EPCOT

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A Special Invitation with a Bonus FREE GIFT! Today only!

Published April 16, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Mousekejournals.com

dessert party

 

Our good friend Sarah  from Mousekejournals is promoting a very special Illuminations Party and YOU are invited!

***In celebration of the 180 day mark before the event, Sarah is including an Extra Magic Gift Bag for each ticket purchased. This offer is only good TODAY!***

Important information! Disneyways is not an organizer of this event!

If you have questions or concerns that you need answered today please contact Sarah directly by emailing her  at gfdf.wdw@gmail.com

Sunday, October 13, 2013 for this special event.

The event will take place at Rue De Paris in the France Pavilion in Epcot from 8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $50** per person and include:

*Entrance to the event

*All-you-care-to-eat special diets related buffet

*Access to a private IllumiNations viewing area (IllumiNations begins at 9 pm)

*Gift bags

*Giveaways

**Price in USD. Convenience Fee not included. Total calculated at checkout.

Park admission is required and not included in the Dessert Party Ticket price. Additional valid park admission required

All items are free of gluten/wheat, dairy/milk/casein, soy, egg, peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish. A variety of delicious desserts made to be free of the top common allergens will be served. If you have additional allergies/intolerances, please email gfdf.wdw@gmail.com. They do their best to accommodate your special dietary needs.

Disney has assured they will use their best practices for food allergies, but maintains their standard statement for cross-contamination.

FAQs

Are there ID requirements or an age limit to enter the event?

Tickets are required for this event for any guest ages 4 and up. Children ages 0-3 may attend without a ticket if they are accompanied by a paid adult.

Only guests with their full names on our roster will be admitted to the event. Please list all names of guests attending this event on this registration form. You will be contacted via email after your ticket purchase to confirm the list of attendees.

Is my registration/ticket transferrable?

Tickets are non-refundable, but can be transferred to another individual with advance notice togfdf.wdw@gmail.com

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

Please bring your eTicket to the event.

 What if I have other allergies besides those already covered on the buffet?

If you have additional allergies/intolerances, please email gfdf.wdw@gmail.com

The organizers will notify Disney of your special dietary needs and will do thier best to accommodate your special dietary needs.

What time are the fireworks (i.e. IllumiNations)?

IllumiNations begins at 9 pm. The dessert buffet will begin at 8:30 pm and be available during the fireworks show.

Is their seating available?

Yes! Tables will be available in a private viewing area. For large groups, contact gfdf.wdw@gmail.comfor special reserved seating.

What is the refund policy?

Tickets are non-refundable.

Tickets are limited and will be sold first-come, first-served. Should the event be sold out, you can join the waiting list by emailing us at gfdf.wdw@gmail.com

**Park admission is required and not included in the Dessert Party Ticket price. Additional valid park admission required**

Important information! Disneyways is not an organizer of this event!

As stated above, if you have questions or concerns that you need answered today please contact Sarah directly by emailing her  at  gfdf.wdw@gmail.com

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Practically Perfect in Every Way…

Published April 10, 2013 by Disneyways.com

We had some work to do in Tampa this weekend. Epcot was on our way home, so we decided to stop in for dinner.

I feel so fortunate that my husband got this beautiful photo of Mary Poppins in front of the UK pavilion – so that I could share it with you today.

The weather was beautiful and I have a feeling she came in, umbrella open, on that gentle breeze.

Do you have any favorite Mary Poppins memories?

Mary Poppins

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World Secrets! Beyond the Birthday Basics: Grown-ups Like to Celebrate at Disney too!

Published April 5, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Alicia is a Disneyways subscriber and avid reader who has a WONDERFUL “predicament”. She is celebrating her 27th birthday in Walt Disney World this year. This is her first time ever to blow out her candles in the most magical place on earth. Alicia was so sweet and persistent in asking me for some tips that might help her to make the day extra wonderful.

So…Alicia…this one’s for you…and everyone else reading this post who has wondered the same thing!

Thanks for your great question!

Alicia

Can you tell Alicia is just a kid at heart?

