Main Street Memories 365 - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Main Street Memories!

Thanks for tagging along with us all year! What a fun time we have had, and we have so enjoyed hearing your stories, planning your vacations, seeing your photos and just "getting to know" you better!!!

See ya next year :)

runDisney meetup

runDisney meetup

Princess Half Marathon Weekend

A little jaunt thru EPCOT with runDisney's expert Jeff Galloway!!

Too much fun!

2012 - 2013 Walt Disney World Holiday Schedule

So you wanna runDisney?

The Happiest Race on Earth!!!

If you were thinking about it, and just not sure "if you can do it"----well, the answer is YES YOU CAN!!!

Let's see if we can help, with a few tips!


Pick a Race and Set a Goal:

Start from the beginning. If you aren't running at all yet, then maybe you should consider a Royal Family 5k.

Or, if know you want to do the Disney Full Marathon, well, that is good too!

No matter which race you choose, make sure to train properly, from where you are now!

There are many websites out there, with professional programs, designed specifically for you.

Don't try to re-invent the wheel. They are professionals. Listen to them.

Here are a few I recommend:

Couch to the 5k

Jeff Galloway

Marathon Rookie

Any of these will work, if you start the plan, and stick to it!


Train Properly

Along with a training program, you need to train properly.

Get a good pair of running shoes. No. Not just some you picked up at Academy or Sports Authority. No, go to a local running store, and get "fitted" for the proper shoe. And make sure that they watch you walk, or even watch you run, and know just how you are going to "wear" on your shoes.

And yes, they are more expensive, but this price is worth it for injury free, good feeling legs after each run.

Make sure to do things like hydrate and carb-load if necessary.

Train properly. Train smart.

**Remember this: you would NOT let your kids go do something crazy, like run a marathon. You would get them ALL of the gear they needed. You would buy them protein shakes, and energy bars. You would buy them the perfect clothing for that specific weather.

Treat yourself the same way. Take care of yourself while you train, and on race day.

You will be glad you did!

Bring a friend along for the journey!

You are MUCH more likely to finish the task at hand if you have a friend to help keep you accountable, and if you have someone to train those long miles with.

So, ask your hubby, ask your girlfriend....or if you can't find anyone, go join a local running club!

Or heck...call me...I'm probably training for that run anyways, I'll be glad to run thru the Castle with you :)

Plan ahead or better yet, let Main Street Memories help you plan ahead :)

Don't go into this blind. There are a lot of details that go into planning a runDisney vacation.

Let us help you! We, at Main Street Memories, have run every single race in the runDisney series, and we are here to help you with all of that knowledge and experience.

You will need to stay at a "host resort" to make transportation easier on race day, and to and from the expo!

You will want to make sure that you have all of the times correct. When to be at the expo, when to pick up your packet, when to be in your race corral, etc

There are lots of details that go into this and you don't want to train for weeks on end, only to discover that you missed out on something fabulous!

And at the end, when you come to the Hallelujah Choir, it will make all of the training, and rainy days, and sleepless nights, and tired days, and aching muscles all worth it!!!

Go get the runDisney bling!!!

Changing or Cancelling or Postponing?!

The truth is, NO ONE ever wants to cancel a very much anticipated Disney Vacation!
But, the sad reality is that sometimes, it just does have to happen.

Even the best of planning can be intercepted by a family emergency, schedule conflict, or mishap.

So, that being said, the very best way to know your options, well, is exactly that---to know ALL of your options.

There are two types of Disney Vacation Reservations:

A) Room Only Reservations
B) Vacation Package Reservation

So, let's talk about each of these:

Room Only Reservations:

If you need to cancel a reservation and receive a full refund of your deposit, notification of cancellation must be received at least 5 days prior (6 if you book online) to your arrival date. To cancel or modify an existing reservation, you must call the Disney Reservation Agents at (407) W-DISNEY.
If you booked your reservations (and I hope that you did!!) with Main Street Memories, then just call us, and we will take care of it for you...just make sure that you give us the appropriate amount of time to make sure that you are not penalized.

