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Walt Disney World

The Mickey Check – Balanced Dining for Kids

As a parent of two young children under the age of five, I know how difficult it is to make sure your children eat a healthy, well balanced meal at home. It can be mind numbing at times. You certainly have to be creative to find all of the major food groups on a four year old’s plate.

Now you may think a plate of bacon, sour cream dip, chips and a slice of bread may be pushing it. I say nay. Protein? Bacon! Vegetable? Uh, Potato Chips! Grain? Bread of course. Dairy? Sour cream dip! That plate was just another well balanced meal. Yes, there is truth to this little illustration, no, we do not let him eat like this every day!

Thankfully, our friends at Walt Disney World® Resort and Disneyland® Park have helped us to make nutritional dining for the boys on vacation a little easier with the Mickey Check. The Mickey Check is a new initiative that will help you identify nutritious choices for your children while you are on vacation!

In order for a meal to receive the Mickey Check, the meal has to live up to Disney Nutrition Guidelines, which align to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The meals encourage portion control (and calorie intake) while limiting sodium, sugar, saturated fat and trans fat.

Meals adorning the Mickey Check must include at least three of the four major food groups: fruits and vegetables; low-fat dairy; whole grains; or lean protein, beans, eggs and nuts. You can rest assured they aren’t pressing the limits and passing off potato chips as vegetables! To meet Disney Nutrition Guidelines, meals have to be ordered without any substitutions!

No longer will you have to worry about your child’s nutrition while visiting Walt Disney World® Resort or Disneyland® Park, because Disney is already worried about it for you! The Mickey Check debuted at Be Our Guest Restaurant earlier this month and is slated to appear on other table-service menus the first of the year!

Be sure to browse all of the dining options available at Walt Disney World® Resort on our website! When you plan your next vacation with Off to Neverland® Travel, our Magic Makers® will take you through the dining experience, and even eliminate the wait by making reservations for you…all at no additional cost!

The Adult Side of Walt Disney World® Resort

To some, when you think of adult vacation destinations, Walt Disney World® Resort is not near the top of your list. However the reality is that Walt Disney World® Resort has an extremely underrated side to it that beckons an untold number of couples and singles sans children to visit annually. From honeymoon and anniversary trips to vacations with friends and weekend getaways, Walt Disney World® Resort offers more for adult travel guests than one would imagine!

We are all accustomed to Walt Disney World® Resort’s larger than life characters and icons, amazing family entertainment, immense ‘kid appeal’ and  rides for all ages. What we often forget is that Walt Disney World® Resort doesn’t have to be ‘just a trip for the kids’. From fine dining and wine tastings to spas, golf and adventure seeking experiences, there are countless activities to tickle the fancy of any adult!

The great news is, if you have children you don’t have to leave them at home to enjoy the best in Walt Disney World® Resort’s adult offerings! Select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels offer Children’s Activity Centers for children ages 3 to 12, that will entertain your children with videogames, dinner, snacks, movies and more while you slip  away for a little grown-up time. If group childcare isn’t the best for your children, there are also in-room babysitting options for you too! There is no need to feel guilty experiencing a little alone time…in fact your children may ask you to go away more often after experiencing the Children’s Activity Centers.

For those who are looking to travel to Walt Disney World® Resort without children and are nervous about the younger set having the run of the theme parks, consider visiting Walt Disney World® Resort during the traditional school year. Avoiding planning your visit during the summer months and holidays to reduce the amount of crowds you run into on your trip. The late fall and early winter are both beautiful times to visit Walt Disney World® Resort!

While all of Walt Disney World® Resort’s hotels provide great accommodations with top-notch service, there are a few resorts that really stand out to travelers looking for a more elegant travel experience. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter is absolutely beautiful, transporting you to the romantic and historic French Quarter in New Orleans. Then there is Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, a Southwest-themed resort placing you in Spanish-colonial Mexico. Disney’s Polynesian Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort are also fantastic options for a romantic getaway. Singles and friends may really enjoy Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort…featuring the Stormalong Bay ‘water wonderland’.

