New Show Your Disney Side App Transforms Your Personal Photos and Videos

We love this new Disney app that allows you to transform your own picture into your favorite Disney or Star Wars character.  It is really fun for the whole family!

The app brings your Disney Side – that side of you that comes out to play the moment you step through the gates at Disney Parks – to life like never before, transforming you into characters from our most popular park attractions and experiences.

With the Show Your Disney Side app, you can become an X-Wing Pilot from the Star Tours – The Adventures Continue attraction, a swashbuckler from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, a princess from “Frozen” and even a favorite Disney villain, Maleficent. And If you visit Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort, you can unlock special Haunted Mansion characters like the Hitchhiking Ghost and Madame Leota. It’s also possible to unlock these special characters by sharing three creations on Facebook or Twitter.

• Start with a selfie and let the app do the rest.
• Choose your Disney Side from iconic attractions and experiences like Frozen, Star Tours®, Pirates of the Caribbean®, and Villains of Disney Parks. You can unlock special Haunted Mansion® characters by visiting either Disneyland® Resort or Walt Disney World®  Resort, or by sharing three Show Your Disney Side app creations.
• Customize your characters with different costumes and frames.
• Tap or swipe and watch your Disney Side magically react! Experience thrilling special effects for each character.
• Record video of your creations as they come to life and share with friends.
• Visit Disneyland® Resort and Walt Disney World® Resort where your Disney Side will be unleashed to the fullest!
• Don’t forget to show off your Disney Side! Tag your photos and videos with #DisneySide and see how others around the world are expressing their Disney Side.

You can download the app from your app store or visit https://itunes.apple.com/app/id945289759

Things to Do in Tampa With Kids

When you think about vacationing in Florida, where do you think of relaxing?  Many people flock to Disney and Universal Parks in Orlando.  While Disney and Universal are both wonderful family vacation destinations, there is another family-oriented place that is frequently overlooked – Tampa Bay.  Most families do not fully take advantage of the amazing vacationing opportunities for younger children in Tampa.  As a mom of two boys who are very active and as a resident of Central Florida, my family spends a lot of time in Tampa. Here are my recommendations of some great things to do in Tampa with kids.

Where to Stay

Loews Don Cesar Resort- St. Petersburg, Florida: This is the nicest beachfront resort in St. Pete Beach. You can recognize this resort at the “Big Pink Hotel” located right on the ocean. Well worth your money, the Don Cesar will provide beach lounge chairs, children’s programing, wonderful restaurants, and beautiful sunsets. Located close to Tampa, you can quickly arrive at any destination in the Tampa area you wish.

Tradewinds Resort – St. Petersburg, Florida: Known to locals as a beachfront family resort, the Tradewinds provides endless activities for children and teenagers. With a giant inflatable waterslide, children’s activities daily, beach activities, and paddle boats. The rooms are spacious but need a little updating. If you are comfortable in a 3 star resort, you will be comfortable in the rooms. It is definitely a fun time for families.

Innisbrook- Palm Harbor, Florida: This resort is not beach front and it’s most well known for its golf courses, but Innisbrook is a wonderful resort for children. The rooms are in the process of being updated, and the updated rooms are wonderful! They have one- and two-bedroom suites available with full kitchens and seating areas.  The one thing about this resort is the amount of things for children to do.  There is a wonderful zero entry pool with a waterslide and sand play area. While on property, for no additional fee, children can fish, play miniature golf, and play on the playground.

What to Do

Fort De Soto State Park: Fort De Soto is a historic fort with 3 miles of protected shoreline.  They have canoeing on a canoe trail, nature trails, fishing piers, and playgrounds.  Pack a lunch and spend the day enjoying nature.  Parking is $5.00 for the day.

Florida Aquarium: The best thing about the Florida Aquarium is the outdoor water playground for children. The Aquarium itself is not one that you could spend an entire day but make sure you bring your swim trunks, sunscreen, and towels as they have an outdoor 2-acre water play area with a pirate ship that kids love.  The second great thing about the Florida Aquarium is the dolphin tour.  I have gone three times and each time seen dolphins very close to the boat. You will get wet so make sure you go in the warmer months or bring clothes you don’t mind getting wet. Cost for Aquarium Admission and Dolphin Tour is $49.90 for adults and $40.90 for kids.

Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI): MOSI is one place that we continue to renew our annual passes.  You can easily spend an entire day with the exhibits, IMAX, ropes course, playground, and inflatables.  While they do not have a place to eat on site (just snacks) there are several restaurants nearby.  I recommend Jason’s Deli or McAllister’s. You can leave and come back to the museum with your admission, just keep your wristband on. Preschool age children to adults will find this one of the most fun places to spend the day in Tampa. Admission is $22.95 for adults and $18.95 for children.

Glazer Children’s Museum: Glazer is perfect for children under the age of 7.  If you have older children, they will probably not be as interested as it is geared towards preschool and young elementary students. They can play in a giant water table, “sand” box (made of ground up tires), fly an airplane, climb through a rope maze, and play in a realistic town.  For small children, plan on spending at least 4 hours.  This is a great place for parents to have a little down time and kids to run off energy.  There are two restaurants close by: a Subway in the lobby and a 5 Guys Burgers and Fries across the street. Admission is $15.00 for adults and $9.00 for children.

Lowry Park Zoo: Lowry Park Zoo is ranked the #1 Zoo by Parents Magazine for Preschool children. What I love about it is that they don’t nickel and dime you. The zoo has 5 kiddie rides and they are all FREE.  The only thing that will cost you extra is food, feeding the giraffes ($3) and riding the horses ($5). I recommend feeding the giraffes. They have all of the animals that you would expect at a zoo. The one thing they have that is unique is a manatee hospital. When manatees are found in Tampa Bay injured or abandoned, they are brought here for rehabilitation and release.  If you go early in the morning and go straight to the manatee hospital, they will sometimes let you through the barrier to watch the abandoned manatees drink their bottles.  We have done this once and it was truly a special experience. Be advised that they will only ask if all party members are quiet and well-behaved as any noise can cause stress the young manatees. I just explained to my boys that the baby manatees were sleeping and they had to tiptoe and they did fine. Allow about 4-5 hours to explore the zoo. Admission is $27.95 for adults and $20.95 for children.

Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise: I am typically not into “touristy” things but we did this for my son’s birthday, and it was just too much fun not to mention. We allowed our kids to dress as pirates (they were 3 and 4 at the time) and they completely thought the entire experience was real.  You board a large red boat that looks just like a pirate ship. From the moment you board, all drinks are free (including wine and beer).  The staff entertain the children for the entire 2 hour tour of Tampa Bay. They give them water guns and have a battle, do a treasure hunt, play games, and have dance parties.  It was really a lot of fun and we typically don’t do those types of cruises. I highly recommend for anyone with children ages 3-12. Admission was $34.00 for adults and $29.00 for children.

Written by Kristi Gregory. Kristi is a travel agent with Destinations to Explore who lives in the Tampa Bay area. She books trips all over the world, and specializes in Florida travel including Disney and Universal. Contact her at kristi@destinationstoexplore.com or 859-229-4840.

If you find yourself hungry after a long day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, a visit to Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes might be in order! This Asian-themed quick service restaurant is located in the Asia section of the park, near Kali River Rapids. It is open for lunch and dinner.

Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes features large portions of tasty food that is a step up from what we anticipate with normal theme park fare.  The menu is interesting but fairly limited. It features freshly prepared adult entrees such as:

• Honey Chicken
• Teriyaki Beef Bowl
• Ginger Chicken Salad
• Roasted Vegetable Couscous Wrap
• Asian Chicken Sandwich
• Korean Stir Fry Barbeque Chicken

Side items include egg rolls, fried rice and French fries.  The side order of fried rice is large and can be purchased with a snack credit when using a Disney Dining Plan. You can finish off your meal with Triple Chocolate Mousse, Banana Pudding or a Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade Cup for dessert. The children’s menu has standard America, kid-friendly food like chicken nuggets, peanut butter & jelly and cheeseburgers.

Keep in mind that seating is outside and can be crowded at times. For a unique, quick-service dining experience, check out Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes during your next visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

Written by Sheri Morris, “Main Street Morris”   Sheri is a proud grandmother with a keen eye for detail. She specializes in Disney Travel for adults and RV travel.  Book your next vacation with Sheri at 804 405 5005 or at sheri@destinationsinflorida.com.

Not Riding Manta? Don’t Miss Manta Aquarium at Sea World

Even if you aren’t riding the Manta roller coaster, you can still see the incredible Manta Aquarium at Sea World! Non-riders are in for their own kind of thrill in the Manta Aquarium, with 10 stunning underwater habitats, over 100 rays, and thousands of colorful fish.