The other option is to move the reservation forward to a later date. Your reservation, if any discounts were applied, will be subject to the current rates of the new reservation dates. Also at the time of the new reservation change, any additional deposit amount would be required.

Vacation Package Reservations:

If you have a full vacation package (that includes resort, tickets and dining), changes or cancellations in your package reservation can be made without penalty up until 45 days in advance of your trip.

If you cancel your reservation less than 44 days in advance, there will be a cancellation fee of $200.
Vacation Insurance and possibly airfare, the non-refundable elements of your vacation package, will also be lost at this time.
There will be absolutely NO refunds given to no-shows of a Vacation package.

**If you are making a change to your vacation package, within 44 days of your reservation, and the vacation package price is lowered, there will be a $50 fee.



**If you want to postpone your vacation package to a future date, there will be a $50 processing fee, and the rate is subject to new rates for the future date. If there were any discounts or promotions applied to your vacation package, those rates will not be transferred to the new dates, unless that promotion is still in effect.


Again, we understand that NO ONE wants to cancel a Disney Vacation, but we also are human. And we know that things do happen that are beyond our control.

Please give us a call as soon as you know that you will need to change your vacation details, and we will do our very best to make it work for you, in whatever way you need it too!

Disney Visa Offer---

Come and stay closer to your pals.

Be close to the heart of all the magic, from the Theme Parks and entertainment to
exciting nightlife, shopping and more. Save up to 35% when you stay at a select  
Walt Disney World^® Resort hotel for stays most nights 1/02—3/07/2013.
Savings for stays most nights 1/2—1/17/2013 and 1/21—3/7/2013 below:

Wifi at Walt Disney World!!

Free wi-fi is now in full effect at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Free wi-fi is now available at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Typhoon Lagoon, also. Within the upcoming months, it will also be available at the other theme parks and Downtown Disney.

To login, simply,  select the network "Disney-Guest", connect and accept the terms and conditions. Once you have done this one time, it should save it in your memory.
As of now, covered cellular carriers include AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and MetroPCS.

 -------------


 *On a personal note, I am not sure how I feel about this. I like that it is my "escape" and my happy place. And we sort of have an excuse to "check out" for a few days. So...just because it's available...doesn't mean you have to be glued to it ;)

Testimony

Just wanted to personally thank you for our magical vacation! It was the best vacation ever and I am just grateful for your time and help to make it so special! You really went above and beyond and I was even taken back at how the whole Disney experience is so tailored to each family. The look on the boys face was absolutely priceless and that just makes my heart so happy. I will forever cherish the memories that were made. We are already talking about our next visit! We have already added the water parks to our list for next time!!! Thanks again and I look forward to many more trips to come! :)  :)

----Jennifer
Remlap, AL

Magic Kingdom Height Requirements

We get lots of questions about Height Requirements, so here's a list of many of the attractions at Magic Kingdom Park, and their height requirements.

This is not a perfect list, because they are making many changes right now, but this is the bulk of it, to help you get an idea of where your little one might "measure up"

ADVENTURELAND

Jungle Cruise – no height requirement
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin – no height requirement
Pirates of the Caribbean – no height requirement
Swiss Family Treehouse – no height requirement
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room – no height requirement


 FANTASYLAND

Cinderella Castle – no height requirement
Dumbo the Flying Elephant – no height requirement
“it’s a small world” – no height requirement
Mad Tea Party – no height requirement
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – no height requirement
Mickey’s PhilharMagic – no height requirement
Peter Pan’s Flight – no height requirement
Snow White’s Scary Adventures – no height requirement

FRONTIERLAND

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – 40 inches or taller
Country Bear Jamboree – no height requirement
Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade – no height requirement
Splash Mountain – 40 inches or taller
Tom Sawyer Island – no height requirement
Walt Disney World Railroad – no height requirement


LIBERTY SQUARE

The Hall of Presidents – no height requirement
The Haunted Mansion – no height requirement
Liberty Square Riverboat – no height requirement
MAIN STREET, U.S.A.

Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade – no height requirement (travels parade route through the park)
Main Street Electrical Parade – no height requirement (travels parade route through the park)
Town Square Theater – no height requirement
Walt Disney World Railroad – no height requirement
Wishes Nighttime Spectacular – no height requirement (viewable throughout the park)


TOMORROWLAND

Astro Orbiter – no height requirement
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – no height requirement
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor – no height requirement
Space Mountain – 44 inches or taller
Stiitch’s Great Escape! – 40 inches or taller
Tomorrowland Speedway – 32 inches or taller to ride as a passenger, 54 inches or taller to drive on your own
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover – no height requirement
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress – no height requirement

Disney Fast Pass+ Test

Fun, exciting news!----

At the Walt Disney World® Resort we’re constantly looking for ways to make the Guest experience even better. As a part of these efforts, over the next several months we’ll be testing enhancements to our very popular Disney FASTPASS® service at the Walt Disney World Resort. The test, called Disney FastPass+, will allow a small number of Guests to make Disney FastPass+ selections for some of their favorite experiences at Magic Kingdom® Park before they even leave home.

During this test period, select Guests who are registered to use Disney’s Magical Express service will be offered the opportunity to go online to pre-select four Disney FastPass+ experiences at Magic Kingdom Park. Guests eligible for this test will be notified via mail, at the mailing address provided during the booking process, or you will receive it with your Travel Package from Main Street Memories!

While this exciting concept is currently only in the test phase, we’ll continue to share information on the wide range of new, innovative experiences we will be testing and implementing over the coming year, which are designed to make a Walt Disney World vacation even more magical! Stay tuned to Main Street Memories for more information.

Save up to 30% on your Walt Disney World Vacation...

Offer Details:
Book by Sept. 29, 2012, for stays most nights Sept. 30 – Oct. 6, Oct. 14-20, Oct. 28 – Nov. 3, Nov. 11-16, Nov. 24 – Dec. 1 and Dec. 10-22, 2012, and:
• Save 25% at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort Cabins
• Save 20% at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• Save 15% at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (Family Suite Rooms)

Book by Sept. 29, 2012, for stays most nights Oct. 7-13, Oct. 21-27, Nov. 4-10 and Dec. 2-9, 2012, and:
• Save 20% at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort Cabins
• Save 15% at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• Save 5% at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (Family Suite Rooms)

Book by Sept. 29, 2012, for stays most nights Sept. 30 – Oct. 6, Oct. 14-20, Oct. 28 – Nov. 3, Nov. 11-17, Nov. 24 – Dec. 1 and Dec. 10-22, 2012, and:
• Save 30% at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Standard View Rooms & 1-Bedroom Villas at Kidani Village and Jambo House), Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Save 20% at Disney’s Contemporary Resort (excludes Magic Kingdom® Park View Rooms), Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Club Level and 2-Bedroom Villas at Kidani Village and Jambo House)

Book by Sept. 29, 2012, for stays most nights Oct. 7-13, Oct. 21-27, Nov. 4-10, Nov. 18-19 and Dec. 2-9, 2012, and:
• Save 25% at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Standard View Rooms & 1-Bedroom Villas at Kidani Village and Jambo House), Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Save 15% at Disney’s Contemporary Resort (excludes Magic Kingdom Park View Rooms), Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Club Level and 2-Bedroom Villas at Kidani Village and Jambo House)

Be our Guest Restaurant

It’s almost time! You can make reservations for you and your guest at Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom® Park beginning at 7am on August 20th.

You can make reservations up to 180 days out – the very first seating will be for dinner on Nov. 19.

