Off to WDW!

After a grueling few weeks between work and shoveling snow, glad to get away for a few days of fun and relaxation with family and friends at one of our favorite destinations!

Bags are packed, car is loaded and we're out the door! More snow over night, thankfully flight still showing on time. Leaving earlier than planned, just to be safe. Hopefully we will leave behind the cold and find warmer temps upon our arrival, in spite of the recent cold spell!

We'll be joining friends who began arriving over the past couple days for a fun-filled week in the Treehouse Villas, part of the Sarasota Springs Resort and Spa celebrating a very special occassion :)

As always, will have my laptop with me, so watch for updates and pictures on the Blog and Facebook plus Twitter throughout the days we are there!

We're Off!

Mr. Duck Shares the 'Spotlight' with Daisy!

One of my favorite Donald Duck releases from the Walt Disney Classics Collection is the scene from Mr. Duck Steps Out (1940).

The first releases, an Opening Title, Donald & Daisy ("Oh Boy, What a Jitterbug"-NLE of 5,000) and Dewey ("I Got Something For Ya"-Open Edition) made their debut five months after the collection itself made its debut in March, 1993.

Remaining Nephews, Huey ("Tag-Along Trouble") and Louie ("Tag-Along Trouble"), both Open Editions as well, followed in October, 1993. The last release from this short was an Open Edition release of Donald, holding a picture of Daisy ("With Love From Daisy"), pictured above.

I wasn't aware of the Walt Disney Classics Collection and/or the Walt Disney Collectors Society until Mary joined me into the Society in November 1993 (the Society's Charter Year) as one of my Christmas gifts that year. As I began doing research, I realized sculptures I had seen late 1992 at the Disney Store (and amazed at how 'on the mark' they were), were part of this collection.

When I saw Jitterbug Donald & Daisy for the first time in a catalog (pictured with Dewey), I knew this was a sculpture I wanted in my collection. Sadly, I could not find a dealer who had in stock and a couple places had already begun to sell at secondary pricing, which was a little to steep for me. Thankfully, they released the sculpture of Donald holding the picture of Daisy and remember purchasing immediately when my dealer (at that time) received in stock.

The Nephews soon followed that purchase. Dewey (as a Valentine's gift from Mary), then Huey, Louie and the Opening Title. I still wasn't giving up on Jitterbug Donald & Daisy and it wasn't until about five years later, I was able to purchase from a collector downsizing their collection and luckily at issue price. My scene was complete!

No sculptor credit has been given for Jitterbug Donald & Daisy. Donald's Nephews were all sculpted by Bruce Lau and Kent Melton sculpted Donald holding the picture of Daisy.

Fast forward to 2009 ... The Walt Disney Classics Collection introduced a new collection in 2004, Quintessentially Disney, known to many as the Spotlight Collection. This collection came to be as a way to revisit key characters in a fresh and exciting way, while still maintaining the artistic integrity of the overall line.

The solution that came out of this challenge was to base new poses on the original model sheets produced for each character. (For those unfamiliar with the term, model sheets are reference pages created by a lead animator that depicts an animated character striking a variety of key poses and facial expressions.

Daisy Duck ("What A Gal" pictured above), sculpted by Patrick Romandy-Simmons, made her debut in this collection in January, 2009. Up until this point, other than the Gold Circle release of her as Donna Duck from Don Donald and as a member of the Mickey Mouse Club, Daisy has always been released as a multi-character sculpture, sculpted with Donald and/or Donald's Nephews.

This new release of Daisy, at least to me, captured her sassiness. I liked this one from the photos but waited until I saw in person to actually purchase. I finally saw in person last month at WDW and immediately contacted my dealer and placed an order as I knew I wanted this version of Daisy in my collection.

