If you are not staying at one of the Epcot area resorts (Boardwalk Inn, Boardwalk Villas, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan, or Dolphin) you may not have thought to visit the Boardwalk, but it is definitely worth the trip.

Getting to the Boardwalk
You can get to the Boardwalk by exiting Epcot through the International Gateway and taking the 5 minute walk or the boat launch. From Disney’s Hollywood Studios you can take the Boat Launch. From the other Disney parks and Downtown Disney you can catch a bus headed to the Boardwalk Resort.

So Many Dining Choices To Choose From
The Dining venues vary from the extremely casual to one of Disney World’s Signature dining experiences. Let’s check them out:



For the quick bite on the run, or if you prefer to eat while you are checking out the Boardwalk entertainment there are a couple of options:
• Boardwalk Pizza Window – Order a pizza (whole or by the slice) at the window next to Kouzzina.
• Boardwalk to Go – This kiosk style eatery provides typical fair type food: Hot Dogs, Meatball Subs, Chicken Sandwiches, and fries.
• Seashore Sweets - Come here to satisfy your sweet tooth and pick up some candy or ice cream.
• Boardwalk Bakery – This bakery serves Danishes, pastries, and desserts from early morning until late at night. They also serve sandwiches.



What can be better for a sports bar than to have a connection to ESPN? The ESPN Club is the epitome of sports bars with 100 video monitors and great food and drinks to enjoy. This is the place to enjoy the big game during your Disney World vacation.  Here is the ESPN Club menu.



The Big River Grille and Brewing Works brings their own selection of micro-brewed beers for you to enjoy, along with a full menu for your dining experience. This is the only working brewpub in the Walt Disney World Resort. You can watch the beer being made and enjoy one of the house specialties like: Hazelnut Crusted Chicken, Flame Grilled Meatloaf, and New York Strip and Scampi.


Cat Cora, the only female Iron Chef, has opened her own restaurant at Disney’s Boardwalk called Kouzzina by Cat Cora. The Kouzzina menu reflects Cat’s Greek heritage with tasty traditional Greek entrees infused with her special flair. The setting is casual as you take in the open kitchen with wood burning grill and oak-fired ovens.


Last, but not least, is the one of Disney World’s Signature Dining Experiences at the Flying Fish Cafe. This restaurant with onstage kitchen specializes in fresh seafood dishes. The chefs pride themselves on culinary innovation.  It is a wonderful place to go celebrate a special occasion and have an incredible meal. Here is the Flying Fish Cafe Dinner Menu.

Boardwalk Fits All Dining Needs
Whether you are looking to grab something on the go, want to enjoy a sumptuous meal, or something in between the Boardwalk has the answer. With all of the different choices you can keep coming back and not have the same experience twice.

When you are making your dinner choices for your Disney World vacation, don’t forget about this little area not far from Epcot’s World Showcase.

The Disney World version of Tomorrowland depicts "The Future That Never Was."  During a recent visit these posters were spotted touting the upcoming events for the Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center.

• Touch Down and Camp Family Wagons
• All Atmosphere Portable Habitats
• Low Gravity ATV Hover Cycles
• Cryogen Rated Backpacking Gear
• L-5 Cosmic Condo Timeshares
• Hot and Cold Meteor Showers
• Solar Sail Catamarans

• Preview Outer Planet Vacation Spots in their Holo-Torium
• Zero Gravity, High Impact Aerobics Seminars
• Ammonia Surfing Virtual Simulators
• Hand-Tooled Asteroid Belts
• A seminar to "Cope with Warp-Lag and have a fun vacation"

The other upcoming event to mark on your calendars is the "Space Collectibles Convention."  At this convention you can see Exotic Off-World Plants, Meet Famous Celebrity Aliens, & Taste Tantalizing Intergalactic Food.

Features:

• Rare Memorabilia from the Galaxy M-31 Multi Worlds' Fair
• Classic Marswood Furniture
• Fantastic Faraway Fossils
• The Latest Galaxy M27 Sports Equipment
• One Of A Kind Mercury Marble Statues
• Amazing Asteroid Art

Those that come early can register to win a trip for two aboard the Martian Princess Space Yacht.

Discover Tomorrowland
During your next visit to the Magic Kingdom take the time to take in all of the details and learn a little more about "The Future That Never Was."