You don’t have to be a coaster enthusiast to experience your own personal connection to rays and their magnificent underwater world. With ten unique, naturalistic aquariums inhabited by more than 3000 marine animals—including hundreds of rays and a giant Pacific octopus—The Manta Aquarium invites you to share in the wonders and mysteries of the sea. A unique 360-degree pop-up aquarium puts young visitors right in the center of the undersea activity.

Manta’s 3,000 fish and rays eat almost 300 pounds of food each day. In comparison, Shamu eats close to that each day, too.

This is a walk-through exhibit with access to all areas.

Four Seasons Walt Disney World Video Tour

Within the gates of Walt Disney World Resort, discover Central Florida’s only resort to receive the coveted AAA Five Diamond Award. The Resort has a perfect blend of Four Seasons experiences and Disney offerings — for family time, for romance or for special events.  Create a Four Seasons-only getaway in Orlando, with golf, spa, dining and a fun-filled island for kids, or make the Resort your  base for a Disney adventure.

Discover as much fun or pure relaxation as you seek with our incredible on-site recreation, including a world of family fun at Explorer Island, a complimentary kids’ camp, Tom Fazio golf, an adults-only pool, a world-class spa, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and so much more.

EXPLORER ISLAND

Explorer Island is a family playground with two water slides, a zero-entry family pool, a splash pad, a rock climbing wall, sand volleyball, games and more.

GOLF

Take your golf game to the next level with professional instruction, a driving range and a putting green.

THE OASIS

Our chic adults-only pool is the ideal place for couples and adults to relax and unwind in a tranquil lakeside setting.

KIDS CAMP

Kids For All Seasons is our complimentary camp for children ages 4 to 12. Unique in the Orlando area, the program is housed in The Mansion, and is available daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Kids can enjoy a couple of hours of fun, or the whole day – parents can drop kids off and sign them into Kids For All Seasons at their leisure.

DINING

Choose from four vibrant restaurants in Orlando: a rooftop Spanish-style steakhouse specializing in expert cuts, tapas and fresh Florida seafood; a delectable Italian restaurant in an indoor-outdoor setting; a lively, southern-inspired poolside restaurant; and Plancha, our golf clubhouse restaurant serving Cuban-American cuisine. In the lobby, you’ll find a great bar overlooking the lake, as well as Lickety-Split, a colourful coffee bar complete with culinary creations to go.

And much more!

Book your Disney & Orlando vacation with a local travel agency. World famous services, free gifts, guaranteed lowest prices, and all at no cost to you! Book your vacation with the local experts – we live where you’re traveling! Call 877-918-8941 or visit us online

 

“Rock the Universe” Christian Music Festival at Universal Sept 11-12 2015

Rock, ride and rejoice at Rock the Universe^® only at Universal Studios Florida^®. Experience two nights of soul-stirring songs from Christian music’s hottest stars, along with guest speakers, a Candlelighting Ceremony and more. It’s an unforgettable weekend of faith and fun.

On September 11 & 12, Universal Orlando will host Florida’s biggest Christian music festival, Rock the Universe, and we’re psyched to pass on the star-studded lineup.

On Friday, mainstays of the Christian rock scene Switchfoot will take to the stage to perform their soul-stirring hits. Later that evening, Christian music giants Newsboys and Crowder will captivate the crowd with powerful hits of their own.

On Saturday, the riding, rocking and rejoicing continues with more of the genre’s biggest stars, including the Grammy award-winning Casting Crowns. Also performing on Saturday are international fan-favorites Jesus Culture and Planetshakers.

Full Lineup:

FRIDAY	SATURDAY
Switchfoot Newsboys Crowder Kari Jobe Kutless Family Force 5 Capital Kings All Things New Aaron Gillespie Waves of Glory winner	Casting Crowns Jesus Culture Planetshakers Tenth Avenue North Building 429 Andy Mineo NF Nine Lashes Rapture Ruckus Shine Bright Baby Waves of Glory winner

And don’t forget—your RTU ticket gives you access to all the award-winning attractions offered at Universal Studios Florida. You’ll also have the chance to hear inspirational guest speakers, grab autographs in the FanZone, and experience a special candlelighting ceremony on Saturday night. PLUS, you can be part of a special Sunday Morning Worship service held right here. It’s an entire weekend of faith and fun.

Tickets go on sale soon!

New Be Our Guest Breakfast at Walt Disney World

The popular Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom Park is now serving breakfast.  The Be Our Guest breakfast is a counter service meal with prices of $19.99 per adult and $11.99 per child.

