Disney World has announced a new discount package for Value Resorts in addition to the recently announced Discounts for Moderate and Deluxe Resorts.

If you purchase a Disney World Package including a Value Resort (All-Star Sports, All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, or Pop Century Resorts) room & park tickets for 5 nights and get 2 additional nights and 2 additional days of park access for FREE.

This promotion is good for most nights from 11/1/09 - 11/20/09, 12/10/09 - 12/24/09, and 1/3/10 - 3/27/10.

You may book this deal by using rate code: GQA

Reservations may be made on-line at http://www.disneyworld.com/ or by calling Disney at (407) 939-1318 or through your own Travel Agent.

The Disney Dining Plans are not included, but may be added to your package for an additional fee.

This offer is good through December 20th, 2009.

Starting today Disney Parks has announced its new promotion for 2010 to replace the "Free Birthday" promotion of 2009. It is keeping the overall "What Will You Celebrate?" theme, but adding a new element of service to people who would like to get a free day at a Disney Park, whether it be one of your favorites at Disney World or at Disneyland in California.

The new promotion is called:
"Give a Day. Get A Disney Day." The idea is that if you volunteer a day of service to a qualified organization, Disney will give you a one day Disney Park ticket.

From the DisneyParks.com website:

BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2010, when you sign up here (www.DisneyParks.com) to volunteer a day of service with a participating organization(and your service is completed and verified) you'll get one day admission to a Walt Disney World® or Disneyland®theme park, FREE! We want to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service.

From the WDWNews.com website:
“In 2010, we want to recognize and add one more reason for celebration: the contributions people make to their communities every day,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We want to inspire 1 million volunteers – people who will invest time and energy to make their own communities and neighborhoods a better place.”

To enable people to sign up for an eligible volunteer project, Disney is working with HandsOn Network, the nation’s largest volunteer network. Part of Points of Light Institute, HandsOn Network has 250 on-the-ground volunteer action centers across the country and connects volunteers to more than 70,000 nonprofit agencies that need their help.

“Wherever we live, our communities need our hands-on help to thrive,” said Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light Institute. “We are thrilled at this unprecedented effort by Disney Parks to help mobilize 1 million volunteers into action. ‘Give a Day, Get a Disney Day’ has the potential to reach so many families and instill the volunteer spirit in a new generation.”

Bob Iger, president and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said, “‘Give a Day, Get a Disney Day’ fits perfectly with our long history of supporting and participating in volunteer efforts. It’s a great way to honor guests who are making a positive contribution to their communities.”

Learn More About "Give A Day. Get A Disney Day."
For full list of terms and conditions for the offer go to: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/index?name=Give-A-Day-Get-A-Disney-Day-Terms-Conditions-FAQs


This sounds like an interesting promotion, and won't be bound to the travel restrictions of being able to travel to a Disney Park on your actual birthday.

The promotion doesn't start until Jan. 1, 2010, and service that you perform prior to that date doesn't count. If this sounds like something that interests you check out the website link above to get all of the necessary details.

Disney will be airing commercials soon and will formally announce this promotion on Good Morning America this morning.

Catastrophe Canyon has been a part of Disney World since Disney’s Hollywood Studios first opened on May 1st, 1989.

Although the Studio Backlot Tour itself has changed several times during the past 20 years, the one constant for the attraction has been Catastrophe Canyon.

Catastrophe Canyon adds an exciting element to the Backlot Tour. The premise is that you are on a live movie set and you get to experience the special effects first hand.

Catastrophe Canyon
The 200 seat open air tram you are riding in pulls in to the Canyon set during your Backlot Tour.

Once the tram comes to a complete stop, you are introduced to the set and they demonstrate how they can make it rain on a movie set with special sprinklers creating realistic rain.

















They point out the sprinklers and lure you into a false sense of security before the real action begins.


After the rain stops, the tram is shaken unexpectedly by a simulated earthquake and fire starts to break out on the set.

