By Magic Maker® Tara Radulski

At Walt Disney World® Resort, some refer to it as Quick Service, others refer to it as Counter Service, some may even call it “fast food”.  It is all those things, but it is also much more than what you would expect from “amusement park” food. Last week, in the first of our two part series, we looked at the Quick Service dining options at Magic Kingdom® Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. This week we will pick up where we left off with Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ and Epcot®!

Clients who are on one of the Disney Dining Plans, especially those on the Quick Service Dining Plan, always ask me what the best places to eat a quick meal are.  Now, I will admit that the expected burgers and fries, pizza and chicken strips are available.  But much better options abound!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios™

Not exactly Rodeo Drive, but a little searching will find you some quality Quick Service meals here too.  The Backlot Express offers guests a Southwest salad of mixed greens, crisp corn tortilla, black bean relish, avocado, chicken and cilantro vinaigrette; a grilled turkey and cheese sandwich on multigrain ciabatta with arugula and red peppers; or even a grilled vegetable (including mushrooms, red peppers, zucchini, tomato, watercress and cheese) sandwich on basil asiago artisan bread with a sundried tomato pesto.

Epcot®

With the all the nations of the World Showcase within a 1.3 mile loop, there are amazing Quick Service Options in Epcot®.  The Tangierine Café in the Morrocco pavilion has tasteful plates such as chicken and lamb platters served with side of hummus, tabouleh and a tangierine couscous salad with fresh Moroccan bread; Mediterranean wraps served with tangierine couscous salad and lentil salad; lamb, chicken and Falafel wraps; as well as many other Mediterranean Specialties such as Morrocan kefta sandwiches, vegetable platters, and even a Mediterranean sliders combo made up of  lamb, chicken and falafel pita pockets.The Katsura Grill in the Japan pavilion will not disappoint either with its assortment of sushi rolls, curried rice and udon.

Future World is home to Sunshine Seasons in the Land pavilion, some of the BEST Quick Service in all of the theme parks.  Sunshine Seasons offers options such as ginger Mongolian beef; spicy cashew chicken; roasted beets and goat cheese salad; Togarashi seared tuna noodle salad; an oak grilled vegetable flatbread sandwich; or oak-grilled sustainable catch Niciose style.

As you can see from last week’s post, as well as this week, you will think again before you use the words “fast food” to describe the Quick Service / counter service food options at the Walt Disney World® Resort!

Fantasmic!, Disneyland® Park’s nighttime spectacular presented on the Rivers of America in New Orleans Square and Frontierland®, marked 20 years of presentations this past weekend. Opening May 13, 1992, Fantasmic! combined Disney characters and live performers with amazing special effects and high-definition digital images from classic Disney movies projected on giant mist screens.

Fantasmic! is an exploration of Mickey’s active imagination as the forces of good and evil battle in his dreams. Whimsical scenes from the film Fantasia and other classic Disney films are displayed around Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island until the Evil Queen calls her her magic mirror. From there, Mickey’s dream takes a dark turn as he tries to triumph over some of Disney’s most dastardly villains!

Several updates have kept Fantasmic! fresh over its 20-year run. Recent enhancements include the climactic transformation of the evil Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty into a fully animated 40-foot-tall dragon. Also added was an appearance by Flotsam and Jetsam, the slithering eels who serve Ursula the Sea Witch in The Little Mermaid and a new look for Captain Hook’s crocodile nemesis.

Because of the continued popularity of Fantasmic! at Disneyland® Park, be sure to ask your Magic Maker® about the availability of advance reservations for premium viewing options. Slightly varied versions of Fantasmic! can also be seen at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ in Florida and Tokyo DisneySea®.

Enjoy these Fun Facts from Disneyland® Park’s Fantasmic!:

• The new dragon is a fully animated 3-D design that replicates the movements of the dragon in Sleeping Beauty.

The schedule of events for the first week of Star Wars™ Weekends has been announced.

