Archive for August, 2012

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Our CHINA!…here in Florida!

Posted in DISNEY'S EPCOT with tags , on August 26, 2012 by disneychronicles

Another part of Epcot that I never completely ventured into….until recently.

China has always been one of those mysterious places that I would love to travel to but I am not sure if I will ever have the opportunity.

So for now Epcot will have to do.

Yes, Phineas and Ferb brought me here! (if you have read my previous posts you will understand why!) 😀

Playing the game gets you completely immersed in this country. That’s all I’m giving away on that topic!

Enter one of the world’s oldest civilizations and discover the wonders of China. Visit the Temple of Heaven and relax in serene gardens with tranquil reflecting ponds. Discover authentic tomb sculptures from Ancient China that date back 2,000 years. There is also a miniature recreation of the tomb of China’s first emperor.

Visitors enter the China Pavilion through a large Chinese gate. The courtyard is dominated by a replica of the Temple of Heaven, which contains the entrance to “Reflections of China”, a Circle-Vision 360° movie exploring China’s history and scenery, as well as a museum containing several ancient Chinese artifacts. Reflections of China is a remarkable film that takes you on a breathtaking journey to the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China. The House of the Whispering Willows gallery exhibit, “Tomb Warriors Guardian Spirits of Ancient China,” is a replica of the famous excavation in Xi’an, China where you can explore Chinese tomb art from the Schloss Collection. courtyard is bordered by shops selling Chinese merchandise, and two Chinese restaurants. The pavilion is decorated with ponds, crossed by bridges. It is beautifully themed. Chinese acrobats also perform frequently in the pavilion.

Did you know…..

The pavilion served as the backdrop for the music video of the song “Reflection”, performed by a then-unknown Christina Aguilera, from the 1998 Disney film Mulan.

Check it out here…h8GUCQQZS64

Sample authentic Chinese cuisine at the Nine Dragons Restaurant or the Lotus Blossom Cafe.

You must visit the shops with genuine Chinese goods, such as House of Good Fortune.

The shopping is very unique and traditional…..

Total phone case envy!!….but which one do I want?!!! decisions…desicions….

 

 

So I say go ahead stop in…..you may be amazed and surprised at the beauty and by what you find when you take a closer look.

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Blizzard Beach……BRRRRRRR….ok it wasn’t cold at all!

Posted in DISNEY'S WATERPARKS, EVERYTHING DISNEY with tags , , on August 21, 2012 by disneychronicles

We finally made it to Blizzard Beach before the summer ended! yes, we went Sunday and school started Monday! 😀

Hey, it was the end of summer “hurrah”! (still counts) so to begin….have you ever heard the Blizzard Beach “Story”…the how it all began?

Well here we go…

The Story

After a freak snow storm blanketed Florida in white, a ski resort sprang up with slalom courses, toboggan slides and iceberg walkways. When the weather shifted back to hot, the whole resort started to melt. What to do?

An enterprising alligator saw an opportunity. Clad in a scarf and hat, the gator slid down the ski jump, shouting “Yahoooo!” all the way. With a big splash he landed in a pool of melted snow below the mountain, and the slushy, slippery slopes became an exhilarating water park like no other in the world!

My kids are 9 and 7, and I felt that Blizzard Beach compared to Typhoon Lagoon was more enjoyable for them. It is split into different areas based on the age of your children.  I do have to add though that Typhoon Lagoon is actually my favorite of the two. It just has a better feel for me.

But back to Blizzard..

Mount Gushmore is the centerpiece of it all! The whole park revolves around it!  The detail around Mt. Gushmore is amazing.  I must admit though some slides you will be climbing stairs to get to…and OH MY by the feel of your tired muscles you realize how high you are really going!

The lazy river is not as good as Typhoon Lagoons, the park was hardly crowded when we went, yet there was a big lack of tubes on the lazy river compared to Typhoon Lagoon. The river route is along trees so you get a lot of branches and leaves in the water. Maybe because it is the end of summer and I don’t have another time frame to compare this too but the lazy river was filthy. This could not possibly have been all from 1 day.

(So being the Disney addict that I am…Disney doesn’t disappoint me much…ever (I’m sure I  usually overlook things)…well this was a HUGE disappointment! the theming as always was AWESOME! but you just can’t overlook how dirty this was!

now before we go on I admit …Summit Plummet (oh heck NO!) is the BIG one and is one of the world’s tallest and fastest free-falling slides. Standing 120 feet tall and 13 stories high.