The tram is really moved about during the earthquake, and you begin to be drawn into the action surrounding you.

The fire builds and spreads to an oil tanker truck.

You can really feel the heat of the flames as the fire builds.


















Then torrents of flood waters start rushing into the canyon.

It builds quickly and appears that a giant wave will overtake the tram and wash you away. The effect of the flash flood is exciting and thrilling. If you are on the left side of the tram you are the closest to the action and may get a little wet.



You think that a tidal wave is going to overwhelm the tram and wash you away.

Then magically the water flow reduces to just a trickle and then stops altogether.

Once the tram gets underway again they take you to the back of the set to see how it was constructed. You get to see the powerful pumps and water canons that were used to create the simulated flash flood.



Sadly the tram then carries you back to the real world again and your Disney World experience of being in the movies is over all too quickly.

• More than 300 national and international wines


• More than 76 kinds of international foods, each appetizer-sized portion priced $2-$7


• More than 160 of America’s most celebrated chefs and Walt Disney World chefs


• 405 wine and beer seminars


• More than 1,200 fireworks rockets exploding each night over World Showcase Lagoon in “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” grand finale to the festival


• 135 Eat to the Beat! concerts performed


• 33,000 bottles of wine and champagne


• 1.2 million hors d’oeuvre plates


• 2.1 million Vanity Fair napkins


• 750,000 beer cups


• 690,000 sumptuous samplings


• 600,000 forks


• 338,000 wine glasses


• 100,000 miniature desserts including crème brûlée, traditional apple strudel, Grand Marnier parfait with Orange Coulis and warm chocolate lava cake with Bailey’s ganache


• 3,000 gallons of soup, including cheddar cheese soup (Montreal marketplace), chicken and coconut soup with mushrooms, lemongrass and ginger (Bangkok, Thailand marketplace) and Mealie soup with crabmeat and chili oil (Capetown, South Africa marketplace)

One of the newest attractions in Disney World is the American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Patterned after the very popular American Idol TV show, the American Idol Experience features a competition between contestants trying to show that they have the necessary singing talent to be the next American Idol.

After already deciding ahead of time that I probably wasn't going to like it, I agreed to check it out with my family, who are big American Idol fans.

The theater that the show is held in is very impressive. Like the old Who Wants To Be A Millionaire set, they did a great job creating the American Idol Experience theater. As you can see in the pictures, the lighting and set props are amazing.

While waiting for the show to start a Cast Member comes out and warms up the audience. He did a great job and got us ready for the show.

The format has 3 guests that have auditioned earlier in the day, perform during each show. During each day there are seven shows and then a finale that has all of the day's earlier winners battle for the overall winner for the day. The Prize: A Go To The Front Of The Line At A Real American Idol Audition Anywhere In The United States. This is what they call "The Ultimate FastPass!"

Back to the show, once they introduce the 3 contestants, they have them sing one song each. After they sing they face the panel of judges, that are coincidentally very similar to that famous trio of Randy, Paula, and Simon.

The Randy and Paula clones provided constructive criticism while the Simon clone said something with a meaner spirit. The audience was encouraged to boo the Simon clone if we felt that he was too mean.

After all 3 sing, they have a quick recap and then it is time to vote. Here the audience in the theater gets their chance to support their favorite.

Finally they announce the winner and then the show is over.

I have to admit, I enjoyed the show. The contestants were better than I expected. I was very impressed with the theater and the "judges" were very good also. All in all I thought it was a good representation of American Idol and good entertainment.

If you enjoy American Idol at all, it is worth your time to check out this new Hollywood Studios attraction. As an added bonus the theater is air conditioned and provides a nice escape on a hot day.

Disney World has many different dragons represented from the playful Figment to Mulan's Mushu, but there is only one Dragon Slayer that is immortalized in Epcot.

In the platz, or plaza, of Epcot's Germany Pavilion you will find a tribute to the most famous Dragon Slayer of them all, St. George.

