Just for Fun

All posts in the Just for Fun category

How to Convince Your Man to Visit Walt Disney World

Published January 16, 2014 by Disneyways.com

It is well-known that Walt Disney World is loved by men all around the world for about a zillion different reasons. But what about your man? Does he need a little convincing? Back in January 2014 I had the extreme pleasure of accompanying 4 burly guys as part of a hard hat tour at the amazing new Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World while it was still under construction. During that time I got the inside scoop on why this beautiful resort may be just the thing to help you convince your man to come to Orlando and maybe give the parks a try while he’s here!

First though, let’s talk about you. You are going to love that The Four Seasons in Orlando is on Disney Property. Disney sold the Four Seasons the land it is sitting on in the Walt Disney World Resort area. Thus, the Four Seasons now technically owns the property but it is still right where Disney guests (you!) want to be.

Imagine sleeping here:

Park view room with fireworks view

Standing here:

oversized fully furnished balcony

And looking right out outside and seeing these:

IMG_7925

You aren’t quite as close as this, but the Four Seasons is just 5 miles from the Magic Kingdom. You will see fireworks as well as Spaceship Earth and more major landmarks at the park, right from your balcony of the park view rooms! Shout out to Scott from TakingTheFloridaPlunge.com for taking a video of our actual view from the hard hat tour.

photo (64)

Pictured here with my burly guy friends: Left to right is Scott from TakingTheFloridaPlunge.com, Me, Jason from ChipandCo.com, Shawn from OrlandoInsiderBlog.com and Alan, Director of Marketing for the Four Seasons Orlando Resort at Walt Disney World (Photo taken by beautiful Dana who does PR for the resort)

Men know that talk is cheap and the proof is in the pudding! A great way to begin is by mentioning to your man that the Four Seasons was included on Destinology.com – Luxury Hotels’s list of Top Ten New Hotels for 2014! He will have the opportunity to stay in the ultimate of luxury surroundings at the new Four Seasons within the gates of Walt Disney World Resort. Tell him you will be trend setters because the Seasons has also been recognized for encompassing some of the most important travel trends of 2014 by Travel and Leisure!

Is he a numbers guy? When construction is finished, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World will have 444-rooms and 68 suites. Amenities will also include a rooftop restaurant with views of the Magic Kingdom, a 14,000-square-foot spa with 18 treatment rooms to enjoy, 3 pools, a lazy river, and meeting-and-event space. The Four Seasons will be the one and only free-standing 5 Star Luxury Hotel In Orlando that is not attached to a convention center. The other luxury resorts in Orlando share their amenities with people attending conventions. The Four Seasons in Orlando will be an exclusive paradise for their hotel guests only. The exclusivity factor is heightened by the fact that the Four Seasons in Orlando will have over 900 employees.  That means 2 staff members for every 1 guest, including burly men like him! Aren’t those great numbers? This ratio will ensure that he will be treated with impeccable service and better access to the amazing amenities that a guy like him can enjoy! Bonus: you are going to love all of this too. The most important number of course? The price! At a starting room rack rate of $545 a night, it is hard to beat for a 5 star luxury hotel.  If you have the budget, there is the option of reserving the Four Seasons Royal Suite. At over 3,000 square feet, it is fit for a king and will run about $12,000 a night. The entire floor could be rented for a mere $45,000 a night. Worth every cent to a man who likes his space!

You can feel good about promising him private time with you, and this can be a major factor in convincing him. Why? Because Four Seasons is one of the only hotels in Orlando to offer an adult only pool and a FREE kids club. Watch his eyes light up when you tell him about the king sized beds and the ingenious design of the rooms that allow you to be separated from the kids if you want to. The Four Seasons boasts family friendly amenities too. Explorer Island includes an 8,000 square foot pool, lazy river, a see-through water slide, and a splash zone that shoots water 30 feet in the air in musical synchronization. He will love the Mansion, a family hangout spot with outdoor table tennis, pool tables, bocce ball, a fireplace and an observation deck.

Does he love sports? The Four Seasons will have him covered with golf and tennis facilities to the tune of an 18 hole golf course and 3 Hard Tru tennis courts. He can play a round of golf on the Tom Fazio course or a tennis lesson with the Four Seasons tennis pro, while the kids are having a blast in the free kids club. Rock climbing wall, beach volleyball, and basketball court? Check, check and check. Your sports lover will be packing his bags in no time.

