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What’s Not in My Disney World Hotel Room?

By Erin Foster

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A while back, I wrote about all the useful things you’ll find in your Walt Disney World hotel room. After a recent spate of non-Disney and semi-Disney travel (sacrilege, I know), I’ve realized that there are also a number of things that many travelers might expect to see in their Disney hotel rooms, but won’t be found there. Please be aware that some of the items on this list can be found at a select few WDW hotels, but not all of them. Be sure to consult with your own resort directly if you have concerns.

You’ll find a refrigerator in your Disney hotel room, but there’s no mini bar.

A Magnifying Mirror

My mother pointed this out to me after she joined me for a stay at Disney’s Bay Lake Tower earlier this year. Her aging eyes had trouble doing her makeup without the magnifying mirror she was accustomed to finding in hotels. Since she mentioned this, I’ve stayed in about a dozen non-Disney hotels and sure enough mom was right, all but one of the non-Disney hotels was equipped with a magnifying mirror in the bathroom, while the vast majority of Disney hotels do not. If your eyes are on the downswing or you routinely use a magnifying mirror for personal maintenance, they you’ll want to bring your own from home.

Toothpaste

I spent part of this past summer on the Adventures by Disney excursion to China. This was an incredible experience, a small part of this was due to insanely over-the-top awesome hotels we visited (Ah, Peninsula Shanghai, I miss you so). One of the countless details which made the hotels seamlessly efficient and luxurious was that in addition to the usual soaps and shampoos, the bathrooms were all stocked with teeny tubes of Colgate. So great, right?! While toothpaste is certainly available for purchase in the WDW gift shops, you’ll no doubt note here that toothpaste is almost never found in US hotel rooms. (You can read more about this in a Slate article that hotel geek me found fascinating.) So, if you’re an international guest expecting toothpaste to be a standard feature, you’re out of luck.

Other Enhanced Toiletries

Some US hotels do offer complimentary in-room toiletries beyond the basic soap/shampoo/conditioner/lotion that Disney provides. Again, while all of these items are available for purchase in your gift shop, you won’t find razors, shave cream, nail files, Q-tips, cotton balls, sewing kits or other nice niceties provided in your room.

A Coffee Maker

Guest staying at Disney’s moderate and deluxe hotels will find a coffee maker in their rooms, but if you’re staying in a standard value room at Pop Century, All Star Movies, All Star Music, All Star Sports, or Art of Animation, then you’ll have to head to the food court to get your caffeine fix. Some guests in this situation opt to bring their own coffee maker. A quick spin on Amazon and you’ll find several drip machines retailing for less than $15.00. Even if you decide to leave it at the hotel, this small investment could end up saving you a fortune at Starbucks.

You can buy nearly any toiletry in the hotel gift shop, but you’ll only find the basics as in-room freebies.

A Robe

Only guests at the swanky Grand Floridian will find a robe in their hotel closet. Everyone else will have to bring their own or improvise. My personal strategy is to bring a lightweight terry gown that doubles as a swim cover-up at the pool and as a post-shower wrap in the room.

Electrical Outlets

Yes, I’m exaggerating, but not much. There will be a few open electrical outlets in your Disney hotel room, but nowhere near enough of them. When I travel with my three teenage kids and their multitudes of electronic gear, a power strip or two is essential equipment for the room.

A Place to Put Your Stuff in the Bathroom

Several of the Disney hotels offer very little counter space in their bathrooms. (I’m talking to you Contemporary resort.) It’s not a big deal if you’re traveling with just one or two adults, but if you’re traveling with a larger family you may want to consider bringing a toiletry bag that hangs on a door.

Reading Lamps

Again, I exaggerate. There are, of course, lamps in the Disney World hotel rooms. However, many guests find them provide inadequate lighting. I’ve found it so bad on some occasions that I’ve plugged in my phone and set it on a bright flashlight mode just to up the wattage in the room. If you’re particularly sensitive to low-light situations, you may want to consider bringing a battery powered lantern.