The statue of St. George shows him in the act of slaying the dragon as told in the legends.

As the story goes, a dragon was tormenting a town in Libya. It first demanded to be given two sheep each day to keep it from destroying the town.

When the sheep were all gone it next demanded that one child to be given to it each day. So each day a child was chosen by lottery to be sacrificed to the dragon.

When the king's daughter, the princess, was chosen by lottery she too was to be sacrificed to the dragon. She was then dressed all in white and brought outside the city walls to await her fate.

Along came a knight named George from another land, and he saw the princess outside the city walls. She begged him to flee so that dragon would not harm him, but instead he chose to bravely face the dragon.

An epic battle ensued, and George fought valiantly and slayed the vile dragon that had killed so many of the townspeople.

St. George, as he become known, is considered to be the patron saint of soldiers and his statue is considered to be a symbol of protection. Almost all villages in Germany have a statue paying tribute to St. George.

The one in Epcot is patterned somewhat after the statue in Rothenburg, pictured here.






















The Disney World Imagineers used elements of German legends, culture, and history to create what you see in the Epcot Germany Pavilion.

The World Showcase in Epcot provides many similar opportunities to learn about the culture and histories of the other countries represented. Take the time to notice the details and don't be afraid to ask the Cast Members questions.

If you have never looked for Hidden Mickeys before consider adding this fun activity to your next Disney World Vacation plans.

Join me as I represent Only WDWorld at the final running of the "Race For The Taste 10K" at Disney World which will occur on Sunday October 11th.


The race has been held the last several years in conjunction with the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.

Registration for the race is currently 82% full and October 4th is the last day to sign up, so there is no more time to procrastinate. You can sign up at Disney Endurance Series.


You don't have to be a professional runner to participate. If you have the will to persevere and can meet the 15 minutes per miles pacing requirement, then you can compete.


If you are like me, the event is not about winning, but rather experiencing the journey. This event really sounds cool, so I am training in order to be able to experience it firsthand.

DISNEY’S RACE FOR THE TASTE 10K Features:

Where else do you have the opportunity to go through Disney's Hollywood Studios and Epcot all before 8:30 am? Ok, you don't get to ride any of the attractions or take in a show, but it is still cool to be in the parks at that hour before they are officially open.


The race course starts at Disney's Wide World of Sports then travels through Disney's Hollywood Studios. Then you run along the walkway to the Boardwalk, past the Yacht Club and Beach Club Resorts before continuing on the Epcot's International Gateway. A quick trip around the World Showcase lagoon and out the front on Epcot to the Finish Line.

Other Race Highlights:

• Along the way Disney will provide on course entertainment.
• Athlete refreshments at the finish line.
• Timed event with online results.
• Awards presented to the top three male, female, military, and age group winners and male and female champions in the masters and wheelchair divisions.
• Canned food drive to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.
  

Post Race Picnic

At the Disney’s Post-Race Picnic runners can choose 3 of the following 4 Food & Wine Festival Offerings (just announced) :

• Argentina Beef Empanada with Tomato Salsa (Buenos Aires)
• Arroz Con Pollo (Chicken with Rice) (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
• Maple Glazed Salmon with Lentil Salad (Montreal, Canada)
• Strawberry Shortcake (United States)

There will also be Disney entertainment face painters, Kids’ Races and the Awards Ceremony. This is included with race entry.

10K participants will also receive:

Collectible pint glass

Personalized bib (if registered before September 15)

Goody bag

Disney's Race for the Taste 10K finishers’ medal (New medal design for 2009!)

Bonus for 2009 - Fall Race Challenge:

If you compete in the Race For The Taste and at least one of the other two Disney Endurance Series Races this Fall: Expedition Everest™ Challenge OR The Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror 13K, you will receive the exclusive bonus medal (pictured) for your achievement in addition to your individual event medals.