When it comes to entertainment and relaxation, Walt Disney World® Resort has that too! As the home of two water parks, four golf courses and an entire area dedicated to entertainment, shopping and dining you are certain to find enough to keep you busy! From Cirque du Soliel to the Richard Petty Driving Experience, you can slow down and relax or pick up the speed with thrills designed for adults. Spas? Walt Disney World® Resort has those too! Hey, it is your vacation, it is okay to overindulge!

And then there is dining. Walt Disney World® Resort restaurants range from elegant to casual and are  certain to tickle your taste buds. Some of the wonderful options for adult dining experiences include California Grill, Restaurant Marrakesh, Bistro de Paris, Narcoossee’s, Artist Point and the grand dining experience of Victoria & Alberts. The list of fantastic dining options could go on, so just consider this a starting point!

This is just a GLIMPSE into the adult side of Walt Disney World® Resort! As you can see, it isn’t just for kids! Whether you are looking for a quiet evening on your next family vacation, or you are planning on traveling without kids to Walt Disney World® Resort…you are in for an incredible time!

By |2017-06-27T10:22:17-05:00October 18th, 2012|Categories: Disney News, Walt Disney World News|Tags: , |0 Comments

Restaurants with “Character”

by Magic Maker® Courtney Harris

For my family, our vacation can’t officially begin until we have had a character breakfast with Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore at The Crystal Palace Restaurant in Magic Kingdom® Park.  In fact, we love character meals so much that we try to plan one for each day of our trip. This saves us so much time that we would normally use standing in line in the parks to meet the characters and get autographs. We can then use that saved time to squeeze in even more rides!

Character meals are so convenient because the characters actually come to your table while you are enjoying your meal. Once they are at your table, they will sign autograph books and pose for pictures with your family. The interaction is amazing!  It isn’t rushed and the characters are even sensitive to your child’s comfort level with them.  Some of my favorite vacation memories are of my children interacting with the characters at these meals. One night at dinner, my husband was up getting his plate from the buffet, and Tigger came and sat down in his seat next to my three year old son.  He stayed there for probably five minutes or more just playing and goofing off with my son. The smile on his face was priceless! He still talks about it to this day.

Many of the character meals are buffets, where you have lots of different items to sample and enjoy at your own pace.  Others are served family-style, where the server actually brings platters of food to you at your table, and you don’t have to do a thing!  Several of the restaurants even take your family’s photo before the meal, and then bring the photos around for you to preview and purchase while you are dining. Also, if you are a vegetarian or have dietary concerns, just tell your server and they will be sure to work with the chef to make those accommodations for you.

If you have a Magic Your Way® Package Plus Dining, all character meals, with the exclusion of Cinderella’s Royal Table, are only one table service credit.  Even if you are not on a dining plan, it is still worth every penny to be able to meet all of your favorite characters in an air-conditioned building while you eat, instead of standing in long lines out in the hot Florida sun. So whether it’s Pooh and Friends you’re looking for, or Jake from The Neverland Pirates, they can most likely be found at one of the numerous character meal experiences throughout the Walt Disney World® Resort! Just check with your Magic Maker® to find out which characters are featured at each location.

Character meals can be booked 180 days out and do tend to fill up quickly due to popularity, so be sure to ask your Magic Maker® for help in planning all of your dining reservations as soon as you book your trip!

Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage

Pirates and Palsby Magic Maker® Megan Fago

For our family, the fireworks shows at Walt Disney World® Resort  in Florida are always one of the highlights of our trip.  On our most recent trip, we experienced Magic Kingdom® Park’s Wishes fireworks show in a truly unique way.  We booked a Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage to celebrate grandma’s retirement.  It was a magical evening filled with surprises that topped everyone’s list of favorites for this trip!

Your Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage adventure begins when you check in at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.  We were greeted by our fellow pirates and given a Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage kerchief and assigned a boat.  After fashioning ourselves to look like pirates and posing with the pirate statue in the hall, we headed in to a feast of pirate treats.  There were all sorts of “booty” to snack on, including brownies, popcorn, gold coins, pirate cake, non-alcoholic drinks, and much to my children’s delight, we even found a freezer full of Mickey Bars!  During this reception, we also took time to pose for a picture with two very special guests, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee!