When Daisy arrived, wasn't sure how I was going to display. How many others have had this problem? I then decided to work her into my Mr. Duck Steps Out scene (pictured above) and very pleased with the overall look. Using a rotating riser for Jitterbug Donald & Daisy and various size acrylic risers for Donald w/picture and Nephew Duck gave some depth to the scene and the Donald Duck Anniversary Clock made for a nice accessory backdrop, supplying the music as Mr. Duck Steps Out! :)

A 'Topsy-Turvy Tea-Tottler' Pours His Last Drop!

Sales Reps and Authorized Dealers were advised today of the suspension and sold out status of the Mad Hatter ("Topsy-Turvy Tea-Tottler") from Disney's Alice in Wonderland (1951).

The Mad Hatter, sculpted by Tony Cipriano made his Spotlight Debut in the Quintessentially Disney Series in October, 2006 as an Open Edition release.

Special Note Regarding Suspensions: When an Item is Suspended it is out of stock and there are no plans to re-order for at least a year. However, it could be decided to change the status from Suspended to Retired (Dry Retirement) at some point.

If interested in a suspended item, you may want to check with retailers regarding availability as there is no guarantee that the item could be put back into production and its status changed back to active status.

A 'Playful Pixie' Steps Out of the Spotlight!

Sales Reps and Authorized Dealers were advised today of the suspension of Tinker Bell ("Playful Pixie"). Tinker Bell was part of the 1st wave of releases in the Quintessentially Disney Collection, known to most collectors as the Spotlight Collection.

Tinker Bell, sculpted by Patrick Romandy-Simmons made her debut in September, 2004 as an Open Edition release.

Special Note Regarding Suspensions: When an Item is Suspended it is out of stock and there are no plans to re-order for at least a year. However, it could be decided to change the status from Suspended to Retired (Dry Retirement) at some point.

If interested in a suspended item, you may want to check with retailers regarding availability as there is no guarantee that the item could be put back into production and its status changed back to active status.

Even More Changes for the Magic Kingdom!

When Walt Disney originally began visioning his new world that became Disneyland, he pictured Fantasyland as a place where adults and children alike could find themselves as part of their favorite Disney movies.

While Disneyland's Fantasyland and Castle courtyard was given a makeover years ago to help bring the park closer to this goal, Disney World's version of Fantasyland remained in its original state, now many years later, it's Disney World's turn.

As all Disney fans are aware by now, back in September at the first ever D23 convention, a major renovation to Fantasyland (and Mickey's Toontown Fair) was announced, including a two phase plan and a lot of speculation.

Recently, however, changes and a third phase of the renovation plan has been leaked. Originally rumors had Mickey's Toontown Fair closing in the very near future, but that seems to have been pushed back while the rest of Fantasyland receives its makeover, preserving an opportunity to meet and greet with the princesses and the fairies.

Additionally, for a while, rumors were swirling that what is now Goofy's Barnstormer would be transformed into a Snow White themed mine car ride gone wild, featuring the seven dwarfs. Nevertheless, it appears that Snow White will get the raw end of the deal in the new Fantasyland reconstruction and that ride will be circus themed and engulfed in the new Dumbo area.

In addition to this change, there's a leak about a whole new phase to the plan. Originally, the plan had two phases. The first--to be completed by 2012--included the new princess areas dedicated to Cinderella, Aurora, Belle, and Ariel. The second phase--set to open a year later--was the new and improved Pixie Hollow area, dedicated to Tinker Bell and all her fairy friends. Now, a third phase has been introduced, expanding away from the current Toontown region and into the classic fantasyland area.

The third phase of the plan has 'it's a small world' moving locations to open up a little plaza in its current spot. The new 'it's a small world' will be nearby and will be modeled more along the lines of its look in Disneyland and other Disney parks around the world, as its outside transforms from the store-front look to an appearance more fitting for such a classic attraction.

In addition to the changes to 'it's a small world,' Alice in Wonderland will reportedly get it's own additions, too, with a new attraction going in near the tea cups. These changes, however, are far in the future and slotted for work following the completion of Pixie Hollow in 2013.