This is definitely one of our longer posts, and I want to respect your time. If you are too busy to read all this – stop right here and call my friend Ramon from ThemeParkConcierges.com. (407-257-9973)

Ramon has been helping families and individuals create magical Disney birthday moments for years and he is VERY affordable for the amazing value he provides. Like some sort of Disney wish granter – Ramon has access to special meet and greet opportunities, VIP seating, holiday tours, and all sorts of things that he can customize just for you, and that are probably not even listed here. He can save you a ton of time and make your birthday celebrations a breeze!

Now let’s get the ball rolling and think out side the box for a little inspiration! We’ve got free, cheap and pricey ideas for grown-up birthdays!

Drinking or Snacking Around World Showcase

Planning is crucial here – so be sure to check out THIS LINK before you attempting this idea. Now take it a step further. Create something tangible before you leave for yourself or the person who is celebrating their birthday. Look up the drink and food menus at the World Showcase pavilions and think about the items you or they would most prefer. Print a map of Epcot and write your choices on each country to represent your plan of action. Create t-shirts with the countries and all the drinks or snacks listed. Bring a sharpie to mark each one off as you go! You can buy alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks, snacks and food at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom if you like those parks better – or do a snack crawl around Magic Kingdom!

Wear a HAT!

Any silly or customized hat can also be a great way to celebrate your birthday trip around the world, or any occasion really. Check out this photo my hubby took of Mike from MikeandTheMouse.com (and me!) from our last Disneyways meetup. Nothing beats a fashionable set of Mickey ears.

By the way…if you weren’t at the meetup these are the sort of shenanigans you missed. You need to come to the next one. The details will be revealed soon! 🙂

mike

Watch the Fireworks during Dinner 

Again, some planning ahead is important here. You’re going to need a list of restaurants where this is possible. Stay tuned to Disneyways for those. Better yet subscribe to get updates by email so you’ll never miss a post! Advanced dining reservations are also crucial! The good news is – fireworks viewing won’t cost you any extra if you are lucky enough to be seated for dinner in a good spot.

Take a Specialty Cruise 

Check out the options for specialty cruises at Walt Disney World here. Check out this page for the phone numbers to call. Don’t want to sit on hold? Hire Ramon to do this for you.

Pick the Plan

Here’s one that won’t add any expense at all. You or  the person celebrating their birthday gets to pick the general schedule for the day and maybe even invite a surprise guest.  The attraction and show choices are endless, and giving or having this kind of power is fuel for some wonderful birthday memories.

Set up a Small Private Event

There are a couple of ways to set up a small private event at Walt Disney World.

One is to call Private Dining at the Grand Floridian (407-824-2474) and arrange to have dinner somewhere in the hotel or at the marina during the Wishes fireworks. If you are staying in some other Disney resort – then the way to do a small private event at Walt Disney World is to work with Disney Catered Events (321-939-7278). My recommendation? Use a travel agent or hire Ramon to do all of this for you.

Beyond Birthday Cake

Sure you can get cake at Disney, if you prefer. But I hope you will go to Norway for School Bread. Get Zebra Domes from Boma or Mara in Animal Kingdom Lodge. Order Crepes from Chefs de France, ‘Smores from the ’50s Prime Time Diner, or the Tonga Toast at Kona Cafe. Bring your own birthday candle and your server will bring it out singing. Try to conquer the Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream. Have Dole Whip or Mickey Bar at breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Sample every kind of fudge at the Main Street Confectionery. The more off-the-wall your sweet treat is, the more you or your special someone will remember the celebration.

Book some Extra Birthday Fun

Take the Characters in Flight balloon ride at Downtown Disney. Spend a day at the Saratoga Springs Resort spa or the new Senses Spa at the Grand Floridian. Take a backstage tour at the Magic Kingdom. Book a suite or stay in a different or nicer resort than usual. Plan a shopping spree. Stay at the park until it closes. Go parasailing or waterskiing at the Contemporary. Get tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba at Downtown Disney.

Decorate Your Room

A great way to add oomph to your celebration is to decorate your hotel room. You can do this with streamers and balloons brought from home. Don’t want to do it yourself? Enlist the help of the Disney Floral and Gift Basket team. Find them online or give them a call at 407-WDW-GIFT. They have a bunch of room decorating packages available. They can also customize a basket for you. If you have something very specific in mind, get on the phone and speak to someone directly. OR save time and money by…you guessed it…hiring Ramon to do it all for you. Do I sound like a broken record yet?