Is the way to your man’s heart through his stomach? The Four Seasons will have incredible dining options. Everything from fine dining to pool-side food service can be enjoyed. The 17th floor at the Four Seasons will be the home to Capa, a spanish steak house, complete with nightly Magic Kingdom fireworks views. (How is that for making you both happy?) The lobby will be the home to Ravello, an Italian restaurant, on 2 levels and with an open kitchen. There will also be a quick-service dining option on the main floor of the hotel. Four Seasons will even have a character breakfast with Goofy and friends that you can enjoy as a family.

Maybe he’s in to luxury transportation or not driving at all while he’s on vacation? Be sure to tell him about the luxury motor coaches that will transport guests to and from the Disney parks on a schedule, free of charge. This will include twice hourly service to from the Ticket and Transportation Center (Magic Kingdom) and hourly service will be available directly to t Animal Kingdom Park, Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

I hope these tips for convincing your man to joyfully head to Disney World with you will be helpful! The Four Seasons Resort Orlando will have all the ingredients needed to create memorable vacations, not just for your man, but for your entire family. Throw in some magical visits to Walt Disney World Resort, and how can you go wrong? Click HERE to book your stay.

World Secrets: How to Get a Last Minute Dinner Reservation at Be Our Guest

Published January 9, 2014 by Disneyways.com

Does anyone else find it a little ironic that a restaurant that is literally named, “Be Our Guest” can be so hard to get in to?

Anyone who has ever called 6 months in advance just to find out they are completely booked knows what I am talking about here. But guess what? Last night I got a seemingly impossible dinner reservation at Be Our Guest and you can do it too. In fact, you can use these tips for any popular Walt Disney World restaurant.

beourguest

Now please don’t hold it against me that I have had a little practice with this process. If you called Disney Dining at 407-WDW-Dine at any time between 2008 and 2011 or so – I might have been the one that answered the phone and got you in at your favorite Disney restaurants. However…I wasn’t a miracle worker then and I am certainly not one now. Anyone has a chance to get into the most popular Disney restaurants at the last minute by utilizing these simple tips I am about to share with you today.

I’m going to start by stating the obvious. You best bet is to plan way in advance. There are lots of articles out there with tips on how to go about doing this. However, this particular blog post is for those of you out there who for whatever reason didn’t have the luxury of planning so far ahead.

IMG_1437

So here is step one: try getting in 2 days before and even 1 day before you want to dine. First go on-line to WaltDisneyWorld.com and if that doesn’t work, make the phone call to Disney dining reservations at 407-WDW-Dine. In training we were always told that table inventory was exactly the same on-line and over the phone, however, for whatever reason, the system CAN show different times of availability. I have seen it happen with my own eyes. So go ahead and try both methods. You can book dining as late as 3 hours in advance but either 2 or 1 day before you are wanting to dine is your best bet. Why? Because guests will cancel either 2 or 1 day before their reservation so that they don’t get hit with the $10 per person penalty depending on the policy of the respective restaurant. That is when you can hit the jackpot, swoop in, and score your dream dining reservation.

Even if you aren’t able to accomplish your booking with step one, there is still a glimmer of hope in step two. Don’t go out of your way, but if you are close to a restaurant that you would really love to try, ALWAYS walk up to the hostess stand and ask politely if they are taking walk-ins. You just never know. This works best if you are in a smaller party of 1 to 4 people. When we dined at Be Our Guest for our late dinner, we were told they had been taking walk-ins all evening. Please be nice and be understanding if they are completely booked. They can’t give you what is not there…but it never hurts to ask…especially if you are very nice about it.

It’s OK to keep asking too. Don’t be annoying and keep bugging them every hour – BUT do try again later if you are close by and notice there aren’t a lot of guests waiting around with pagers. I have experience with working at a hostess stand at Disney as well — and I can tell you there were many days where one hour we could not take walk-ins and then an hour or two later on that same day – we were able to. It all depends on how busy the parks are and how many people just didn’t show up for their dining reservations.

Finally, if all else fails, remember you are still at Disney World! All the restaurants are special in their own ways. Check the internet for those hidden gems that often have availability at the last minute, simply because they don’t get as much “hype.”

Just a few examples:

I have found a real treasure in Biergarten! The food is terrific and they’ve got a German polka band! Restaurant Marrakesh has belly dancers! Don’t forget about the Lava Lounge in Downtown Disney. It shares a kitchen with the Rainforest Cafe – and you never need a reservation because they only take walk-ins. Many Disney resort lounges and bars serve appetizers and even full meals. You can walk right up and order fast.