Many of your favorite television stations are not available in your WDW hotel room.

A Mini-Bar

The Disney World hotels do include a small refrigerator, but these are kept empty for you to fill. On the plus side, there’s no $15 tin of macadamia nuts to distract you from your diet. But on the minus side, if you’re in the mood for late night munchies, you’re stuck with room service or the vending machines down the hall. BONUS TIP #1: In many of the WDW hotels, the vending machines alternate by type on each floor. For example, there are beverage machines on floors 1 and 3, and snack machines on floors 2 and 4. If you want both a Coke and some chips, you’ll need to make use of the stairs or elevator. BONUS TIP #2: One of the hotels included in the Adventures by Disney trip to Germany includes a mini-bar stocked with FREE beer. Prost!

Water Bottles

Many moderate to deluxe hotels in the non-Disney world provide guests with in-room bottled water either free or for a feee depending on their policies. You won’t find bottled water provided in the vast majority of Disney rooms. Given the perceived unpleasant taste of Florida tap water, you may want make a stop to stock up on water bottles at a local supermarket or bring a filter with you.

There’s not much counter space in some of the WDW hotel bathrooms. A hanging cosmetics bag can help.

A Bidet

Some European guests may expect to find this as a standard feature. It’s not a common component of US bathrooms.

Jon Stewart

While the Disney TV situation has improved somewhat since I wrote this post, they’re still lacking several channels that are considered standard by many travelers. Notably absent from the Disney TVs are Comedy Central, HBO and Showtime. If you need your Colbert or Homeland fix, invest in a Slingbox.

A Key

While you can still ask for a key card, Disney appears to be phasing out the credit-card style room keys they’ve been using for eons. Use your MagicBand to open your room. The future is here.

Is there anything that you typically find in other hotels, but is missing at the Disney resorts? Is there anything you wish they stocked to make your stays easier, more relaxing, or just plain better? Let us know in the comments below.

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SATURDAY SIX: Top Six Reasons We Loved Universal’s 2013 Holiday Celebrations

By Derek Burgan

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A vile monster with a brain full of spiders and the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile. Also pictured: The Grinch

This week’s SATURDAY SIX looks at the Top Six Reasons We Loved Universal’s 2013 Holiday Celebrations. While Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) has become the premier Halloween event in Orlando, many people don’t realize that Universal’s Christmas offerings are pretty good, as well. Disney raises a high bar with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and the Osborne Family’s Spectacle of Dancing Lights, but Universal’s offerings of Grinchmas in Islands of Adventure and Macy’s Holiday Parade in Universal Studios Florida are two unique events which – unlike HHN – can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Grinchmas transforms Seuss Landing in IOA in almost every way possible, with new characters appearing within the area, a new stage show, and decorations seemingly on everything (and we mean everything). Meanwhile, USF displays gigantic balloons throughout the park, has several incredible musical offerings, and delivers the goods with the signature Macy’s Holiday Parade. There is a lot of stuff to choose from, but today we’re going to narrow the list down and look at our six favorite things from this year’s holiday celebration.

(Remember, you can click on any picture to see it in full size.)

Elwood and “Joliet” Jake, the Blues Brothers

# 6 – The Blues Brothers Holiday Show

This was a true surprise for me. I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of the regular Blues Brothers show on Delancey street. I realize I’m in the minority on that one, and while I generally enjoy Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi as performers, their Blues Brothers film does nothing for me. The regular version of the Blues Brothers show uses music from the film, including renditions of “Gimmie Some Lovin’,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.” Not my cup of tea. However, Christmas music is something I can’t get enough of. I’m the type of person who has the radio in my car set to the station that plays nothing but Christmas songs in December, and I often put my television on the music channel playing Christmas music as background noise when I am home. The Blues Brothers playing Christmas songs? I’m open to that.