While all of these changes are happening, the Magic Kingdom has more news that will impact the park in a much more timely manner. Al Weiss, President of Worldwide Operations for Disney Parks, made the announcement that the beloved Main Street Electrical Parade (ELP) will be returning to Walt Disney World. The new version of the beloved parade is slated to arrive in June and will replace the longstanding SpectroMagic.

Now, some reports are saying that this parade will only be at Walt Disney World for a limited time, with SpectroMagic returning after the summer, but there are rumors that SpectroMagic will be sold to Disneyland in Hong Kong; only time will tell. The new version of ELP will go along with a few other changes in the park as a whole "Summer Nightastic" promotion.

With the expansion set to begin and several new attractions, along with numerous facelifts set to begin, there are a lot of changes in store for the Magic Kingdom.

This article was reported by Steven Wisner, Orlando Theme Parks Examer on Feb. 11, 2010.

Kouzzina's: A Good Choice After All :)

Hard to believe we've been back from WDW two weeks already! Between now and our next trip back, hope to get the remaining entries done :)

One our favorite restaurants on The Boardwalk was Spoodles, which closed in 2009 and then re-opened as Kouzzina by (Iron Chef) Kat Cora. When we were planning our Dec. 2009 trip, we decided to try Kouzzina in our quest to mix each trip with something old/ something new when putting together our ADR's.

Due to a family illness, we canceled that trip so when putting together our ADR's for this trip, Mary still wanted to give Kouzzina's a try. I looked at the menu at AllEars.net and wasn't 100% sure if something I'd like but was willing to give it a try. Finding I'm a little more adventurous than I thought.

We met up with my Twitter friend Traci and her husband Kevin the day before at Aloha Isle in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom and had a Dole Float while there. How could you not? :)

Traci & Kevin ate there the night before and had an awesome meal (the Traditional Whole Fish) and told us we wouldn't be disappointed. Even with a trusting testimony, still had apprehensions up until the moment we sat down and began looking at the menu.

Interior wise, the restaurant looked no different than when it was Spoodles. If not for the name change on the exterior building, wouldn't have realized I was in a different restaurant. We're always quite fortunate in who are server is and once again, had another excellent server. Bobby was very helpful in explaining items on the menu and shared his own personal experiences meeting Kat Cora when she visits the restaurant. I still couldn't help wondering, 'was this the right choice for me?'

To take the edge off some, I decided to start the meal with a Wine Flight, three 2-ounce pours for tasting, which are designed to make the Kouzzina dining experience very special discovering the pairing of food and wine through these wine flights. I opted for the California Fruit Bombs which consisted of the following:

• Graff Family, Grenache, Monterey County -Juicy ripe red fruit and spice dominates the nose with wild strawberry jam and peppery spice, warm, rich and softly textured.
• Edna Valley Vineyards, Syrah, Edna Valley - Distinctive spiciness and peppery perfume with blackberry and black cherry flavors, leather and smoky oak with soft and ripe tannins.
• Zen of Zin, Zinfandel, Old Vines, California - The nose is full of vanilla, plum, and spice, ripe on the palate with spicy blackberry jam, chocolate and toffee flavors.
  

Perfect choice as I prefer a more dry wine and was a nice compliment to my appetizer and entree choices (as you can see, I took the pairing of food and wine quite seriously). For an appetizer, after looking over all the options, was a no-brainer and went with the Crisp Calamari and Lemon. Something different, the calamari was coated in aborio flour as was three (3) lemon slices.

Have never had calamari served with breaded lemon but whoa! what a great combination. They were served with spicy yogurt and garlic yogurt. Could have easily made a meal out of this :) Other appetizers ordered were Vongole (Manila clams, Calabrese sausage, wine broth, and garlic croutons) and Spanakopita (Traditional phyllo pie of spinach, feta, leeks and dill).

As we finished our appetizers, our main entrees were served. This was a tough choice for me as I'm not much of a red meat person, preferring chicken and/or fish. Decided on the Pastitsio, a Greek-style lasagna with Bucatini pasta, cinnamon-stewed meat sauce and bechamel. The way in which Bobby described the meat sauce, intrigued the majority of us to make this our entree (piato) option.

