Zip a dee doo dah Diva

Let's all give a big drum roll.............and the winner is........... Matt Savage. Matt please email your contact information to ziptravel1@gmail.com. Thank you everyone for playing. I will do this again!!! Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! Thank you all for making 2011 the best year for the Zip a dee doo dah Diva!!!

Ahoy, Mateys! Jake and the Never Land Pirates Landing at Disney's Hollywood Studios as Part of Show Debuting March 4  Jake and the Never Land Pirates are landing at Disney's Hollywood Studios March 4, 2011, less than a month after they cast off on their first adventure on Disney Channel as part of the launch of Disney Junior programming designed for 2-to-7-year-old children. At the Walt Disney World theme park, they are playing a role in "Disney Junior--Live on Stage!", a theme park show created for young guests. Co-starring roles in the show are played by the cast of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and Little Einsteins -- other shows that are part of the Disney Junior schedule. "Ever since 'Playhouse Disney--Live on Stage!' premiered in 2001, it has been a chance for our younger guests to experience their Disney Channel friends at Disney's Hollywood Studios," said Dan Fields of Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative director for "Disn...

So...... if you are here, you think you have Part 1 correct. Part 2: What is on the menu at this restaurant?? Be specific!! and Good Luck!!

Also a stop on our trip always includes Beaches and Cream. I have been eating at this establishment since I was 12. It is a very small restaurant and does not except reservations. It is nestled between Disney's Yacht and Beach Club.  I love the experience you get as you dine here. It is of days gone by. I love the jukebox and the the counter service with stools. I even love the costumes. The main menu items are burgers and fries. These are not any burger and fries, these burgers melt in your mouth!! Also, when you are on Disney property, food you consume is calorie free.

Wishes This is hands down one of my very favorite things to do at Disney. This is the firework show at the Magic Kingdom. I love, love, love this show soooooo much!!!!! I have to see it several times when we go. It puts all other firework shows to shame. This video does not even do it justice. I know it is long, if you want to skip to the end it will not hurt my feelings. That is the best part!!!

If you need an idea to get rid of the pacie this is a great one I borrowed from a friend. One really big mark on the agenda this week was to give away the pacie. We waited until the last day of our trip to give it away. I wanted to make sure it would not spoil the week. My sweet Reese did it!! She became a big girl. She gave her pacie to Mickey and Minnie. We have talked about this for months and months. I have been nervous all week. I was not sure how she would do. You can see the video below. What you do not see is me crying like a big ol baby!! I cried more than she did. After she gave away the pacie she got a balloon. Yes, I paid 10.00 for a balloon. It was worth every penny!!  She has that balloon in her bedroom and she will tell you that she is a big girl now.

I have to say, autograph books are a must!!! Every child that goes to Disney must have an autograph book. I still have my first autograph book. It is almost like a "right of passage". This will be my daughter's first autograph experience. We waited until this trip for several. First, she was so young! At 13 months she had no idea what an autograph was. Second, the stuff you have to keep up with is almost unimaginable, when you have a baby at Disney. Third, I want her to experience a whole new Disney every time we go.   What is so special about an autograph? So much!!! This experience is so neat. It is one on one time with a character. It is a special memory captured on paper to your child. Plus,  to sea a child's face when they hand their book to a character, is priceless!!! That reason alone is worth the year saving for a Disney vacation. Now, you can purchase these on Disneyshopping.com. It is great to have a book picked out before you hit the parks. S...

Check out this video for the first ever water coaster on a cruise ship. This is featured on Disney's newest ship the Disney Dream.

Hands down one of my favorite dining experiences on property!!! This is our second time to eat here with our daughter. She loves it!! This is a dinner show, and the meal is served family style. This is the longest running dining show at Walt Disney World. Think the Ballade of Davy Crockett's, with allot of slap stick comedy thrown in. The menu is below.  If you are using your dining plan, expect this experience to take two entitlements.  This dining experience will book fast. I recommend calling 180 day away from your trip. You can call 407-WDW-DINE. Or contact the Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Diva. We finished with a great washboard song. This was a great teaching experience because my daughter had no idea what a wash board was. It's just plan fun when you make noise with a spoon Starters : Tossed salad, loaf of bread and honey butter Feature Items Ma's Delicious Fried Chicken Smoked Barbecued Pork Ribs Mashed Potatoes Country Style Baked Beans Strawberr...