The Blues Brothers Christmas tree

There is a pre-show with a saxophonist and a singer doing a great version of “All I Want For Christmas” before the Blues Brothers arrive. Jake and Elwood then get on the stage and sing ”Santa Claus Rock,” “Run Run Rudolph,” “Blue Christmas,” “Snow Man” (a holiday take on their classic “Soul Man” song from the film), and the show finishes with “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” There are several spots where the two interact with the audience, but my favorite part may be the Christmas tree that Jake creates onstage. Using cigarette packs as ornaments, toilet paper as garland, and an empty can of Pabst Blue Ribbon as a tree topper, Jake creates the greatest Christmas tree this side of Charlie Brown.

I thought the show was fantastic across the board. The music was great. The person playing Elwood Blues nailed it, looking and sounding just like Dan Ackroyd from the movie. While the Jake character was a little thin, his performance was off-the-charts. There is a lot of humor throughout the show, including a great moment where the two give each other sunglasses as a Christmas gift and another when Jake comes out dressed as Santa carrying a laundry bag from the Joliet Prison filled with “gifts,” including a toaster. Overall, this was one of my all time favorite shows at USF, only ranking behind Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure at Halloween Horror Nights.

Scooby Doo (Photo by Seth Kubersky)

# 5 – USF’s Decorations

They say bigger is better, and USF puts that to the test with giant balloons all around the park, even outside the front gate! Scooby Doo, Horton (from Horton Hears a Who), Garfield, Grover (from Sesame Street), and The Cat in the Hat are among the GIGANTIC balloons spread throughout the park. It’s one thing seeing these incredibly large balloons float by you in a parade (or on TV), but standing next to them allows you to see just how outrageously large they are.

There are also holiday decorations everywhere you walk, on almost all of the buildings and light posts, including inside the restaurants and gift shops, and even on vehicles like the Simpsons RV that is used for meet and greets. The humongous Christmas tree by Gramercy park is absolutely gorgeous, and there is also a good amount of Christmas themed merchandise throughout the park, including a Despicable Me shirt that has Minions writing a letter that starts off with, “Santa, let me explain…”

The Grinch meets The Grinch (photo by Nick Exsey)

# 4 – The Grinch

The Grinch does meet and greets all year long at Suess Landing, but that’s the Grinch from the cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 1966. Grinchmas brings the Grinch from the 2000 remake starring Jim Carrey. This Grinch is one of the best face characters in any theme park. Guests can meet the Grinch for a photo op, and he takes the guest interaction that I love in the Donkey meet and greet up to an “11.”

The Grinch will talk your ear off complaining about all the Whos in Whoville and bring up his faithful dog Max, but most of all he loves talking about himself. Think of the hilariously vain Gaston character in New Fantasyland with a real dark side. I can not recommend meeting the Grinch enough, as the character actors Universal has playing the role are truly exceptional. If character meet and greets were judged like rides, the Grinch is a clear E-Ticket.

Mannheim Steamroller
(Photo by Nick Exley)

# 3 – Mannheim Steamroller

Playing at the Music Plaza Stage (in front of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit) is one of the all time biggest acts when it comes to Christmas music. Mannheim Steamroller has two different touring lineups, but the one playing at Universal is led by Chip Davis, the founder of the group. While you may not know Mannheim Steamroller by name, you’ve surely heard several of their popular songs, including “Carol of the Bells.”

Like the popular acts that play during Universal’s Summer Concert Series, guests will plant themselves in front of the stage hours before showtime. What’s different is the age group, as the average person staking out a place for Mannheim Steamroller is between 30-50. Mannheim seems to bring a lot of locals to the park, so be prepared to listen from a distance if you don’t want to camp out in front of the stage. It’s well worth the wait.

