Jeff Galloway, former Olympian and one of America's foremost Marathon trainers, has joined runDisney as the Official Training Consultant.

The Disney Endurance Series has now been renamed runDisney and has a website at http://www.rundisney.com/.

In his role as Official Training Consultant, Jeff Galloway is providing free training videos and marathon training plans for those who would like to be able to train for the Disney Marathon.

Here is an introductory video from Jeff, that you can also find on the runDisney website:




Jeff promotes his very successful Run-Walk-Run training method that has helped over 200,000 runners be successful in training to meet their running goals.  He stresses this approach to help people achieve their goal of running a marathon and doing so injury free.

runDisney
Disney has done a great job of offfering a variety of endurance running events and bringing Jeff Galloway on board shows their committment to continuing to offer these great events.

Next up on the Disney World running calendar is the inaugural Wine & Dine Half Marathon which takes place on October 2nd.  That is followed by the Disney Marathon Weekend on January 7-9, 2011.

If you are a runner, then visit the runDisney website to get inforamtion about these great running events and now be able to get training advice as well.

Disney World's Carousel which can be found in the Magic Kingdom has a long storied history.  Up until recently it was known as Cinderella's Golden Carousel, but it is now known as the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel.  The name may have changed, but Cinderella is still the star of this Carousel..

The Story of Cinderella
Everyone may be familiar with Cinderella's story, but few have probably noticed that it is told amongst the 18 special panels encircling the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel.

If you look up at the decorative perimeter of the carousel high above the horses (shown in the picture above), you will see ornate carvings and 18 equally spaced panels that each tell part of the story of Cinderella from the Walt Disney Productions Animated Classic.

If you haven't noticed these panels before you are in luck, this post presents ALL 18 panels in order from humble beginnings to marriage to the Prince. 

Choosing which Disney World Resort Hotel to stay at during your Disney World vacation can be a challenging process. There are 25 different Disney World Resort Hotels to choose from and each one is uniquely themed and provides a different vacation experience.

There are 4 factors that should enter into your decision:
1. Cost
2. Space
3. Location
4. Amenities

For most people no one factor drives your decision, but rather a combination of all 4 factors based upon your individual preferences and how you like to spend your vacation.

Disney World has broken down the choices into 4 groupings: Value Resorts, Moderate Resorts, Deluxe Resorts, & Deluxe Villas.

Disney Resort Privileges
No matter which category of Disney World Resort you choose there are a number of privileges enjoyed by all Disney Resort guests:

• Free transportation to and from the Orlando International Airport (MCO) through Disney’s Magical Express Service.
• Free Theme Park Parking (if you drove yourself.)
• Extended Park hours on certain days. This perk is called Extra Magic Hours and gives you access to the theme parks one hour early and up to 3 hours later than normal park hours.
• Free Disney World Transportation.
• Earlier access to Dining Reservations and other Reservations like Golf Tee Times.



Disney World Value Resorts
There are currently 4 Disney World Value Resorts to chose from: All-Star Sports(12), All-Star Music(11), All-Star Movies(10), & Pop Century(26). (Numbers in parenthesis refer to location on Disney World Resort Map shown above.)

The Value Resort rooms are priced as low as $82 per night during the lower priced season and with discounts can be as low as $62 per night + tax.  If you are looking to stick to a budget, but still get all of the benefits of staying on the Walt Disney World Property this is the way to go.

The rooms are approximately 260 sqft, which is about the same size as a typical hotel room with most rooms configured with 2 double beds.  They can accomodate up to 4 people.

The Value Resort rooms are decorated in bright colors and the Resorts have oversized statues representative of the particular resort's theme.  These resorts work well for families with young children or people who do not plan on spending a lot of time in their room. 

Of the Value Resorts, Pop Century appears to get the highest marks.  All-Star Music has added 214 Family Suites that can accomodate 6 people and includes a mini-kitchen starting at $190 per night.

I have personally stayed at the All-Star Sports and All-Star Music Resorts.  The Value Resorts are noisier than the other resorts and feel more like typical hotel rooms.  They work great when you really won't be spending a lot of time in your hotel room anyway.  You get all of the benefits of being on Disney Property and are not treated any differently because you are at a Value Resort.