Don't Miss Out

This looks like a really fun event, and an experience that you will remember for years to come.

Sign up before its too late and you miss out. Be sure to leave a comment on this Blog Post if you are participating, so I know to look for you.

I hope to see you there!

So you love visiting Walt Disney World with the family and you've always wondered if it could be a fun adults only trip. Well, the answer is a resounding YES!


Walt Disney World is a great place to visit even if you don't bring the kids. Today's blog will list why it makes a great Adults Only trip and why you should consider taking this trip in October.

1. During October the Weather is great in Florida. The average high is 85 F and the average low is 65 F.
   


2. The crowds are low during October and the kids are all in school. This makes a great opportunity for a 3 to 4 night, long weekend stay.
   


3. During the entire month of October the Epcot Food and Wine Festival will be in progress. This festival includes over 25 kiosks in the World Showcase that serve appetizer sized portions of foods from countries all over the world. Each kiosk also serves beer and wine from that country. The festival also includes many free wine and beer tasting seminars in the park each day. This event is enjoyed best for adults travelling without children and many people (including myself) travel to Disney in October just for this festival. Visit Only WDWorld - Food & Wine Festival Posts for details on all of the special events going on during this festival.



4. Walt Disney World has many wonderful restaurants that make for a romantic dinner for two. This is a great opportunity, especially if your previous experience with Disney World restaurants is limited to Chef Mickey's and other character based meals. Instead try Le Cellier (Canada in Epcot), Chefs de France (France in Epcot), Flying Fish (Disney Boardwalk), Jiko (Animal Kindom Lodge), or one of the Grand Floridian's restaurants: Citricos, Narcoossee's, or Victoria & Albert's.



5. During October the Magic Kingdom holds Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party during many nights of the month. This is a special separate ticket event that runs from 7:00 pm until midnight. Although, it also caters to kids, adults can dress up in costume and have fun also.
   
   
6. Low rates can be had during October. Through September 26th there is still the opportunity to book FREE Dining Packages (Purchase Disney World Resort room and Park Tickets and get a Disney Dining Plan Free!) or book special room only rates. More Details - Current Disney World Discounts.
   
   
7. Taking an adults only trip can allow you to spend time at the attractions that you enjoy most.
   
   
8. Lastly, you can set the pace. Go fast, go slow, it's all up to you. This will possibly be a new experience for you if you've only visited previously with children.
   
   
9. Take in all of the wonderful Disney World details that you have never been able to notice before and enjoy!
   
   

So take my advice and when you are planning your next adults only trip, consider the Walt Disney World Resort during October.

One of the best features of the Disney Dining Plan at the Walt Disney World Resort is the fact that you get dessert with each Quick Service meal AND you also get dessert with each Table Service meal.

That means even without indulging yourself with sweet laced snacks, you can enjoy dessert twice a day while enjoying your vacation.

Somewhere, someone should add "dessert at least twice a day" to the definition of vacation.

For all of you dessert lovers out there, here are some of the favorite desserts enjoyed from a recent visit to Disney World:

From Chefs de France:

• Creme Brulee - Vanilla creme brulee served with a Madeleine
• Profiteroles au chocolat - Puff choux with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

From 'Ohana:

• 'Ohana bread pudding served a la mode with Bananas and Caramel Sauce

From Wolfgang Puck Express:

• Creme Brulee

From Le Cellier:

• Chocolate on Chocolate Whiskey Cake - finished with Honey-Thyme Anglaise and a Chocolate-Vanilla Walnut Sauce
• Chocolate "Moose" - Chocolate Mousse rolled in Toasted Chocolate Crumbs with Maple Leaf Antlers

From Tony's Town Square:

• Ice Cream Bomb - chocolate and vanilla ice cream covered in rich chocolate sauce
• Tiramisu - espresso soaked lady fingers, whipped mascarpone and dark chocolate shavings

From the Tangierine Cafe:

• Baklava

From Sunshine Seasons:

• Asian Chocolate Cake
• Butterfinger Cheesecake

Finally, from the Coral Reef:

• Bailey's and Jack Daniel Mousse - topped with a ganache and chocolate cigar
• The Chocolate Wave - served with brandied cherries
• 

One of the things that makes Disney World so great is all of the little touches and details that they use to tell their stories.