Mary and Toni opted for the same choice and Bob went with the Oak-Fired Pork T-Bone, served with farmhouse greens and citrus-fennel marmalade . We were all quite pleased with our choices and think they were all relieved I ended up liking Kouzzina's and even said, 'I would consider again.' :)

It didn't end there, no meal is complete without dessert and made another great choice in the Baklava, a traditional walnut and cinnamon pastry with pistachio gelato and a French Press.

Other choices at our table were Chocolate Budino Cake, Greek Cookies and Loukoumades (freshly made Greek doughnuts drizzled with warm honey). We all decided to choose something different to have a little variety in what ended up being a good choice and another great, memorable evening.

In spite of all my apprehension and reservations, would definitely do Kouzzina's again.

Celebrating 'The Three Caballeros' Anniversary!

Donald Duck being one of my favorite Disney characters, it should come as no surprise my affinity for Disney's The Three Caballeros. So decided to carry the celebration into another day :)

The above photo shows one of my favorite WDCC scene releases enhanced with some Three Caballero merchandise I was able to find over the past couple years, mainly due to the redo of the Mexican Ride, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros in the Mexican Pavilion at Epcot in Walt Disney World.

The above photo features the Three Caballero releases of Donald Duck, José Carioca , Panchito and the Opening Title (with artwork inspired by Mary Blair). They were released in August, 1995 and retired in April, 1996. I keep hoping the WDCC would do a sculpture featuring all three on the carpet but in the meantime, I'm making due with a cool serape my friend Tim from MN sent me, to give that effect.

Over the years, I've added a Harmony Kingdom Chili Pepper box, part of a salt and pepper set featuring them on the carpet (wishful thinking ) and my latest addition, the Margarita glass from Aribbas Brothers in the Mexican Pavilion in Epcot, featuring them engraved in the bowl of the glass atop a green cactus stem.

The film premiered in Mexico City on December 21, 1944. It was released in the United States on February 3, 1945. The film received two Academy Award nominations for Original Music Score and Best Sound. The film starred Donald Duck, who in the course of the film is joined by old friend José Carioca, the cigar-smoking parrot from Saludos Amigos (1942) representing Brazil and later makes a new friend in the persona of pistol-packing rooster Panchito Pistoles, representing Mexico.

Happy 65th Anniversary to The Three Caballeros!

The Three Caballeros was produced as part of the studio's good will message for South America, but less obviously propagandistic. The film starred Donald Duck, who in the course of the film is joined by old friend José Carioca, the cigar-smoking parrot from Saludos Amigos (1942) representing Brazil and later makes a new friend in the persona of pistol-packing rooster Panchito Pistoles, representing Mexico.

Several Latin American stars of the period appear, including singers Aurora Miranda (sister of Carmen Miranda) and Dora Luz as well as dancer Carmen Molina.

The film is plotted as a series of self-contained segments, strung together by the device of Donald Duck opening birthday gifts from his Latin American friends. The film premiered in Mexico City on December 21, 1944. It was released in the United States on February 3, 1945. The film received two Academy Award nominations for Original Music Score and Best Sound.

Film Segments Include:

• The Cold-Blooded Penguin involved a penguin named Pablo, who is so fed up with the freezing conditions of the South Pole that he decides to leave for warmer climates.
• The Flying Gauchito involved the adventures of a little boy from Uruguay and his winged donkey, Burrito.
• Bahia involved a pop-up book trip through Salvador, the capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia, as Donald Duck and José Carioca meet up with some of the locals who dance an interesting samba and Donald starts pining for one of the females in the group.
• Las Posadas was the story of a group of Mexican children who celebrated Christmas by re-enacting the journey of Mary and Joseph searching for room at the inn. Posada means inn, and they are told no posada at each house until they come to one where they are offered shelter in a stable. This leads to festivities including the breaking of the piñata, which in turn leads to Donald Duck trying to break the piñata as well.