On the Disney Dining Plan, Be Our Guest is one quick-service entitlement for lunch, and one table-service restaurant entitlement for dinner. When booking a reservation, you will be required to provide a credit card number in advance and you will be charged $10.00 per person if a cancellation isn’t made at least one day in advance. This helps ensure that more Guests can enjoy the dining experiences available at Walt Disney World Resort restaurants.

Located at the base of the mountain below Beast’s castle, this themed venue transports diners to the magical world of “Beauty and the Beast.” Lunch is quick and casual (no reservations required), with Guest-activated terminals that make ordering a snap (there also will be traditional cashiers for cash orders and special dietary requests). Once you have ordered,  simply take a seat and lunch will be delivered to your table – on china, not paper. Dinner is table service.

Cuisine is French inspired to match the hit animated film’s theme. Dinner selections include the usual favorites like steak, poultry and fish; but with a French flair befitting of the environment. Grilled strip steak with pommes frites (French fries), French onion soup and thyme-scented pork chop are just a few of the things found on the dinner menu. For lunch, you will be able to enjoy salads like the tuna Nicoise and sandwiches such as the Croque Monsieur (ham and cheese) and grilled steak sandwich with garlic butter spread. There will also be heartier fare, like braised pork and vegetable quiche.

The restaurant features three themed dining rooms: the mysterious West Wing with the “enchanted rose;” the Rose Gallery with twirling, larger-than-life figures of Belle and Beast; andThe Ballroom with elegant details, such as a domed ceiling, twinkling chandeliers and glimpses of softly falling snow outside.

2012 Fall Free Dining at Walt Disney World

Fall Free Dining Available Today

Travel Dates: September 30 – December 13, 2012.

Walt Disney World has announced a new promotion for the Disney Free Dining discount for the travel dates listed above. Not all nights are included however, you must check in on one of the following available dates:

September 30 – October 4, 2012

October 19 – November 1, 2012

November 9 – 15, 2012

November 23 – 29, 2012

December 10 – 13, 2012

In order to qualify for the free dining offer, your must check in on one of the available dates above. Your stay can extend outside of the available dates, you will still receive the free dining for your entire stay.

Guests staying at a Disney World Value resort will receive the Quick Service Dining Plan for free. Guests will be able to upgrade to either the Disney Dining plan or the Deluxe Disney Dining plan by paying the price difference. The Walt Disney World value resorts include All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, All-Star Movies, Pop Century and Art of Animation.

Guests staying at a Disney World Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa resort will receive the Disney Dining Plan included for free. Disney World guests at moderate, deluxe and villa resorts will also be able to book the “Free Dining”, and upgrade to the Disney Deluxe Dining for the normal price difference.

Availability is limited, and must be booked by September 29, 2012. It appears that all suites, campsites and 3 bedroom villas have been excluded from this offer, as well as the standard Little Mermaid rooms the new Art of Animation Resort. All other Disney resorts, including the family suites at All-Star Music and Art of Animation, as well as the other value resorts are included in the offer.

There are a few requirements:

Three-night minimum stay required

Maximum stay of 14 nights is allowed per reservation

You must also purchase a minimum 2-day base park pass per person per reservation to qualify.

Call us today, and we will get you all set up to take advantage of Disney's best offer of the year!!
Brittney: 205.369.2399   brittney@classictravelconnection.com
Susan:  205.229.9830     susan@classictravelconnection.com

Fall Savings Alert!

Are you looking for a promotion or savings for Fall / Early Winter 2012? Check back in a few days...

2013 Packages are available!

Candlelight Processional 2012

 The Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World in EPCOT is truly one of the most wonderful Christmas presentations I have ever been to.

Disclaimer: It might have had something to do with the fact that I was at Walt Disney World with my sweet family, just 3 days before Christmas.

It might have something to do with the fact that I love Trace Adkins and he was the narrator that night.