Here are a few examples found in the Magic Kingdom at the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor attraction in the queue area outside the main theater.





















Starting off is a bulletin board that shows supposed newspaper and magazine clipping from reviews of the Laugh Floor show with the headline "Here's What The Critics Are Saying".

Comments such as:

• "These Monsters are so funny it's scary!" from the Monstropolis Horn
• "I laughed. I cried. Then I laughed again. Then I cried one more time. Then I sighed. Then I coughed. Then I had a lozenge." from the Monstropolis Voice
• "Five tentacles (out of eight)" from The Tentacle Times.
• "Two claws way out!" from Ebola and Rodent.

Many people will never even notice this bulletin board, but those who take the time will love it and be further drawn into the story Disney World is telling.

Next is a bulletin board not unlike ones that people in workplaces across America may see in their lunchrooms or break rooms. It contains a variety of "work related" postings and other miscellaneous postings from co-workers.

Here are some of the examples:

• Monster Occupational & Safety Hazard Poster (This poster is hilarious. Click on the picture so that you can read the whole thing. The Disney Imagineers did a great job putting this together.)
• Repetitive Scare Injury (RSI) poster with top guidelines like: #2 For every mean face, make a happy face; #5 Sing after you scream; & #12 Wash your claws after every shift.
• Index card post for: "Bowling Team Tryouts Friday at 6:00 pm (slitherers welcome)"
• The infamous roommate wanted post: "Single Eyed Monster seeks 3-eyed room-mate to share 2-monster cave. Running water. Nice View. No Fire breathers."

Lastly is a vending machine with some unusual snack choices:

• "Primordial Ooze"
• Want some candy ? How about a "Same Old RACCOON Bar"
• "Sugar, Salt, & Fat"
• Don't forget the pouch of "Polyvinyl Chloride"

Details Everywhere

These are just a few of the details put into an area in which you only spend a few minutes while waiting to get into the theater for the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Show.

You may have walked by them yourself without ever even noticing them before.

What you would notice is if they weren't there at all, because then it wouldn't be Disney World anymore. We come to expect all of these details that bring the stories and attractions to life for us.

These details are what fill in the pieces and provide depth to the stories they tell. This is what allows frequent visitors to always find new things to notice even on attractions they've visited many times before.

Enjoy your next visit to Disney World and don't forget to take the time to pause in front of a bulletin board to check out the items posted on it. You won't be disappointed.

• Visit their favorite Disney Princess in her castle, cottage, or chateau to share a dance with Cinderella; celebrate Sleeping Beauty's birthday with the Good Fairies; or join Belle in an enchanting story performance in the Beast's castle library.


• Be Our Guest and dine in one of three enchanted rooms inside the Beast's castle.
  Fly with Dumbo high above brand new circus grounds, twice the size of the existing attraction with a new interactive, three-ring circus tent.


• Journey under the sea with Ariel, The Little Mermaid, in her very own attraction - also opening at Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim in 2011.


• Meet Tinker Bell and her friends in the magical world of Pixie Hollow.

Breaking News Story From The D23 Expo:

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Sept. 12, 2009) /PRNewswire/ — Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo detailed plans for future lands, attractions and adventures that will be delighting Disney guests for years to come, at the first D23 Expo. Most notable among the announcements were the confirmation of an all-new Star Tours attraction.

"Storytelling is the DNA of Disney dreams and we're always exploring new ways to tell new stories in new places," Rasulo told a crowd at the Anaheim Convention Center in California before taking them on a "behind-the-magic" tour of their favorite Disney destinations.

