Disney News

From Magic Maker® Deb Tokarski
I love, love, love going to the Walt Disney World® Resort…more so now that I go as an adult or in an all adult group, as opposed to when I was a child or traveling with children. Not that Disney is not for children, it certainly is, but Walt Disney World® dining with adults, well let‘s just say…“It‘s a Whole New World.”

The excellent chefs and dining options at the Walt Disney World® Resort couldn‘t be more enjoyable!  Here are a few of my favorite adult dining destinations:

Narcoossee’s, located at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, has a timeless eloquence, beautiful surroundings and an excellent menu of innovative, coastal cuisine from North American waters.  The experience is capped off with a spectacular view of the Magic Kingdom®!

The Flying Fish Café, located at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, has a whimsical atmosphere and a diverse menu encompassing the “New American” style. Guests can also dine at the show kitchen to watch and interact with the chefs.

California Grill, located on the 15^th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, features spectacular views of Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom® Park.  The light and airy atmosphere combined with a wonderful menu makes this an instant favorite.

Wolfgang Puck is located in the Downtown Disney® West Side. The name says it all! Awesome!  You will feast upon the inventive creations of master chef Wolfgang Puck at this exciting, upscale eatery.  The four different dining rooms in this unique restaurant each offer its own unique atmosphere.

One of my personal favorites, Le Cellier Steakhouse, located in the Canada Pavilion at World Showcase in the Epcot® has the best steak at the Walt Disney World® Resort!  A steak-lover’s paradise served in an environment inspired by castle wine cellars of the grandest of Canadian chateaus.

Try the new Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village or Jiko – The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, both with an African influence, a pleasurable experience! Both offer creative menus where the inspiration comes from the many cultures and cuisines along the historical spice route – Africa, India, China, and Europe.

For the ultimate adult dining experience, make a reservation at the posh Victoria & Albert’s^* at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for award-winning meals that make heads turn!  This very-special-occasion romantic Victorian retreat offers nightly harpists, lavish décor, personalized menus and a long-stem rose for each lady.

Do you have special dietary concerns? Need Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, or Kosher meals prepared for you or someone in your traveling party? Disney chefs are very accommodating; just mention this to your Dream Maker when asking for your Advance Dining Reservations.

Still want to feel just like a kid again and dine with the characters? No worries, adults are always welcome in their most popular restaurants! Have dinner with Cinderella’s wicked step sisters at 1900 Park Faire at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, dining with the Big Cheese himself at Chef Mickey’s in Disney’s Contemporary Resort or have breakfast with Minnie Mouse, Goofy & Donald Duck, at the Cape May Café  at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. All have excellent buffets with plenty of options to please any appetite! Yes, you can still eat at a majority of the Walt Disney World® Resort restaurants with children, in fact children’s menus are offered in most of their restaurants.

Dining with an all adult group is really an enjoyable dining experience. I rank some of the Walt Disney World® Resort restaurants with five stars! I hope on your next trip…you can enjoy a few of these excellent adult Disney dining choices and the great service given in each and every one of them! Just mention these restaurants and let your Magic Maker™ grant your Disney Dining Wishes!

Click here to start planning your Walt Disney World® Resort Adults Only Vacation!

* Guests age 10 and up only at this location.  No children’s menu.

In a recent trip to Walt Disney World® Resort, our owner, Chet, was able to give the newest Disney Innovention, Sum of All Thrills™, a test run.  An exhibit located at Innoventions East Building in Epcot® gives guests a chance to design their perfect thrill ride.

Sum of All Thrills™ will test your imagination.  An interactive touch screen lets guests determine height and speed while adding features such as dips and corkscrew turns to the virtual roller coaster, bobsled track or plane ride.  Designs are created using a digital ruler and pre-selected track options to construct the rides. If a guest tries to build something physically impossible  then they’re asked to retool their ideas.

Once the ride is completed on screen it is time to climb aboard the 4-D robotic simulator that uses sight, sound and movement to give you a realistic experience.  The robotic carriage uses virtual-reality technology to help guests experience the ride they just created.  With their legs and arms outside the ride, guests watch a video version of their ride while the robotic arm moves from side to side, up and down, and will even flip guests upside down to simulate the feeling of a real roller coaster. Fans blow air at the riders at various speeds to give guests the sensation that they are moving forward.

Sum of All Thrills™ is perfect for any thrill junkie of any age*!  And don’t worry, if you get a little carried away with your design, you can always hit the “Oh, no!” button during the ride to stop the simulation.

Click here to start planning your Walt Disney World Vacation to experience this newest Innovention!

*Height restrictions are 48 inches, unless you’ve picked an inversion. Then riders must be at least 54 inches tall.

Disney Cruise Line® is once again reinventing onboard children’s experiences. Through an entirely new approach to youth activities, kids can let their imaginations set sail by customizing their cruise vacation. More youth activities than ever before are available, and children choose experiences based on their interests, not their age.

Exciting new youth activities and dedicated children’s spaces are available now on the Disney Magic® and the Disney Wonder®, and are coming to the Disney Dream™ beginning with the ship’s maiden voyage in January 2011.

While Disney Cruise Line will continue to recommend activities that appeal to specific maturity levels and ages, the entire menu of offerings is open to every child. With this revolutionary approach to shipboard youth activities, children and parents choose programs based on the specific interests of each child to create a customized and very personalized experience. Best of all, children of different ages — siblings, extended family and friends — can participate in youth activities together throughout their cruise.

The majority of children’s events and free-time activities occur within dedicated youth spaces on the ship and on Castaway Cay. As always, Disney Cruise Line youth activities are supervised by specially trained, experienced counselors.

Specific program information is available to your Clients on the day of check-in at the Youth Activities registration desk located in the Disney Cruise Line terminal building prior to boarding, or onboard in Disney’s Oceaneer Club andDisney’s Oceaneer Lab.

With more than 100 activities, events and programs, and with all youth activities open to all ages, children have more choices than ever before on Disney Cruise Line.

“Toy Story – The Musical” will take over Hyperion Theatre in Disney’s California Adventure® Park in early 2011. The characters and playful plot from the original Disney-Pixar film, “Toy Story,” will come to life in this dazzling, musical stage spectacular where Guests will be treated to a unique “toys’ eye view” of life in Andy’s room.

The stage show will feature larger-than-life set design, new songs, vivid projected backgrounds and elaborate costumes. The journey follows Buzz Lightyear and Woody as they transform from jealous adversaries to best friends with an unbreakable bond. The 50-minute musical preserves the humor and heart of the original film.

To make way for this exciting addition, “Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular” will close on Aug. 15, 2010. If you are visiting the Disneyland® Resort, you won’t want to miss the chance to catch this great show before its exit.