Another Freebie

Grab a blanket or extra towels and watch the Wishes fireworks presentation from the beach at the Polynesian.

Do the “Usual” but still Pretty Fantastic Disney Celebration Stuff

Of course Disney has their own official ways to make birthdays a little more magical in the World. Click here for more on that. Just don’t forget to come back to this page to reference all the cool extra stuff we’ve mentioned already.

I hope one or more of these ideas will help you get started. Let’s face it, you actually may not need to jump through any magical hoops to make a Disney celebration special. A trip to Walt Disney World is pretty special all by itself. Life really can’t get much better than feeling the wind in your hair on Test Track –  or getting a hug from Mickey Mouse. I promise, you aren’t the only one who gets sentimental at Disney.

Please send me your ideas, dreams and memories of your favorite Disney birthdays! We would LOVE to hear from you!

LIMITED TIME MAGIC VINYLMATION “EASTER EGG” HUNT IN EPCOT – PART 2 OF 2

Published March 31, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Disney announced 2013 would bring us Limited Time Magic  and March 18th – 23rd we had a fun week full of Easter egg hunts, especially in Epcot’s World Showcase.+

To read part one of this post and get more information on the event, please click here.

I thought today, Easter Sunday, would be a good day to show you more pictures from this event. I was holding out so as not to give too much away! I hope you enjoy the photos, and I want to thank Josh of Josh Weatherly Photography for his wonderful contribution! His professional photos have his watermark on them.

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Related Link: How to Make an Easter Basket Cocktail

Photo and Video Tour – Switching our Annual Passes to RFID Cards – MagicBands and More

Published March 26, 2013 by Disneyways.com

March 20, 2013 Walt Disney World began MyMagic+ upgrade for annual passholders with hard plastic cards, RFID, and a MagicBand preview.

Now through May 19, Walt Disney World annual passholders can take existing paper passes to the Odyssey Center at Epcot, located between Test Track and the Mexico pavilion, and update them to hard plastic cards embedded with technology that allows access to the newest features.

My husband and I headed to change our passes over on the evening of March 21st.

rfidchriskrista

I was amazed at how easy it was. It really just took place almost instantly after presenting our existing pass and photo ID. We got to  choose from four character designs: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, or Donald.

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Once converted, passholders have access to the new turnstile-free entry areas at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Mickey-head adorned posts replace turnstiles presenting guests a chance to simply touch their passes against the glowing circle and place a finger on the security reader to gain access, as demonstrated in the video below.

Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests can also currently use the touch-to-enter system as the “Key to the World” cards also have the necessary MyMagic+ RFID technology already built in.

In addition to touch-to-enter, these new hard plastic cards work with the existing FastPass system and will ultimately work with the FastPass+ system, once it officially begins. These cards will also soon be able to used for PhotoPass+, allowing passholders to simply touch their cards against PhotoPass readers instead of having them scanned.

But according to the cast members in the upgrade center, passholders looking to use the touch-to-pay feature that’s now available at most registers across Walt Disney World will have to use MagicBands.

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These lightweight, flexible wristbands will effortlessly connect you to all the vacation plans you make using the My Disney Experience app or from your PC. MagicBands can be used to enter Walt Disney World parks, access FastPass+ attractions and more. Wearing a MagicBand helps make everything super easy, so you can relax and enjoy the fun.

MagicBands will be provided to Passholders whose passes provide admission to Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We’ll let you know more about MagicBands in the coming months. Linking a credit card to an annual pass for touch-to-pay access will not be possible. Each passholder will receive one in the mail some time within the next few months, though Disney isn’t saying when just yet.

The MagicBand is on display at the Odyssey, packaged in multiple colors, arriving to guests in the mail with names assigned:

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In addition to the MagicBands, we also got to take a look at a  few bonus pieces of theme park history in the Odyssey, including  Figment and Kitchen Kabaret figures, Tom Morrow 2.0, an “it’s a small world” doll, a remote control jungle cruise boat (that you will no longer find in the Magic Kingdom), and more:

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The Odyssey Center is currently the only location where existing annual passholders can receive the new cards, open during regular park hours. Those who need new passes or renewals will be able to get the new pass at any ticket window. After May 19, other ways will be made available to exchange passes as well.