Best wishes in your last minute search and “Be Our Guest” to use these tips and score some great dining! If you enjoyed this post be sure to check out our next WORLD SECRET: HOW TO GET A PRINCESS MAKEOVER WHEN THE BIBBIDI BOBBIDI BOUTIQUE IS FULLY BOOKED! 

There are even more World Secrets to be found HERE. Have a magical day!

Disney-Inspired New Year’s Resolutions

Published January 1, 2014 by Disneyways.com

Happy New Year! Everybody is resolving to become kinder, smarter, healthier, and happier in the New Year. If you’re still looking for your resolution, look no further. Here are some perfectly magical ideas to better yourself in 2014 – brought to you by Disney:

sugar

summer

language

trainer

uke

fixating

time

birds

travel

thumper

rapunzel

pocahontas

Grateful

Published December 27, 2013 by Disneyways.com

I was what you might call a “surprise” Christmas baby. Born on December 26th – my Mom said I was her “Christmas Joy” so she named me Krista Joy. She always went out of her way to make sure my birthday was special and totally separate from Christmas. This year was no different. December 14th, 2013 I arrived at her house to meet with everyone for family portrait day. After a few hundred pictures or so family portraits – this amazing group of people totally surprised me with a cake, presents and a song! To say I was surprised is an understatement. THANK YOU to all my wonderful friends and family for your birthday wishes.

The day of my actual birthday I was overwhelmed by about 175 birthday messages on facebook. I love you all…and thank you for filling up my facebook wall with such sweet messages. I can’t begin to tell you how touched I am that so many of you wonderful people took time out of your day to leave me a note.  My day was so much more brighter knowing that you’re all a part of it.

I am so very GRATEFUL for each of you.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Free Printable: Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?

Published December 10, 2013 by Disneyways.com

It almost always feels like summer here in Orlando. But, do you want to build a Snowman? Here is a printable Olaf that you can keep with you, even when it’s warm out!

anna

Anna, me, and Elsa at Epcot. I am totally obsessed…

CLICK THE PHOTO BELOW TO ENLARGE AND PRINT!

snowman

Disney Inspired Jewelry at a NEW Discount for Christmas

Published December 7, 2013 by Disneyways.com

I got a note from Julie this week and have posted it for you over on this page! Be sure to check it out if you are looking for something special this Christmas for that Disney lover in your life! Have a magical weekend!

Julie

Tokyo Disneyland Exclusive: The Magical Dreamlight Wand

Published December 6, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Wand Collage

All of these photos came directly from Trish our Tokyo Disney correspondent! Here’s what she had to say:

“During Episode 80 of the podcast Tony wondered why Tokyo Disneyland uses the Magical Dreamlight Wand instead of the Glow with the Show Ears. There are two reasons that I can think of, with the first being that the person who purchased the wand can actually enjoy seeing the wand as it changes colors along with the show. The second reason has to do with the show viewing rules and courtesy to others. Before the show starts there is always an announcement asking guests to remove large hats and head bands so as not to block the view of others.”

In an effort to fulfill our mission of bringing you Disney news from around the globe – The Disney Parks Podcast is super excited to introduce a new segment to the news each week that will get you up to the minute on what’s new at Tokyo Disney Resort AND Tokyo Disney Sea! Because many of us may never get to visit the park in person, we are delighted to bring just a little bit of this amazing park to YOU!

Our wonderful Disney Parks Podcast Correspondent Trish – is an American girl living minutes away from Tokyo Disney Resort. She enjoys going by bicycle when the weather is nice! Having grown up in Florida and going to WDW each year of course she loves going to Disney Parks! Trish hopes everyone enjoys her updates from Tokyo Disney Resort and that they will inspire people to visit! For photo updates from the resort please check out Trish’s twitter account @DreamSweetsLove – and we will also be posting links to her periodically on all the Disney Parks Podcast media outlets! Thank you Trish for these amazing photos!

closeup1

electric

pink

squint

wand3

 

Baby Sinclair, Pregnant Polar Bears and More on this Holiday Theme Park Round-up

Published December 3, 2013 by Disneyways.com

The Orlando Water Hole podcast is a local favorite. You can always count on the podcast’s wonderful host, Ben, to keep you up to date on what’s going on here in the town where Mickey Mouse lives. I was super excited to be included along with Maureen from AutismAtTheParks.com and Kellie from SeaWorldMommy.com to come on to the show and talk about holiday highlights at all of your favorite Orlando theme parks. It was such an honor to be included in this esteemed panel!

frosty

Ben was a terrific host, as always and he kept the show at right around 30 minutes. As a podcaster this is no easy task, especially with 4 guests on the show at once! I hope you’ll tune in and find the show helpful if you are a local or a tourist who wants to come spend some time in the parks this holiday season! You can catch the show by clicking HERE.