It might just be that I'm a silly, sappy, I love Disney and I love Christmas, kind of girl...but either way. It was simply wonderful.

As of today, this is a list of confirmed Celebrity Narrators.

*Now, keep in mind, these are subject to change, if the narrator needs to make a schedule change, but this is the list as of late*

 

Nov. 23–25: Isabella Rossellini (film/TV star and wildlife conversationalist)
Nov. 26–29: Neil Patrick Harris (Emmy Award-winner, Broadway star and TV host)
Nov. 30–Dec. 1: Whoopi Goldberg (television host, actress and comedian)
Dec. 11–13: Jodi Benson (singer and actress)
Dec. 14–16: Olivia Newton John (singer and actress)
Dec. 20–22: Trace Adkins (Award-Winning Country music artist)
Dec. 23–25: Gary Sinise (actor and musician)
Dec. 29–30: Marlee Matlin (Academy Award-winning actor and TV star)

Tinkerbell Half Marathon - Disneyland 2013

Registration Opens Today!!

**But before you read it, you should know! This is a SUPER fun race thru Anaheim and Disneyland park!

And as always, RunDisney does NOT disappoint with all of their attention to detail!

Runners Get Second Chance to Earn Their “Fairy Wings’’ at Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend at Disneyland Resort

Registration opens today for the second annual event Jan. 18-20, 2013; nearly 20,000 runners expected to sign up for the women-focused weekend of events centered on health, fitness and active lifestyles

ANAHEIM, Ca. (June 12, 2012) — Starting today, runners interested in earning their ‘fairy wings’’ can sign up for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon at Disneyland Resort in January.
Registration is open at www.runDisney.com for runners interested in the weekend of events aimed at health, fitness and active lifestyles for women and girls. The second annual runDisney race weekend, scheduled for Jan. 18-20, will again be anchored by the 13.1-mile half marathon through Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park - including the new Cars Land - and the streets of Anaheim. The half marathon course will include music, entertainment and Disney characters at various junctures as well as runners in colorful Tinker Bell costumes. Runners who finish the half marathon will receive a Tinker Bell medal with its own set of wings.
The race weekend, hosted by Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim, features a variety of events, including The Never Land Family Fun 5K and the runDisney Kids’ races on Saturday (Jan. 19), and the Tinker Bell Half Marathon on Sunday (Jan. 20). There will also be a health and fitness expo Friday and Saturday (Jan. 18-19) showcasing the latest running merchandise, as well as guest speakers – all geared toward women.
The Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend is one of two women-focused event weekends in the runDisney series along with Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend, which takes place every spring at Walt Disney World Resort.  Both event weekends are among the largest women-specific events in the country.

-30-

About runDisney
runDisney is a series of events providing runners unique opportunities to run through Disney theme parks.  Race participants earn Disney-themed medals, experience legendary Disney entertainment and guest service and ultimately celebrate their accomplishments with a Disney vacation.  The original event in the series, the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna, celebrates its 20th year in 2013 and takes place in January followed by the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend in February, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler in September and the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend in November.  Disneyland hosts the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend in January and the Disneyland Half Marathon in September during Labor Day Weekend.  More than 100,000 running enthusiasts participate in runDisney events each year. For more information, visit runDisney.com and follow us on Facebook (runDisney) and Twitter @DisneySports.
 

Lights...Camera...Magic!!!

Adventures by Disney® Excursions

Adventures by Disney®, the award-winning family travel provider, invites you to go on the ultimate Southern California adventure with "Lights…Camera…Magic!" During this daylong guided group excursion, Guests will be immersed in the magic of Disney and the history of Hollywood in unique, unexpected and unforgettable ways.
8:30 a.m. - Depart from Disney's Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa at the Disneyland® Resort.

