Star Wars Weekends

This weekend kicks off Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World.  For Star Wars fans, it doesn't get much better than this!  Hollywood Studios is taken over by Star Wars characters, entertainment, and special fireworks on weekends from May 15th- June 14th, 2015.  

Meet Star Wars characters that are only here for Star Wars weekends.

You can even meet the real life Star Wars celebrities!  Here's the schedule for those:

Weekend 1: May 15 to 17, 2015

• Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones; Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith; Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back; and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
• Ashley Eckstein (Voice of Ahsoka Tano – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
• Tiya Sircar (Voice of Sabine Wren – Star Wars Rebels)
• Amy Allen (Aayla Secura – Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones; Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith)

Weekend 2: May 22 to 24, 2015

• Warwick Davis (Wald – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace; and Wicket the Ewok – Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
• Ashley Eckstein (Voice of Ahsoka Tano – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
• Vanessa Marshall (Voice of Hera Syndulla – Star Wars Rebels)
• Silas Carson (Ki-Adi-Mundi, Nute Gunray – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones; Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith)

Weekend 3: May 29 to 31, 2015

• Warwick Davis (Wald – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace; and Wicket the Ewok – Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
• Ashley Eckstein (Voice of Ahsoka Tano – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
• Steve Blum (Voice of Zeb Orrelios – Star Wars Rebels)
• Daniel Logan (Boba Fett – Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones; Voice of Boba Fett – Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Weekend 4: June 5 to 7, 2015

• Ray Park (Darth Maul – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
• Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett – Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
• Ashley Eckstein (Voice of Ashoka Tano – Star Wars Rebels)

Weekend 5: June 12 to 14, 2015

• Frank Oz (Voice of Yoda - Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones; Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith; Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back; and Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi)
• Ray Park (Darth Maul – Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)
• Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca – Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith; Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope; Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back; and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)
• Taylor Gray (Voice of Ezra – Star Wars Rebels)

(NOTE: A Fastpass is required for celebrity autographs)

Of course, you can't have a complete Disney experience without food!  Disney has set up some fun Star Wars character dining this year.  Join Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Greedo, Jawas, and Stormtroopers for breakfast at the Sci-Fi Dine-In restaurant.  Or, if dinner's what you're looking for, you don't want to miss Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Chip n Dale in their Star Wars costumes at Hollywood & Vine! 

What better way to end your night, then with a special fireworks show?  

(All photos are from the Walt Disney World website)

Have you been to Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World?  What was your favorite part?

NEW Indiana Jones themed bar coming to Downtown Disney

I'm so excited about this new addition to Downtown Disney (AKA Disney Springs)!  Scheduled to open this fall, this Indiana Jones inspired bar will be called Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar.  They will feature special drinks, such as the "Hovito Majito", and will serve small dishes as well.  The bar will seat 150, and Disney is making sure to get all the details right!  Check out these concept art images.

I'm a huge Indiana Jones fan.  I cannot wait to see this when it's open!!

10 Things Every First Time Visitor Needs to Know

While there is so much you should know when visiting Walt Disney World for the first time, I've narrowed it down to my personal top 10 things every first time visitor needs to know.  Most of these I've learned my lesson from the hard way- these aren't just random things!!

1. Bring comfortable shoes! You will be doing a LOT of walking.  Unless you wear flip flops 24/7 at home, you will want to bring comfy walking shoes.  
2. You can get FREE water at any counter service restaurant.  Bottled water is great, but it won't stay cold all day. Save yourself the hassle of carrying around a bunch of water bottles, and just ask for some free ice water when you stop for a break, or to eat.  
3. Download park maps from Disney before your trip.  You can find out where your favorite rides and character meets are, so you aren't randomly walking in circles trying to find Dumbo! 
4. Get your souvenirs off Disney property.  You can get the exact same t-shirt you saw in the Magic Kingdom for about half the price, just by driving a few miles off Disney property.  If you're on a budget, this is a HUGE money saver (and nobody will know the difference!)
5. Interact with the characters!!  When you meet the characters, don't just walk up, get an autograph, and walk away.  Actually talk to them.  Tell a joke, ask them questions, anything.  Even the costume characters, who can't talk, can have some pretty fun interactions.  
6. Be patient.  You will be spending several hours per day with thousands of strangers.  Odds are someone will annoy you.  Just remember the golden rule, and show people kindness and patience.  You never know what they are going through, and a kind word from you could make their entire day. 
7. Book your dining reservations 6 months ahead.  This is a big one! You can book your dining reservations 180 days prior to checking into your hotel.  You need to do this if you plan on eating at any Table Service restaurants.  While you may get lucky, and be able to walk in to certain places, there are many that fill up.  You don't want to be scrambling to find somewhere to eat with cranky kids and tired parents!
8. Schedule your Fastpasses 60 days in advance.  I know, I know- how do you know what day and time you will want to ride Expedition Everest?!  Here's the thing... it's better to have a Fastpass, and not need it, than to need it and not have it.  You will probably know what parks you will visit on which days, so schedule your Fastpasses around that.  
9. Take a stroller (or rent one).  Even if your child has been walking for years, they aren't used to walking 10-15 miles a day, and their little legs will give up on them (probably at the most inconvenient time).  My 7 year old and 3 year old took turns riding in our stroller, so I was able to get away with just a single stroller.  My 9 year old did fine walking all day.  
10. My last tip for this post is to have fun, and know that you cannot possibly see or do everything there is to do at Walt Disney World.  There are people who have gone dozens of times, and still haven't done everything.  So, don't even try.  It's supposed to be a fun vacation, after all!!

