Win A Vacation To Orlando

freedisneydiningforukresidents2012

Who wants to win a vacation to Orlando? Here is your chance to enter a sweepstakes sponsored by Visit Orlando and fromyouflowers.com

One lucky winner will win a trip for 2 to Orlando. The trip includes round-trip coach air transportation, hotel accommodations for 3 consecutive nights in a double occupancy room, full size rental car, two single day park admissions tickets to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, or SeaWorld Orlando. The winner will also receive up to $550 worth of spa treatments and one $100 gift card redeemable for an Orlando-area dining experience.

Click Here for Entry Details

Entry is open to legal residents of the 50 United States aged 21 and over. The sweepstakes closes at 3:00 p.m. ET on May 12th, 2013

Official Rules Here

Good Luck!

Once Upon a Time Evil Queen Regina Visits Magic Kingdom New Fantasyland

onceuponatimenewfanstasyland

Fans of Disney and the fabulous Once Upon a Time are in for a real treat on Sunday, May 5th at 8/7c when the new episode of the ABC hi series is aired.The Evil Queen Regina visits new Fastasyland in Magic Kingdom.

Regina is known to cause evil chaos everywhere she goes so what does she have in store for Disney’s Magic Kingdom? Get a sneak peak here of the filming of the new Once Upon a Time Fastasyland episode

If you haven’t yet seen Once Upon A Time I would highly recommend this very compelling drama which cleverly weaves a storyline of all your best known fairy tale characters into a modern and story book land. The acting is exceptional and the design of costumes and sets is spectacular.

Monstrous Summer at Walt Disney World and Disneyland With 24 Hour Park Opening Event

disneyparksmonstoursummer24hour

Are you ready for a Monstrous Summer at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom and Disneyland? The Magic Kingdom, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks will open on 6 a.m. Friday, May 24 and stay open until 6 a.m. Saturday, May 25. Anyone going to go for 24 hours?

The event is of course tied in to celebrate the impending much anticipated release of Disney Pixar Monsters University on June 21st.

There will be special Monsters University themed events, special characters and parades. In Disney World Magic Kingdom this will include characters in their pajamas in Town Square, and late night dance parties in and around the courtyard of Cinderella Castle. Mike and Sulley from Monsters University will be the Grand Marshals of the “Celebrate a Dream Come True” parade and make special appearances in Tomorrowland.

In Disneyland the Monsters University characters will appear with Star Wars characters in Tomorrowland. There will be a late-night Character Pajama Party in Mickey’s ToonTown. Fantasy Faire Royal Theatre will host a Royal Dance Hall party. Hop on over to Disney California Adventure park to watch the Monsters University float in the Pixar Parade.

It will be interesting to see how the parks manage the crowds this time. When Disneyland opened for 24 hours last Leap Year it was so popular they actually had to stop issuing tickets for hours. Reports were of some guests standing in line for hours and chaos in the parks with huge lines for rides and food. The surrounding freeways were jammed as people tried to even reach the parks.

I am sure that Disney have learned from this experience but it isn’t clear at this moment what they are doing to accommodate the possible huge increase in visitors.

There will of course be special merchandise available with limited editions available. Will you be going to the 24 hour opening at Disneyland or Magic Kingdom?

Disney World Dining Reservation – Do I Really Need One?

Disney World Dining Reservation

Do I really need a Disney World Dining Reservation? The quick answer is most definitely yes if you want to eat in a Disney World restaurant. How do you make a Disney World Dining Reservation? As the restaurants are so popular in the parks and resorts it is very important that you know how to make a Disney World Dining Reservation. For the most part gone are the days when you could simply walk up to the restaurant of your choice and get a table.

All photos by Expressmonorail

Of course the ease or difficulty of getting reservations depends upon how busy the parks are. You will find it much easier to get a reservation the first two weeks of December than you will on Christmas Day for example!