Today we ate with the main mouse, that's right, Mickey. This is our first stop on the Character meal train. Joining Mickey are his pals, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto. Can you tell we are excited??!!! Below are the items you can find on the buffet. Also, the price per person. These items may vary, according to seasons. $26.62 for Adults, $13.99 for Children 3-9 PREMIUM FRUIT BAR Seasonal Melon and Fresh Fruit Display, Assorted Flavored Yogurts & More CEREAL SELECTIONS Corn Flakes, Fruit Loops, Rice Krispies, Crunchero's, Hot Oatmeal BREAKFAST SPECIALTIES Pluto's Cheese Blintz Scrambled eggs Three-cheese Omelet Chef's Daily Omelet Goofy's Vegetable Lasagna Mickey Mouse Waffles Bacon and Cheese Potatoes Breakfast potatoes Minnie's Breakfast Pizza Powder-Sugar Dusted French Toast Pancakes Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy Sausage Links and Bacon Tator Crisps PASTRY CHEF'S CREATIONS Bagels, Chocolate Croissants, Muffins Cinnamon Rol...

Today we are on our way to the most magical place on earth. We will check into Coronado Springs tomorrow morning. I can't wait!!! I love Coronado Springs for so many reasons; the pools, the quick service restaurant, the price, and the fact that the rooms have recently been refurbished. I am so excited to be staying here again!!! More pictures to come. I promise!! Here is the story behind Coronado Springs. In the early 16th century, the people living in New Spain (now Mexico) began to hear rumors of the “Seven Golden Cities of Cibola” located in the deserts hundreds of miles to the north. The legend told that these cities held vast amounts of wealth just waiting to be claimed by anyone fortunate enough to discover their whereabouts. In 1535 Francisco de Coronado left his home in Salamanca, Spain and came to the New World. He climbed the social and political ladder quickly and was soon appointed to the position of Governor of Neuva Galicia. In 1540, Mexican Viceroy Antonio de...

In an earlier post I wrote about must have items to entertain children in long car rides. This is part 2 of the post. I never leave home without my "bag of tricks". These below are the other items I must have. I know what you are thinking. Play-Doh, really?? Yes! Yes, my friend, it can save the day! I have a car seat tray that my toddler uses for various things. I bought the tray at our local super store for $15. I have to say, it was the best $15 I have ever spent. Play-Doh can break up the day. It is fun, and helps small motor skills.  Also, it is a neat, different car distraction. This is the obvious one. DVD player and lots of DVDs. We would not even attempt any car ride without this little beauty. I have to say, I'm not sure a green worm every sounded so good. This little gem will read the book out loud to your child. Built into the software, are games to play. These fun books are very easy for small hands to use. Now you know my car rid...

How many times have you heard that phrase during your car ride??  I have a few suggestions to help make your drive more pleasant. As pleasant as 10 hours in a car can be. This is the new Fisher Price IXL. My daughter was given this by her aunt at her birthday. Hands down the best gift this year!!!! She loves it and it is very 3 year old friendly!! She is able to turn it on and play all by herself. So far we have not had to change batteries. It also has a port for ear buds. The great thing about this little jewel, it is also an MP3 player. We were able to upload her music to it. BONUS: you can also upload pictures which can then be transformed into a new creation by your child. This alone is hours of entertainment. Every time I go to the Dollar Store of down the dollar isle at the local super store, I always find great ideas for a long car ride. Stickers are a great source of entertainment for my 3 year old. So are sticker activity books. These are apart of ...

When traveling to Disney with small children, you really need some very important items. These are items I will not leave home without!! Toss and Go sippy cups, are one of the most important things not to forget. Most of the rooms on property do not have a dish washer. Yes, I am a germ freak. It is ok and I own it. These cups are great because you can toss (recycle) at the end of the day. Disposable spoons are another item I will not forget. When you are dining at any Disney restaurant, and you ask for a spoon, the smallest you will get is a teaspoon. When my daughter was 13 months a teaspoon is a little large for a tiny mouth.  The yellow cap, next to the toss and go sippy's, is an instant sippy cup from a bottle. I thought this was great. My daughter is all the time wanting to be a big girl. However, she is not coordinated enough to drink out of a water bottle without getting soaked. This is the best inventions for independent toddle...