Dining during your Walt Disney World Resort vacation should be one of the highlights of your trip.  One way to make sure that you have a wonderful dining experience is to take advantage of the Disney Dining Plan or one of the other Dining Plans that are offered exclusively to those who are staying at either a Disney World Resort or a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Resort.

The Disney Dining Plan is a pre-paid meal option that can be added to your vacation package to make your vacation an "all-inclusive" experience.  This can reduce stress during your vacation, help with budgeting for your trip since you will know how much you will be spending on dining, and it can save you money.

Disney Dining Plan Basics
Here are some basic highlights of the Disney Dining Plan:

• The plan is based upon the number of nights you stay in a Disney Resort hotel.
• You must purchase the plan for the entire reservation period. (example if you are staying at the Polynesian Resort for 6 nights, then if you choose the Disney Dining Plan, you must purchase it for 6 nights).
• Everyone staying in your room or suite must participate.
• Adults are considered to be anyone ages 10 and up.
• Children are considered to be anyone from ages 3 through 9.
• Children under the age of 3 cannot participate, but they may eat food from their parent's plate or food may be purchased separately at each dining location if desired.
• Upon check-in you will immediately have access to all of your dining credits for your stay.
• You may "spend" the credits in any order and use at any time during your stay.  You are not limited to one per day per person of each category of credits.
• There are 3 categories of credits to spend: Table Service, Quick Service, & Snack.
• Table Service is a restaurant where you sit down and are waited on.  You can order off a menu or choose food from a buffet, depending upon the restaurant.  For the Disney Dining Plan: One (1) Table Service credit entitles you to an entree (or buffet), a non-alcoholic beverage, and a dessert.
• Quick Service is a restaurant where you order at a Counter, receive your food and then take it yourself to your table.  For the Disney Dining Plan: One (1) Quick Service credit entitles you to an entree (or combo meal), a non-alcoholic beverage, & a dessert.
• Snacks are items that a considered to be single serving in nature and generally sell for $4.00 or less.  Snack Credit eligible items are designated on posted menus with the Dining Plan Snack symbol.

Where Can You Use Dining Plan Credits?
The Disney Dining Plan credits can be used at over 100 different restaurants throughout the Walt Disney World Resort.  You can find a list of participating restaurants at: Only WDWorld Disney Dining Plan Fact Page.

You will find dining locations in each of the Disney theme parks, at each of the Disney World Resorts, Downtown Disney, and the Disney Boardwalk.  There are very few dining locations on the Disney property that do not participate. 

What About Character Meals?
There are 10 different dining experiences with characters that only cost one (1) Table Service credit with the Disney Dining Plan.  Some favorites include: Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort, Princess Storybook Dining in Epcot, & Cinderella's Happily Ever After Dinner at the Grand Floridian Resort.

Dinner Shows & Signature Dining Opportunities
You can even use the Disney Dining Plan to attend one of Disney World's Dinner Shows or eat at several of their Fine Dining experience restaurants.  Each of these does require the use of two (2) Table Service Credits per person.  Here are some of your options: Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, California Grill at Contemporary Resort, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Narcoossee's, Hollywood Brown Derby, Citrico's, Jiko - The Cooking Place, Artist Point, & Flying Fish Cafe.

You can also use your Dining Plan credits (2 per person) to eat at Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom for Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table.

How Does The Dining Plan Work?
After you check in to your resort the Disney Dining Plan Credits are added to your Keys To The Kingdom Card (aka room key).  Any time that you wish to spend your credits at a Dining location, you tell your server (or cashier at a Quick Service Restaurant) that you are using the Disney Dining Plan.  If you need help they will explain what will be included during your meal.  You will order off of the normal menu like everyone else.  Rarely are any items on the menu considered "off-limits."

At the conclusion of your meal, you will give your card to your server, who will process the transaction and give you a receipt that shows how many credits you just used, and how many are remaining.  Gratuities are not included, so you will have to pay for those separately, but they can be charged to your room.  Only one person from the party needs to show the card.  The credits for the entire family are pooled together and can be accessed from anyone's room key.

You can continue to consume credits until they are either all gone or you have reached midnight on the day that you check out.  At that point any unused credits expire.

For More Disney Dining Plan Information
You can find more information about the Disney Dining Plan with current prices, plan options, and restaurant lists to print out at: Only WDWorld's Disney Dining Plan Fact Page.

