Splitsville, a Great Disney Hangout!

     Splitsville is one of our favorite places to get together as a family or with friends!  If you have not been it is a definite Walt Disney World must do!  We have thoroughly enjoyed Splitsville as a family and meeting up with friends that are staying in the Orlando area. 

     Splitsville is a Downtown Disney attraction on the Westside.  Splitsville takes bowling, playing pool and just plain old fun to new levels.  You will be welcomed to a two story retro styled adventure that offers 30 bowling lanes, first class food, dancing and entertainment.  The billiard tables are awesome and of course who doesn't like a gift shop and much much more.

     Some people come to Splitsville for the bowling or the billiard tables and some just go for the fun!  Our family has really enjoyed all of it. It is an awesome place for families to get together while the adults sit and talking and have a few drinks the kids can play pool or go bowling.  With the hot summer days at Walt Disney World this provides a perfect option for daytime or evening entertainment.

     The food at Splitsville is amazing!  They offer food such as fresh hand rolled sushi rolls, hand-tossed pizzas, burgers, and of course who doesn't like a big plate of fries!  The pizzas are amazing, a definite must do for our family! They also offer a wide selection of draft beer to go along with your pizza or other adult beverages.  I mean, what is pizza without beer, Right! 

     This is the perfect hang out for the family or meeting up with friends.   So during these hot days this summer if you find yourself needing a cool place to have fun check out Splitsville!  You can schedule all kinds of parties for Splitsville.  Make sure you reserve a lane as soon as possible.  The billiard tables are on a first come basis.  Let the food, games, and dancing begin and don't forget to Show your DisneySide! 

Buon Appetite-The Il Mulino New York Trattoria at the Walt DIsney Swan Resort

A Little Slice of Southern Italy

What happens when you take someone that has called Disneyand home since 1955 and plunks them down in the middle of the 40 square miles known as the Walt Disney World Resort?  Suddenly the security and comfort of knowing every nook and churro is gone and discovery, wonderment and amazement awaits.  As everyone knows, the Walt Disney World resort is known for many, many things, one of which is a plethora of fine dining choices. So to take this corn dog loving, churro addicted Disneyland fanatic and open up the floodgates and introduce her to the overwhelming amount of choices that is contained here-now that is Disney magic at its best.  As I quickly discovered, some of the best dining establishments were not located in the Parks, but in the surrounding resorts and I was on a mission to come to know as many as I could. 

My first stop was dinner at the Il Mulino New York Trattoria located in the Walt Disney World Swan Resort in the heart of the Epcot and Boardwalk area.  From the moment you enter this modern yet welcoming Italian Bistro, you feel as though you’ve stepped into a chic, upscale New York dining establishment. The attentive and knowledgeable wait staff went out of their way to explain in great detail the wide variety of menu choices that we were faced with.  

Our meal started with a complimentary Antipasti Selection of dried, cured Sausage and Eggplant Roasted with Vegetables as well as a bread basket containing several selections including a focaccia bread that I could have made a meal of all by itself. Our Antipasti selections were followed by Mussels and a mouth watering Caesar Salad. Truth be told, I had never eaten a mussel in my life and had never had the desire to eat a mussel in my life but the rule of the night was you had to take at least one bite of everything and I will be forever thankful for that. At this point, the only problem I had was to try to keep from over eating to save room for the main course. 

           For dinner I settled on the Manicotti stuffed with spinach and ricotta, which melted in my mouth. My dining companions chose to fill their pallets with the equally delectable meals.  One tip I quickly wish I had listened to is that the half portions are available as serving sizes are ample enough to feed even the hungriest of patrons. After an incredible Italian meal, the sorbet dessert was light enough to be the perfect way to polish off this rich and filling meal. 

So let’s review- done to perfection authentic Italian cuisine, New York chic atmosphere located on in Walt Disney World Swan Resort.  Dining at the Il Mulino New York Trattoria is the perfect way to cap off any day at the Walt Disney World Resort.   Traveling with children and are thinking of enjoying a meal on your own? Your child can enjoy two hours of complimentary time (a $20 value per child) at Camp Dolphin while you dine at Il Mulino New York Trattoria. One child admitted for each adult entrée purchased. Simply advise our Camp Dolphin attendant and present your dining receipt as proof of purchase when you pick up your children. Buon appetite everyone!

Who Knew Healthy Could Taste So Good! The Disney TRYit! Campaign

Two Thumbs Up for the Disney TRYit! Campaign!

Anyone that knows me, and even those that may not know me, knows that the words “Healthy Eating” and “Gayle” are usually not two things associated together. As much as I hate to admit it, I live completely and totally on, well, not the healthiest of diets. All that has changed thanks to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration held a few short weeks ago at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California and the Disney TRYit! campaign.  

Truth be told, I had no idea that eating right and eating healthy could taste this good! Thanks to the magic of the Happiest Place on Earth and the TRYit! Campaign, all of the attendees and our families were treated each day to a wide variety of healthy and mouth-watering food.

 Each day from the opening night dinner for ourselves and our families at Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree to the closing breakfast on Sunday morning in Cars Land, the magical people at Disney went out of their way to show all of us just how easy it is to eat meals that are both delicious and nutritious. Through the Magic of Healthy Living and their new TRYit! Campaign, the good folks at Disney are looking out for each of us by encouraging families to try a variety of new foods and fun moves in an effort to teach everyone that living a healthier lifestyle is easily obtainable.  Throughout  the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we found ourselves with incredible food choices that would satisfy even the pickiest of eaters, yes even me, and it wasn’t just the grown ups filling up their plates with salads, main entrees and scrumptious desserts  (even the s’mores were healthy) –kids were going back for seconds and thirds as well.   