• Guided Hollywood walking tour, including a visit to the home of the Academy Awards® at The Hollywood & Highland Center (depending on theatre availability), or tour Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
• Depart for Beverly Hills, via Sunset Boulevard (home of the "Sunset Strip") to catch a glimpse of such famous spots as the Chateau Marmont and the Whiskey a Go-Go.
• Free time to explore the sights and shopping along Rodeo Drive.
• Depart Beverly Hills for the Original Farmers Market to enjoy an authentic atmosphere which offers family fun, and frequent star spotting!
• Lunch and free time at Farmers Market and just a short trolley ride away is the fabulous open-air shopping center, The Grove.
• Travel to The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank for a guided tour of the Studio Lot to visit spaces and places not open to the public - experiences only Disney can offer!
• Evening reception in Legends Plaza at the Walt Disney Studios where Disney's many gifted animators, Imagineers, songwriters, actors and business leaders have been honored.

7:30 - 8:00 p.m. - Return to Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at the Disneyland Resort.
Along the way, you will be treated to VIP access and attention provided by two Disney-trained Adventure Guides and enjoy exciting surprises and "magical moments" - including fun Junior Adventurer activities designed especially for our younger Guests.
Includes: luxury coach transportation; water and snacks throughout the day; appetizers and nonalcoholic beverages at the evening reception for all Guests; one alcoholic beverage at the evening reception for Guests ages 21 and up only; special treats and surprise gifts.
"Lights…Camera…Magic!" is available as either a stand-alone booking or as an add-on component to a Disneyland Travel package.
Tours operate weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, call Main Street Memories for availability.
Adult Price: US $199
Child Price: US $189 (ages 4-9)

More character dining at Ariel's Grotto

You now have an additional opportunity for an enchanting Character Dining experience at Ariel's Grotto at Disney California Adventure Park. Beginning June 15, 2012, Ariel and her princess friends now will be available at dinner as well as at breakfast and lunch, offering guests a meal filled with music, laughter, delicious food and the opportunity to meet Disney Princesses. Reservations for Ariel's Disney Princess Celebration start today!

Call us, and we would love to help you with your Magical Vacation.

Very Merry...or Not-So-Scary...What's your Pleasure?

Those of you who are already busy planning fall vacations will be happy to hear that tickets are now on sale for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parties.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a Halloween-themed special event held on select evenings at Magic Kingdom Park. Purchase of an additional admission ticket is required to attend, and plenty of fun is in store, including trick-or-treating, performances of Mickey’s Boo-to-You Parade and Happy HalloWishes Fireworks, Disney characters in costume, themed décor and much more.
Parties will take place:

• September 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28 and 30
• October 4, 5, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30 and 31
• November 2

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a special event that takes place on select nights at Magic Kingdom Park throughout the holiday season. Don’t miss Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade, a very special holiday fireworks display, live entertainment with your favorite characters, snow on Main Street, U.S.A., free hot cocoa and cookies, and so much more! Purchase of an additional event admission ticket is required to attend.
Parties will take place:

• November 9, 12, 15, 16, 25, 27, 29 and 30
• December 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21

TIP: Purchasing tickets ahead of event dates may get you a discount of $10 per ticket!

Night of Joy 2012

Tickets can be purchased in advance for $52.95 plus tax per ticket and on the days of the event (if available) for $62.95 plus tax. They can be purchased by calling 407-W-DISNEY or at www.nightofjoy.com.
We’re so excited. Here’s the night-by-night Night of Joy 2012 lineup (entertainment and schedule subject to change):

• Friday, September 7, 2012: Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, NEEDTOBREATHE, Red, Francesca Battistelli, Brandon Heath, Royal Tailor, Disciple.
• Saturday, September 8, 2012: MercyMe, Third Day, Kutless, Chris August, Lecrae, Yolanda Adams, Thousand Foot Krutch and Dara Maclean.

