A new luxury community at Walt Disney World Resort is selling the first-ever homes available for whole ownership. Called Golden Oak, the planned community consists of five neighborhoods over 980 acres with parks, footbridges, gardens and recreational pathways.
The Happiest Place on Earth Just Gets Merrier as Anna and Elsa from Walt Disney Pictures’ animated hit “Frozen” join the annual holiday celebration at the Disneyland Resort. The Holidays bring themed entertainment, sparkling decorations, delicious treats, festive traditions and holiday shopping to locations throughout the Resort.
Among the highlights of the season, Nov. 13 through Jan. 6, 2015, is the return of the breathtaking “World of Color – Winter Dreams” holiday spectacular – with new songs added from the “Frozen” soundtrack. Also returning to Disney California Adventure Park is the festive “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” holiday celebration and the grand finale of the season, a five-day celebration of Three Kings Day.
Holiday time at Disneyland Resort has become an annual tradition for many guests, filled with an abundance of merriment, tradition and magical memories. This year Disney Parks invites guests to “Show Your Disney Side” as they explore all there is to see and do. Expanded hours at both Disneyland Resort theme parks extend the family fun time, while the Downtown Disney Winter Village offers a chance to play and skate at “Olaf’s Frozen Ice Rink.”
At Disneyland Park
At Disneyland Park, holiday traditions include the popular “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year by welcoming Anna and Elsa from “Frozen” into the cast. They are among the 100-plus parade performers, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, other Disney characters and Santa Claus, making a special appearance from the North Pole.
When Santa isn’t appearing in “A Christmas Fantasy,” he and Mrs. Claus are greeting guests and listening to holiday wishes at the Jingle Jangle Jamboree in Big Thunder Ranch in Disneyland. Jingle Jangle Jamboree comes to life with Disney characters, music, games, cookie decorating, crafts and seasonal entertainment. New this year on the Jamboree stage is a comedy and music show that invites guests to laugh and sing along in a wacky tale of Christmas in the West.
Additional beloved holiday traditions at Disneyland include:
At Disney California Adventure Park
After its successful 2013 debut, “World of Color − Winter Dreams” returns to Disney California Adventure with several “Frozen” songs in the show, including “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Love is an Open Door.” Also returning to the nighttime spectacular is Olaf the snowman from “Frozen.” The holiday version of the popular “World of Color” show features classic winter scenes from such beloved Disney and Disney-Pixar films as “Bambi,” “Toy Story” and, of course, “Frozen.”
“Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” at Paradise Gardens in Disney California Adventure is a daily celebration inspired by the warmth and joyous spirit of Latino culture and holiday traditions, with festive music and dancing, vibrant colors, delicious food, Disney character appearances and the lively “Disney Viva Navidad! Street Party.” “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” will conclude with a five-day celebration of the traditional Three Kings Day, Friday through Tuesday, Jan. 2 through 6, 2015.
Additional holiday highlights at Disney California Adventure include:
Downtown Disney District and Hotels of the Disneyland Resort
In the Downtown Disney District, guests may take a break from their holiday shopping and dining to go skating on “Olaf’s Frozen Ice Rink.” The rink opens for 60-minute skating sessions from 3 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 3 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. This year, the Downtown Disney Winter Village around Olaf’s Frozen Ice Rink is bigger than ever, offering shoppers holiday gift items such as “Frozen” plush toys, holiday crystal from Arribas Brothers, art works, clothing and accessories, all sold from the windows of the charming village houses. Hot chocolate from Ghirardelli along with coffee, sweets and baked goods from La Brea Bakery are also available at the Downtown Disney Winter Village.
The Hotels of the Disneyland Resort join in the holiday festivities with twinkling lights and ornaments, special entertainment and holiday dining with themed menus. The six-foot-high gingerbread house in the spacious lobby of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is large enough for hot chocolate to be sold from its window. Guests also will enjoy new and favorite menu items at Napa Rose in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and at Steakhouse 55 in the Disneyland Hotel, which recently debuted a seasonal Chef’s Tasting Menu.
One of the many benefits of staying at one of the hotels of the Disneyland Resort is Extra Magic Hour,* an early admission option available to registered hotel guests every day of their hotel stay. Extra Magic Hour offers admission prior to park opening to select attractions, stores, entertainment and dining locations in Disneyland Park (currently Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) and Disney California Adventure Park, including Cars Land (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays). Extra Magic Hour is only available for guests who book and stay at a Disneyland Resort Hotel, and each registered hotel guest (ages 3 and older) must have a valid theme park ticket and active hotel room key card.*
Guests wishing to stay in one of the Disneyland Resort hotels will enjoy a special hotel offer** during the holiday season. When guests book through Nov. 19, they may save up to 20 percent on premium rooms Sunday through Thursday nights through Dec. 18, at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Hotel or Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.** Weekend discounts are not available and discounts are not available Nov. 13 through 16, and Nov. 21 through Dec. 13. To book, call 714-520-6425 or visit www.Disneyland.com/offers.