Disney World Moderate Resorts
There are 4 Disney World Moderate Resorts: Caribbean Beach Resort(18), Coronado Springs Resort(20), Port Orleans Riverside Resort(28), & Port Orleans French Quarter Resort(27). The Cabins at Ft. Wilderness are also considered to be in the Moderate Class.

The Disney Moderate Resorts have the feeling of being at a "Resort" as opposed to staying in a hotel.  Each Moderate Resort is a large sprawling campus with lush landscaping and themed water/pool areas.

The rooms are noticeably larger than the Value Resorts at approximately 314 sqft.  The rooms have nicer theming and appointments than the Value Rooms.  Each room comes standard with a mini-fridge, which can certainly come in handy.

The Disney Moderate Rooms are priced as low as $149 during the lowest priced seasons and with discounts can be as low as $104 + tax. 

The larger sized rooms in the Moderate Resorts work well for families with older children and if you plan to spend more time at the pool and enjoying the resort.  Each Moderate Resort (except French Quarter) also has a Table Service Restaurant in addition to a Food Court.

I have personally enjoyed staying at all of these Resorts, but Port Orleans Riverside is my personal favorite with the beautiful landscaping and free boat ride to Downtown Disney.  When my kids got older, I felt that the extra money to stay at the Moderate Resorts was well worth it to get the extra space and nicer pool areas.  Also upgrading to Moderates also has benefits during FREE DINING season getting the Disney Dining Plan instead of the Quick Service Dinig Plan.

Disney World Deluxe Resorts
There are 8 Disney World Deluxe Resorts: Contemporary Resort(19), Animal Kingdom Lodge(13), Polynesian Resort(25), Grand Floridian Resort(23), Yacht Club Resort(33), Beach Club Resort(14), Boardwalk Inn(14), & Wilderness Lodge(22).

As you get to the Disney Deluxe Resorts the resort theming and amenities increase along with the room size and the room prices.

To stay in a Disney Deluxe Resort you will pay from $240 per night and up.  Discounts of 25% or more can be had to lower the amount spent.

When staying at the Disney Deluxe Resorts, you are receiving a highly themed experience.  Each Resort is unique and can be considered a vacation destination unto itself.  Each has themed pool areas, top notch dining experiences, and beautiful resort landscaping and theming.  The rooms are larger at 344 sqft and up.  The decorations and furniture in the rooms is noticably nicer than the Moderate Resorts.  Even the towels are noticably better.


Each of the Deluxe Resort are worthwhile to visit and explore even if you are not staying there.  The Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge are both amazing and must be seen.  The pool area for the Yacht Club and Beach Club is called Stormalong Bay and it is almost good enough to be considered a water park.

The Deluxe Resorts also have the premier locations nearest to the Disney World Theme Parks.  The Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian are on the Monorail line connecting them to the Magic Kingdom, while the Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk Inn are all within walking distance to Epcot.

Disney World Deluxe Villas
There are currently 8 Disney World Deluxe Villas that you can stay at. These are also considered Disney Vacation Club Properties, but each can also be booked through Disney Reservations: Animal Kingdom Villas(13) & Kidani Village(34), Old Key West Resort(24), Boardwalk Villas(17), Beach Club Villas(15), Saratoga Springs Resort(29), Bay Lake Towers at the Contemporary Resort(35), Wilderness Lodge Villas(22).

The Disney Vacation Club properties are meant to be "home away from home" type accomodations, so they are larger than more other room categories and have kitchen facilities that you will not find elsewhere. 

Each Resort has its own personality ranging from the relaxing Old Key West to the adventurous Animal Kingdom Villas.

Even non-DVC members can rent these rooms through Disney Reservations.  Often discounts are offered, especially at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs.  The larger rooms work well for larger families or familes with high school age children.

Choose The Disney Resort That Fits Your Needs
There are Disney Resorts to fit your budget and to fit your needs.  Whether you just need a place to sleep while you spend long hours at the parks, or you are looking for a true resort experience, there is a Disney Resort for you.

I have found that different resorts fit needs for different trips.  I have had enjoyable trips over the last 15 years in each of the classifications.  One of the fun is having so many different places to stay, yet still be on Walt Disney World Resort property and get all of the resort benefits.

