Shades of Green, Disney's Military Resort

Being military can be a bit hectic at times but there are many things that can be amazing!  Disney has many perks for the military such as the armed forces tickets, which are park hopper tickets for a great price, that only military can purchase and use.  On our family trip last year we discovered an amazing military perk called Shades of Green.  Shades of Green is a resort on Disney property at Walt Disney World. It is home to the most beautiful golf courses and is right next to The Polynesian Resort. Prices for rooms begin at $95 and they actually offer discounts to soldiers who have been deployed in the last 12 months before their stay.  They have a variety of restaurants on property, ranging from buffet and a quick service to fine dining.  They have a gym on property and sell tickets at military prices at their ticket booth.  They have bus service to all the parks, but I suggest walking to the Polynesian and catching the monorail for the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  All active and retired military and spouses can stay there and can bring family with them. The resort has many fun family activities. During our stay there were carnival nights with make your own candy apples and a balloon artist at the buffet. Our kiddos actually wanted to eat there every night during our stay because of the different themed nights. They just recently remodeled one of their pools and the other pool is in the shape of Mickey! They also will have movie nights at the pool with popcorn and drinks. While Shades of Green is not a Disney owned hotel any longer it does not mean that it has lost its Disney spirit! The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly and the whole resort was full of Disney spirit.  Please let me know if I can help you out with any questions about Shades of Green! 

Magical hugs and Mickey kisses!

April

Example of planned activities.

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Cold Temps in Florida? YES, It Happens!

Its a common misconception many people have that it does not get cold here in Florida, but let me be the first to tell you it does!

I am going to the world this week and I'm preparing to be bundled up. It's dipping down into the 30's this week at night. 

If you plan on visiting in January or February chances are you may experience our Florida winter. It is short, but there are mornings where we are scrapping the ice off of our car windows.

I see a lot of northerners in the parks in shorts and t-shirts, and I see others running to buy jackets and sweatshirts in the store. How do you know its cold? The stores bring out the hats and gloves to the front of the store. They are basic black in color, so if you want something more festive be prepared and bring a set from home.

So how do you prepare for your trip during the "Florida Winter"? Number one is to watch the weather before you leave. Some people check the weather early and never check back, but Florida weather changes on a dime, so be sure to check the weather right before you walk out the door and make sure to pack appropriately. This is especially important if you pack ahead of time.

Number two: Dress in layers! Bring a sweatshirt and jeans at least. Many nights get quite chilly. Don't forget the kids... if they are in a stroller bring a blanket for them. If you or someone in your party are in a wheelchair you might want to bring a blanket of take a towel to cover your legs.

Number three: Stay away from rides like splash mountain and Kali River Rapids. Even if you're donning a raincoat why chance it? Walking around wet in the cold is not fun.

Number four: While visiting the parks consider renting a locker, that way you can stash your layers in there as it warms up during the day.

Number five: Don't forget the sunblock and chap stick. Yes, you can still get a small sunburn (or windburn) in January!

My favorite places to be when it is cold out is at one of 2 resorts... in my hoodie, with a nice cup of hot chocolate... sitting next to the fire place at Ford Wilderness Lodge or the Boardwalk Resort. They both have the best fireplaces around in my opinion.

Now that you are warm, can you imagine how some of the characters feel? Well, you will be happy to know even many of the characters have their winter outfits on if they are outdoors. Disney thinks of everything don't they? 

Please remember while in the winter one of the water parks are closed for rehab, one is always open, but if the temps dip too low that one is also closed.  See also number 3! (Darleen jumping in here... remember that if the temps are cold enough for the water parks to be closed due to the cold weather, many of the other outdoor activities may be cancelled, up to and including outdoor dining such as the Hoop Dee Do Revue, "Swim up" moves at the resorts etc... It's best to check before you head out to an outdoor event just to be sure it's still taking place.)

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My DisneySide @Home Celebration, Part 1

I received free products in order to host my #DisneySide @ Home Celebration. The opinions expressed here are my own.

   Not long ago I filled out a small survey from Moms Select about my participation in social media and Disney.  This was for the opportunity to be chosen as a host for a party showing my #DisneySide.  I had applied to host other Home Celebrations but never been chosen, so I wasn't going to get my hopes up this time. After finishing up the survey, I didn't think another thing about it until I saw a Facebook post from my friend saying she had been chosen.  I immediately hopped on my email to see if I had a letter as well. Bummed because I didn't see anything, I commented on hers to congratulate her.  A couple of days letter, I was cleaning out my spam mail and there it was. I had been chosen too!