For more details about Holidays at the Disneyland Resort, visit www.Disneyland.com/holidays.
Over the weekend, we were doing a little cleaning, and I came across the movie, Meet the Robinsons. If you have never seen this Disney animated feature, you are really missing out on a treat. This movie tells the story of a young boy, Lewis, who is an orphan. He doesn’t really fit in well because he is an inventor, and he is a child who marches to the beat of his own drum. He becomes obsessed with trying to create a way to look back at his memories, the Memory Scanner, so that he could see his mother when she left him at the orphanage. Lewis has many trials and troubles throughout the movie, and he ultimately fails in his invention of the Memory Scanner due to the meddling of the movie’s villain, the Bowler Hat Man. Eventually, Lewis goes back in time as a result of another young boy, Wilbur, who comes to visit Lewis. We come to find out that this young boy is from the future, and he needs Lewis’ help to fix some problems that have occurred as a result of Wilbur’s carelessness. Now, I won’t tell you everything that happens because I want you to go and watch this movie. However, you can imagine that many misadventures occur, and there are a lot of laughs to be had.
This movie is important to me because Lewis’ story really reminds me of Walt Disney himself. Lewis’ motto is to “keep moving forward.” This quotation is actually from a longer quote by Walt Disney:
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
Lewis is curious, and he is not afraid of failure once he learns that failures teach much more than successes. This movie has a wonderful message that not everyone can win. Sometimes you will fail, but it is how you pick yourself up from a failure that defines the kind of person you are and the kind of future success you will have. I think that the motto of “keep moving forward” is so important in the world today. Sometimes, days will be difficult, and sometimes you may want to give up, but if you keep moving forward, perhaps you will learn something that you didn’t know before. Maybe your struggles will help lead you to new discoveries that otherwise you would not have had.
Overall, Meet the Robinsons is a fun movie, but it teaches lessons that Walt Disney embodied in his life. He did not take “no” for an answer. He did not let obstacles stand in his way; he worked hard and did things that people thought were impossible. His story is inspirational, so here are a few of Walt’s wise words to help you navigate the troubles that might arise in your day.
“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”
“Why worry? If you’ve done the very best you can, worrying won’t make it any better.”
“All of our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
“All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”
“When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.”
“A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there. With enough effort, he may achieve it. Or he may find something that is even more rewarding. But in the end, no matter what the outcome, he will know he has been alive.”
Until next time, have a magical day and keep moving forward!
There are many things that can put a damper on or even ruin a Walt Disney World vacation. Not budgeting enough money might be the biggest, but not allowing for some down time or not wearing the right shoes can do as much damage. On my last visit I was reminded of another spoiler, the weather. Whether it is rain, heat or COLD, you must be prepared or your time will be less than magical.
I have written many articles about the Florida weather. For the most part it can be summed up the following statement: on any given day during the summer months, it is hot and humid with the possibility of a strong afternoon thunderstorm; and from November to March, it is cooler and less humid but can vary greatly.
We all know a daily rain shower in the summer months is a given, that sunscreen is required and that staying hydrated is a must. But I cannot remind everyone enough that the weather can be quite chilly, even cold, sometimes. While it rarely snows in the Orlando area, it may frost and or freeze with temperatures falling into the 30s. The wind can also play a part! Wind-chills can mean that even though the thermometer reads one temperature the air will feel much colder. For me, cold weather can disrupt a day at Disney more that rain!
I have visited when I wore shorts, a t-shirt and sandals one night and needed long pants, shirt and jacket with a hat and gloves the next! Being prepared is the key. Of course Disney will sell Guests items to keep warm. The minute the temp begins to drop out come the hoodies, gloves and hats; much like when it rains out come the ponchos. I have even seen Guests buy blankets or beach towels to wrap up in on cool evenings. But maybe that isn’t the souvenir that you wanted to buy. Being prepared will save your souvenir money as well as keep you warm.
Nothing is as miserable as walking around cold. Just as you would want to wear sunscreen and stay hydrated, putting on a hat to keep your ears warm and layering your clothing is smart. You have spent the money to enjoy the sights. Believe me you can enjoy the ‘snow’ on Main Street even more in a jacket and warm!
Click here to view the full press release.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) announced a $1 million commitment from The Walt Disney Company to provide scholarships to outstanding Hispanic students.
The donation is part of a three-year agreement between Disney and HSF that will create The Walt Disney Company-HSF Scholarship Program. With this generous support, Disney and HSF will help hundreds of students across the country realize their full potential as leaders in their chosen professions, and as volunteers who give back to the community. In addition to funding the scholarships, Disney will also support the bilingual, multimedia Public Service Advertising campaign that HSF has created in partnership with the Ad Council. The ads will appear across ABC and ESPN platforms, encouraging parents on how to prepare, plan, and pay for college.