Click here to read our frequently asked questions on the subject of these RFID cards and MagicBands.

Limited Time Magic for March 25th – March 31st (and more embarrassing ear hat photos.)

Published March 23, 2013 by Disneyways.com

The first embarrassing ear hat photo can be found on my facebook page…but just like Limited Time Magic…that photo won’t last long.

I accept all facebook friend requests.

Now on with the serious stuff. Like dancing hippos. More on that later.

Limited Time Magic happenings and events have been announced for March 25th – 31st.

Disney is calling it Spring Fling!

Magic Kingdom Park will host Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny. Guests can hop on over to Town Square on Main Street to get a picture taken with the power couple.

The Mr. and Mrs. will share the spotlight with butterflies, other bunnies, flowers and dancing hippos in a special springtime procession that will happen before the daily performances of the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade.

Because….what’s a day at the Magic Kingdom without dancing hippos?!

It’s a good thing bunnies have energy because Mr. and Mrs. Bunny will also be at Epcot to host activities in the United Kingdom pavilion. Kids can meet them, pose for photos, hunt Easter eggs and participate in relay races.

This week will also bring Easter egg hunts in Future World. Yahoo! Stay tuned to Disneyways for what I am guessing will be some pretty awesome video footage of that.

Oswald The Lucky Rabbit ear hats will be available at Mouse Gear in Epcot while supplies last. Everyone knows Oswald ears are the hottest thing in fashion right now.

My buddy Mike from MikeandtheMouse.com looks pretty fly in his –

don’t you think?

mike

My husband Chris took this picture of us at the first ever Disneyways meetup. If you couldn’t make it that night, these are the sort of shenanigans you missed.

*Spring Fling experiences and offerings are subject to change without notice. Valid Theme Park admission is requiered for events taking place at Magic Kingdom park and Epcot. No Oswalds were harmed during the capturing of this photo.

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Your Questions Answered! Super Cool RFID Card Secret that You Will Only Find HERE!

Published March 22, 2013 by Disneyways.com

March 21st 2013, I posted on facebook that I was headed to get my new touch and go plastic version of the Disney annual pass, and turn in my old paper one. I asked you to send me your questions about this whole process – and we got some great ones! Some came by email, some by PM, and some were posted in various groups. I have much more I will post on the process and FUN I had getting this new touch-and-go pass, but I wanted to get to your awesome questions first.

Before we get started – I need to make a couple of shout-outs! I asked my Twitter and Facebook friends to guess which character I picked for my new pass. The correct answer was Minnie!

photo (26)

Robert Bearden of the fabulous MickeyUpdates.com was the first to answer correctly on Facebook! Honorable mention goes to Anne @_annaporter and Michelle @cmch22 for being my only 2 guessers on Twitter. Thank you so much to everyone who played along!

To my friends over at the Disney Dreamers group – you have a special place in my heart. I love you guys! Samantha, I know you are so proud. Thank you – and all the Dreamers – for your constant support.

Finally, another big thank you to each and every person who sent in questions, especially my wonderful Disneyways subscribers! You guys are the heart and soul of this whole thing. Thank you for taking this journey with me!

Enough mushy stuff…on with the questions!

Chantal G. – “Silly question are they plastic cards??? I am not all that fond of the paper ones.” Chantal…no Disney question is ever silly to me! Things change at lightning speed sometimes and a there is a seemingly never ending amount of new Disney information. Yes, these cards are plastic, and similar in size, width and flexibility as a driver’s license. I love it – I hope you do too.

Here is what I thought was the super cool secret part that (as far as I know) NOBODY else has posted any where on the internet. Get this…the cast members told me we don’t even have to take the thing out of our wallet for it to work. Of course I tried it…

DSC04691

They were right! I think I embarrassed my husband a little bit with how completely excited I was about this!!! I can’t promise it will work for everybody – but Disneyways readers will be informed enough to know they can try! I hope everyone will give it a shot- and let me know how it works for you!!