Trivia:

• This was the first time Walt Disney had attempted the technique of combining animation with live actors since the Alice Comedies in the 1920s.
• The Pablo the Penguin segment features a shot of a penguin diving into the water. This animation is taken from the Silly Symphony Peculiar Penguins.
• Clarence Nash also provides the voice of Donald Duck in the Spanish-dubbed version, giving Donald a charming American accent that complements José Carioca's Brazilian and Panchito's Northern Mexican ones.
• Donald Duck & José Carioca would team up again in Blame it on the Samba segment of the 1948 anthology feature Melody Time.
  

The Walt Disney Classics Collection have only had one scene release from this film. Donald, José, Panchito and an Opening Title were released in August, 1995 and retired in April, 1996. Images and information on these releases can be found in The Three Caballeros Image Gallery section of the website.

Below is the Title Song from The Three Caballeros featuring Donald Duck, José Carioca and Panchito and To Baia featuring Donald Duck, José Carioca and Panchito and To Baia featuring Donald Duck and José Carioca (both clips courtesy of YouTube.com).

Three Three Caballeros


The Three Caballeros is ©Disney


To Baia


The Three Caballeros is ©Disney

Maleficent's Castle has Sold Out!

The Walt Disney Classics Collection Sales Force and Authorized Dealers were notified today of a second sculpture, Maleficent's Castle from Disney's Sleeping Beauty being Sold Out!

"Forbidden Fortress" includes a sound clip with music and narration, a Walt Disney Classics Collection first! The music and narration are from the digitally remastered Sleeping Beauty film sequence which introduces Maleficent's Castle. The narration goes as follows:

"For everyone knew that as long as Maleficent's domain, the Forbidden Mountains, thundered with her wrath and frustration, her evil prophecy had not yet been fulfilled..."
[thunder and lightning]

Pressing a button on the hardwood base, this sound clip starts playing (approx. 23 seconds) and LED lights within the castle flash to replicate lightning. Powered by 3 AA batteries (not included).

Maleficent's Castle was concept designed by Larry Nikolai and is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 500.

Alice & Dinah, Spring Event Sculpture is Sold Out!

The Walt Disney Classics Collection upcoming Spring Event Sculpture featuring Alice and Dinah from Disney's Alice in Wonderland has Sold Out!

Alice and Dinah ("Riverbank Reverie"), a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 1,500 was sculpted by Jacqueline Perreault Gonzales. Alice & Dinah was selected as the Spring Premiere Event sculpture and will be available through all participating Walt Disney Classics Collection Dealers and the Walt Disney Theme Parks, April 23-25, 2010.

This sculpture marks the third release in the Disney Artist Series and honors David Pacheco. Previous releases in the Disney Artist Series include Tinkerbell ("Blithe Spirit"), first release in the series sculpted by Margi Wray, a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 2,000 and Sorcerer Mickey ("Impatient Apprentice"), second release in series sculpted by Dusty Horner and Limited to Production Year 2009.

Please contact an Authorized WDCC Dealer and/or the Walt Disney Theme Parks for availability.

Special Note: An Authorized Dealer Listing for those dealers participating in the United States and Canada has been made available.

Disney Cruise Line Unveils New Features for Next Ship!

The Dream is Disney's first new cruise ship in more than a decade. It's scheduled to debut on Jan. 26, 2011, the 128,000-ton Dream will be about 40% larger than the current Disney ships and will hold up to 4,000 passengers. But it was designed around the same basic principles as the earlier vessels, says Greg Dauberger, one of the top Disney designers on the project.

"It's designed around Disney hallmarks of storytelling, creativity and innovation," Dauberger says in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, and "it's purpose built for family cruise vacations."

Like the 11-year-old Disney Magic, the Dream will echo early 20th century ships with a sleek bow and circular portholes, and it's over-riding design elements are Art Deco, says Dauberger. But a number of interior spaces will have a contemporary look.