Should I stay on Disney property? (Onsite VS Offsite)

Every time I talk to someone planning a Walt Disney World vacation, this is one of the biggest decisions they have to make.  It really depends on each individual situation, but for the most part, I recommend staying on Disney property.  Let's take a look at the differences between staying in a Disney resort hotel, versus staying in a nearby hotel.

Staying in a Disney resort hotel has several benefits:

• Free transportation to and from Orlando International Airport to your Disney resort hotel
• Free transportation to and from the 4 parks, 2 water parks, Downtown Disney, and all Disney resort hotels
• Access to the Disney dining plan
• Extra Magic hours (When certain parks open early or stay open later just for Disney resort guests)
• Free parking at the parks, if you drive your own vehicle
• Ability to have in park purchases sent to your resort hotel, instead of having to carry them all day
• Excellent Disney customer service 24/7

While you might save a little money by staying in a non-Disney hotel, you will have to add transportation to/from the airport, a rental car to get to and from the parks, money to pay for parking each day, full price for Disney dining.  You won't be able to stay for extra magic hours, and you'll have to drag all your purchases with you all day long.  It's also much more difficult to take a midday break if you have family members who need to rest. The only time I would really recommend staying offsite would be if you have a large group, and can rent a house (and cook most meals, rather than eat out).

Jedi Training Academy

If you have a Star Wars fan in your family, the Jedi Training Academy at Disney's Hollywood Studios is a must do!  This is a free activity, but you have to sign up for it, and it fills up fast.  Children ages 4-12 are able to participate- just make sure your child won't run away from Darth Vader.  He can be pretty scary to younger kids!  You will want to make it to Hollywood Studios prior to park opening, and be one of the first people in the park.  At least one adult, and any kids who will be participating, will need to go straight to the ABC sound stage to sign up for a spot to fight Darth Vader.  (Note: Participants MUST be present at sign up)  

Participants are given a brown Jedi robe and a light saber, then take the stage to begin their training.  Jedi masters are on hand to show the children how to use their light sabers.  

Once the training is complete, the kids go to the side of the stage, because there is an evil force arriving.

(Note:  The day we were there, Darth Maul was also there)

Darth Vader then tries to turn the children to the dark side.  He didn't recruit a single child this day!

Once all participants have a chance to fight off Darth Vader, they are rewarded with a certificate.  

This is definitely one of the highlights for us.  My older kids love Star Wars, so they were excited to participate in this.  Remember to show up about 20-30 minutes prior to your childs' time slot.  We were running late, and arrived about 8 minutes prior, and they almost didn't let my kids do it.  Luckily, a really nice CM ran back to grab two more Jedi robes, so they could participate.

Let's talk TOURS!

Whether you're a Disney World newbie, or someone who's been dozens of times, there's always something new to see and do at Walt Disney World.  Today, I'm going to highlight just a few of the fun tours offered that you may, or may not know about.

Animal Kingdom:

Do you enjoy the safari, but like me, wish it was a little longer?  If you answered "Yes" then the Wild Africa Trek might be for you!  It's a 3 hour long private Safari, including lunch, lots of photos of your journey, and a special souvenir.

(Photo credit: Walt Disney World website)

Price varies from $189- $249 per person.  Participants must be at least 8 years old, and 48" tall.  *** From April 19- October 17th, 2015 get $50 OFF the cost of your tour!!! ***

Epcot:

Learning never goes out of style at Disney's EPCOT.  Let's take a look at the Behind the Seeds tour.  This is a 1 hour tour where you'll get to visit the fish farm during feeding time, see some alligators, check out some huge fruits and vegetables, learn about the latest agricultural advances (like hydroponics), and get some pointers on taking care of your own garden at home.