Here is everything you need to know about making a Disney World dining reservation. Or in Disney speak, make an Advance Dining Reservation.

How Far Ahead Can You Make Advance Dining Reservations?

Disney World Dining Reservations

Disney World Dining Reservations for the table service restaurants can be made 180 days in advance. If you are staying at a Walt Disney World resort hotel you can make dining reservations for the length of their stay (for up to 10 days) at 180 days before the start of their stay. This gives Disney World hotel resort guests a head start. Another advantage of staying in a Disney Hotel Resort.

Disney World Dining Reservations Online

This is our preferred method of booking these days. Simply go to

Disney World Dining

We always find this much quicker than phone reservations.

Disney Dining Reservations By Phone

Call 407 WDW DINE and speak with a Disney dining reservation specialist. The waits can be long and frustrating. But at least you do get a (usually) helpful reservationist to talk to. They can help you with different choices if you first isn’t’ available. The online system can also help you with this (and it sometimes more helpful than the real person)!

Disney Guest Services or Resort Concierge

If you are at the Disney parks you can make a reservation with Disney guest services. This helps with last minute decisions about where to dine! If you are staying at a Disney Resort you can of course make reservations with the concierge.

Disney Dining Walk Ins

These can sometimes work. If you don’t have a Disney Dining Reservation try a walk in. Ask at the restaurant if there are any tables available. This used to work so well. Now your chances are limited. Disney dining is very popular!

Tips for Getting The Disney Dining Reservation of Your Dreams

Some Advance Dining Reservations are more difficult to get than others. The are two Disney restaurants renowned as almost impossible to get a reservation for. These are for Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom and Le Cellier in Epcot Canada Pavilion. You have to call or get online the second the reservation window of opportunity opens.

If you have a large party then you may have a much better chance of getting a Disney dining reservation if you can be flexible. It may be easier to book 2 tables. Cast Members at Disney restaurants are as accommodating as they are able to be. They may be able to seat you together when you arrive. Just don’t be upset if this is not possible. They will try their best to help most of the time.

Don’t give up if you are not successful with your first choice of restaurant. Keep trying. Sometimes there are cancellations which free up a table. If you do not want to keep your reservation then cancel the reservation. This helps other guests by freeing up reservations.

Try a walk in. Sometimes you are pleasantly surprised with success!

Some Disney Dining Restaurant Advance Dining Reservations Need A Credit Card Guarantee

Walt Disney World dining reservations

Some of the Disney restaurants need a credit card guarantee to make a dining reservation.

The list of these restaurants needing a credit card seems to get longer. It used to be rare but now the list is getting longer. If you do not cancel the Disney World dining reservation within a certain time ahead you will be charged a fee per guest. Usually this is $10 but can be higher so be sure to check. The cancellation window is usually a day but some are 2 days. Be sure to check.

Here are the restaurants currently needing a credit card guarantee:

1900 Park Fare at The Grand Floridian Resort
Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Artist Point
Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom
California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Cape May Café at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Disney’s Chef Mickey
Citricos on The Boardwalk
Crystal Palace in Disney Magic Kingdom
Flying Fish Café
Garden Grill in Epcot
Hollywood & Vine at Disney Hollywood Studios
Jiko – The Cooking Place at Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge
Le Cellier Steakhouse in Epcot
Narcoossee’s
‘Ohana
Tusker House Restaurant in Disney Animal Kingdom Park
The Hollywood Brown Derby
Victoria & Albert’s in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Hotel and Resort
All Fantasmic Dinner Packages
Pirates League

Some restaurants require payment at the time of booking unless you have purchased the Disney Dining Plan or Deluxe Dining Plan. These include:

Cinderella’s Royal Table
Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
Mickey’s Backyard BBQ

We know that making a Disney World Dining Reservation up to 6 months in advance can seem like way too much planning. But when you get to Disney World you will be very glad that you did!