Linda R. – “I was wondering .. Do Season Passholders get the new card too or just annual passholders?” Linda this is for all passholders. Annual, seasonal, weekday and even Epcot after 4 passes will have the option to upgrade to plastic.

Mindy C. – “What determines whether your passes include parking or not? Is it a special kind of annual pass, or premium vs. regular?” Mindy, if you have a regular or premium annual pass, it includes parking – and this will not change when you switch to the new plastic card. There will be no doubt when you get it because the bottom of the card will have an orange stripe (see Minnie above) AND the back will have a red stripe like this:

back2

Getting through the parking plaza will be a breeze. The cast members won’t have to squint like they do at the little black print on the old paper passes.

If you have a Florida resident seasonal or weekday pass – it does not include parking – and that won’t change. Your new card will have a black stripe on the bottom. If you buy a ticket as a day guest – your stripe will be green. See examples below:

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Paul D. – “Are we allowed to request a character?” Paul this was a hot topic today! I am happy to report the answer is YES.

Alexis M. – “No more Pluto cards?” Alexis, Pluto is not an option at this time. Keep in mind however, you do not have to switch to the new plastic card. Also – please check out our post from January by clicking here. This post shows official pictures from Disney depicting the wonderful customization options we will get to choose once the MagicBands are released. The cast member last night was so cute, he said “They are going to be as customizable as CROCS!” Referencing the shoes people wear that you can decorate.

The next few questions were about Magicbands:

Samantha J. – “What if someone has sensitive skin and couldn’t wear the MagicBands, would be another option ?” Samantha, the cast members told me last night that Disney invested thousands of dollars doing research to create a MagicBand that will not irritate even the most sensitive skin. It is also breathable so our arms won’t sweat. We can adjust the MagicBand to fit even a child – so they are one size fits (almost) all. Again, MagicBands are optional. You don’t have to switch over to one if you don’t want to.

Shannon K.W. – “Okay…so just so I have this straight (because my family thinks I have all the answers and I would like to continue to keep them fooled…hahaha!) Do we also have the option of bracelets…or is it just annual pass cards?” Shannon I love your question! Right now, our only option is upgrading to the plastic card if we choose. Disney will be rolling out the MagicBands as soon as that technology is ready. No word yet on an exact date. Make sure you are subscribed to Disneyways so you will know the minute we find out!

Mark G. – “Still confused on if we will get replacements in the mail or will we have to go to guest relations when we go in June.” Mark, the cast members I spoke to last night were pretty confident that we will be able to get our new tickets or possibly Magicbands – if that technology is ready- as early as May 20th via the web, and then of course, if you order them on-line, they would arrive by mail. If you don’t have yours in time then you will head to guest relations when you get here. There are two more things they wanted me to be sure to tell you. One, if you haven’t already, you will want to be sure to register for an account here. Two, make sure you remember what email address you use to register this account. This is very important because all your MagicBand communication will go to that email address. Check your spam folder periodically if stuff tends to get sent there by accident sometimes.

The last questions I got were about Disneyland. Irene L. and Nichole M. thanks so much for asking! The information I heard (thanks Alexis M.) – was that Disneyland is not expected to have these new technologies until 2014 or later. You just never know with Disney, so keep an eye out for any changes there. I will do my best to watch – but Disneyways – for now, is mostly a Disney World resource (unofficially of course!)

Whew! I think that about does it. Again, if I missed your question, please let me know right away – the quickest being by facebook. I accept all friend requests.

You can also email me any time Disneyways@Disneyways.com There will be many more blog posts on this subject to come!

Now, in case there was ANY doubt in your mind about how much of a dork I really am….I have provided this lovely video. I did not know my husband was filming so what you are getting here is the real me. Check out this new little card and your MagicBand – in action – and listen to the little noise it makes! “Wow….that is really cool.”

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Annual Passholders – Day One Photos of MyMagic+ Upgrade Process

Published March 21, 2013 by Disneyways.com

March 20th 2013, Disney Annual Passholders Began Pickups for the New Touch to Enter Cards.