Rasulo announced that a new 3-D version of the tremendously-popular "Star Tours" attraction will debut at the Disneyland Resort and Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2011.

Based on the iconic Lucasfilm "Star Wars" films, the attraction will include immersive new elements that will take guests to many familiar places in the Star Wars galaxy.

Here is a video clip showing what the new Podrace sequence for the next generation Star Tours may look like:




In an exciting scene from the new Star Tours, guests aboard Starspeeders will join in a high-speed pod race through the desert canyons of Tatooine. 2009 © Lucasfilm Ltd.TM and Disney © All Rights Reserved.

Can't wait until this long needed update to the Star Tours attraction occurs.

With the upcoming release of the Toy Story Mania Video Game for the Nintendo Wii only a week away, let's take a look at the continuing popularity of the real Toy Story Mania attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

There are great deals and discounts available for the Walt Disney World Resort for travel this October, November, and December. The best part is that these deals are available to everyone, not just members of a special club or people with connections.

Here are the deals that are currently available:

Free Dining Promotion
This promotion allows everyone in your room to receive a FREE Dining Plan for your stay if you buy a Disney World package that includes: Disney World Resort Room and Magic Your Way Tickets (at least a 1 day base ticket per person is required to qualify for this promotion).

If you choose to stay at one of the Value Resorts you and your party will receive the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan FREE for your stay. Discount Code = EVK.

If you stay at one of the other Walt Disney World Resort Hotels (moderate or higher) you will receive the Disney Dining Plan for yourself and each person staying in your room for FREE. Discount Code = NAR.

This promotion is for stays most nights 10/2-11/24/2009, 11/29-11/30/2009 and 12/7-12/17/2009.

For more information about the different Disney Dining Plans go to: Only WDworld Dining Plan Fact Page

28% & More Disney Resort Room Discounts

If you do not want to purchase a package, there are great discounts available for Room Only Reservations.

From October 4th through December 24th (with the exception of Nov 25-28) there are discounts at all of the Disney World Resorts.

At the Value Resorts discounts range from 28%-30% with an unbelievable rate of only $59 per night for a standard room from Nov.29th - Dec 17th.

Moderate Resorts are 35% off with standard rooms for only $96 per night from Nov. 29th - Dec 17th.

Discounts are even greater for Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Rooms, up to 39% off regular rates.

All of these Room Only rates can be obtained with booking code = FSC.

Make Reservations Now

These great deals are available for booking through September 26th. You can obtain these rates online at http://www.disneyworld.com/, call Disney Travel at (407) 939-7539, or book through your Travel Agent using the codes provided.

Take advantage of these great rates before they go away!

When visiting the Disney World theme parks, you have to be on alert to catch all of the special surprises that are hidden in the attractions and surroundings. If you are rushing from one attraction to another you may miss the best parts of Disney World: the Details.

Many of you are familiar with hidden Mickeys (Mickey Mouse head shapes that are worked into various items throughout Disney World), but there are many other secret surprises out there for guests who have a sharp eye and an inquisitive mind.

Here is one for you to look for during your next visit to Disney's Animal Kingdom:

In the final stage of the ride queue for the DINOSAUR attraction, you will notice a lot of pipes. As you descend the stairs to the floor level where you will board the ride vehicle, look back in the direction in which you entered that room. You will see three pipes running horizontally across the room over what appears to be a large electric transformer. You will notice that there are words and chemical symbols on the pipes.

Take a look in the picture (you probably need to click on it to expand it):

















The surprise is that these chemical names refer to the ingredients for ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise in a tribute to McDonald's who was one of the original sponsors of the attraction.