    In the email, there was a link to a Facebook page where other host/hostesses would be gathering to discuss themes, package content and recipe ideas. Everyone was giddy with excitement about what our packages would contain. As the shipments started going out, everyone was posting their guesses. One post even stated how awesome it would be if we got American Tourister  suitcases! Yeah, wouldn't that be great?  We were notified that our packages would be shipped via UPS.  All members of the group that were receiving packages started signing up for UPS My Choice accounts so we could get notifications of shipments and deliveries.

    In the meanwhile, I began brainstorming what on earth my party theme might be. What things does my family enjoy most about Disney. Easy answer, food. We all have our own favorite Disney snack that we must have with each visit. Mine, of course is the chocolate caramel apple. My family and I decided to go with the theme of An Evening of Disney Snacks and Fun on February 22nd. We started making notes of not only our favorite snacks but also the most popular. I even took a poll on my Facebook page of the fan favorites. So far the menu consists of mini carrot cake cookies, Dole Whip punch, mini turkey legs, "grey stuff" and of course, the apples. We are still in the planning stages.

    In the Facebook group, photos started rolling in of what people were receiving in their boxes.  I tried so hard not to look because I wanted it to be a surprise. I finally got the notification of my 24 lb. delivery and waited for the UPS man to knock on my door. I couldn't get in the box fast enough.  Much to my amazement, the first thing I saw was a 21" spinner, purple American Tourister Suitcase! The suitcase was jammed full of party supplies for the perfect #DisneySide party! There were balloons, signs, recipes, game ideas, cups, plates and so much more.

    Our party is still in the planning stages with ideas for prizes, more games and even a Disney inspired photo booth.  Photos and another blog will be posted in the coming weeks as we work hard to make our guests feel like they are right in the middle of the magic!

I received free products in order to host my #DisneySide @ Home Celebration. The opinions expressed here are my own.

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Polar Play Date Giveaway

Would you like to take a trip to Legoland, Florida? How would you like free admission tickets?! Well, we've got them! These tickets MUST be used by March 13th, 2014. We've also partnered with Beautiful Baubles to bring you an awesome "Frozen" inspired necklace! So... who's ready to beat the cold and have a Polar Play Date?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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LEGOLAND- Land of Adventure

Last April my family of four left the chill of Boston for the warm sun of southern California.  We split the week into two parts.  We spent the first three days based out of Carlsbad, California, which is the home of LEGOLAND and the second half of the week was spent in Anaheim, home of Disneyland.

We were fortunate to have the opportunity to stay at the LEGOLAND Hotel during its second week of operation.  We had been to LEGOLAND four years earlier and my son who was four during the first trip continued to share memories with anyone who would listen.  We knew that we needed to return to LEGOLAND. 

After a long day of traveling out to California, we took advantage of an offer of buy one day, get one day free.  This gave us a chance to spend the afternoon in the park before we settled in for the night.  We first revisited the areas of the park that my eight year old had remembered from four years earlier.  The Land of Adventure is home to eight separate attractions. 

The Pharaoh’s Revenge is a self-contained net covered two-story structure.  Inside the structure, kids are able to aim cannons filled with foam balls and shoot at either targets or other guests in the attraction.  There are larger units in the center which “explode” with these foam balls every few minutes.

There are benches just outside the structure allowing parents to take a quick break and kids the opportunity to move around and have fun.  After my son thought about this attraction for four years, I can honestly say it did not disappoint when we had a chance to get to LEGOLAND again.

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Sommerfest Nudel Gratin

If you are in Epcot you have got to try the food in Germany. I have eaten in Germany and I can not wait to go back. Biergarten has some of the best food and the atmosphere inside is really neath. They have almost recreated a small town and every 30 minutes or so they even come out and put on a little show. At Christmas is is even Christmas themed! You can even go down to the floor and dance. (Darleen piping in here: Keep in mind that this restaurant has "family seating". In other words the tables are ALL set for 8 guests, so unless you are a party of 8, you will almost always be seated with other Disney lovers. For some folks this is a lot of fun and you can make new Disney friends, for others, it's an unusual situation and not a "good thing". Just keep this in mind if you are considering this wonderful restaurant.) Now, if you don't want to spend a few hours at a buffet you have another choice located right next door to Biergarten. It's called Sommerfest. It has some of the items that you would get in the buffet, but "to go", and a little bit cheaper on the pocket book.