“The Walt Disney Company is one of the most iconic and respected companies in the world, and we are thrilled to be working together,” said Fidel A. Vargas, President & CEO, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, who made the announcement at the #LATISM14 conference of Latinos in Tech Innovation & Social Media held in Anaheim, Calif. “Support from insightful corporate partners like The Walt Disney Company makes it possible for HSF to increase the number of college scholarships we are able to award to outstanding Hispanic students, and to expand the educational resources and services we offer to Latino parents and their children.”
“Education is the foundation upon which dreams are built, and increasing access to higher learning is an investment with infinite returns for individuals and society as a whole,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “That’s why we’re committed to raising public awareness and supporting even more outstanding Hispanic students with scholarships that encourage and empower them to achieve their goals.”
Today, one-fourth of all public school students in the U.S. are Hispanic, and research shows that 69% of Hispanic high school graduates are now going directly to college – a rate that is higher than that of the general population.
“As a result of this unprecedented surge of Hispanic college-bound students, the need for information about college and financial resources available to students and families is greater than ever before,” said Mr. Vargas.
In addition to providing scholarships, HSF connects Hispanic students and parents with resources to help them navigate the journey to college and beyond. The organization’s new scholarship season is slated to reopen on January 1, 2015 and close on March 30, 2015. Students can begin the application process immediately by creating a personal profile on HSF’s website, HSF.net.
William Prom won the inaugural Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon on Sunday, slaying a field of more than 10,500 runners and a challenger he couldn’t even see – the wind.
On a blustery morning at Disneyland Resort when winds gusted up to 22 mph, Prom of Irvine, Calif., outran the field, but battled a stiff breeze, especially down the stretch, to win the debut event. His time of 1:14:17 was more than a minute ahead of second-place finisher Fernando Blanco of Encintas, Calif. (1:15:46). Adam Henry of Santa Monica, Calif., was third (1:17:21).
Alex de la Huerta of Mexico was the first female to cross the finish line (1:22:42), easily outrunning Kellie Nickerson (1:25:54) of Albuquerque, NM who was second, and Lauren Reasoner (1:26:03) of Sahuarita, AZ who was third. Huerta, 24, seemed just as happy about winning as she was about just being here.
“It was awesome,’’ said Huerta, who won an Avengers-themed race in Mexico to go with her Avengers race win at Disneyland on Sunday. “Running here in California where it’s relaxed and beautiful, and running here at Disneyland? I mean, you can’t ask for something more than running and being at the Happiest Place on Earth.’’
For Prom, 29, who had only won one previous half marathon event, the race was, well, a breeze.
“It was a fun run, but the wind really picked it up along the back half. That was pretty rough,’’ said Prom, who had no serious challengers “except the wind.’’
Cheered on by Avengers characters, runners in this first-ever Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon tapped into their inner super hero as they weaved their way along a new 13.1-mile course through four Southern California cities and traveled through Disney California Adventure Park, Disneyland Park and Angel Stadium of Anaheim. All along the route, they were greeted by cheering fans, music and live entertainment.
Sunday’s half marathon race was the finale of the three-day race weekend that proved to be super popular in its first year. The Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon race sold out in less than two hours, one of the quickest sellouts in runDisney history.
In addition to the half marathon, other weekend events included the Avengers Super Heroes 5K and the runDisney Kids Races. In all, the race weekend included runners from age 14 to 77 and from all 50 states, plus 12 countries. There were more than 11,000 runners from California.
Experience Frozen, the hit musical comedy from Walt Disney Animation Studios, like never before in a new to DVD, full-length Sing-Along Edition! Follow the lyrics with a bouncing Frozen snowflake. Join Anna as she sets off on an epic journey – teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and a snowman named Olaf – to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. It’s pure enchantment – and full of fun for the whole family!
Includes All-New Bonus Feature Breaking The Ice and More!
Walt Disney Co. revealed a slate of digital initiatives, announcing a new partnership with Wal-Mart around movies, teasing the unveiling of a redesigned ESPN.com and showing how a growing number of YouTube stars would have their own apps.
The Disney Princesses will welcome Guests to Cítricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Jan. 8 – March 2015 while Cinderella Royal Table at Magic Kingdom® Park is under refurbishment.
Cinderella will greet Guests as they arrive, and the Disney Princesses will visit each table for photos and autographs during the dining experience. Guests can even participate in a “Magical Wishing Ceremony” with the Disney Princesses during their meal.
Breakfast and brunch hours are 8 a.m. – 2:20 p.m. The cost is $49.99 per adult; $31.99 per child (ages 3-9). This Character dining experience is available on the Disney Dining Plan and requires two entitlements.
Guests can book this experience beginning Dec. 4, 2014 by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
