Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of March 14, 2011

Hi there Disney Friends and Happy Spring (well, almost….tomorrow it’s official, but let’s look forward…. 🙂  ) It’s time, once again, for our weekly round-up of my favorite Disney blog posts over the past week.

I wanted to start this week with some updates on our Disney friends in Japan. The Disney Blog has been providing a series of updates throughout the week, and it is still clearly a challenging situation. These two articles: Disney suspends all operations in Tokyo and When Should Tokyo Disneyland Reopen? offer news and an interesting perspective. With a slightly different point of view, Your Highway in the Sky shares some thoughts on those wonderful Disney castmembers….and I think all of us who love Disney will not be surprised by this: Disney Employees in Japan – Hidden Heroes

Our other Disney blog friends had, of course, a wonderful selection of interesting and helpful articles. Starting with the folks at Chip and Co who always share so much great information, I found Character Meals: A Disney Do or Don’t? to have some good tips for deciding if one is right for your family. And then in another in his series,Oldies But Goodies Ken discusses: World Showcase, More Than A Bunch Of Buildings Part 2

Destinations in Florida provided a very helpful list of Magic Kingdom Quick Service Dining locations, that you will want to refer to for your next trip!

The Flower and Garden Festival is currently in “full bloom” (sorry, couldn’t resist 🙂  ) and this photo from the Disney Parks Blog shows why this time of year is truly one of the most beautiful: Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip at Epcot

Always interesting and entertaining…and providing very useful information as well, the Disney Dispatch had some great organization and planning tips for your next trip that you may want to try: Happiest Tips on Earth

Disney Driven Life continues to be one of my favorite blogs for the wide variety of incredible articles that are posted. DISNEY DINING PLAN TIPS FOR SNACKS AT EPCOT offered more great tips for dining at Disney World. And this one, KEEP MOVING FORWARD shares some powerful advice with true “words to live by”.

“Our” Kelly shared her favorite Magical Attraction Memories on her blog, Disney Guru and then also helped with something that can be especially difficult whether you are young or old:  How to Buy Time Before Your Next Trip

This post from Chris at Everything Walt Disney World was, I felt, especially important, because it points out something that we don’t often discuss in the Disney blog world: Bad Advice Abounds. We don’t discuss it…but it’s out there: be careful who you are listening to!

So many great posts at WDW Fan Zone, so little time! 🙂 Here are two favorites: Packing Tips and the mouth-watering Top 5 Desserts at Walt Disney World

Last……it would seem that I was all over the World Wide Web this week! First, Chip and Co ran an entire series on all of their writers: we all answered the same questions, and had a fun time providing a peek into “who we really are”. 🙂 If you want to find out a bit more about me, you can stop by here: The Magic Behind the ‘Company’: Getting to Know Nancy

I was also extremely honored to provide a Guest Blog post for Couponing to Disney this week: Dreaming of Walt Disney World: Putting the Pieces Together for an Affordable Disney Vacation

And finally, my monthly blog post on the Disney Dispatch shared some of my favorite ways to “get more out of your trip”: Nancy’s Monthly Magic.

That’s all for this week folks. Have a wonderful, safe, and truly magical start to your Spring!

Be Our Guest: How to Become a Disney Princess

Today’s post is courtesy of Disney Guru! Recently Theresa wrote a wonderful review of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on Disney Guru and not only shared how the experience works, but also provided some tips for saving money too!

Princess For A Day

Most little girls dream of  being a princess.  The dresses, the hair, the castle, and of course the title of “Princess”.  At Walt Disney World, that dream becomes a reality for children ages 3 and up.

Your child’s transformation takes place at the Bippidi Boppidi Boutique inside Cinderella Castle or at the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney.

Once you arrive, your daughter is given her invitation to “The Ball” which comes straight from Cinderella herself.  When it’s her turn, she is addressed as “Princess (enter child’s name)” and  then escorted to her awaiting throne. Princesses get pampered by their own stylist. . .er, Fairy Godmother In-Training who will give them a royal manicure, hairstyle, and makeup all while a Photopass Photographer captures the memories.

Read the rest of the article……

Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of March 7, 2011

Greetings Disney friends. I hope this week finds all of you safe and well! We all have the people of Japan in our hearts and prayers this week, as we watch the result of the devastating earthquake and tsunami. Many have wondered about Tokyo Disneyland, so I am starting this week’s blog round-up with a report from The Disney Blog: Japan Earthquake strands tourists at Tokyo Disneyland, damage reports coming in. I continue to be amazed by the dedication of Disney castmembers everywhere, as we see those wonderful folks at Tokyo Disneyland working so hard to take care of their guests…even as they undoubtedly worry about their own family and friends. Please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks.

While it seems trivial in comparison, there are some wonderful posts from Disney blogs this week, and I do hope you will enjoy them and find them helpful, interesting, and inspiring:

Chip and Co. provided a couple of articles that anyone planning a Disney vacation right now will want to read:To Stay On or Off Property – That is the Question and Character Meals: A Disney Do or Don’t?