Last month during the Holiday we got to try this really yummy thing called nudel gratin. It's similar to macaroni and cheese, but a little more dense. So, I asked for the recipe! Did you know if you want to make something at home, all you have to do is ask and it will either be given to you or emailed to you at most restaurants in Disney.

This is the recipe for nudel gratin from Germany.

2 cups of heavy cream
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of white pepper (Darleen again... white pepper is a little milder than black pepper and is used in recipes where specs of black would be undesirable. Black pepper may be substituted.)
pinch of nutmeg
4 oz of swiss cheese
4 oz of white cheddar
1lb of elbow macaroni

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a 13 x 9 inch dish, spray lightly with Pam or any butter spray.

Combine cream, eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl. In another small bowl, combine the cheeses, reserving one cup aside for later.

Stir the cheeses in to the cream mix, minus the one cup you reserved for later.

Cook macaroni until tender, drain, add cream and cheese mix and stir together. Pour into baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 min.

Remove the foil and sprinkle the reserved cheese on top and bake for 15 more minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 min. Cut into squares and serve. This is best when served hot, or warm.

In the park this cost 3.49 and I felt it was a good price for what we got.

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Who's Who Wednesday: Tow Mater

Tractor tippin's fun!

When you think about race cars and their buddies, thoughts quickly turn to Lightning McQueen and his buddy, Tow Mater. Mater quickly connected with McQueen after the latter was arrested just outside of Radiator Springs and refused to leave McQueen's side, although McQueen definitely tried to escape his clutches.

Mater is a 1951 International Harvester boom truck. Originally light blue in color, he rusted over and became the brownish orange color that we all know and love today.

Mater has a very vivid imagination. Of note, he has pretended to be a professional wrestler, a daredevil, and a matador, among other things. However, after he begins to think about things he claims to have done, something (or someone) shows up that makes him think that it was real.

 Mater is also the self-professed "World's Best Backwards Driver". Using his rear view mirrors to navigate, he firmly believes that he "don't need to know where I'm going, just need to know where I've been."

Perhaps Mater's greatest adventure is when McQueen asks him to go to the World Grand Prix with him. While in Japan, Mater is mistaken for a secret agent and is charged with helping to figure out who is trying to sabotage the race.

One thing is for sure with Mater, he is anything but boring. We will all continue to be amazed and amused at his adventures in the future.

Photo credit: Wikipedia.org

Photo credit: worldofcarsdrivein.wikia.com

 

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Pop Century Review

Let me start with saying in my opinion Pop Century is by far my most favorite value resort. I have stayed there probably over 50 stays. When we have the chance and they are available that is where we go.

Pop Century opened in 2003. It was meant to have 2 different areas, the Classic years and Legendary years. What was to be The Legendary years part is now the Art of Animation. The Classic years go from 1950's to the 1990's.

Pop Century is located in the Wide World of Sports area, which means it is closest to Hollywood Studios. Pop takes you through the decades. It brings me back to my childhood when I go into the lobby and see the cute little displays from the decades. I show my kids what we had growing up as kids. They have cute little displays of toys and gadgets from each decade. They even have you dancing in the lobby at certain times. It's really fun!

Pop has 3 pools. The big one up front is called the Hippy Dippy pool. It is so cute with its flower shaped sprayers. Even the pool bar is taken back to the 60's! The other pools are located in different areas. There is a big bowling pin pool and a big computer pool.

Among the room you will see giant icons like a huge Mickey mouse phone, a huge cell phone, a Big Wheel, and many more icons.

Pop also has a jogging trail, a playground, and an arcade to entertain the kids for the off times that you're not in a park.

The rooms are an average of 260 square feet, usually have 2 double beds, a table, 2 chairs, and a 32 in, TV.

There is a store to get your souvenirs and odds and ends. Dining is like the other value resorts. One of my favorite things about Pop is Mom's night out meal! This is a special meal, just like we had as a kid, it comes in a tray just like an old fashioned TV dinner. The other favorite is the tye dyed cheesecake! It will dye your lips blue, or red, or green!! It is soooo good!!! They also have pizza delivery.

The rooms are nicely done, like the other values, with themed pictures and wallpaper.

Here are some pics from my trips...enjoy!!!

These soccer players are 12 ft tall!!!

This big wheel can hold 644 lb kid!

Mom's night out meal!