Before we knew it, our host for the evening, Patch, was ready to lead us out to our boat and we were off to see the fireworks.  As we slowly cruised out into the Seven Seas Lagoon,  Patch entertained us with jokes, sing-a-longs, and by getting to know each of the dozen or so families on board.  As the sky darkened, we cruised by Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and finally came to rest right in front Magic Kingdom® Park.  The boat lights were dimmed, Wishes fireworks show music was piped in, and the entire boat was in awe as we enjoyed Wishes fireworks show like never before!

After a truly spectacular show, our boat started back towards Disney’s Contemporary Resort.  As we sailed, Patch led us in a rousing game of trivia, complete with Pirate prizes such as hooks, swords, and flags.  Finally, he told us the story of Peter Pan.  Just as we pulled up to the dock, guess who was there to surprise us all!  After we chatted and took our picture with the one and only Peter Pan, we walked back towards Magic Kingdom® Park to catch a bus back to our resort.  Everyone agreed, The Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage was the highlight of our trip!

If you are a fan of pirates or Peter Pan, or even if you’re not, Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage is a great way to celebrate in a special way at Walt Disney World® Resort!   Be sure to ask your Off to Neverland® Magic Maker® about booking this special trip for your family!

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One More Disney Day

This offer is no longer valid. Please click here to view all current Walt Disney World® Resort specials.

Disney is celebrating Leap Year by making the most of One More Disney Day! Not only will you have extra time in select Disney Parks, but you can also take advantage of special savings.

One More Disney Day and Night of Disney Magic Free!

Offer Details:

For arrivals most nights Feb. 26 – Mar. 10, 2012:

When purchasing a 3-night / 3-day non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Co. room and ticket package at select Walt Disney World® Resort or Disneyland® Resort hotels, receive one more day and night for FREE*

Booking Window:

Now – Jan. 31, 2012

24 Hours of Magic!

Starting at 6am on Feb. 29, both the Magic Kingdom® Park in Florida and the Disneyland® Park in California will remain open for a full 24 hours!** This special period of access to select attractions and entertainment has never happened before, and may never happen again! No special ticket is needed – all you need is a valid Theme Park admission ticket. Your family can make lasting memories by being part of this magical day!

What will you do with One More Disney Day?

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*Number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Room charge based on average per night rate of applicable room during stay. One (1) consecutive night will be added to the hotel stay and one (1) day added to the tickets. Offer applied once per package/reservation and excludes suites. Disneyland® Resort multi-day tickets expire 13 days after first use or 3/23/12, whichever occurs first. Walt Disney World® tickets are for one theme park per day and must be used within 14 days of first use. Each day of use of a ticket constitutes one full day of use. Advance reservations required. No group rates or other discounts apply. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.

**Hours of operation are 6 a.m. on 2/29/12 to 6 a.m. on 3/1/12. Subject  to capacity restrictions. Valid Theme Park admission required.

Happy 40th Birthday to the Walt Disney World Resort

Roy O. Disney at Walt Disney World Resort Grand Opening CelebrationOn this day in 1971, the world changed forever with the opening of the Walt Disney World® Resort in central Florida.  Since opening day, millions and millions of guests have been treated to a “fantasy made real” that only the Disney company can make happen.  Even though Walt Disney did not live to see his “Florida Project” become reality, his spirit and imagination live on in the forty seven square miles that make up the Walt Disney World® Resort.  Just a few days after opening day, at the grand opening celebration, Roy O. Disney read the words inscribed on the Walt Disney World® Resort dedication plaque:

Walt Disney World is a tribute to the philosophy and life of Walter Elias Disney . . . and to the talents, the dedication and the loyalty of the entire Disney organization that made Walt Disney’s dream come true.  May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspiration and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place . . . a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh and play and learn – together.