Since so many Passholders love to visit during Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, going on now through May 19, Walt Disney World is offering a convenient way to exchange your current paper annual Pass for a new card.

Why should you switch?

The new entrances will eliminate the need for turnstiles. Running that paper card through the machine will be a thing of the past. Just touch your new plastic card to the Mickey head, scan your finger, wait for the green light – and you’re in!

Got a stroller or a wheelchair? You will no longer have to wait for someone to open the gate! The folks that choose to have these cards will have a much faster wait time to enter the parks.

During your next visit, you can bring your paper Pass and valid ID to the Odyssey Center, located between Test Track and the Mexico pavilion, to get your new card. Obviously, cards must be used by the same person who originally used the paper pass. You will see a sign outside the Odyssey Center that looks like this:

At this time, the Odyssey Center is the only location where Passholders can receive the new cards. The Odyssey Center is open during regular park hours, and the best time to visit is Monday through Friday after 12:00 noon. Main Entrance ticket windows are unable to exchange Passes for the new cards.

In the coming months, we’ll provide more information here on other ways you’ll be able to exchange your Pass for a new card, (no worries if you can’t get here before May 12th!) as well as more information on MyMagic+ and when MagicBands will be available to Passholders. Disney has not released info on the timing of these yet.

Our Disneyways Man-on-the-Scene reporter Ramon Rodriguez, was the very first one in line- on the very first day – to get his new RFID card!!

Perhaps the first EVER guest at Walt Disney World to pick up his new (tap to enter) annual pass. Ramon Rodriguez of ThemeParkConcierges.com

Ramon was able to get these terrific photos from Day One – to give us an idea of how the process works. We will have answers to your questions and more photos for you tomorrow! Send your questions to Disneyways@Disneyways.com or leave them in the comments below and we will answer them in the next blog on this subject.

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World Secrets – Best Burgers and More Near Raglan Road

Published March 17, 2013 by Disneyways.com

First – the food part of today’s World Secret. Raglan Road is THE place to go for Irish food and entertainment in the Downtown Disney area. The menu comes complete with Bangers and Mash (that’s a fancy Irish name for sausage and mashed potatoes) – but did you know you will also find some of the absolute BEST burgers on property here? It’s true.

burger

Photo credit: nutfreefam.blogspot.com

You can enjoy all that Raglan Road offers from a comfy table – or if you prefer – belly up to their 130 year old bar. It’s imported all the way from Ireland!

Cooke’s of Dublin is a quick service restaurant located right next to Raglan Road, and it offers a selection of the exact same food that Raglan Road serves – at a much lower price! The secret (inside the secret) of Cooke’s – is the “Doh-Bars” which are donut battered Snickers and Mars bars.

Yeah.

It’s enough to make me want to move to Ireland. But, don’t worry, one can cancel out the calories from your Doh-Bar with a healthy salad, because Cooke’s has those too.

Before you enter Raglan Road, look for a replica bronze statue of the famous Irish poet, Patrick Kavanagh, sitting on his bronze park bench.

Regarded as one of the foremost poets of the 20th century, Patrick Kavanagh’s best known works include the novel Tarry Flynn and of course the poem Raglan Road.

Folks in Dublin often saw Patrick relaxing alone on a park bench by the Grand canal. When he passed away in 1967 after a long struggle with lung cancer, he was commemorated with the original statue in Ireland. To this day, after every St. Patrick’s Day parade you’ll find his friends gathering at that bench.

irelandstatue

Here is the actual statue in Ireland. Photo credit Flickr.com

Raglan Road pub’s replica of this statue is the only one you will find outside of Ireland. This version has a shorter bench, so there is no room to sit next to poor old Patrick, and perhaps he would prefer it that way.  I think it is rather fitting, and symbolic of his original poem. I have added a copy here so you can decide for yourself.

Read carefully and you will see that he explains how, despite his best judgement, he fell for a girl that he knew would break his heart.

On Raglan Road

“On Raglan Road on an autumn day I met her first and knew

That her dark hair would weave a snare that I might one day rue;

I saw the danger, yet I walked along the enchanted way,

And I said, let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day.

On Grafton Street in November we tripped lightly along the ledge

Of the deep ravine where can be seen the worth of passion’s pledge,

The Queen of Hearts still making tarts and I not making hay –

O I loved too much and by such and such is happiness thrown away.