• Celebrity Host Meet and Greet at Echo Lake – will use Disney’s FASTPASS® Service
• James Arnold Taylor (Voice behind Obi-Wan Kenobi and Plo Hoon in Star Wars™: The Clone Wars) - 9:45a
• Ashley Eckstein (Voice behind Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars™: The Clone Wars) – 4:30p, 5:45p
• Additional Celebrity Meet and Greets at Echo Lake - will use Disney’s FASTPASS® Service
• Ray Park (Double lightsaber wielding Sith, Darth Maul from the Phantom Menace) – 10:15a, 1:45p
• Jerome Blake (Rune Haako/Mas Amedda from The Phantom Menace) – 10:15a, 1:30p, 4:30p
• Dee Bradley Baker (Voice of Captain Rex from Star Wars™: The Clone Wars) – 3p, 4:30p, 5:45p
• Padawan Mind Challenge(registration at park opening near ABC Sound Studio) – 2:10p, 6:30p
• Hyperspace Hoopla – 8:00p
• Jedi Training Academy(sign-up in front of Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular) – 9:15a, 9:45a, 10:15a, 10:45a, 11:15a, 11:45a, 12:15p, 1:30p, 2:00p, 3:45p, 4:15p, 4:45p, 5:15p, 5:45p, 6:15p, 6:45p
• Star Wars™ Character Encounters (locations around Star Tours – The Adventure Continue, Backlot Tour and Premiere Theater) – 9a-7p
• Behind the Force – 11:00a, 1:45p
• Stars of the Saga – 3:15p
• Obi-Wan and Beyond – 4:45p
• Visit to the Maul – 6:00p

Star Wars™ Weekends will take place Fri – Sun at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ May 18 – June 10, 2012.

From the state-of-the-art kids’ club at Aunty’s Beach House, pampering treatment in Painted Sky teen spa, and an imaginative pool area Waikolohe Valley, there is something to delight every age and interest at Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa. This family paradise with a touch of Disney magic is surrounded by the green mountains and beautiful ocean waters in Ko Olina, Hawai’i.

For stays of 5-nights or longer from Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2012, at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, kids (ages 3-9) will eat free* when ordering from the kid’s menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your children will also receive a free length-of-stay pass for the Rainbow Reef, the only private snorkeling lagoon in O’ahu! Guests of any age will save 25% off** fares on Hawaiian Airlines when flying from JFK, SFO, LAX, OAK or SJC.

Booking Window:
Now – July 14, 2012

Travel Window:
Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2012

Travel Offer Details:
With a minimum 5-night minimum stay, guests ages 3-9 each receive:

• A free length-of-stay pass for the Rainbow Reef
• Three free meals (from the kid’s menu) for each night of your package at your choice of the following quick-service and table-service restaurants:
• ‘AMA ‘AMA: Includes 1 appetizer (lunch and dinner only), 1 entrée and 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only); 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage
• Makahiki: Includes 1 full buffet (breakfast and dinner only)
• The ‘Olelo Room: Includes 1 continental breakfast (breakfast only)
• One Paddle, Two Paddle; Mama’s Snack Stop and Lava Shack: Includes 1 entrée or 1 complete combo meal, 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only) and 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage

* The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Not valid in combination with any other discounts or offers. Additional per adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room. Dining entitlements and Rainbow Reef pass are for registered guests only, expire upon check out and are non-transferable. Advance reservations required. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.

** Reservation must include a minimum one-night stay at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa. Limited supplies are available and discount may be applied over all travel dates (8/29/2012 – 11/03/12). Fares on some dates may be higher. Not valid on K & L fares. Maximum of 6 passengers per reservation. Travel must originate from one of the following Designated Airports: John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Oakland International Airport (OAK), San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Fare is subject to seat availability. Child/infant or other discounts do not apply. If ticket changes are made, the value of the original round-trip discount may not be applied and is subject to availability. Date and routing changes may be made with applicable penalties, and fare differential may apply. Cancellation penalties will apply. Discount will be applied to the published base fare at the time of booking, based on a round-trip itinerary originating from a Designated Airport to Honolulu, Hawaii and includes Base Fare, Fuel Surcharge, and U.S. taxes. Fare shown includes taxes and fees including a $3.80 ZP tax per segment (defined as one takeoff and one landing), a $2.50 per enplanement September 11th Security Fee (not to exceed $10) and PFC surcharge of $4.50 (not to exceed $18 round-trip) where applicable will be applied. For complete listings of fees and baggage charges, visit http://www.hawaiianair.com/moreinfo.