The top of Disney Cruise Line's next ship will feature a miniature golf course themed around Goofy and a water play area for kids that has Nemo as its inspiration.

The 2,500-passenger Disney Dream, currently under construction at a shipyard in Germany, will feature a miniature golf course themed around Goofy, a water play area for kids that has Nemo as its inspiration, an adults-only decktop pool area with a swim-up bar plus a high-speed flume ride that will wrap around the top of the vessel -- a cruise industry first.

Disney says Goofy's Golf, as the nine-hole miniature golf course is to be called, is part of an interactive sports deck that also will have two digital sports simulators and two mini-sized sports courts where small children can play soccer and basketball. There also will be a full-court basketball area that can be transformed into a mini soccer pitch or volleyball court. The sports deck also will have table tennis and foosball tables, and it will be ringed by a walking track.

The Nemo-themed water play (illustration above) will feature a small water slide, water jets and other water features. It'll also be enclosed with glass. Disney says the adult-only area will be called Quiet Cove. Its pool, notable, will be fresh water (as all three pools atop the Dream will be). Disney says the ship also will have a Mickey Mouse-shaped pool for small children (something already found on the line's two existing ships) and another family-focused pool called the Donald Pool.

Disney Cruise Line is upping the ante in the battle for family cruisers today by announcing plans for a high-speed flume ride. The 765-foot-long attraction, to be called AquaDuck, is like nothing ever before seen on a cruise ship. It will wind around a good portion of the top deck of the 1,250-cabin vessel. Billed as a "water coaster," the flume ride will employ the same Master Blaster technology used at Disney theme parks to shoot riders upward and forward as they careen through a series of twists, turns and drops while riding an inflatable raft through a clear acrylic tube.

The AquaDuck will rise four stories off the top deck of the ship and be intense enough that Disney plans a height limit for riders. Among the highlights of the ride: A slide through a loop that swings out over the side of the ship that will give riders an unobstructed view of the ocean surface 150 feet below. Riders later will be whooshed through the forward funnel of the ship and travel through one of the ship's indoor children's areas before reemerging outside for a 335-foot-long stretch of "river rapids." There will be no charge to ride the AquaDuck.

Latest Construction Photos & Some New Details for Epcot's New Pizzeria!

Here is the latest look at Epcot's new Pizzeria which is now rapidly rising at the rear of the Italy Pavilion.

The pizzeria will be the newest flagship restaurant in the Patina Restaurant Group’s portfolio. One of the special touches at the Epcot location will be the water. It will be imported from a source where the composition most resembles water used in Naples, Italy, to make the authentic Italian dough.

The as-yet unamed restaurant will be 14,000 sq.ft of traditional Florentine architecture, featuring 300-seats with outdoor dining. The restaurant will feature wood-burning ovens, genuine Italian dishes and vaulted ceilings.

The new location will open late 2010.

Photos are courtesy of WDWMagic.com.

First Retirement & Suspensions for 2010!

The Walt Disney Classics Collection is pleased to honor Basil and Dr. Dawson ("Curious Clue") from Disney's The Great Mouse Detective (1986) as a dry retirement via their website on Thursday, January 28th.

Basil and Dr. Dawson made their WDCC debut in May 2009. The first (and only) release from this film was released as a boxed set and sculpted by Jacqueline Perreault Gonzales.

A dry retirement means that there is no longer product in the warehouse. Please check with your authorized dealer for availability.

Suspension News

Also announced Suspension of Mickey Mouse ("A Swell Pal) and Peter Pan ("Forever Young") from the Spotlight Collection (Quintessentially Disney).

Mickey Mouse was released in October 2005, sculpted by Patrick Romandy-Simmons.

Peter Pan was released in August, 2005, sculpted by Dusty Horner.

Special Note Regarding Suspensions: When an Item is Suspended it is out of stock and there are no plans to re-order for at least a year. However, it could be decided to change the status from Suspended to Retired (Dry Retirement) at some point.