Although you are sure to develop favorites, don't forget to give some of the other great Disney Resorts a try.

One often overlooked Disney Parade is the one that occurs each afternoon in Disney's Animal Kingdom.  It is called Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade and it may be the best day time parade that runs at Disney World.

Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade
Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade is a lively processional of creative animal shaped vehicles and gigantantic puppets all moving to the beat of the music.  The parade starts in Harambe Villlage in Aftrica, makes its way towards the Tree of Life, continues around the  Tree of Life towards Asia, and completes the loop by continuing on and returning to Harambe.

Disney World celebrates Halloween in a big way each year with Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party on special nights in September and October.  For 2010, MNSSHP will be held on 24 different nights, so there is no excuse not to be there!

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party nights are: Sept. 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30; Oct. 1, 3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31; and Nov. 1.


This is one party where ALL Disney guests are encouraged to dress up.  You don't have to wear a costume to attend the party, but it is part of the fun.   You will see whole families in costume, even the adults!

Note: Disney World does reserve the right to determine that a costume may not be appropriate and ask a guest to modify or change.  This is also the one event where Disney does allow guests to wear masks, but eyes must be visible.


Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
The MNSSHP runs from 7 p.m.-to-12 midnight. (You may enter the Magic Kingdom at 4:00 pm with your event ticket.)  The special "Mickey's Boo-to-You Halloween Parade," that is not to be missed, takes place at 8:15 and again 10:30 p.m.  Tip: The 2nd parade is always less crowded and you will be able to get a better view.  Also attraction lines will be shorter during the 1st parade.

The special “Happy HalloWishes” fireworks spectacular is at 9:30 p.m. All of these special events put a special Halloween twist on your typical Magic Kingdom experience.  Even your favorite characters will be in costume.



During the MNSSHP most of the rides and attraction at the Magic Kingdom are open, so make sure that whatever costume you decide to wear is easy to move around in, and can make it on and off of the attractions.
In addition to the attractions, there is  trick-or-treating, meet and greets with characters and entertainment unique to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.  This is a fun Halloween event and like the name indicates, it is not scary and is suitable for all ages.  Note: You will probably see more of the Disney Villians than normal, in case your young ones are afraid of them.

MNSSHP Ticket Prices
Prices are $59.95 (ages 10+) and $53.95 (ages 3-9) for all dates except Oct. 29 and Oct. 31 when tickets cost $64.95 (ages 10+) and $58.95 (ages 3-9). Advance purchase (prior to event day) savings of $6 per ticket are available for the parties on Sept. 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30; Oct. 1, 3, 7, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26; and Nov. 1.

There are also additional advance purchase discounts available on select nights for DVC Members and Annual Passholders.  If you are one of these please check the DVC or AP website for more details.


Additional information is available at www.disneyworld.com/halloween. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 407/W-DISNEY.

 

One Disney World Restaurant with great ambiance for couples is the San Angel Inn located in Mexico Pavilion in Epcot.

San Angel Inn provides authentic Mexican Cuisine in a romantic setting.  Although it is perfectly acceptable for families to eat here, the low lighting levels lend themselves well to special dinners for couples.

Housed within a giant Aztec Pyramid, the San Angel Inn resides in a perpetual state of night.  The inside of the pyramid is set up to look like a Mexican marketplace under the lights in the evening.  You can see what the marketplace looks like in the picture below.  The flash from the camera makes it look brighter than it actually is.  The lower lighting levels only causes a problem for taking good pictures.  Otherwise it really adds to the festive ambiance.

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  Camerones Al Guajillo - Crispy shrimp with gaurjillo sauce served over potato relish.
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  Pollo A Las Rajas - Grilled chicken breast on a bed of poblano rice, served with a cream sauce of red peppers, onion strips and queso fresco. $24
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  Sirloin Con Chile Relleno - Grilled beef sirloin with chile ancho sauce served with a beans annd cheese stuffed pepper, poblano rive and fried plantains
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  Mole Poblano - Grilled Chicken Breast served over a bed of poblano rice with a classic mole sauce made of spices and a hint of chocolate, sprinkled with mixed nuts.