A scene from the Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular
(photo by Seth Kubersky)

# 2 – Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular

Taking place in Soundstage 20 (the queue begins right past One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish) is the Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular. A fun take on the Grinch story, this stage show is almost a hybrid between the cartoon version of the Grinch and the high budget Hollywood version. While the Grinch, himself, steals the show (shocking, I know), it is pretty cool being able to see the various Whos of Whoville in all their glory. Another highlight is the character of Max, which is played by a real dog and is always a big hit. This is tremendous theme park stage show that ranks right up there with the best Disney has to offer.

# 1 – Macy’s Holiday Parade

The Minions on a Central Park-themed float with Happy Hippo following behind
(Photo by Seth Kubersky)

Every year on Thanksgiving morning, my family and I sit down to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It’s the unofficial start of the Christmas season for us, and we look forward to seeing the various floats, music acts, and – of course – the huge balloon characters. Universal recreates the Macy’s parade inside the theme park in stunning fashion. Guests can even volunteer to be balloon handlers (you need to be at least 18 years of age, over 125 pounds, at least 48 inches in height, and wearing closed toe shoes).

Candy Cane balloon

Like Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade there are a whole bunch of walk around characters during the entire parade. Snowmen, people dressed up as Christmas ornaments, and stilt walkers are some of the various people you’ll see walking by. Marching band? Check. Characters that you see around USF like Marilyn Monroe and The Simpsons? Check. Rockette-like dancers? It’s all here. On top of all the ballyhoo comes the balloons (just watching the handlers walking the balloon is an interesting visual), and you can’t have a holiday parade end without an appearance by the big red man himself, Santa Claus.

So there you have it: the top six reasons we loved Universal’s 2013 Holiday Celebrations. See you next weekend for the latest edition of the Saturday Six. If you had fun, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! articles or, for your listening pleasure, check out Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast.

Special thanks to Seth Kubersky, Nick Exley, and Universal NOW!’s Brandon Glover for their assistance with this article

 

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In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of December 20, 2013

By Rikki Niblett

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In Case You Missed!

While you were trying to figure out if you wanted to try a cronut from Refreshment Port at Epcot (duh…the answer is yes…) here’s what you missed this week in the Disney News and Rumors department.

In Case You Missed It – Disney News and Rumors

It’s finally here!  Saving Mr. Banks officially makes it’s way to all theaters today and everybody is talking about it!  The Hollywood Reporter shares the backstory of how this fantastic film was able to be created.  Also, looking for more Saving Mr. Banks fun, check out the e-book called Saving Mr. Banks – The Official Multi-Touch Book which contains stories, videos, music, fun facts and more all about the making of both Mary Poppins and Saving Mr. Banks.  The book is available via iBooks and is FREE!

With the Holidays here, I’m sure you’re like me and catching every Christmas movie ever made.  One of the best ones is The Muppet Christmas Carol.  Buzzfeed has a look at 14 Things You Didn’t Know about the movie.

Disney is recently riding the wave of their current animated hit, Frozen, but they are already working on animated film magic scheduled all the way out to 2018.  According to Moviefone, Disney’s Moana is slated to tell the tale of a  “a sea-voyaging enthusiast, and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators.” Interesting.  Can’t wait to hear more as we get closer to 2018!

Did you know that Disney Legend Ward Kimball would create his own Christmas cards each year.  Cartoon Brew had a fun article showcasing some of the best and unique designs!  (My favorite card might have to be the one from 1946, but it’s so hard to choose!)

Walt passed away on December 15, 1966 and in remembrance of that day, CBS News ran a news piece called Almanac: Walt Disney.  The article discussed a few highlights of Mr. Disney’s life that was cut short too soon.  Also interesting was the included look at some of Disney’s more obscure characters.

In addition, I came across this video this week, that I had never seen before and thought was perfect to share, given the anniversary of Walt’s passing.  It’s certainly not recent, but it’s a great glimpse into the Walt Disney Family Museum and what it showcases and a little bit about the man himself.