 Not only did the magical people at Disney have us eating healthier, but they had us up and out of our seats and moving, whether it was to the band playing at the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree to the DJ spinning for us in Toontown on Saturday Night to our very own Disney Fun Run on Sunday morning, it was all about learning a better way of  living.

One of the ways Disney has already implemented their healthy eating initiative into the Parks and into our lives is with their Mickey Check seal of approval. What is the Mickey Check?  The Mickey Check is a tool that makes it easier to identify nutritious choices in stores, online, and while on vacation at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. The Mickey Check can be found on select kids’ meals and fruit carts throughout Walt Disney World® and Disneyland® Resorts, on various Disney-licensed food products sold at grocery stores across the country, and on qualifying recipes at Disney.com/tryit and Spoonful.com. To receive the Mickey Check, foods must meet Disney Nutrition Guidelines developed by health experts and align to federal dietary guideline recommendations.  Now all families can keep a healthier lifestyle and still enjoy all the fabulous food you’ve come to know and expect when visiting any of the Disney Parks. 

You don’t have to be at the Disney 
Social Media Moms Celebration to eat healthy at the Disney Parks.  Trying a variety of new foods and fun moves is part of living healthy. That’s the message of Disney’s TRYit! Campaign. From inspirational messages on-air and online to a special TRYathlon event and road tour, kids and families are being encouraged to take action to be their best.

The TRYit! Campaign is not just for inside the Disney Parks. Any Disney fan already has seen this plan come into our own homes though the Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior and Radio Disney in the form of storytelling and short-form programming. In August, a TRYathlon TV Special on Disney XD and Disney Channel will bring together real kids and Disney talent to demonstrate how good for you can be fun too! Kids will compete in a one-of-a-kind TRYathlon that tests their skills, fosters teamwork, and allows them to discover new ways to challenge themselves.

The TV special will kick off a road tour – hosted by Radio Disney – to bring the TRYit! Campaign to 10 cities across the U.S. Go to www.Disney.com/TRYit to find inspiration to be your best or to stay up to date on local events, contests, and other ways to participate in TRYit!

So let’s review-great food, delicious and nutritional selections that are easy to make and bring about a healthier and happier you-sign me up!  For more information of the Magic of Healthy Living or the Disney TRYit! Campaign, or for great recipes and suggestions on how easy it is to implement these quick and simple changes into your own family’s day to day life, be sure to check out http://citizenship.disney.com/try-it  or go to Spoonful.com for a wide variety of activities and recipes and ideas the whole family will love.  If I can do it-anyone can!

Disclaimer: I was invited to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration at Disneyland and have offered a special discounted rate that was offered to all attendees and their families. In addition, I have received products to help make my experience even more magical.  I will be sharing the unique things I learn throughout the Celebration however these are my own personal thoughts and opinions, not those of the Walt Disney Company.

Gayle is a lifelong educator by day and avid blogger by night and is the owner and cofounder of the Disney Gals, one of the most popular Disney blogs around! Proud mommy to 5, Grammy to 4 she is blessed to share her life with amazing family and friends who encourage her to chase her dreams no matter where they may lead.  When not in the classroom, she can be found following her son as he dances his way through life, or working with young performers in free nationally recognized after school children’s theater program that she founded 13 years ago. On any given day you will find Gayle skipping her way through life with a giggle and a smile knowing that today is meant to be lived and enjoyed. To learn more about Gayle, click here.

Ways to Save Money at Disney

Ways to Save Money on Dining at Walt Disney World

Destinations in Florida and Disney Gal Travel Agent Dawn is back to give us all some great tips on how to save money on dining at Walt Disney World

Here are a few ways you can save on dining at Walt Disney World. There are plenty of discounts off property, but logistically that might be a problem for most, especially if you don’t have a vehicle. The first thing that comes to mind is;

·      Walt Disney World Passholder Program - Dining Discounts at Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks. Enjoy dining discounts at various Disney restaurants. Reserve online or by calling (407) 407-939-3463. This discount is valid for the Passholder and up to 3 Guests. The locations at WDW that offer dining discounts are; Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Downtown Disney & the Boardwalk, plus some of the Moderate & Deluxe Disney Resort Restaurants.

·      Free Disney Dining offered at certain times of the year, generally slower non-peak periods like the FALL Season.

·      Also mention if you are an AAA member & see if that helps, it could possibly save you 10% to 15% per meal.

·      Tables in Wonderland - (TIW), offers Florida Residents, DVC members and Annual Passholders 20% off of all food and beverage purchases at the participating Disney restaurants. It is a membership program with annual fees and each card is good for up to 10 guests.  The card is valid for one year from the date of purchase. The price is $100.00 for an Annual/Seasonal Passholder, $50.00 for a second card. For a Florida Resident who is not an Annual/Seasonal Passholder, the cost is $125.00. It is $50.00 for lost/replacement cards. The TIW Card can be purchased at any Disney Guest Services location. You must be over 21 for TIW membership. Also, If you are dining at a Disney Resort with valet parking and are using your TIW card, they will waive the valet parking fee. You will incur an 18% gratuity added no matter the party size. The TIW discount is not available on holidays. Interested call- 407-566-5858

·      Florida Residents & Disney Visa members also receive special discounts at various Disney restaurants. Check out Disneyworld.go.com under special offers.

·      Restaurant.com is another way to save on dining

·      Costco.com

·      Groupon.com

There are also coupons available at Orlando welcome centers, tourist bureaus, gas stations, but most importantly online- just research in advance…….

*One important tip in planning your dining. Book 180 days out- especially at “Be our Guest” & some of the faves like Victoria & Albert’s & “Cindy’s Royal Table” & be patient, something might possibly open up. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.*