When it comes to dining at Disney, I think I have eaten almost everywhere. One of our favorites is Crystal Palace. The variety of food was great and the characters were very friendly and took so much time with our daughter. She is 13 months in these pictures, and she loved every minute of this meal. Below is the price and menu items. Know that the menu is always subject to change. I highly recommend this dining experience!   An All You Can Eat Character Meal With Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore. Lunch COST: $22.99 adults; $12.99 children 3-9. Tax and gratuity extra. Pooh's Corner (Kid's Buffet) Mac and Cheese Chicken Fingers Cheese Pizza   Menu Items Change Often Mixed Field Greens Ranch and Zinfandel Dressings Mandarin Orange Sesame Vinaigrette Sliced Tomatoes and Egg with Toasted Cumin Dressing Sweet Plantain, Cucumber and Corn Salad Shrimp, Black Bean and Mango Salad Couscous, Tofu, and Roasted Vegetable Salad Mediterranean Pasta Salad Tabbouleh Salad Beet...

I love Disney's campaign this year. If you could not guess, it is "Celebrate Today!" I love that motto. Everyday should be a celebration. I don't know anyone that celebrates better than Disney..  Above is a picture from Cinderella's Royal Table. This is called The Buckle. I must say it was very yummy! Below is the dinner menu for Cinderella's Royal Table. Please know that the menu is always subject to change. The price for this dining experience is  $54.76 per adult and $33.60 per child (ages 3-9). Price includes tax and gratuity. If are using your dining plan, the restaurant will take 2 of your entitlements. Also at this location you will receive a complimentary image package that contains: 4 prints 4" by 6" One print 6" by 8" One print 6" by 8" of Cinderella Castle Cinderella-themed photo holder The package is delivered to you during your meal. (One photo package per party of 1-4; two photo packages for parties of 5-8, etc.) ...

I love, love, love Christmas!! I love, love, love Disney at Christmas. Every time we go on vacation, I purchase a new Christmas ornament from our trip. I love our memory tree. I really like being able to pick out a plain ornament and have a Disney artist make it so personal to us. Next time you are in "The World" check out the Christmas Shoppes. You might be surprised at what you discover.

Everyone always asks me about the weather at Disney World . I always respond,  "What time of the year are you going?" If you go to Disney in spring, summer and early fall: prepare yourself for the heat. It is HOT!!! I can't sugar coat it for you. I have been during this time and I do not enjoy myself. I do not like the heat!!! Don't get me wrong Disney is great, but the heat is awful!!!!!! I like to travel to "The World" in late fall and winter. I love the decorations and the weather is most pleasant. Also this is the time of year Disney offers a special called the Free Dining Plan . If you are traveling to the Orlando area in the next few weeks, I recommend layers. You may be in your swim suite at 12:00 noon and in a hat and gloves by 9:00pm. That is the magic of Disney for you.

As I have traveled through the years to Disney , I have always taken snacks into the parks. However, when I became a mom this took on a whole new meaning. My daughter was 13 months the first time we took her to Disney. She was 13 months with no teeth. This was an interesting time in our lives, because I had to puree a lot of what she ate. Snacks then consisted of Cheerios, Gerber Puffs and bananas. Our snacks have evolved into what you see in the picture above. Disney understands the need for your child to have the things that they need. Park officials have to problem with you bringing in your fav's. Make sure none of these items are glass. Glass of any kind is not allowed in Disney Parks. Snacks are great things to take out while you are waiting in line. Most children grow very tired of waiting in the lines at Disney. FASTPASS  is a great option Disney has, however you are limited to how many you can have at one time. So, snacks are a great way of distracting the little...

Each week I plan to post about my favorite Disney things. This week my favorite is soap. Not just any soap, but Disney Resorts soap. Each day as housekeeping cleans your room, they will leave new soap on your super white towels. Now let me take a moment to discuss these really white towels. I do not understand how Disney gets these things so clean?? It baffles me!! Not a spot on them anywhere!! I know they have been used before, but you would never know. This may have to be a post for another day. Back to the soap. This soap is no ordinary soap. It is Mickey soap. Just another magical touch Disney is known for. I know you are thinking, "this lady is crazy", but it is the small things in life. I love to be able to give Disney goodies to friends, family and even clients when we return from our travels.  We are always on a budget. Yes, the Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Diva is ALWAYS on a budget!! This is a really fun & practical goodie to give.