Instead of taking the rumor at face value, let's investigate a little further to see if it is true. By researching each of the ingredients listed here is what we get:

Red Pipe: Ketchup

• Lycopersicon lycopericum (should be Lycopersicon lycopersicum) = tomato
• C6H12O6 = Sugar or Corn Syrup
• CH3COOH = Vinegar
• (C6H12O6) = Another Sugar (part of the symbol is blocked by the pipe clamp)
• NaCl = Salt
• Allium cepa = Onion

Yellow Pipe: Mustard

• CH3COOH = Vinegar
• H2O = Water
• Brassica juncea = Mustard Plant
• NaCl = Salt
• Curcuma Longa = Turmeric
• Allium sativum = Garlic

White Pipe: Mayonnaise

• Glycine soja = Soybean Oil
• Ovae = refers to Egg, in this case Egg yolks
• CH3COOH = Vinegar
• H2O = Water
• NaCl = Salt
• C6H12O6 = Sugar (or Corn Syrup)
• Citrus limon = Lemon Juice

Conclusion

If I was on the show Myth Busters, I would have to say that this Myth has been CONFIRMED. Those chemical names and symbols on the 3 pipes actually do refer to the ingredients for Ketchup, Mustard, and Mayonnaise.

This is just another example of the great level of detail that the Disney Imagineers went to make the attractions realistic and fun for their guests.

So next time that you are in line to ride DINOSAUR, point to the red, yellow, and white pipes and amaze your friends. You get extra points if you print this out and are able to translate each of the ingredients for them.

After a recent visit to the Walt Disney World resort to take advantage of the FREE Dining promotion, I thought it would be interesting to find out how much our FREE Dining was worth.

During our trip we had 6 days on the Disney Dining Plan. There were 4 of us (myself, my wife, our son, & our daughter). Since both of my children are 10 or older (10 & 12) we all counted as “Adults” on the Disney Dining Plan. That gave us 24 Table Service credits, 24 Quick Service Credits, and 24 Snack credits to spend during our trip.

Before I get into the numbers, I will say up front that we would not have eaten this much if we were paying out of pocket, but since this is what we were given, we enjoyed it to the fullest. I will also mention that keeping all of the receipts to track these expenditures is much easier said than done. Fortuately I was able to keep them organized in order to add everything up.

The Table Service Credits
We used each of our Table Service credits for our evening meal each day. Also, since we had Park Hopper privileges we ate Dinner at Epcot restaurants 4 of the 6 nights.

Here is the breakdown:

• 16-Aug Chefs de France $ 177.01
• 17-Aug Le Cellier $ 182.95
• 18-Aug Tony's Town Square $ 126.29
• 19-Aug Coral Reef $ 159.52
• 20-Aug Ohana $ 123.50
• 21-Aug Le Cellier $ 179.78

This came to a total of $949.05 not counting the tips, which weren’t covered by the Disney Dining Plan.

The Quick Service Credits
We used the Quick Service credits based upon the park we were visiting that day. We chose the best of the Quick Service locations based upon research gained from prior trips and looking at the menus ahead of time. We did change our mind slightly from our pre-trip plan to eat what we were in the mood for that day.

We used 20 credits towards lunches and 4 towards breakfasts. Many of the places provided enough food for 4 people with only buying 3 complete meals. This allowed us to save some for breakfast items. This was part of our plan to minimize out of pocket spending during our trip.

Details:

• 16-Aug Flame Tree Barbecue 4credits $ 67.18
• 17-Aug Captain Cooks 2 credits $ 22.83
• 17-Aug Pinocchio's 3 credits $ 45.27
• 18-Aug Tangierine Café 2 credits $ 39.68
• 19-Aug Sunshine Seasons 3 credts $ 53.05
• 20-Aug Wolfgang Puck Express 4 credits $ 82.22
• 21-Aug Fairfax Fare 2 credits $ 21.88
• 21-Aug Toy Story Pizza Planet 4 credits $ 54.40

This came to a total of $386.51

The Snack Credits
The snacks were used mainly for breakfast items and refreshing treats during the 90+ degree August days. Additional dessert items were not really needed since we got a dessert with each meal.