Highlights include:

  • Who is selling Hot Toddies… Mmmmm
  • Where you can find a giant hippo as a holiday icon!
  • New enhancements to classic Disney attractions.
  • The connection beagles have to polar bears.
  • Where in Orlando you can find Baby Sinclair.
  • Where you can hear the festive sounds of Mannheim Steamroller live!
  • Favorite holiday events outside the theme parks!

Toys for Tots and Krista on the WDWNT Podcast

Published November 29, 2013 by Disneyways.com

WDWNTLivecharity2013WDWNewsToday.com is hosting a live podcast that will feature a drive for Toys for Tots begining at  8 p.m. eastern November 29th. Here you will have a chance to donate what you can to Toys for Tots through the FirstGiving fundraising page or in-person at the Theme Park Connection store. I am super excited to be  joining a team of 6 other hosts live on the show on Saturday November 30th from 5-7pm eastern. The entire broadcast will be streamed live on WDWNT.com by going directly to WDWNT.com/listen. WDWNTunes also streams through several mobile applications available at WDWNT.com/apps.WDWNT: The Radio Show is a live, weekly radio program on AM 1520 WBZW in Orlando that began airing in August 2013. The show can be listened to online at 1520WBZW.com

logo21

More on the show, details and how to tune in were published by WDWNT – and here is what they had to say:

LISTEN
Join Us at 8 p.m. EST November 29th for Our Live 25 Hour Toys for Tots Drive
After an 8 month hiatus, the only late night Disney talk show, “See Ya’ Real Late” with Tom Corless, will return for one special episode on Friday November 29th at 11pm EST.
Game shows to be played during the event include WDWNT: The Match Game, Where in the World is Tom Corless?, and Disney Don’t Forget the Lyrics.
The WDW News Today Podcast will kick-off a new segment counting down the most important moments in the history of Disney’s Hollywood Studios contend down to the 25th anniversary of the park in May. You can be a part by voting for the 25 Biggest Moments in the History of Disney’s Hollywood Studios at this link.
The entire 25 hour broadcast will conclude on our newest program, WDW News Today: The Radio Show, on Saturday November 30th from 7-9PM. WDWNT: The Radio Show is a live, weekly radio program on AM 1520 WBZW in Orlando the began airing in August 2013. The show can be listened to online at 1520WBZW.com

Every year since 2008, WDW News Today has hosted a charity drive to raise money for the Toys for Tots Foundation. To date, we have raised over $11,000 for this amazing organization with donations through our website and those made during our annual WDWNT Live! program on Thanksgiving weekend. This year, we will be doing the same with the help of some new sponsors and partners, and we are asking you to be a part of this holiday tradition where we continue Walt Disney’s dream and try to make a difference in  the lives of those less fortunate.

Over 60 years ago, Walt Disney became one of the original sponsors of the Toys for Tots foundation, which ensures that every underprivileged child receives a toy during the holiday season. Walt and his animators personally designed the original Toys for Tots train logo that is still used today and the first poster created for Toys for Tots.

In this spirit, WDW News Today and our many friends and partners are putting on a 25-hour live broadcast this year to raise money for Toys for Tots. We hope you will join us beginning at 8PM ET on November 29, 2013 when the broadcast begins and will help us by making a donation to this great cause at toys.WDWNT.com.

We are proud to announce Theme Park Connection as the official sponsor of this year’s show and charity drive. As part of their sponsorship, they are accepting cash donations in-person at their store and providing prizes for all of the many games that will be played during the course of the live program. A portion of our 25-hour broadcast will also be conducted live from their store on Saturday, November 30th, from 9:00AM until 3:00PM EST. Theme Park Connection can be visited online at ThemeParkConnection.com or at their new store location at 2160 Premier Row in Orlando, Florida, near the Florida Mall.

The choice to do a 25-hour broadcast this year over 24 was not a coincidence. To commemorate the upcoming WDWCelebrations event “Studio 25″, we are matching every year of Disney’s Hollywood Studios with an hour of live broadcasting. Also, during the course of the show, registration will officially open for this fan event at WDWCelebrations.com.