This week marks the end of the Walt Disney World’s seven (seven!) weeks of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parties for 2013. What does this mean for you? Holiday Wishes will be shown on all nights between the 21st and New Year’s Eve, so if you missed out on the parties, now is the time to catch the show without the hard ticket charge. New Year’s fireworks will go off December 30 and 31st starting at 11:50PM (hey, if Christmas lasts 2 months, New Year’s Eve can be 2 nights, right?). Don’t forget the Crowd Calendar is your friend when trying to navigate the most crowded time of year at Walt Disney World.

Are you in the Orlando area and needing a BabyCakes fix? They announced local delivery this week. It might be easier than grabbing a parking spot at Downtown Disney right now, just saying.

Do you love Harry Potter as much as I do?  MuggleNet has all the details about the three day event that’s scheduled to take place from January 24 – 26 at Universal Studios Orlando.  The event is called “A Celebration of Harry Potter” and will feature appearance by some of the film’s stars, panel discussions, an Expo, and more!  For those who love Harry Potter, this is an event not to be missed! (I just wish I could make it!)

Ever been at Walt Disney World during a runDisney race weekend?  Did you know you could sign up to volunteer to help out the event?  Here’s where you can register or find out more.

In Case We Missed It

What didn’t we mention here this week that you can’t believe missed? Write your idea on a Disney Infinity Starter Pack and send it to blog@touringplans.com with the words “In Case You Missed It” in the subject line.

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This Week On TouringPlans YouTube Channel: Christmas Fantasy Parade, Newsboys, Hillbillies and More!

By Guy Selga Jr.

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Every Friday on the TouringPlans Blog we bring you the week’s newest videos from our YouTube channel. Let’s get started!

One of the most popular holiday offerings in Disneyland is A Christmas Fantasy Parade. The parade has been around since 1994 and most of my favorite characters (Scrooge McDuck, Roger Rabbit, and Mulan) have been removed but overall it’s still a great parade. Enjoy this full HD recording.

Heading over to Disney California Adventure, one of the highlights of the holiday celebrations in that park is the tree lighting ceremony on Buena Vista Street. The small show features the Citizens of Buena Vista Street, Buena Vista Street Community Bell Ringers, Mickey and Pluto.

More videos after the jump:

One of the greatest features of It’s A Small World’s legendary facade is the clock tower. Here is a video of clock going off, lit but hundreds of Christmas lights!

Billy Hill and the Hillbillies are well loved here at TouringPlans. It’s unfortunate because now that they are down to a handful of performances until they are permanently retired. Luckily they will live on via YouTube with videos like this. Enjoy the finale of the Hillbillies Christmas show featuring the Country Bears!

A new episode of the Unofficial Guide Disney Dish Podcast! Len Testa and Jim Hill discuss the history of how Disneyland has celebrated Christmas throughout the years. Download the mp3 here, iTunes link here.

I’m obviously a bit biased but I think this series of Ask Jim Hill videos where the guys discuss vintage Disney merchandise has been really interesting! In this mega-sized 17 minute episode we wrap up the 3 part special edition of Ask Jim Hill, Len and Jim take a look at memorabilia and share stories about from Fantasmic, Disney Pogs, Videopolis, and more!

That’s all for this week. We add new videos to the channel several times a week. Be sure to head to http://youtube.com/touringplans and subscribe!

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PotterWatch: Diagon Alley Construction Photos and the Gringotts Vault Key

By Seth Kubersky

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The key to Gringotts Vault 722 has arrived… (Photos by Seth Kubersky)

Welcome, wizards and muggles alike, to the latest installment of TouringPlan’s PotterWatch (we’ve dropped the “2.0″ for simplicity’s sake), your regular expansion update on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort. This time we’ll take a look at Diagon Alley’s London Waterfront facade, and hear the tale of the Gringotts Vault Key.

Diagon Alley Construction Photos

First, here are the latest photos of construction on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida, taken at “magic hour” for our first look at the facade with some of the scaffolding removed:

It appears a structure is being built between Disaster! and Kings Cross to conceal the Hogwarts Express train tracks.