So, from all of us at Off to Neverland Travel,

Happy Birthday, Walt Disney World® Resort

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room Reopens

Yesterday, the Walt Disney World® Resort officially re-opened Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Up until recently, the Tiki Room was closed due to a fire that required the attraction to be repaired. Before the fire, the Tiki Room was “Under New Management” which included a new show hosted by Iago and Zazu. While the attraction had some original show elements, much of the “Under New Management” show was completely different from Walt Disney’s original Tiki Room. Now, the classic attraction is back (albeit with some new technology), and we can again enjoy Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Check out the video, below, for an inside look into the newly refurbished Tiki Room:

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Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

Have you seen the artist renderings* for the newest resort at the Walt Disney World® Resort?  It is called Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and it will feature beautiful themes from four favorite movies. It’ll have themed room interiors in the nearly 2,000 new units — 1,120 family suites in The Lion KingCars and Finding Nemo wings and 864 themed rooms in The Little Mermaid wings. Suites will have both a living room and a bedroom, offering added space. The resort will be located adjacent to Disney’s Pop Century Resort.

The new resort is scheduled to open in 2012.  Check back for information on when you can book your reservation.

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*Walt Disney Imagineering Concept Art, actual construction may vary

Pizzeria to Open at Epcot’s Italy Pavilion

An authentic pizzeria will be opening at Italy Pavilion at Epcot later this year!

The new 300-seat restaurant will have traditional Florentine architecture, vaulted-ceilings and outside dining. And the food will be authentic with Italian dishes (complimenting the offerings at Tutto Italia ) and pizza from wood-burning ovens.

The pizzeria will be the newest flagship restaurant in the Patina Restaurant Group’s portfolio. And one of the special touches at the Epcot location will be the water. It’ll be imported from a source where the composition most resembles water used in Naples, Italy, to make the authentic Italian dough.

A name for the family-style pizzeria has not been finalized as of yet.  Construction is currently underway and the restaurant is scheduled to open in fall 2010.  Can’t wait to check it out?  Click here to start planning your Walt Disney World Vacation now!

The Pirates League at the Walt Disney World Resort

Pirates League at the Walt Disney World Resort

From Magic Maker® Traci Elswick

“Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate’s life for me!” The Pirates League is a great alternative for boys or girls who wish for a pirate inspired makeover. The Pirates League is located next to the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in the Magic Kingdom® Park at the Walt Disney World® Resort. I took my 7 year old son, Joel, during our recent Halloween Walt Disney World® Resort vacation. Boy, were we impressed!

First, the pirates gave him his pirate name: “Jeffery Blade Cutter” from the Pirate log, and then he had the choice of several different pirate looks. Joel and I were whisked away to the Muster Station, for applications of beards and eye patches, scarves and scars, earrings and gold teeth – all done with the savvy skill of a veteran pirate. Our pirate took the time to explain what they were doing to him and let him feel the brushes and sponges. Before you knew it he was transformed into a cursed pirate. Every time a makeover was complete the pirates would ring a bell and announce, “We have a new pirate”.

When Joel was done they made him take the sacred pirate oath. He then was taken to the secret room where the transformation was complete. He got to reveal the hidden treasure. Don’t ask, we were sworn to secrecy! No cameras are allowed in the secret room.
You can choose from three daily pirate packages:

  • First Mate Package: Includes bandana; choice of facial effects; scars; tattoos; fake teeth; earring and eye patch; sword and sheath; pirate coin necklace; one 5×7-inch photo; and personalized pirate oath. – $49.95 USD plus tax
  • Empress Package: Includes bandana; shimmering makeup; face gem; tattoos; nail polish; earring and eye patch; sword and sheath; pirate coin necklace; one 5×7-inch photo; and personalized pirate oath. – $49.95 USD plus tax
  • Captains Package: Includes choice of costume/outfit from selection; choice of facial effects; scars; tattoos; fake teeth; earring and eye patch; sword and sheath; pirate coin necklace; three 5×7-inch photos; and personalized pirate oath. – $124.95 USD plus tax
Contact your Magic Maker™ to help you plan The Pirates League makeover for your little buccaneer!

(*Prices subject to change without notice. For ages 3 and up. Theme park admission required. Open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Reservations recommended.)
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