There will be no review here because I did NOT ride it 😀

Teamboat Springs is a family raft ride down a winding river. Big kids, teens and adults can all ride together in a large raft that holds 4 to 6 people. This was fun and actually longer then I expected.

Melt-Away Bay  is a one-acre wave pool, now this is a relaxing kind of wave pool. Nothing like the one at Typhoon Lagoon which is flat-out CRAZY…..and I absolutely LOVE!

Runoff Rapids sends you twisting down the banks of Mount Gushmore for a refreshing plunge at the bottom. There are 3 unique waterslides to choose from.  I think this was my favorite of all the slides.

Snow Stormers are 3 slalom-style racing course waterslides  that use toboggan-style mats to slide down. ok, this was scary! I will pass next time.  😀

Toboggan Racers has up to 8 riders in a waterslide race. Quick, fun and fast.

Check out the picture below….It was really fast!

Overall a FUN waterpark and you have younger kids it is really perfect!

Here’s a link to all my pics…

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151062152808853.441294.142061353852&type=3

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The HUB…Baja Grill…YUM!

Posted in FLORIDA ADVENTURES with tags , , on August 19, 2012 by disneychronicles

Had a chance to checkout The HUB in Siesta Key…liked it!

but finding parking!!!!! Grrrrrrr !!! GOOD LUCK!

It is laid out with a great outdoor seating area, live music and fans to keep you cool! The Hub Baja Grill is located at the north end of Siesta Key Village.

They serve food with a Tex-Mex flair. The kind of food that goes good with an icy Margarita! 😀

Attire is casual….very casual. Come as you are kind of atmosphere! They do cater to families also so you will have a children’s menu.

It is more of a restaurant then  a “BAR” experience. The food is good, great atmosphere as well as service AND its close to the beach!

 

 

What more do you need?!

Where’s it at?…..

5148 Ocean Boulevard Sarasota, FL

941-349-6800

Give it a try…..if you can find parking that is!


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Disney for Adults….sometimes you need to keep the kids at home!

Posted in EVERYTHING DISNEY with tags on August 17, 2012 by disneychronicles

“Disney World is a great place to take the kids. Once. Because we have to.” Can you believe MANY people actually think this!

Well I obviously don’t agree and I also believe that many adults don’t really understand all that Disney has to offer and not only for the kids!

REALLY!

 

Believe it or not I know plenty of adults who enjoy “the Happiest Place on Earth” just as much if not more!

Disney execs and imagineers work hard to ensure that adults are well catered to throughout Disney World’s four theme parks, two water parks, dozens of dining establishments, and over 20 resort hotels. You’d be surprised how much fun the place can be for “grown-ups.” Take my word for it!

Experiencing Disney World with an adult beverage in hand is an entirely different experience, if not jarring at first. Disney Hollywood Studios, EPCOT and Animal Kingdom all serve adult beverages from beer to cocktails to wine. Beer lovers should head to the Animal Kingdom to find some rare finds from Africa and India.Try turning the World Showcase at EPCOT into a global drinking game, tasting specialty drinks from each nation.  But beware, the Magic Kingdom is a dry park.

Disney also keeps its gates open late for guests staying at Disney resorts. And we’re talking late … as in 2 a.m. in some instances.  Most of the rides and some shops stay open, and it’s perfect for night-owl adults who want to enjoy the parks after most of the kids have gone to bed.

You also might not expect it, but Disney World is home to some fantastic, upscale restaurants featuring some of the world’s most renowned chefs. From Wolfgang Puck’s Café in Downtown Disney, to Todd English’s bluezoo at the Swan & Dolphin hotel to Cat Cora’s Kouzzina at Disney’s BoardWalk Area, there’s something for every palate. There’s even a AAA 5-Diamond restaurant, Victoria and Albert’s, that has a dress code and age requirement.

I do have to mention a favorite event of mine.  It is the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot.

This year it will be September 28 to November 12, 2012. No kids required to have fun!

I will blog more in depth about this event in another post because there is so much to cover but it is a great way to eat around the world!

There are also countless activities in Disney where you won’t likely find a throng of screaming children and appeal to a more mature audience. EPCOT offers a Behind the Seeds tour of their state-of-the-art greenhouses; Disney Hollywood Studios offers an Animation Academy where you can learn to draw iconic characters from animators themselves; and several resorts have their own marinas where you can rent boats of all sizes by the half-hour and hour. There is so much to do for adults and if you can visit the park when school is in session, even better.

As you can imagine Disney is also a great spot for anniversaries, proposals, and weddings. They do truly do it right!

 

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