During the course of the show, we will be presenting many of the shows, segments, and games for which we are known:

  • After an 8 month hiatus, the only late night Disney talk show, “See Ya’ Real Late” with Tom Corless, will return for one special episode on Friday November 29th at 11pm EST.
  • Game shows to be played during the event include WDWNT: The Match Game, Where in the World is Tom Corless?, and Disney Don’t Forget the Lyrics, and WDWNT: The Price is Right
  • The WDW News Today Podcast will kick-off a new segment counting down the most important moments in the history of Disney’s Hollywood Studios counting down to the 25th anniversary of the park in May. You can be a part by voting for the 25 Biggest Moments in the History of Disney’s Hollywood Studios at this link. The segment will take place at 9PM EST on Friday November 29th.
  • WDWNTunes’ Around the Hub (the show of competitive Disney banter) will also be part of the show, taking place from 6PM-7PM EST on Saturday, November 30th.
  • The entire 25 hour broadcast will conclude on our newest program, WDW News Today: The Radio Show, on Saturday November 30th from 7-9PM. WDWNT: The Radio Show is a live, weekly radio program on AM 1520 WBZW in Orlando the began airing in August 2013. The show can be listened to online at 1520WBZW.com

This entire broadcast will be streamed live on WDWNT.com, accessed by going to the WDWNTunes tab and clicking listen. You can also go directly toWDWNT.com/listen. As well, WDWNTunes streams through several mobile applications available at WDWNT.com/apps.

We hope you will join is for this fun show starting on November 29th at 8PM EST and will donate what you can to Toys for Tots through our FirstGiving fundraising page or in-person at the Theme Park Connection store.

 

Faith and the Magic Kingdom and a FREE GIFT! Today only!

Published November 23, 2013 by Disneyways.com

faith and the magic kingdom

Author Randy Crane Pens New Book ”Faith and the Magic Kingdom”

What makes Tom Sawyer Island unique and how does it set an example for taking risks as a Christian?
You can find out this answer and more in Randy Crane’s newest book that will be launched on November 15, called Faith and the Magic Kingdom. This book strives to connect spiritual faith lessons with Disneyland Park while helping to enhance the guest experience by allowing them to have a greater appreciate for “The Happiest Place on Earth.” Readers will see Disneyland in a brand new way as they experience true life in Christ, becoming more fulfilled along the way.

Lee Cockerell, a retired executive Vice President of Walt Disney World Resort says, “No matter what your faith is, you will find Faith and the Magic Kingdom interesting, educational, and inspirational.”

Randy is offering a few perks for those who pick up a copy of this book, and today is the LAST DAY! For those who buy a copy of the book during that window, either Kindle or paperback form, and emails Randy a copy of their receipt to bonus@faithandthemagickingdom.net, they will receive a PDF copy of his first book, “Once Upon YOUR Time: 7 Strategies for Gaining Control of Your Time Through a Tour of the Magic Kingdom”, the audio book of Faith and the Magic Kingdom (as an MP3), and a 1-hour “Faith and the Magic Kingdom” audio walking tour of Disneyland.

Randy is also donating all proceeds from the first 100 books sold during November 15 – 24 to the Special Olympics.

Randy is so convinced that people will love and be blessed by this book that if anyone buys it during launch week and hates it, all they have to do is email him and he’ll buy it back from them at the price they paid.

With this book, Randy wants to share that what we experience in every trip to Disneyland–whether we realize it or not–can have a significant impact on our lives.

With the Holidays coming, Faith and the Magic Kingdom will make the absolute perfect gift!

randy

About Randy
Randy grew up not far from Disneyland, and his experiences there were just as influential on him as was his upbringing in the church. In the midst of his upbringing two things that remained regular parts of his life: his ability to write well, and his faith. He went to Bible College and became a pastor.

While in his early 20s, he realized that Disneyland was the place where he could “recapture my childhood.” The more time he spent there and got to know it, the more valuable it became to him and the more he wanted to learn. It, and its creator, Walt Disney, became an integral part of him, and he was able to use the park as a teaching tool, a writing inspiration, and a resource.

He started his journey with a single sermon and realized that there was much more to this than he’d previously thought. In July of 2010 he began blogging it at FaithandtheMagicKingdom.net. Last year he published his first book, Once Upon YOUR Time: 7 Strategies for Gaining Control of Your Time Through a Tour of the Magic Kingdom. Faith and the Magic Kingdom is his second book.

For more information about Randy Crane or his new book, Faith and the Magic Kingdom, visit faithandthemagickingdombook.com

To learn more or to schedule an interview with Randy, please contact: Randy Crane at randy@faithandthemagickingdom.net

Get your copy of Faith and the Magic Kingdom HERE