The brickwork detailing on the side of Kings Cross is visible and very impressive.

The station front is still behind scaffolding.

These shots give a sense of the immense scale for the facade.

A panoramic view of the entire Diagon Alley.

Taking a closer look at the theatre facade:

The relief sculpture above the columns is visible again.

Finally, Grimmauld Place in all its glory:

Note the artfully cracked roofline.

We’ll conclude with a look around the corner, which should eventually be concealed by a wooded berm.

 

In case you’re wondering what’s on the other side of those construction walls, here is a shot recent posted by a very tall member of the Orlando United forums, giving a glimpse of the Diagon Alley storefronts beyond the facade:

Photo courtesy TheLastAshen on OrlandoUnited.

News and Rumors

On December 12, Universal Orlando held a press event detailing the 8 new eateries coming to the CityWalk district. They also teased the upcoming Wizarding World expansions with a few new tidbits (all of which were old news to regular readers of this blog). You can watch that video announcement here:

 

Finally, here’s a look at the mysterious package a FedEx owl delivered on my doorstep.

The code inside unlocked the following video, revealing that Universal will host a live webcast on January 23, at which time more Wizarding World details will be revealed.

If you want to watch the webcast for yourself on the January 23, sign up here.

Subscribe to our Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar to get the best Universal Orlando wait-time data and touring plans, and check back soon for the next Wizarding World of Harry Potter construction update!

 

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PotterWatch: Diagon Alley construction photos and the Gringotts Vault Key

By Seth Kubersky

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The key to Gringotts Vault 722 has arrived… (Photos by Seth Kubersky)

Welcome, wizards and muggles alike, to the latest installment of TouringPlan’s PotterWatch (we’ve dropped the “2.0″ for simplicity’s sake), your regular expansion update on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort. This time we’ll take a look at Diagon Alley’s London Waterfront facade, and hear the tale of the Gringotts Vault Key.

Diagon Alley Construction Photos

First, here are the latest photos of construction on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida, taken at “magic hour” for our first look at the facade with some of the scaffolding removed:

It appears a structure is being built between Disaster! and Kings Cross to conceal the Hogwarts Express train tracks.

The brickwork detailing on the side of Kings Cross is visible and very impressive.

The station front is still behind scaffolding.

These shots give a sense of the immense scale for the facade.

A panoramic view of the entire Diagon Alley.

Taking a closer look at the theatre facade:

The relief sculpture above the columns is visible again.

Finally, Grimmauld Place in all its glory:

Note the artfully cracked roofline.

We’ll conclude with a look around the corner, which should eventually be concealed by a wooded berm.

 

In case you’re wondering what’s on the other side of those construction walls, here is a shot recent posted by a very tall member of the Orlando United forums, giving a glimpse of the Diagon Alley storefronts beyond the facade:

Photo courtesy TheLastAshen on OrlandoUnited.

News and Rumors

On December 12, Universal Orlando held a press event detailing the 8 new eateries coming to the CityWalk district. They also teased the upcoming Wizarding World expansions with a few new tidbits (all of which were old news to regular readers of this blog). You can watch that video announcement here:

 

Finally, here’s a look at the mysterious package a FedEx owl delivered on my doorstep.

The code inside unlocked the following video, revealing that Universal will host a live webcast on January 23, at which time more Wizarding World details will be revealed.

If you want to watch the webcast for yourself on the January 23, sign up here.

Subscribe to our Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar to get the best Universal Orlando wait-time data and touring plans, and check back soon for the next Wizarding World of Harry Potter construction update!

 

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Limited Time Magic Events For December 22 – 31

By Rikki Niblett

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Remember in early 2013 how for Limited Time Magic it was asked Disney Parks Blog readers to vote on a design they were going to use for 2014 merchandise.  Well, for this week’s Limited Time Magic event, (and this is the final one for the year), guests will now have the chance to be among the first to purchase art work with the design that was chosen.