We would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all our favorite Moms out there! We hope that you get to spend time with your family and friends, and maybe even get pampered a little!

Kick back, relax, and enjoy this special Mother’s Day preview of Disney•Pixar’s Brave which opens in theaters June 22nd.

Princess Merida will begin will begin an all-new character greeting experience in just a few more weeks!

A special “Disney mom” has a new reason to celebrate this Sunday after giving birth to a white rhino calf at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park.

After a 16-month gestation period, Kendi gave birth to her fourth calf Friday, May 4. The unnamed healthy male is the ninth white rhino which has been born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. Ironically enough, his mother, Kendi, was the first 13 years ago!

“The birth of a white rhino calf is certainly something to celebrate since the population of this species is endangered in the wild,” said Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., vice president of Animals, Science and Environment for Disney Parks. “It’s encouraging that with protection and careful management, the global population of white rhinos continues to grow.”

Guests visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park unfortunately won’t be able to catch a glimpse of the little one quite yet. The calf and mother will spend some time off the savannah bonding before they return to the herd in the coming weeks.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park participates in a white rhino breeding program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The program focuses on sustaining the white rhino population in North America. Beyond breeding programs, The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund and the Disney Foundation have provided more than $1 million in support to programs in Africa and Asia to protect the last five remaining species of rhino.

And now, a few White rhino fun facts that you may have learned on a previous Kilimanjaro Safaris® Expedition at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park:

• White rhinos are named not for their color, which is gray, but for the shape of their mouths. The word “weit” in Afrikaans means wide.
• The white rhino is among the world’s largest land mammals, second only to the elephant. A male rhino can grow to more than 5,000 pounds as an adult.
• A rhino can move its ears independently to pick up sounds but it depends most on smell.
• The receptors responsible for the rhino’s sense of smell are larger than the animal’s entire brain.
• The white rhinoceros has the widest set of nostrils of any land based animal.

Guests sailing aboard one of Disney Cruise Line’s® four ships - Disney Magic®, Disney Wonder®, Disney Dream™, or the Disney Fantasy™ – will find themselves surrounded by amazing amenities, spectacular shows, and fabulous food.

All Disney Cruise Line® sailings feature several deck parties. These parties are family celebrations under the sun and stars complete with music, dancing, and of course your favorite Disney characters.

The most famous (and crowd favorite) of Disney Cruise Line’s® deck parties is the Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party. Your night begins when a special Pirate’s Dinner is all mapped out for ‘yer feastin’ at your rotational restaurant for that night. After dinner, you ‘hoist’ yourself up to the Deck for a rowdy buccaneer bash. An epic battle at sea ensues as the good guys take on the villains. Disney characters such as Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, Captain Mickey, Minnie and Goofy join the cruise staff on the stage for some music and dancing!

But after all of this fun, the Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party gets even better! In typical Disney-fashion, Captain Mickey takes the party into the sky with a special grand finale – the only fireworks display at sea! That’s right, Disney Cruise Line® is the only cruise line to offer fireworks at sea to their guests!

Take a look at this preview video of the Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party.

That is just a short preview of all the fun at the Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party. The party is truly an adventure that everyone will enjoy! Due to some local restrictions, Disney Cruise Line® is not able to offer the fireworks at sea for all sailings. Please contact your Magic Maker® for full details.

by Magic Maker® Tara Radulski

“MOM!  I’m hungry!”

As the mother to two young boys, both of which are in the 95th percentile or higher for their height, we hear this often at home…and even more when we are on vacation.  Just the other weekend we went to Fort Worth, Texas for the day to enjoy the Children’s Museum.  To our delight, the Fort Worth Stock Yard show was also going on, and we had the opportunity to enjoy it as well.  The only downfall to our day was having lunch at the stockyard show.  Just the thought of eating at fairs or amusement parks is enough to send me running for my antacid! The burgers, fries, corndogs, chicken strips, fried pickles and such make up just about the entire menu selection.  I know it’s bad when my kids start asking for a piece of fruit instead of more junk.