Here are some reviews of Disney restaurants for you:

Epcot Rose and Crown Pub

Disney World Character Dining

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2014

waltdisneyworldmarathonweekend2014

The Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend has become a huge event in the Disney calendar. The details of the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend have now been released. The full marathon is just one of a number of race events to be held over the weekend of 9th to 12th January 2012.

What is the appeal of the Disney Marathon Weekend? The location of course! The races are run through the Disney parks, and of course there will be Disney characters around the route to help you on your way.

Photo by lorenjavier

The Walt Disney World Full Marathon

What better location to run your first or even your 20th marathon than the Walt Disney World resort! The full 26.2 mile marathon sponsored by Cigna® takes you through all 4 of the Disney parks. The full marathon starts in Epcot, goes to Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios before reaching the finish line back in Epcot.

This is the final race in the Marathon Weekend and is held on Sunday, January 12, 2014 with a 5:30 a.m. start.

Here is the Official Walt Disney World Marathon site and contains lots of very useful information about all of the events of the 2014 weekend.

For those not taking part in the Disney Marathon Weekend be aware that due to the number of competitors and their families staying at the resort for the event this will be a very busy weekend at the parks.

If you complete the marathon you are awarded the Mickey Mouse finisher medal.

Walt Disney World Half Marathon

Not quite ready for the full marathon? Want to take the 13.1 mile challenge? The Walt Disney World Half Marathon will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2014 with a 5:30 a.m. start. Just like the full marathon this will also start and end in Epcot.

If you finish you are awarded the Donald Duck finisher medal.

Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge

Looking for more of a challenge? The Goof’s Race and a Half Challenge covers both the full and the half marathon. Run the half on the Saturday and then take on the full marathon the following day.

If you finish both events you will receive the Goofy Medal in addition to your Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse finisher medals.

Walt Disney World 10K

This is a new event for 2014. The 10K or 6.2 mile race will start on Friday, January 10, 2014 at
5:30 a.m.

The 10K Disney World race will take place in Epcot. This one sounds like a great starting point to get involved in the Disney Marathon Weekend.

Disney Family Fun Run 5K

The Disney Family Fun Run kicks of the Marathon Weekend on Thursday, January 9, 2014 with a start at
6:15 a.m. Good luck getting the kids up for that time! This 5K course through Epcot is a lot of fun with any age able to participate.

The Dopey Challenge

Love the name they chose for this event! The Dopey Challenge is the ultimate Disney Marathon Weekend event. Participants will run in all of the events except the 5K family challenge! That is a total of 48.6 miles over the Thursday to the Sunday.

Finishers will get all of the medals awarded for the other events, plus a very special Dopey Challenge Medal.

We wonder how many of these medals will be handed out!

If you are interested in any of these races you can see details of how to enter at

Walt Disney World Marathon Registration

In years past these events, particularly the shorter distances and family events, fill up very quickly.

Have you ever competed in the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend? Leave me a Comment!

Win a Walt Disney World Vacation with Southwest Airlines

Win a Disney World Vacation

Who would love to win a Disney World Vacation for 4? Of course you would! Now is your chance with this sweepstakes sponsored by Southwest airlines. Here is what the first prize includes:

Four (4) round trip coach air fares provided by Southwest Airlines between the major United States gateway airport with Southwest Airlines service closest to winner’s residence and Orlando International Airport.

Four (4) round trip ground transfers between the Orlando International Airport and the Walt Disney World® Resort aboard Disney’s Magical Express.*

Room accommodations consisting of one (1) standard room (with a maximum of four (4) persons per room) for four (4) nights at a hotel at the Walt Disney World® Resort selected by Disney in its sole discretion.

Four (4) 5-Day Magic Your Way Tickets with Park Hopper® Option.

A Disney Gift Card with a value of five hundred dollars ($500)

Disney’s Magical Celebration “in room” décor in your Walt Disney World® Resort hotel room [winner room only].