Newcomers to Night of Joy, Royal Tailor and Dara Mclean, bring the 30-year roster of artists to 150 acts.
Night of Joy is an after-hours event that requires a special ticket. Event hours are 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. each evening. While artists perform at several stages, many popular Magic Kingdom attractions also are available for guests. In addition, there are special benefits for groups of 10 or more. Additional information about individual and group tickets is available at www.nightofjoy.com.

Akershus Royal Lunch

"A Taste of Norway"

This magnificent feast includes sliced deli meats, seafood, and a grand selection of prepared salads and cheeses.

Entrees

Sandwiches are served with Potato and Fennel Salad and your choice of Corn Chowder or hearty Vegetable Soup
Seared Salmon Burger - with pickled root vegetable remoulade and your choice of soup
Open-faced Chicken Sandwich - on Sourdough Bread with Tomatoes, Arugula, Mushroom Vinaigrette, Jarlsberg cheese, and Lingonberry Mayonnaise

Traditional Kjottkake -Norwegian meatballs served with Mashed Potatoes, seasonal Vegetables, and Lingonberry Sauce

Open-faced Beef Sandwich - thinly sliced beef sirloin, wild mushroom-onion ragout, jalsberg cheese and lingonberries served wiht choice of soup.
Mushroom-stuffed Pasta - with Swiss Chard, Oven-roasted Shiitakes, and Parmesan Cream
Oven-roasted Chicken Breast - served with Vegetable Farro Risotto and Gjetost cheese sauce

Soft Drinks and Dessert included

Princes and Princesses

Guests ages 9 and under
Includes Dessert, Choice of 1% milk, small Bottled Water or Juice

Entrees

Grilled Chicken Breast - served with vegetables and roasted potatoes
Cheese Ravioli - served with tomato sauce
Pizza - with mozzarella
Meatballs - served with mashed potatoes and corn
Hot Dog - with corn
Salmon - served with vegetables and roasted potatoes
Soft Drinks Available Upon Request

Royal Chef's Dessert Plate

Served Family Style
Sweet and Savory Chocolate Mousse
Traditional Rice Cream - topped with Strawberry Sauce
Flaky Puff Pastry - filled with Mascarpone Mousse topped with fresh Berries

Beverages

All meals include non-specialty, non-alcoholic drinks such
as sodas, coffee, tea, iced tea, lemonade, punch, and milk.

Disney's Art of Animation Resorts are taking the Food Court to the next level!

From “create your own” burgers; with choices like beef, chicken or veggie burger, and then you can order your favorite toppings (to name a few: pepperjack cheese, pickles, tomatoes, onions and lettuce).

You can have a little fun with the four onstage tandoor ovens where chefs will bake bread and roast chicken, shrimp, sausage and acorn squash and other veggies –

(Tandoors are cylindrical ovens that reach very high temperatures and quickly bake, so it should be a grand onstage show for diners.)

The real treat is naan, a delicious Indian bread that’s slapped directly onto the oven’s walls and left to bake until puffy and lightly browned, perfect for wrapping all sorts of delicious food.

(pic taken from Disney Parks Blog)

You can also order Challah bread French Toast for Breakfast at the restaurant’s Mongolian grill.

And then come back to try the grilled beef and fish for lunch and dinner.

If you are looking for something a little more on the "healthy" side, you can try buckwheat waffles and pasta, multigrain rice, low-fat smoothies, egg white frittatas and make-your-own yogurt parfaits.

Or, you can just have the good ole Chocolate Chip Pancakes (my fave!)

Also, gracing the dessert menu is gelato, the Italian version of ice cream with less butterfat but bigger flavor.

And then for a little indulgence, a whole menu of coffee drinks, including iced French vanilla, iced mocha, cappuccino, espresso and more!!

Mama Melrose's Italian Restaurant

Summer Savings 2012 - Walt Disney World

You can beat the heat this summer by staying at select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels, where you can save on stays most nights June 15 – Aug. 14, 2012. Great rates allow you to stay in select Disney Value Resorts, Disney Moderate Resorts, Disney Deluxe Resorts and Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts.