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Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of February 28, 2011

Happy Weekend Disney Friends! How was your week? Hopefully it was “magical”. 🙂 I  have lots of great Disney blog posts for you this week, so let’s get down to business! Grab a latte, put your feet up and enjoy my favorites!

Two of my favorites from Chip and Co this week come from Ken. First, he shares ways for seniors (or anyone really!) to get in shape for an exhausting Disney World vacation: Oldies But Goodies – Fatigue Is Our Enemy and then he discusses some great ways to Pick YOUR Best Time Of Year To Visit Walt Disney World . On a completely different note, Brenda had another touching entry in her series Wednesday with Walt: Simplicity at Its Best

Do you love gardening? I do! And I so wish I could be at Disney World during this time of year. Destinations in Florida describes all the colorful events in Epcot Garden – What’s New at the Flower & Garden Festival

And with more great pictures of the Flower and Garden Festival: Disney Parks Blog: Beauty Everywhere at Epcot

Disney Driven Life offered a peak into something new at the Haunted Mansion that has a lot of folks talking: WALT DISNEY WORLD UPDATE…HITCH-HIKING GHOSTS

There were some great articles at Disney Guru. First, Kelly discussed Disney Pin Codes. Are They a Delicacy? And then Theresa gives an interesting review of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (including pictures and tips for saving money!) in Princess For A Day

Do you have little ones and are wondering about the high chair situation at Disney World? Growing Up Disney has the 411 for you: High and Mighty (Small): Highchairs & Booster Seats

This next entry is not Disney-related, but I thought it was so important to anyone traveling, that I’m sharing it anyway. Traveling Mamas provides some basic Hotel and Motel Fire Safety tips that everyone should be aware of!

An especially beautiful post comes from Kathy at WDW Fan Zone who wrote a wonderful article introducing us to another of the Faces in the Queue: Meet Kayla!

Lastly, I hope you won’t mind me sharing that I’ve been honored with some very kind reviews this week! WDW Fan Zone put my new affordable Dining Guide in The Spotlight Zone – Magical Meals: A Guide to Affordable Dining at Walt Disney World. In addition, Bob at the Disney Dispatch authored a kind review: Book Review: Magical Meals. And over on My Dreams of Disney Mike also provided a very nice Book Review: Magical Meals. Thank you all so, so much! 🙂

That’s it for this week everyone! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of February 21, 2011

Greetings Disney Friends and Happy Weekend! I had a great time touring the Disney blog-World this past week in search of the best, most interesting, most helpful, and most fun Disney blog posts. As always there was lots to choose from, but I think I found a few that you will find enjoyable. 🙂 So sit back, relax with your favorite beverage, and take a stroll with me!

Let’s start out with Chip and Co. It’s always SO hard to choose, as there are tons of fun and informative posts over there. But I especially loved these. For starters, how do you feel about Adults in Costume? Agree or disagree with DragynAlly? Then Lisa chats about the challenges of Traveling Light at Walt Disney World: Mission Impossible? Finally, the very talented Brenda had another touching article in her Wednesday with Walt series: And the Oscar Goes To…

Ever wonder if the rooms at some of the Deluxe resorts are worth the cost? Destinations in Florida takes us on a tour of the Rooms at Disney Contemporary Resort to find out.

Those of you with little ones will especially appreciate this article from Disney Dispatch: Dealing with Disney Trip Anticipation

Brenda had some great suggestions about Disney transportation this week. Disney Driven Life offered some other thoughts too: 3 DISNEY TRANSPORTATION TIPS

I’m ready for spring! And so is Disney World! Disney Every Day offers a look at Epcot’s 2011 Flower Power Concert Series Schedule

Disney Food Blog had a review of a favorite Disney restaurant for many: Review: 50s Prime Time Cafe

And continuing with food, Disney Guru provides a look at a different and fun place to eat, Pizzafari: A Colorful Place to Dine

In case you hadn’t heard, Disney had some news this past week that had the blog-world in overdrive. Disney Parks Blog shares the details of Mickey FASTPASS: Guests Will Be Able To Determine a Time To Meet Mickey Mouse Beginning This Spring at Magic Kingdom

Finding places of “quiet” at Disney World can be challenging but not impossible. The Disney Chick shares a few: Finding Zen in WDW

I love the focus of Magical Mouse Schoolhouse in finding ways to teach with Disney. This week they showed how to incorporate a favorite movie of mine: Finding Nemo

WDW Fan Zone continues to provide some of the most interesting Disney articles around. I loved this suggestion: Lori Loves Tigger’s Tip: FORE! And if you have ever wondered about what to DO with ALL those pictures from your Disney vacations, well look no further. April shares how to get them Off the Camera and Onto the Wall (Hint: It’s CHEAP! and looks fabulous!) Finally, a little article from little ol’ me: No Free Dining at Disney World? No Worries, You Can Still Save Money! 🙂

That’s it for this week folks! Have a magical weekend!