The fast casual breakfast menu has a decidedly French touch; each meal begins with a pastry basket for sharing. Your entrée options include assorted cured meat and cheese served with marmalade, fresh fruit and a toasted baguette. You can also enjoy eggs Florentine served in a puff pastry shell with country ham and roasted plum tomatoes. Even the open-face bacon-and-poached-egg sandwich has Brie.

If you’re looking for something a little lighter, choose the scrambled egg whites with roasted tomatoes, multigrain croissant and fresh fruit. Or go with a vegetable quiche with mushroom, zucchini, bell pepper, onion and chive, served with seasonal fruit. The prix fixe menu will also include a selection of self-service beverages.

But the decadent start to the day is the Croissant Doughnut: a fried doughnut topped with banana caramel sauce, chocolate ganache and whipped cream. (True vacation indulgence!)

The kids’ menu includes brioche French toast with fresh fruit, scrambled eggs with Applewood bacon and fresh fruit, fruit crepes with yogurt and fresh fruit with a berry foam, cereal and oatmeal.

Guests can make reservations beginning March 17 for dates March 20 through June 18, 2015 via DisneyWorld.com/dine, the My Disney Experience app, or by calling 407-WDW-DINE. Advance reservations are encouraged. Disney Dining Plan will be accepted.

When planning a Walt Disney World vacation, you might consider adding one of the Disney Dining Plans to your reservation. By adding a dining plan, you will save money and avoid the worry of setting aside funds for meals since your plan is paid for in advance. Disney’s Quick-Service Dining Plan is easy to use and offers many options.

For each night of your Quick-Service Dining Plan package, each person in your group, ages 3 and up will receive

2 Quick-Service Meals
for Breakfast
1 entrée or 1 complete combo meal
1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage

for Lunch and Dinner
1 entrée or 1 complete combo meal
1 dessert
1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage

1 Snack
Snack options are endless! While you can get a box of popcorn, water or fruit with your snack credits, I recommend that you try a huge cupcake or smoothie instead. Just look for the special symbol that will easily identify the items included.

The Quick-Service Dining Plan must be purchased for entire length of stay for your whole party. Unused dining credits expire at midnight on day of check-out.

1 Rapid Fill Resort Mug per Guest (3 and up)
May be used at any quick-service restaurant at your Disney Resort hotel and refilled as often as you like!

There is no need to use your dining credits in any particular order. Keep in mind that you will likely get the best ‘bang for your buck’ when using the meal credits for lunch or dinner as these meals include dessert!  Breakfast usually costs less so you would be better off to pay out-of-pocket for this meal. Portion sizes are large so you might consider sharing a meal to make your credit stretch further.

It is not necessary to make advance reservations for most of the Quick-Service meals. You might choose to pay out-of-pocket for one special Table Service dining experience during your vacation.

As you consider the eating habits of your family and the way you intend to tour the theme parks, Disney’s Quick-Service Dining Plan might be the best choice for you during your next Walt Disney World vacation.

Written by Sheri Morris, “Main Street Morris”   Sheri is a proud grandmother with a keen eye for detail. She specializes in Disney Travel for adults and RV travel.  Book your next vacation with Sheri at 804 405 5005 or at sheri@destinationsinflorida.com.

Under the Sea Journey of The Little Mermaid Refurbished

Under the Sea Journey of the Little Mermaid recently had a renovation in January 2015. It is much brighter and better! Come along for a ride on this updated ride.

Learn More About Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid: Enter Prince Eric’s castle through an underground cavern at low tide, board a colorful clamshell and take the plunge. You’ll become part of a world where mermaids dream of dancing, fish form a conga line, evil sea witches ensnare souls and unlikely pairs fall in love… and live happily ever after.

Hear all of the movie’s most memorable songs and relive its most magical moments as you glide through this Audio-Animatronics-driven, Omnimover-style darkened ride, from Ariel’s gadget-filled grotto to a boisterous crab-conducted bandstand to a sinister eel-infested lair.

Emerge from the ocean’s depths and watch as Prince Eric and Ariel exchange intimate gazes aboard a rowboat then celebrate their union with a fairytale wedding finale. Immersive special effects make you feel like you’re really there, while new hand-drawn animation sequences depict Ariel as she is best known and loved.

On your undersea journey, you’ll encounter an ocean of beloved characters from the film, including Ariel, Prince Eric, Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle, King Triton and Ursula the sea witch—looming over you at 7.5 feet tall and 12 feet wide!