"Caputo flour imported from Southern Italy, San Marzano tomatoes, handmade Fior de latte mozzarella, water from a local spring just like the springs in Italy's Campania region make our pizza as authentic and delicious as that on the streets in Naples."

"Noted for making "one of America's 10 greatest pizzas," and "Best Pizza in Midtown", Naples 45 was awarded the coveted certification of "La Vera Pizza Napoletana," in recognition of serving authentic Neapolitan pizza made with traditional ingredients, methods, and wood-burning ovens - one of only two such awards in New York City."

ESPN invades Disney World and takes over Disney's Hollywood Studios again this year for the 2010 version of ESPN The Weekend on February 25th though 28th.



Some of the athletes attending:
Current NFL Players: Chad Ochocinco from the Cincinatti Bengals, Devin Hester from the Chicago Bears, Maurice Jones-Drew from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Rashard Mendenhall from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Steven Jackson from the St. Louis Rams, Brian Dawkins from the Denver Broncos, & Adam Vinatieri from the Indianapolis Colts.

Former NFL Legends: Marshall Faulk, Darrell Green, Thurman Thomas, & Mike Alstott.
Current MLB Players: CC Sabathia & Joba Chamberlain from the NY Yankees
Former MLB Legends: Jim Palmer, Curt Shilling, & Frank Thomas
Former NBA Stars: Scottie Pippen & Robert Horry
Gold Medal Winners: Shawn Johnson - Gymnastics & Misty May Treanor - Beach Volleyball
 
ESPN Personalities Appearing:
Mike Golic & Mike Greenberg, Karl Ravech, Ron Jaworski, Trey Wingo, Mark Schlereth, Tedy Bruschi, Jon Kruk, John Anderson, Colin Cowherd, Sal Palantonio, & Dick Vitale

Events:
Each of the 4 days is filled with events including live versions of the popular shows you watch on ESPN or hear on ESPN Radio. 

Highlights include:

• Mike and Mike in the Morning
• ESPN First Take
• The Herd with Colin Cowherd
• Baseball Tonight
• A performance by the Harlem Globetrotters
• Walt Disney World  Pro Soccer Classic
• Champion 5K
• Inside ESPN Live Athlete Q&A Sessions
• Interactive Sports Zone
• Motorcade with athletes and Disney Characters

For full details visit the ESPN The Weekend Website.

In a garden next to the Mad Tea Party in the Magic Kingdom, you will find a unique sign.  Inscribed on the sign are the following words:

Be good at something; it makes you Valuable...Have something to bring to the table, because that will make you more welcome.
- Randy Pausch

This sign is part of the tribute that Disney World has created in memory of Dr. Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon Professor who is most widely known for his "Last Lecture."

Disney's connection to Dr. Pausch is that he was actually a Disney Imagineer for a period starting around 1995 as he took a sabbatical from his teaching at Carnegie Mellon to fulfill a lifelong dream.  He served in the Disney Imagineering Virtual Reality Studio.  After he completed his sabatical he continued the relationship with Disney and provided students for the Imagineering Intern program and served occasionally as a consultant.

The PR Newswire had this quote from Bob Iger regarding Randy Pausch shortly after his death:

"Randy Pausch lived his life inspiring his students, colleagues and co-workers. Now, the vitality and energy he brought to his classroom lives on and serves as an inspiration to millions of people he never had the chance to meet," said Disney President and CEO Bob Iger. "We are proud to honor Randy's passion by supporting the innovators and dreamers of tomorrow with these fellowships."

The Mad Tea Party was chosen as the location for this sign because Randy had a picture of his niece and nephew enjoying this ride on his desk.

In addition to being remembered through this unique sign, Disney has also created the Disney Memorial Pausch Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon which will support two graduate students, one in the School of Computer Science and one in the College of Fine Arts.  This mixture of Computer Science and Fine Arts mimicked Pausch's passion for the combination of the two disciplines.

His determined interest in the benefits of having these two areas work together led to the development of Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center.  The Center has artists and technologists working together creating projects that entertain, inform, inspire, or otherwise affect audiences.

Randy Pausch Continues To Inspire
Randy Pausch inspired people long before his famous Last Lecture.  Disney has done well in choosing to uniquely honor him with this sign in the Magic Kingdom.
 
 "Be good at something; it makes you Valuable...Have something to bring to the table, because that will make you more welcome."

Taking a family vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort is a memorable experience. 

As time passes and your children grow up, each trip to Disney World continues to bring new fun and more memories to enjoy.