I gave her gifts of the mind I gave her the secret sign that’s known

To the artists who have known the true gods of sound and stone

And word and tint. I did not stint for I gave her poems to say.

With her own name there and her own dark hair like clouds over fields of May

On a quiet street where old ghosts meet I see her walking now

Away from me so hurriedly my reason must allow

That I had wooed not as I should a creature made of clay –

When the angel woos the clay he’d lose his wings at the dawn of day.”

~Patrick Kavanagh

World Secrets – The Lucky Combo!

Published March 15, 2013 by Disneyways.com

What comes to mind when you think of the gorgeous China Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase?

Sure, China has lots to offer. The pavilion is decorated with serene ponds, crossed by fantastic bridges, and is dominated by a replica of the Temple of Heaven. Here you will also find Reflections of China, a Circle-Vision 360° movie – and  there is a museum containing several ancient Chinese artifacts. You don’t see that every day.

China’s Nine Dragons is one of the most beautiful restaurants in all of World Showcase, and the Lotus Blossom Cafe has some of the best orange chicken in town. Shopping at Good Fortune Gifts and House of Good Fortune is a wonderful air-conditioned past time in the hot Florida summers.

Agent P World Showcase Adventure? Check. Dragon Legend Acrobats? Yep – China has those too – and what visit to China would be complete without actually meeting Mulan and Mushu? Speaking of Mulan, did you know Epcot’s China Pavilion served as a backdrop for the music video “Reflection,” performed by Christina Aguilera? You may recall that “Reflection” was from Mulan’s 1998 film – and nobody knew who Christina Aguilera was back then.

But what is China’s BEST kept secret?

To me, it is a wonderful little thing called the Lucky Combo – located right here at the Joy of Tea kiosk – only found at Epcot’s China pavilion.

joyoftea

It’s not new – it’s just that the The Lucky Combo has been hiding from me

(in plain sight).

For just $9.98, The Lucky Combo includes a Chinese BBQ Pork Bun, a Curry Chicken Pocket and an Egg Roll with your choice of a canned soft drink and a pretty generous serving of ice cream.

No…for real…this is an actual thing.

I had to take a picture because I couldn’t believe my own eyes. 

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The extra ice cream you see pictured here belonged to my dining companion. We got one of each option – Strawberry Red Bean and Caramel Ginger.

Trust me – you need to try them BOTH.

But wait – there’s more!

Tea here comes in all forms – hot, iced, spiked or slushie –  and it is the only location in Epcot that carries real brewed tea instead of pre-made tea beverages. 

Not a fan of hot tea? Here’s another little secret:

The extremely friendly cast members that staff this location will gladly provide you a cup of ice to make your own iced version. They will also offer you a tasting of any (non-spiked) beverage, if you want to try before you buy.

Even though it’s hard for me to look past the Lucky Combo, here are more details on the menu, in case you want to plan ahead:

Sweetened Iced Teas: Peach Oolong and Mango Green (both $4.25 or one snack credit)
Hot Teas: Ginseng Oolong, Jasmine, Dragon Well, Green (all $3.19 or one snack credit)
Soft Drinks: Soda ($1.59 or one snack credit); Bottled Water ($2.50 or one snack credit)
Alcoholic Beverages: Mango Gingerita w/vodka and rum ($7.50); Canto Loopy w/vodka and cantaloupe juice ($7.50); Peach Snap w/Schnapps ($7.50); Green Tea Plum Slush w/plum wine ($7.50); Tsing Tao Beer and Tsing Tao Pure Draft Beer (both $5.75); Plum Wine ($4.99); Tipsy Ducks in Love ($8.50 or non-alcoholic $5.50)
Ice Cream: Strawberry Red Bean or Caramel Ginger (both $3.25 or one snack credit)
Snacks: Chinese BBQ Pork Buns ($4.50); Curry Chicken Pockets ($3.99 or one snack credit); Pork and Vegetable Egg Rolls ($3.99 or one snack credit)

So what are your thoughts? Do you agree that the Lucky Combo might be one of Epcot’s best kept secrets?