Disney’s PhotoPass product with a value up to three hundred dollars ($300.00 USD).

One (1) Disney Character Dining experience for four (4) persons.

One (1) Disney Character Meet and Greet with photo opportunity for your party.

Click Here for Details

Sweepstakes runs from 12:01a.m. E.T. on April 6, 2013 through 11:59 p.m. E.T. on May 6, 2013. Limit: One online entry per email address per day. No purchase necessary. Open only to legal residents of the United States 18 years of age or older as of April 6, 2013.

Sweepstakes Official Rules

Good Luck!

Epcot Rose and Crown Pub

epcotroseandcrownpub

If you are looking for traditional British dining in Walt Disney World then look no further than Epcot’s Rose and Crown Pub. Located inside the United Kingdom Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase the Rose and Crown is a popular place to dine on such British favorites as Fish and Chips, Cottage Pie and Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Photo by lorenjavier

The decor of the Rose and Crown is very authentically British. I am from The United Kingdom and can definitely say that this looks just like a traditional British Pub. The food is also very authentic and certainly the menu has many items which you would usually find on a British Pub menu.

There are 2 parts to The Rose and Crown. The pub area where there is a bar and you can order from a bar menu. You can just walk in here through the front doors and grab a table or a seat at the traditional bar. The restaurant area is for reserved seating only. There is a small area of seating inside but the bulk of the seats are outside.

The Rose and Crown outside patio seating area is one of the best places to view Epcot Illuminations which is the spectacular fireworks show which runs every day at Epcot at 9pm. These seats are highly sought after and competition for a view table is fierce! If you want one of these tables then you have to make an Advance Reservation by calling 407 WDW DINE or booking online up to 180 days ahead. Book for around 7.30 to 8pm to ensure that you will still be seated when the show starts at 9pm.

The Rose and Crown menu has recently been updated. The menus for dinner and lunch in the restaurant and the pub menu are largely the same. Here is a guide to the menu:

Epcot Rose and Crown Menu

Appetizers

Appetizer Trio of Scotch Egg, Mary and the Lads, Frisée and Apple Salad $16.99

Roasted Sea Scallops Wilted Baby Spinach, Tomato, and Olive Vinaigrette $10.99

Frisée and Apple Salad featuring Ocean Spray ® Craisins®
with Blue Cheese Crumbles, Candied Nuts, and Cranberry Vinaigrette $7.99

Trio of United Kingdom Cheese with Accompaniments $9.99

Mary and the Lads Roasted Shrimp Cocktail with a Spicy Bloody Mary Mix $9.99

Scotch Egg – Golden-fried Hard-boiled Egg wrapped in Sausage Meat with Mustard Sauce $8.99

Seaonal Soup Bowl 5.49

Entrees

Beef Sirloin Steak with Seasonal Vegetables, Fried Onion Rings, Cashel Blue Cheese Butter, and Red Wine Sauce $22.99

Bangers and Mash – Traditional English Sausages with Braised Cabbage and Bacon served with Mashed Potatoes and Shallot Gravy $14.99

United Kingdom Pub Burger -Angus Beef Patty with Applewood-smoked Bacon, Cheddar, crispy Shallots, and House-made HP Sauce $13.99

Fish and Chips – “Rose & Crown’s Signature Dish” Beer-battered and served with House-made Tartar Sauce $17.99

Mashed Potatoes $4.29 Green Beans $3.99 Mushy Peas $3.99

Grilled Salmon with Rustic Potato Salad and Tomato Chutney $20.99

Cottage Pie – Ground Beef, Onions, Carrots, Mushrooms, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, and Cheddar Cheese $16.99

Vegetable Stone Pie – Mushrooms, Onions, Spinach, Cheddar Cheese, and a Side Salad $14.99

Corned Beef Sandwich – Warm Corned Beef on Toasted Sunflower Bread with Cheddar, Cabbage, and Horseradish Mayonnaise served with House-made Crisps $12.49