If interested in a suspended item, you may want to check with retailers regarding availability as there is no guarantee that the item could be put back into production and its status changed back to active status.

What Are You Celebrating?

As you enter the parks, you are still greeted by the 'What Are You Celebrating?' banners. This past November, our BFF's Bob & Toni celebrated their 10th Anniversary and living miles apart, we were unable to celebrate with them.

We had dinner reservations on Sun. night with our other BFF Terry at the Kona Cafe at The Polynesian Resort and were able to adjust our ADR's with no problem. I contacted the Polynesian early Sat. morning to see if possible to have a cake at dinner but all that was available was a basic cake but they offered to put me in touch with The Grand Floridian Bakery.

I spoke with Pat, who said they can usually do a cake within a 24 hour notice and it wouldn't be a problem. We went over some options, cake flavors, icing choices, etc. and she assured me that it wouldn't be a problem having the cake delivered to the Polynesian. This was the first time we've ordered a cake on Disney property, so was not only a new experience for us but hopefully a magical evening for a special couple.

After dinner, our server Amy brought out the cake. Whoa! What a beautiful job The Grand Floridian Bakery did. All heads were on our table as the cake was presented to Bob & Toni.

The cake was a three layer, almond flavored cake with one layer of pudding and one layer of creamy icing in between the layers, covered in off-white and chocolate swirl icing. The cake was decorated with shaved white chocolate around the base of the cake and an edible Cinderella's Castle, rose and banner atop the cake.

The cake was one of the best tasting cakes we've ever had. The almond flavoring of the cake mixed with the pudding and icing served with Kona Cafe's famous coffee made for a perfect ending to a great dinner.

We'd like to thank Amy (left) for making it such a special evening and was great meeting Nina (center), our hostess and Debi (right). Nina, major props for taking part in the Marathon the weekend before and hope you all enjoyed the cake.

If ever in need of a cake for a special presentation, I highly recommend contacting The Grand Floridian Bakery at (407) 824-2474.

Special Day with Friends

Our second full day started out with mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. The National Shrine is located at 8300 Vineland Avenue. It was built to service the large number of Catholic tourists who visit the attractions in the Greater Orlando area. While it is a 2,000 seat church and parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando and provides mass for the faithful, it has also become a regional tourist attraction. In 2009, it was designated as the 63rd minor basilica in the United States.

One of our closest friends, Terry (who was one of the first people I met via Disney), came up from Clearwater to spend the day with us. Since this is to be a relaxing trip, spent time hanging at the house and catching up before heading to Downtown Disney.

While there, we ran into Rich and Pauline, who now live in Orlando and happened to be there meeting a friend of theirs from Chicago. Had a nice lunch at Earl of Sandwich (toss up between the Caribbean Jerk Chicken or the Hawaiian BBQ with the Caribbean Jerk Chicken winning!), caught up with them before heading off for some shopping. Hit all our favorite stores .. The Christmas Store, Art of Disney, Aribbas Brothers and World of Disney.

Before heading to the Polynesian for dinner, Toni & Mary wanted to stop at Trends. Turned out to be a wise decision, as Mary finally got her Dooney & Bourke wristlet! Castmembers were awesome, letting her look at all available and couldn't beat the 20% annual pass discount!

Shopping done for the day, time to head over to the Polynesian for dinner at the Kona Cafe, one of our favorite restaurants on Disney property. Decided for the first time to have a Lapu Lapu, Myers rum and tropical juices served in a pineapple, topped with Bacardi 151 .. why has it taken me SO long to try one of these!! :)

Dinner was a no-brainer for me, as I had the Coconut Almond Chicken, sauteed chicken breast served with Asian greens tossed with a honey-lime dressing, golden pineapple, strawberries and toasted almonds.

Time to get ready to head to the Magic Kingdom. More on a special dessert and the greastest servers we encountered so far this trip in my next entry ....