At Walt Disney World® Resort, some refer to it as Quick Service, others refer to it as Counter Service, some may even call it “fast food”.  It is all those things, but it is also much more than what you would expect from “amusement park” food.  Clients who are on one of the Disney Dining Plans, especially those on the Quick Service Dining Plan, always ask me what the best places to eat a quick meal are.  Now, I will admit that the expected burgers and fries, pizza and chicken strips are available.  But much better options abound!

In our two-part series, we’ll look at the four Walt Disney World® Resort parks and explore what Walt Disney World® Resort has to offer ‘beyond the bun’.

MAGIC KINGDOM® Park

While in the Magic Kingdom® Park you can eat like a princess on a pauper’s budget (well, not really, but almost!)  The Columbia Harbor House in Liberty Square Area has Quick Service options such as their Lighthouse Sandwich which is hummus with tomato & broccoli slaw on toasted multigrain bread; or the Anchors Aweigh Sandwich with white tuna with lettuce and tomato on toasted multigrain bun; or even grilled salmon served with couscous and steamed fresh broccoli..  Also in the Magic Kingdom® Park, Cosmic Rays Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland® Area boasts half a rotisserie chicken or BBQ Ribs, both served with mashed potatoes and a seasonal vegetable.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park

Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park is “natazu” and the Quick Service options are much more than typical fast food!  At the Yak & Yeti™ Local Foods Cafe, guests can dine on items such as honey chicken, sweet and sour chicken, orange beef, an Asian chicken sandwich, or Mandarin chicken salad.  Over at the Flame Tree Barbecue there are options such as half a slab of St. Louis Ribs served with baked beans and corn muffin; half a rotisserie chicken served with baked beans and corn muffin; a beef or pork sandwich served with baked beans; a smoked turkey breast sandwich served on a multi-grain bun with cole slaw; or a barbecue chicken salad served with crisp greens and tomato with balsamic vinaigrette dressing in a toasted garlic shell.

You may just have to think again before you use the words “fast food” to describe the quick service / counter service food options at the Walt Disney World® Resort! Be sure to read next week as we finish exploring quick service dining around the parks at Epcot® and Disney’s Hollywood Studios™!

As the Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival comes to a close, it is time to start “heating up” the park with the Sounds Like Summer concert series.

Your entire family will be grooving to the timeless tunes played by tribute bands of The Eagles, Bee Gees, U2, and more! Sounds Like Summer concerts are under the skies of the open-air America Gardens Theatre in World Showcase at Epcot®. Show times are 5:45, 7:00 and 8:15 p.m. (On July 4, showtimes are scheduled for 5:15 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.)

Sounds Like Summer Concert Series 2012 Performances

• June 10 – June 17: Hotel California — A Salute to the Eagles
• June 18 – June 23: Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot – The Ultimate Billy Joel Show
• June 24 – June 30: Stayin’ Alive — A Tribute to the Bee Gees
• July 1 – July 7: Slippery When Wet — The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute
• July 8 – July 14: The Police Experience – A Tribute to the Police
• July 15 – July 21: SouthBound and Company — A Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd
• July 22 – July 28: 2U — A Tribute to U2

Please note: Entertainment is subject to change without notice.

The Sounds Like Summer concerts are included with admission to Epcot®. Contact your Magic Maker® for additional information.

As the opening of the highly anticipated Be Our Guest Restaurant slowly draws closer, more and more details on this new dining location emerge. Back in March, we shared a video with you of the amazing mural that will serve as a backdrop making restaurant guests feel like they are part of the “Beauty and the Beast” movie.

Now, we are happy to bring you a video that details more of the inspiration behind the design and decor of the Be Our Guest Restaurant.

The Be Our Guest Restaurant is part of the New Fantasyland expansion that is currently taking place inside the Magic Kingdom® Park. The restaurant will serve as an additional counter-service location during lunch, but will offer table-service for dinner and is scheduled to open to the public prior to the holidays in 2012.