We did use 4 snack credits on the morning we checked out to get breakfast items as we left. It is important to remember that the credits do not expire until midnight on the day that you check out. If you have a late departure time, you can use credits from any category on you departure day.

Details:

• 2 Ice Cream Sandwiches $ 8.50
• 9 Smoothie/Shake/Froz Lemonades $ 33.98
• 10 Muffin/Danish/Cinn. Bun $ 28.86
• 3 Diet Coke/ Powerade $ 7.74

This came to $79.09

The Total
The actual total for the food that was purchased with our FREE Dining credits equaled $1,414.65. This is quite an impressive total.

I will stress that although we purposely chose the better Table Service restaurants, we ate what we liked, as opposed to just ordering the most expensive items.

The dining is only enjoyable if you like what you eat, and you make the most of the experience. All of the savings in the world does you no good if you had a miserable experience.

If we had purchased the dining plan for the trip, we would have seen a 38% savings versus paying cash for everything.

Conclusion
Dining at Disney World can be very expensive, so FREE Dining is a great perk. By planning ahead and choosing restaurants that have either the food or entertainment that you enjoy, the Disney Dining Plan can greatly enhance your vacation.

I can personally add that it is wonderful to be able to allow your family to order whatever they want on the menu (yourself included) without worrying about the price.

Disney World is still currently offering Free dining promotions through December 17th. Check the Disney World Website or with your travel agent for more details.

Kouzzina by Cat Cora is now open for business at Disney's Boardwalk in the location that was formerly called Spoodles.


Cat is the first and only female to appear on Food Network's “Iron Chef America”. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York and has gone on to be an executive chef for Bon Appétit magazine.

Cat has also hosted instructional cooking demonstrations for Disney Video on Demand,and been a featured chef at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.


The Kouzzina is a Mediterranean inspired restaurant serving breakfast from 7:30 - 11:00 am and dinner from 5:00 - 10:00 pm.
























From the menus shown in the pictures here are some of the entrees:

Breakfast:

• Turkey Sweet Potato Hash with two eggs and arugula salad
• Vegetable Flatbread - Scrambled Eggs, Roasted Peppers, Spinach, and Feta.
• Stacked Kouzzina Breakfast - 2 Poached Eggs, Kalamata Olive Toast, Artichoke Spread, and Sweet Potato Hash
• Spinach, Tomato, and Feta Scrambled Eggs

Dinner

• Oak Fired Pork T-Bone with Farmhouse Greens and Citrus-Fennel Marmalade
• Cinnamon Stewed Chicken with Tomatoes, Herbed Orzo, and Marithra Cheese.
• Traditional Whole Fish - Pan Roasted with Braised Greens, Greek Olives, Fennel, and Smoked Chili.
• Slow Cooked Lamb Shank - Served with oven baked Gigantes Beans and Pepper Sauce.
• Fisherman's Stew - Scallops, Seasonal Fish, Shellfish, Fennel, Grilled Bread, and Ouzo Butter.
• Wood Grilled Flank Steak - with Fresh Herb Saitsa and Kouzzina Potatoes.
• Pastitsio - Greek Style Lasagna with Bucatini Pasta, Cinnamon Stewed Meat Sauce, and Bechamel.
• Char-Grilled Lamb Burger with Olives, Feta, and crisp Sweet Potato Fries.
• Spiced Briami - Oven Roasted Vegetables, Oregano, Marithra Cheese served with Herbed Orzo.

• From the Children's Menu you will find:
• Breakfast:
• Fresh Fruit Plate
• Mickey Waffle
• Pancakes
• French Toast

Dinner:

• Grilled Chicken Breast
• Grilled Fish of the Day
• Cheese Pizza
• Meaty Macaroni

Kouzzina will be a welcomed addition to Disney's Boardwalk, providing yet another wonderful Dining option for those who want something different to eat something beyond the ordinary while on their Disney World Vacation.