One great idea for families is for them to establish their own family tradition for their Disney World trip.  Look beyond the typical picture in front of Cinderella Castle and create something that is unique and meaningful to your family.

Some families have traditions where they always eat at the same restaurant on the first day that they arrive.  Others may have their traditional Dole Whip or other special treat.  While still others have a special ride or attraction that they ride together and perhaps get their picture taken.

Family traditions do not have to be something expensive, its just another activity that is uniquely yours that makes your trips special to you.

One tradition that my family has established is having the kids pose in Great Britain in Epcot in the main plaza.  What started as a fun place to pose for a picture is now, something that must take place for each trip.  Looking back it is great to have these pictures and see how they have grown over the years.
Establish Your Own Disney World Family Tradition
You can easily pick a place for your family to establish its own tradition.  Even if you have visited many times before, it is never too late to start a new family tradition.  With so many restaurants, rides, attractions, recreational activities, and photogenic locations at Disney World the difficult decision will be how to choose just one or two.

Maybe you can start a tradition of everyone going to Club Cool in Epcot and tasting all of the soft drinks, even the Beverly.  Well, maybe you can skip the Beverly.

At World Showcase Plaza there will be a first ever topiary of Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse re-enacting the famous Grant Wood painting “American Gothic.”

Besides all of the flowers, topiaries, and gardens there will also be entertainment. The Flower Power Concert Series returns again with 3 free shows nightly during each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the festival. The concerts take place at the America Gardens Theater in the World Showcase.

Epcot Flower Power Concert Series Lineup
• Jose Feliciano March 5-7
• Paul Revere and the Raiders March 12-14
• David Cassidy March 19-21
• Starship Starring Mickey Thomas March 26-28
• Tony Orlando April 2-4
• Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone April 9-11
• The Nelsons April 16-18
• Atlanta Rhythm Section April 23-25
• Fran Cosmo(former singer with Boston) April 30-May 2
• Davy Jones May 7-9
• Chubby Checker & The Wildcats May 14-16

Flowers, Entertainment, & Education
During the 17th Annual Flower & Garden Festival which runs from March 3 – May 16, 2010, a full 75 days, you will get to see beautiful gardens, be entertained, and have a opportunity to learn.

Each year Disney brings in expert gardeners and horticulturists to give seminars during the festival, for the guests that would like to re-create at little of this magic in their own gardens back home.

Pictures never seem to do justice to the splendor that you see when you visit Epcot during the festival first hand. The sights and smells are wonderful. It truly lets you know that Spring has arrived.

If you have never visited during the Flower & Garden Festival please make an effort to see it in 2010. For those that have visited previously, know that this year’s festival is bigger and better than ever before. Take the time to stop and smell the roses, literally, at Epcot this Spring.

Through March 27th, 2010 you can book great Room Only deals for Walt Disney World Resort Hotels.  These deals are available for everyone (no special membership required)!

The deals are divided up by Resort Classification and length of stay.  The higher the Resort classification and the longer the stay, the greater the savings! 

Value Resorts
25% Off for stays of 1 to 4 nights for most nights from 1/1-3/27/10 and 4/11-6/3/10.
30% Off for stays of 5 nights or more from 1/1-1/3/10, 1/10-1/11/10, 1/18-2/1/10, 2/7-2/9/10, 2/15-3/27/10 and 4/11-6/3/10

Moderate Resorts
30% Off for stays of 1 to 4 nights for most nights 1/1-3/27/10 and 4/11-6/3/10
35% Off for stays of 5 nights or more from 1/1 - 1/3/10, 1/10 - 1/12/10, 1/21 - 3/27/10 and 4/11 - 6/3/10

Deluxe Resorts
35% Off for stays of 1 to 4 nights for most nights 1/1-3/27/10 and 4/11-6/3/10
40% Off for stays of 5 nights or more from 1/1-1/11/10, 1/19-3/17/10, 3/24-3/27/10 and 4/11-6/3/10

Deluxe Villa Resorts
40% Off for stays of 1 to 4 nights for most nights 1/1-3/27/10 and 4/11-6/3/10
45% Off for stays of 5 nights or more from 1/1-3/27/10 and 4/11-6/3/10

Reservations
Book your stay online now, or call (407) 939-2662 or your Travel Agent today and ask for booking code QNY Room Offer. Only a limited number of rooms are available at these special rates.