(Photo credit: Walt Disney World website)

Price is $16 for children and $20 for adults.  All ages are welcome, but I would recommend leaving the little ones with someone else while you enjoy this tour.  Otherwise, you might miss some good info!

Hollywood Studios:

While not a tour, I feel like this is something every child needs to do at least once!  I will be writing a blog post with more info about this soon, but for now, I will keep it short and sweet.  Hollywood Studios' Jedi Training Academy is so much fun!  Just for kids, ages 4-12.  Your child will become a padawan for about 20-30 minutes, while they get the chance to fight Darth Vader. The spots for this fill up quickly, so you will want to go straight to the sign up area at rope drop.  When we did it, we walked over to the sign up area as soon as the park opened, and we ended up at a 12:30 show. (Note: Your child MUST be present at the sign up)

This is FREE!  Just remember to get there early to reserve your child's spot!!

Magic Kingdom:

I haven't done this one, but it's at the top of my Disney bucket list!!  The Keys to the Kingdom tour at Disney's Magic Kingdom park is one of their most popular tours.  This 5 hour tour will take you all over the Magic Kingdom, where you will learn park secrets, visit the famous underground Utilidors, learn park facts and trivia, have lunch, and get a fun souvenir!

(Photo credit: Walt Disney World website)

The price for this tour is $79 per person.  All participants must be 16 years or older.



Call (407) WDW-TOUR to schedule any of these tours!  If you go on any of these, please send send me an email. I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.

Singing and Dancing with Cinderella

Princess Birthday Party!

We just celebrated my daughter's 8th birthday this weekend.  What better way, than to invite a Disney princess to celebrate with us?!  I first met Jennifer, owner of The Kingdom of Azuria in 2011, and my daughter fell in love with her. 

I had originally planned a cookout birthday party, but changed my mind to do a princess party just a few days before.  I emailed Jennifer, and crossed my fingers that she'd be able to send us a princess for my daughter's special day.  Not only was my daughter's favorite princess (Cinderella) available, but Jennifer herself was going to be our princess!!! I couldn't have been happier.  I decided to keep Cinderella a surprise from the party guests, and my daughter.  I wanted a genuine reaction at the party. 

Check out this YouTube video of Cinderella surprising the kids!

After Cinderella surprised the girls, they went over to sit on a blanket that had  been laid out for them.  Cinderella told them all about her Kingdom, and even had some fun goodies to show them!  

After learning all about her Kingdom, the kids were taught how to bow and curtsy like real princes and princesses!  They really enjoyed this part.  It was fun to watch them focus on doing it correctly. 

Of course, you can't have a fancy princess party without some dancing!

At the end of the party, Cinderella posed for a few photos, then helped with the cake and ice cream!

My four year old is now asking for a princess party.  After seeing how much fun this one was, I have a feeling we might be seeing more princesses at our house in the future!!  If you're local to Northern Virginia, I HIGHLY recommend The Kingdom of Azuria for your princess parties!  You can also find them on Facebook. 

Happy Mother's Day to all my Disney mom friends!

Resort Spotlight: Disney's Beach Club Resort

You've seen my favorite Value and Moderate resorts.  Now let me tell you about my favorite Deluxe resort! Disney's Beach Club resort is my favorite for so many reasons!

Besides its obvious beauty, let's explore why this resort got my top spot.

ROOMS:
Standard rooms at this resort are anything but standard!  With a gorgeous beach theme everywhere you look, you will feel like you are truly on vacation, even if you never leave your room.

DINING:

No matter what you are in the mood for, you will find it right here, at the Beach Club resort!  Let's take a look at the many dining options here.

Character dining:  So, you want to dine with some of your favorite Disney characters.  Cape May Cafe features a unique breakfast character dining experience with Minnie, Goofy and Donald, dressed in their beach attire, of course!  They also have a wonderful seafood dinner (no characters).

Table Service dining:  You may also choose to dine at Captain's Grille or Beaches and Cream, which offers the famous Kitchen Sink dessert!

                                                         (photo from WDW dads)

Beach Club also has two quick service restaurants- Hurricane Hannah's and Beach Club Marketplace.

RECREATION:

The Beach Club resort has the BEST pool area on property (in my opinion)!  It features 3 acres of water fun, including a lazy river, zero entry beach area, and a 230 foot long water slide!  Other recreational activities offered here include:  a Pirate Adventure cruise, campfire, outdoor movie, bike rentals, tennis, volleyball, jogging paths, a playground and an arcade!

OTHER:

The Beach Club resort is walking distance to EPCOT, which is a HUGE plus for my family since it's our favorite park!

So, tell me, what's YOUR favorite Disney Deluxe resort and why?