Guests will be able to find this new art design adorning an assortment of keepsakes, including a mug, T-shirt, ladies tee, a watch, and D-Tech iPhone case.

At Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort, the merchandise can be found at the World of Disney in Downtown Disney.

This merchandise will be able to be purchased starting on December 22 until quantities run out!

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Star Wars Weekends Dates Announced for 2014

By Rikki Niblett

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©Disney

May the Force Be With You!

Today, the Star Wars Weekend dates for 2014 were announced. The event will take place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from May 16 – June 8.

Exact dates are:

May 16 – 18
May 23 – 25
May 30 – June 1
June 6 – 8

Star Wars Weekends is a fantastic event where guests can take part in special meet-and-greet opportunities with Star Wars celebrities, meet with characters from the film, purchase one of a kind merchandise, plus take in special shows and presentations.

For guests who would like to have the force be with them, the event is included in theme park admission.

No additional details have been given, but stay tuned to the blog to find out more!

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Star Wars Weekend Dates Announced for 2014

By Rikki Niblett

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©Disney

May the Force Be With You!

Today, the Star Wars Weekend dates for 2014 were announced. The event will take place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from May 16 – June 8.

Exact dates are:

May 16 – 18
May 23 – 25
May 30-June 1
June 6 – 8

Star Wars Weekends is a fantastic event where guests can take part in special meet-and-greet opportunities with Star Wars celebrities, meets with characters from the film, purchase one of a kind merchandise, plus take in special shows and presentations.

For guests who would like to have the force be with them, the event is included in your theme park admission.

No additional details have been given, but stay tuned to the blog to find out more!

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A Trip Around The World: China

By Daisy Lauren

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Today we visit the beautiful land of China on the next stop of our trip around the world. Welcome back to those who have been reading! If you’re just joining us you might want to take a stroll through Mexico and Norway before continuing on. Looking at the image below you’ll notice one thing – there are no people! That’s because before 11am this is where Disney draws the line on World Showcase. If you enter through Future World you can go no further than this point.

A little further down this path on the right you will find a small, outdoor gift shop. I’m a big fan of the panda umbrellas they sell here! They also carry paper umbrellas, paper fans, walking puppets, and other small toy and gift items. The open area to the right is where you’d be able to find a great Food & Wine booth during the festival. I always miss it when it’s gone!

Just beyond this outdoor market is the Joy of Tea. This it a great little spot to grab a drink or snack. They serve excellent cold teas and some fun alcoholic beverages. They also have one of the best dining values in the park with the lucky combo. This entree includes a Pork Bun, a Chicken Pocket, and an Egg Roll, with your choice of a Soft Drink AND Ice Cream all for less than $10 (see menu)!

If you’re not looking for a bargain but you’re looking for an excellent meal, you might want to take a walk across the street to Nine Dragons. I’ve said before that this is my favorite restaurant in Epcot, and that still remains true. The food is excellent (see menu) and the service is better than on a cruise ship! The exterior is pictured below, but inside the restaurant is twice as beautiful and also offers a great view of IllumiNations.

Just beside Nine Dragons you can’t miss this beautiful arch with a view the replica of The Temple of Heaven. This is a very popular spot in the China pavilion, with Mulan greeting in this courtyard throughout the day.

Just past the arches you get an even better view of the temple. It’s one of the most beautiful spots in the parks, and I realized too late that I didn’t do the gardens on either side justice. There are ponds with beautiful plants and flowers. Make sure you stop and take a look the next time you are in the park.

This lovely stone is in the staircase leading into the temple entrance. It seems a shame that they don’t clean it up daily. It was pretty dirty with water and dirt standing in the grooves the morning I visited.

The path leading up to the entrance also has these detailed markings on the fence posts. Obviously there are lots and lots of dragons throughout!

