVENSON Lynn blogs over at ThePhotographersWife.com, where you can read her WDW trip reports that include thousands of photos taken by her husband, the photographer, Brett Svenson. Her son, Trent, is well on his way to being a WDW-fanatic. As annual passholders, they make the trip to WDW every few months and are taking their first Disney cruise in January 2014. Follow along with their adventures: Blog, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter.
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THE LITTLE THINGS
PHOTO BY WDW SHUTTERBUG It’s the “Little Things” that make Walt Disney World special. All around WDW, every day little events happen that set WDW apart from other forms of entertainment. One of the “Little Things” that happens on Monday and Friday at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is the Showkeeping Parasol Parade. At 8 o’clock every morning 50 members of the housekeeping staff parade around the grounds with parasols. The Parasol Parade is a long tradition at the Grand Floridian. In fact it’s been around for over 25 years, since the Resort opened. The parade starts at the marina and marches through the courtyard around the pool. Young lady guests staying at the Resort may be invited to join in the parade. Each month we will feature one of the “Little Things” that make WDW Special. You can nominate a “Little Thing” by sending a note to littlethings@WDWMag.com
THE NEWS Each month we are going to highlight some of the new events from around Disney World. Let’s get started. Starbucks is taking over - the Examiner is reporting (and we’ve confirmed it) that Starbucks is taking over Disney World. Earlier this month the old Fountain View in Epcot became the newest Starbucks location. Fairytale Hall opens September 18 Cinderella and Rapunzel get some new digs in Fairytale Hall. See the story at Inside The Magic.
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Photo by WDW Shutterbug
The end of Pleasure Island with the expansion of Downtown Disney and the transition to Disney Springs, Pleasure Island is truly a thing of the past. Check out the whole story on Jim Hill Media. Disney and Universal fight it out for tourist dollars - NBC is reporting that Disney and Universal are competing to get tourists to spend more money in their parks. (Great scoop NBC.) California Grill Reopens - the Orlando Examiner reports about the reopening of the California Grill located on top of the Contemporary Resort. Prince Eric’s Village Market opens in Fantasyland - Prince Eric’s Village Market is opening in the New Fantasyland. Good story at the Disney Parks Blog. The Villains take center stage in Limited Time Magic - on Friday September 13 (a lucky day) the darker side of DIsney will take center stage in the parks as part of Limited Time Magic. Story by Laughing Place. Disney Infinity Review - Tom over at the DisneyTouristBlog reviews the new Disney Infinity toy-based video game from Disney Interactive. WDW Magazine debuts - the biggest story of the month is the introduction of WDW Magazine. This beautiful new rag will be available on Apple mobile devices initially and then to everyone by the end of the year. See the story at Dad’s Guide’s Blog.
PHOTO OF THE MONTH We ran a big photo contest over on WDW Magazine’s Facebook page a couple of weeks ago to find the “Photo of the Month”. Before we unveil the big winner, I thought we’d look at all the entries. There were so many great pictures, I had to share them all.
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
PHOTO OF THE MONTH The Runner Up
I just love the look of this picture. The black and white composition give the Tower of Terror a classic look. Thanks to Cheri for this great picture. If you’d like to enter the next contest go to Facebook.com/WDWMagazine.
PHOTO OF THE MONTH The Winner
Here is the winner of the first WDW Magazine Picture of the Month. Congratulations Beth. Beth will receive a one-year subscription to WDW Magazine.
CLASSIFIEDS
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NEXT MONTH
Next month were going to look at dining at Walt Disney World. Who’s ready to eat? We’ll start out talking about how to make Advanced Dining Reservations. Then we’ll take an in depth look at the Disney Dining Plan. The fun will ramp up when we take a look at the top 5 best WDW dining experiences. As always we’ll have some great pictures, videos and some look at the news of the month. Make sure to get your subscription now.
The Survey
We are always looking for ways to improve WDW Magazine. Each issue we’ll have a survey so you can tell us what we did well and what we can do better. This months survey has 4 questions and won’t take long. We’d really appreciate the feedback. Just go to our survey page and answer the questions. (You can send us a message there too.)