Farmhouse Ploughman’s Lunch – Carved Ham, Cheese, Roast Chicken, Egg, and Traditional English Accompaniments $17.99

Side Orders

Cauliflower and Cheese Gratin $5.49 English Chips $3.19
Bubble and Squeak $4.99

Desserts

Mandy’s Mess – Freshly-baked Pound Cake with Berries and Ribena Syrup $6.49

Cheesecake with Mocha Cream and Caramelized Bananas $5.99

No Sugar Added Lemon Custard with fresh Berries $5.49

Sticky Toffee Pudding $5.49

Jaffa Tarts -Orange Cream-filled Cakes with Chocolate Ganache, Raspberry Sauce, and fresh Oranges $5.99

There is a huge selection of both alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks in the pub and the restaurant. If you want to try some authentic British beer and lager this is the place to be! Bass Ale, Stella Artois, Harp, Boddingtons English Pub Ale, Strongbow Cider, and Guinness Stout are particular favorites.

Favorites from the menu include Fish and Chips, Cottage Pie and Bangers and Mash. These are very typically British dishes that you will most likely not have sampled elsewhere. For dessert you have to try the Sticky Toffee Pudding!

Have you dined at the Rose and Crown in Epcot? Leave us a Comment below to let us know what you think!

You may also enjoy:

Top 10 Most Romantic Restaurants at Walt Disney World

Disney World Character Dining

Disney Animal Kingdom Rides

Apple iPod Touch About To Replace The Turnstiles at Walt Disney World?

appleipodtouchabouttoreplaceturnstilesatdisneyworld

We are hearing the very welcome news that Walt Disney World is taking some innovative steps to making the process of getting through the turnstiles at the parks just that little bit easier. Some of the guests entering Disney’s Magic Kingdom are being greeted not by the traditional turnstiles, but by Cast Members holding Apple iPod Touch devices. The guest ticket is then scanned – much like the experience of buying something in one of Apple’s own stores.

Photo by AmandaB3

At the moment at the start of this test there are only 50% of the entrance points being used for the new Apple iPod system. Traditional turnstiles remain for the moment. The plan is that after successful testing the technology will be introduced to all of the Disney parks.

Any visitors to Disney World in recent years will have noticed how often the process of entering the parks has become more and more difficult. I admit to loathing the finger scanner system. Whilst I completely see that there needs to be a system so that Disney tickets are not transferable, those finger scanners drive me crazy as most of the time they just do not seem to work! Thankfully Disney are clearly taking great leaps forward with their use of technology to enhance the guest experience.

Disney’s use of Apple technology looks set to expand in the future with the Apple iPad being tested for the new Fast Pass systems.

Now if only they can come up with a better system for security checks. I see that there is an unfortunate need for security for the safety of all guests but at the moment those long lines at the desks are infuriating. The training and vigilance of the Cast Members searching bags is so variable, and often the start of the Disney experience is anything but magical! Not sure whether Apple has a solution for that …..

Do you think that this increased use of technology is going to enhance the guest experience? Leave me a Comment below.

Disney World Character Dining Without Park Admission

disneyworldcharacterdiningwithoutparkadmission

It is possible to indulge in a Disney World character dining experience without park admission. If you do not have tickets for the parks but still want to take the family to a Disney character dining restaurant then you have a number of options.

Photo by PrincesssAshley

1900 Park Fare

This is one of our favorite character dining location. 1900 Park Fare is located inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort so park admission is not required. All meals are buffet as is the norm for character dining.

1900 Park Fare serves the Supercalifragolistic Breakfast and Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner each day. The breakfast is available from 8:00am – 11:45am and the characters are Mary Poppins, Alice and the Mad Hatter.

Dinner is served from 4.30 to 8.30 pm and characters include Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine,
Anastasia and Drizella. It is of course very popular because this is one of the best places to catch some quality time with Cinderella.