Just add Theme Park tickets and you can take advantage of all the summer fun. For example, with these great summer savings you can enjoy a 6-night, 7-day vacation at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, including Theme Park tickets, for as low as $69 per person, per day (based on 2 adults, 1 junior and 1 child in a standard room)! That’s a total package price of $1,914 for stays most nights June 15 – Aug. 4, 2012.

Call us today, at Main Street Memories, to book your Summer Vacation!

Offer Details:

For stays most nights June 15 – Aug. 14, 2012:

• Save 15% at Disney's All-Star Sports Resort and Disney's All-Star Music Resort
• Save 20% at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Coronado Spring Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, and Disney's Fort Wildness Resort & Campground Cabins
• Save 25% at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, Disney's BoardWalk, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (standard views only), Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, and Disney's Old Key West Resort.

Ask about other great rates on stays in other Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

Booking and Travel Window:

• Book April 2 – June 14, 2012, for stays most nights June 15 – Aug. 14, 2012

Disney's Star Wars Weekends 2012

• May 18-20
• May 25-27
• June 1-3
• June 8-10

In addition to special Star Wars celebrities and events, visitors to Star Wars Weekends will also get to ride the all-new Star Tours -- The Adventures Continue! Be sure to stay tuned to facebook.com/MyMainStreetMemories for more Star Wars Weekends 2012 announcements

Free Disney Dining 2012 - Disney Visa Offer

**Please keep in mind as you read this...if you don't have a Disney Visa...we do ;-) So, we can make it work!

Or, if you want to pay your deposit via your credit/debit card, then we can get all of the pricing like you want it...and then have it ready to book it first thing Monday morning, March 5!!

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Travel August 25-September 29,2012

Walt Disney World has announced Disney Free Dining for Disney VISA cardholders only for the travel dates above.

Please note that in order to qualify for the free dining offer, your must check in during one of the available dates above. Your stay can extend past September 29, 2012, you will still receive the free dining for your entire stay. Availability is extremely limited, and not all resorts may be available.

Guests staying at a Disney World value resort will receive the Quick Service Dining Plan for free. Guests will be able to upgrade to either the Disney Dining plan or the Deluxe Disney Dining plan by paying the price difference. To upgrade to the Disney Dining Plan, the increased cost will be $16.55 per adult per night of your stay, and $3 per child. To upgrade to the Disney Deluxe Dining plan, guests will pay $51 per adult and $12 per child per night of your stay.

Guests staying at a Disney World Moderate, Deluxe or Disney Villa resort will receive the Disney Dining Plan included for free. Disney World guests at moderate, deluxe and villa resorts will also be able to book the “Free Dining”, and upgrade to the Disney Deluxe Dining for the normal price difference, which is $34 for adults and $9 for children three to nine per night of your stay.

Availability is extremely limited, and must be booked by May 18, 2012. It appears that all suites, campsites and 3 bedroom villas have been excluded from this offer, including family suites at All-Star Music and the new Art of Animation Resort. All other Disney resorts, including value resorts are included in the offer. Three night minimum stay required, and a maximum stay of 14 nights is allowed per reservation. You must also purchase a minimum 2 day basic park pass per person per reservation to qualify.

Please note this offer is currently only available to Disney VISA cardholders. A $200 deposit per room must be paid with your Disney VISA at the time of booking. This offer will be made available for all guests starting on March 5, 2012.


Package Requirements:

• Three night minimum stay
• Maximum stay of 14 nights is allowed per reservation.
• Minimum 2 day basic park pass per person per reservation

We are expecting this offer to be released to the general public on March 5, 2012 with the same dates, just the Disney VISA requirement removed. More details to come as we have them.

The Disney Fantasy!

How cool is this!
A shot from the live coverage of the Disney Fantasy, sailing in to the NYC harbor!

Disney's Princess Marathon Medal