When you first enter the temple, which houses Reflections of China, be sure to look up to see this amazing ceiling! Honestly, my photo doesn’t do it justice. The view is breathtaking!

Just past this is a quiet, air conditioned room which serves as the waiting area for the show. This spot is a great little secret. Most people won’t enter because they think they’ll be forced into a line! Actually, there is a big and cool area to hang out on a hot day. You also don’t have to exit through the attraction entrance because it connects to another museum area.

Connected to this building you can currently see a pretty amazing display of Tomb Warriors. This is very interesting to take a look at but it’s also air conditioned and generally not too busy! Both good things 9+ months out of the year!

When you’re finished you can exit through these double doors. I love the details and the foo dogs. (If you take a look at the one on the right you might notice a little something from Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure)

When you exit this display and head towards the right you’ll be in “gift shop alley”. This is marked with another outdoor market on the right and then a couple more shops in front of you.

I love the details of the China Pavilion. Even at an outdoor gift shop that is selling low end stuff they have amazing architecture like this photo below. I could go on and on about the beauty found in the China Pavilion! It is really one of my favorite spots on Disney property.

Just past this outdoor gift shop on the right are real, working pay phones! I had to pick them up and check when I was there. I can’t remember the last time I saw a pay phone and there they were right in the middle of Epcot! I hadn’t noticed them before. I wonder if they get used often?

When you get to the end of gift shop alley you’ll see items like the photo below. This is another large outdoor market that features mostly low end paper goods and toys. The exit for Reflections of China is through this gift shop, so it seems like they really want everyone to see their paper and toys!

Inside the gift shop you can find this stunning mural next to a door that leads back stage. This is a nice hidden photo spot for a family picture!

Below is the view inside of this outdoor market. As you can see they carry lots of the same stuff found on carts and outdoor markets throughout the China pavilion.

Below is another display within this market showing some of the lovely paper fans sold in China. The ones you see here are pretty huge, but they carry all sizes. These can be a nice souvenir when fighting the Florida heat!

This pretty mural and display are found just before entering the higher end store connected to the outdoor market. The indoor shop is called Good Fortune Gifts and is very different from the shopping found through out the rest of the land.

While Good Fortune Gifts does still carry some toys and tchotchkes, you’ll see from the photo below that the store has an entirely different feel to it. Pretty pottery, jewelry, incense, silk, and many other nice gifts can be found in this store.

When you stop into this shop also take some time to appreciate the details in the woodwork. There are many scenes like this one below hidden throughout the store.

Below is a statue inside Fortune Gifts. I believe this is Meng Shan, God of longevity. (I could be wrong on that – if anyone is certain please let me know in the comments.) Every time I pass through this gifts shop there is money left on the lap of this statue. It gives me a little faith in the world that is seems to be left there without being disturbed. Also, be sure to notice the wood carved arch just behind this statue.

This is just a little bit of the jewelry found in this shop. They have some really pretty pieces, and the prices aren’t terrible! Deep down, what girl doesn’t want a big, jade bangle to remember her Walt Disney World vacation?

There is so much good stuff in this shop that it’s impossible to include it all. This last photo is some on the silk right before the exit. They also have purses, slippers, and other silk items. Good Fortune Gifts is such a fun shop that I could kill lots of time there!

If you exit the gift shop and start heading back towards the World Showcase Lagoon, there is one last place to check out in China, the Lotus Blossom Cafe. I know this restaurant receives low marks from much of the Disney community – but what can I say? I just love Chinese food! A recent renovation left it bright and pretty, plus the prices are reasonable by Disney standards (see menu).

The only down side is the out door seating which while modern and pretty can be very hot during the summer months.

And with that we wrap up another land on our tour. Did I miss something you love about China? Did you see something you didn’t know about that you’re excited to visit on your next trip? Is the Lotus Blossom Cafe hot or not? (Ok, that last one is just for me.) Please let us know in the comments below – we love to hear from you. As always thanks so much for reading!

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