Prices cary by season and by day. The busier the season the higher the price. The breakfast buffet adult price range is $22.36 to $26.62 and for children (ages 3-9) the price range is $12.77 to $14.90 For dinner the adult price range: $38.33 to $42.59 and for children (ages 3-9) the price range is $19.16 to $21.29.

The food is one of the highest quality of all the character buffets in our opinion. The atmosphere can best be described as loud and lively! The tables are very close together but the characters do a great job of spending time at each guests table.

Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort

Cape May has always been a big favorite of ours. Located in Disney’s Beach Club Resort no park admission is required to dine here.

The theme of the hotel is of course beaches so it is fitting that Minnie, Goofy, and Donald wear beach clothes for the breakfast which is served daily at 7.30 to 11.00 am. The breakfast is buffet style with the usual favorites available at an adult price range of between $26.62 and $30.88 and for children (ages 3-9) the price range is $13.84 to $17.03

Dinner is buffet style too but no characters appear.

Chef Mickey at the Disney Contemporary Resort

This is another very popular character dining location. As it is located in The Contemporary Resort park admission is not needed – although if you are visiting the parks then it is most convenient for a visit to The Magic Kingdom as it is a very quick monorail ride away.

The breakfast buffet is served at Chef Mickey’s each day from 7:00 until 11:20 a.m. The very popular characters are Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald Duck.

You will find the same characters at dinner from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm every night. The adult price range is $41.53 to $46.85 and the child price range is $20.23 to $22.36

For more menu details go to:

Disney Chef Mickey’s

Ohana Polynesian Lilo and Stitch Best Friends Character Breakfast

This is one which often gets overlooked for some reason. Located in The Polynesian Resort Hotel the Ohana
Polynesian Lilo and Stitch Best Friends Character Breakfast does not require park admission to dine. Just like Chef Mickey’s it is very convenient for Magic Kingdom if you are visiting the parks.

Breakfast is served family style from 7:30 to 11:00 a.m. I have to confess I am not a huge fan of family style meals and much prefer buffet options but if you want to dine with Lilo and Stitch this is the perfect place.

The adult price range is $22.36 to $26.62 and for children (ages 3-9) the price range is $12.77 to $14.90

Garden Grove Cafe at the Swan

This character breakfast is located at The Walt Disney World Swan Resort close to the World Showcase entrance to Epcot. Park entry is not required. This is a little out of the way unless you are staying at an Epcot or Disney Boardwalk Hotel location but it is a great option if you want a high quality character breakfast without needing park admission.

This character breakfast is held only on Saturday and Sunday 6:30 AM to 11:30 AM. They do not take reservations – it is first come first served.

The pricing is the same every weekend at $20.99 for adults and $12.99 for children aged 3 to 9.

Making a Reservation for a Disney Character Dining Experience

With the exception of Garden Grove Cafe all character dining experiences can be booked up to 180 days ahead. You can call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463), or book online at Disney Dining Reservations

For more details about all the character dining locations go to:

Disney World Character Dining

Win a Walt Disney World Vacation

winawaltdisneyworldvacation

Who wants to win a Walt Disney World vacation? Of course you do and now is your chance with this Walt Disney World vacation giveaway sponsored by Visit Orlando.com

The prize for 4 people includes:

Round trip airline tickets to Orlando
Four-night accommodations in a two bedroom/two bathroom suite at the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa including a $100 gift certificate for Reflections Spa.
Two-day tickets to your choice of Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando or SeaWorld Orlando
Round trip ground transportation from Orlando International Airport to the hotel

Click Here for the Entry Form

No purchase necessary. One entry per person per day. Entries must be received by 11:59 PM ET on 3/31/13. Entrants must be at least 21 years old and be a legal resident of USA or Canada. Void in Quebec and Puerto Rico. Official Rules Here

Good Luck!

Photo by expressmonorail

EverythingMouse is not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company.