                                                   

                                                                

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Parade Viewing Magic Courtesy of FastPass+

We have all seen, or even been, those people who park a family member somewhere in front of the castle or on Main Street USA hours before a parade starts in order to get an unblocked view of the artistry that is a Disney parade. That person sits, typically with a defeated look, watching other families pass by sharing magical memories, knowing that his or her family is exploring the magic as well. Sure this person gets interaction, but it is mainly from other families asking if the space next door, clearly covered by a jacket or shopping bag, is vacant and available for their chosen family member, to which the answer of course is no. Saving seats for parade viewing, for some families, makes any given parade seem like the longest wait in the park.

Well, over the holiday season, our family said goodbye to having a token seat saver, and hello to FastPass+ provided by MagicBands. MagicBands, still in their testing phases, are currently bestowed upon guests who consider a Disney resort home for their vacation stay. These magical pieces of arm candy serve as a room key, easy mode of payment if linked to a credit card, your entrance to the park if desired, and your only opportunity to take part in the new FastPass+ system. We were the lucky recipients of MagicBands during our stay at the Art of Animation Resort in October, and we linked our bands to our annual passes. Linking them to our passes allows us to use these magical bands and all of their powers for every time we visit the parks. Why is this completely awesome you may ask? Well, the MagicBands allow you to take part in the FastPass+ system which gives the power to pre-select up to three fast passes for any given visit. The bonus of course is that the FastPass+ system will allow you to get a fast pass for entertainment like parades or fireworks. Getting a fast pass for a parade, gives you exclusive prime viewing that is reserved for only those who have the fast pass, which is the most amazing way to watch a parade.

First, cast members rope off arguably the best spot to view a parade, which is directly across from the castle. This of course means that the castle can be the backdrop for any photo taken. But wait, it gets better. Since you have a fast pass for this area, you are only allowed to enter between ten and twenty minutes prior to parade time. That's right, prime viewing, and no hours of waiting. But wait, that's not all! Not only is this space amazing for photo opportunities, but the space that they rope off is huge, and the amount of people who actually take advantage of using a fast pass for a parade is very few, so you aren't stuffed into an area like a sardine. I know that I am usually squished into an area with strangers, sometimes ones who are smelly, who are pushy and not always considerate of tiny human parade viewers. So, this experience was absolutely, hands down, the best. Literally no one was standing behind me, there was at least five feet between my back and the end of the roped off area, and there was a good couple of feet between us and the family next to us. My little princess and prince had unblocked views of everything, and were even the recipients of high fives and personal waves from characters. Seriously, this was the best parade viewing experience of my life, and theirs so far. If you have the opportunity to use the FastPass+ system, I highly recommend taking advantage of the parade or firework viewing option. I know we won't ever again watch a parade or fireworks in any other way. So, thank you MagicBands and the FastPass+ system, now we can enjoy every experience with our entire family!

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Will's Bucket List

There is so much out there that is Disney related. As a self-professed Disney geek, I would love to do the following things. So, here is my bucket list.

1) Disney cruise. I don't care where it goes, I just want to cruise with my buddy Mickey Mouse.

2) Dine at the Chef's Table at Victoria and Albert's.

3) Stay at the Grand Californian over Christmas.

4) Visit Disneyland Paris.

5) Visit Hong Kong Disney.

6) Ride one ride in each of the 6 major parks between Disney World and Disneyland on the same day.

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Amy's Bucket List

When it comes to Disney, of course I want to experience absolutely everything. However, there are a few experiences which definitely top the list. Here are my absolute top five:

1. Visit Disneyland Paris. I have never been to Europe, and could not imagine making the trip across the Atlantic without a visit to Mickey's European home. Also, rumor has it, that runDisney may be adding a Disneyland Paris 1/2 Marathon, and if this is true, then a visit to Disneyland Paris just became even more of a highest priority Disney bucket list item!
2. Receive a runDisney Coast to Coast medal. This coveted medal is given to those who run at least a half marathon in Walt Disney World and in Disneyland within a calendar year. The one for 2014 is pink, and I love all things pink so it will be mine!
3. Experience a Disney Cruise. I have cruised before, but never on the floating wonderland which only Disney can provide.
4. Eat at every table service restaurant in the Walt Disney World Resort. With my love of food and experiencing all things Disney, this item is already close to being complete.
5. Yell "Andy's Coming" in the presence of Woody. Rumor has it, if this is done, Woody will drop down and pretend to be in toy form, or as Doc McStuffins would say, he will "go stuffed".

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Disney Vanilla fudge recipe

If you are like me, have a sweet tooth, and want to have a piece of Disney made in your own kitchen, you are going to love this recipe!