Great Quick Service Dining Experience
In you are on the Disney Dining Plan or Disney Quick Service Dining Plan this is one of your best Quick Service Dining Credit values and was ranked in Only WDWorld's Top 7 Quick Service Locations in all of Disney World.

Part of being on vacation is to explore and try something different and there is no place better than Epcot's World Showcase to accomplish that. The Tangierine Cafe combines the exotic setting with great food to make it an ideal place to enjoy a meal.


The departure from typical theme park fare is what makes it appealing and enjoyable. Whether you come for the Shawarma platters or the Baklava, you won’t be disappointed.

The outdoor seating area will allow you to watch the people strolling along or even provide a great location to hear Mo ’Rockin, when they are performing.

We would highly recommend visiting the Tangierine Café the next time you are at Epcot.

No matter whom you go to for advice, almost any Disney World expert will tell you that planning is one of the most important things that you can do prior to taking your Walt Disney World Resort vacation.

With the money that you have to invest to take a trip to Disney World, it only makes sense a certain amount of planning is required.  But how much planning is really required?

Today we will discuss the MUST DO list for planning your Disney World trip and then list some other recommended areas to plan for those that enjoy planning.  You will find that many frequent visitors to Disney World look forward to the planning phase almost as much as actually being there.

MUST DO Disney World Trip Planning
When it comes to planning, the first key is when to start.  Many people will start planning a year or more out, but you should start planning at least a little more than 6 months before your intended trip.


Here’s why: Dinner reservations and reservations for some activities start at 180 days out. In order to be able to participate in the activities that you want, you need to start your planning prior to that date.

MUST Do Planning List
• Determine the length of your stay – The length of your stay will determine the discounts you are eligible for and the number of activities and meals that you will have time for during your vacation. Disney World Pricing and Discounts are best for stays of 5 – 7 nights. This will help you get the lowest per day cost and take maximum advantage of discounts that are offered.

• Pick Your Travel Dates - By choosing when you will visit, you set the framework that everything else builds upon. This will determine what special events will be going on during your visit and crowd levels. Review the article: “When to Take Your Walt Disney World Vacation“ to get helpful advice on when is the best time to go for you and your family.

• Choose A Resort – Staying on the Disney Property can significantly heighten the vacation experience as the Disney World Resort Hotels are all highly themed and provide significant other benefits like extended park hours and free transportation (even to and from the Orlando Airport!). There are 4 classifications of Disney Resorts to choose from: Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villa. Your choice will depend upon your budget and personal vacationing preference. If you plan on spending a lot of time at the resort and resort pool, then look towards Moderate or higher classifications. If you are just looking for a place to sleep then the Value resorts may be the best choice for you.

• Decide whether or not to use one of the Disney Dining Plans – The Disney Dining Plans add another level of convenience to your vacation as your vacation becomes almost an all-inclusive package. This removes a lot of stress and still gives you a great amount of flexibility in your dining choices. If used properly you can also save a significant amount of money by using the Dining Plans. Get more details here: Only WDWorld Disney Dining Plan Fact Page.

• Make Dining Reservations – The increased popularity of the Disney Dining Plans has also increased the popularity of several of the Disney World Restaurants. This has made it near impossible to just walk up to a restaurant and get a table. Who wants to leave their vacation to chance? Use the on-line reservation system or call (407) WDW-DINE and make your reservations ahead of time, so that you are guaranteed to get a seat at the restaurant of your choice, when you want it.

Recommended Pre-Vacation Planning
• Become familiar with the 4 theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, & Disney’s Animal Kingdom) and their layouts.

• Order Free Maps from http://www.disneyworld.com/ – These are great looking maps. They provide a fun activity for the family and generate pre-trip excitement.

• Order Free Disney World Planning DVD – This is strongly recommended. The DVD gives a great overview of Disney World and what to expect.

• Make a rough plan for each day. – By rough plan, we mean just what park would you like to visit each day (or no park at all). You do NOT need to plan activities down to the hour. Give yourself the flexibility to see what interests you and take in the sights. Racing from one attraction to the next causes you to miss a lot of the magic that Disney World holds.

• Make a list of Must Do attractions for everyone in family. – By making a list ahead of time and letting each person pick the top Must Do’s on their list, you can determine a course of action that is fun for the whole family.

• Check Only WDWorld often in order to hear the latest Disney World news and get ideas on lesser known attractions to visit.