 Disney's Vanilla Fudge:
1 1/2 cups of butter
1 13 oz (one 12 oz can, plus 2 tablespoons) of evaporated milk
1 pound of brown sugar
2 cups of granulated sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 pound of confectionery sugar
1 tsp vanilla

What do I do next?
Combine butter with milk and brown sugar in a 6 qt saucepan, heat over medium heat. Add salt and bring to a boil until it reaches the soft ball stage. (This for me took a while to get to, just keep stirring).
Once that is done, take off the heat and let it cool in the pot for 20 minutes.
Beat in confectionery sugar and vanilla with electric mixer until thick. Use some butter spray to butter pan, use a 9 inch pan, and smear it all in. Put in fridge to cool at least 1-3 hrs!

This was pretty easy to make. The taste alone is worth it!! It has almost a butter cream taste to it.

This is how mine turned out. It wasn't as thick as some, but sooo good!!!!

Ingredients

While cooking

Finished product

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Bippity Bobbity Boutique Review

For my daughter's birthday, we surprised her with a makeover at Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. She had no idea we had planned this. We made the reservations and kept it a secret for a month. So, after we took her to Hollywood Studios, we told her we needed to go pick something up in Downtown Disney.

Bibbity Bobbity Boutique has 2 locations, one in Downtown Disney and the other in Magic Kingdom.  I wanted to book at MK, but they were full. Word of advice, book early, this is a very popular thing for the kids to do. So, DTD it was as this was our gift to our daughter from me and my hubby. Booking was super easy, they greet you with a magical phone call of sorts, it's really cute.

We got to the DTD location about an hour and 45 minutes early. It's recommended to be at least an hour early. They took us back within 15 minutes. They asked us if she had a dress to get changed into and we did.  Another word of advice: For those who are frugal like me, bring the outfit with you, it's a huge money saver. Go to your local Disney store in the mall or online if you don't have a local one.

So, my daughter went in and got changed. They have a special changing room to get changed if you bring your outfit with you. She still had no clue what was going on. We went out and the lady at the counter said, "'Princess Jordan, your carriage is ready for you'"! We went into this really pretty purple room filled with Fairy Godmothers in training. Princess Jordan's chair was ready for her.

Another good tip: Have your child's hair ready, brushed out, take out the pony tail etc; it makes it easier on them.

My daughter sat in the chair and picked out which hairstyle she wanted. I was hoping she would go for the Fairytale Princess and she did.

There are 4 different hairstyles to choose from:
Fairytale Princess, Disney Diva, Pop Princess, and Color star.

So, now on to picking the color of her mini crown, Hidden Mickey Barette, and the face gem. 

Then you pick which level of experience you would like. We chose the coach.
The levels are:
Coach: Hair, make up, gem, sash and tote
Crown: Just like coach, only they add the nails.
Courtyard: Just like coach, though they include a t shirt and tutu.
Castle: You get hair, nails, gem, costume, accessories, nails, make up, sash, tote, and 6 5x8, 4 4x6 pics and a photo holder.

Since my daughter is not a total girly girl, we just went with the coach for her, which she was happy with.

If you choose a costume to buy they have: Ariel, Snow White, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Cinderella, Tink, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, and now they offer Sofia.

 After picking out all the items, up went her hair. They use gel and hair glue to get it to stay so sleek. Up in a super high pony tail it went and with some Disney magic, Princess Jordan was being transformed from a normal little girl to a Fairytale Princess. Everything was Princess. The mini crown was placed, they added a little makeup and the face gem, handed her a shield (to protect all the hard work already done), and on went the tons of glitter! After this is done, they call the photographer over to catch a photo. They tell the child to close their eyes, they are spun around, and told to open their eyes. Of course, I cried!

The child gets down off the chair and shows everyone the new look. She was sooo beautiful.

You are then handed the bill and head to the counter to pay.  You also receive the prettiest BBB bag ever. My daughter cherishes this bag so much. It is all pink and glittery.

In DTD, if you get there early, they actually have a parade where all the kids that were made over can participate and they walk around DTD. It is really cute.

 Hours at BBB in DTD: 9:30am-6pm, MK: 8am-7pm.

The transformation is amazing, the amount of time spent can differ, from 30 minutes to an hour is the normal time. The ages for this are ages 3-12. The prices range from $54.95 to $189.95 plus tax. Princess Sofia is $64.95. They also do a boys package now. Its called a Knight package for 15.95. They do hair gel, sword and a shield, and then they do confetti in the hair.

Bippbippi

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