D23 Expo Dream Store and Silent Auction Return!

D23 EXPO DREAM STORE AND SILENT AUCTION RETURN TO THE ULTIMATE DISNEY FAN EVENT ONE-OF-A-KIND ITEMS AND UNIQUE COLLECTIBLES

Special logo apparel, product debuts, artist signings, and a new silent auction will highlight the Ultimate Disney Event for Fans and Families August 9-11

BURBANK and ANAHEIM, Calif. – May 30, 2013 – Bursting with D23 Expo-themed official merchandise and other specialty items from Disney Theme Park Merchandise, the D23 Expo Dream Store returns with something magical for Disney fans of all ages. From Disney-inspired apparel, art and collectibles, accessories, books and more, the D23 Expo Dream Store is a Disney enthusiast’s dream come true.

Highlights include:

Official D23 Expo Merchandise will allow Disney fans to take home a piece of the magic from this year’s expo, with an assortment of official D23 Expo inspired merchandise including tees, baseball cap, fleece, jewelry, drink ware, accessories, pins, and Vinylmation™.

HARVEYS Seatbeltbags® are sure to make a statement at this year’s D23 Expo. This new collection which features Sorcerer Mickey, classic D’s and more on some of HARVEYS most popular silhouettes, were created especially for this year’s 2013 Expo.

Disney Theme Park Merchandise will showcase some of its newest releases from Disney licensees and artists, including ACME Archives Limited, Dave Avanzino, Disney Design Group, Dooney & Bourke, Duffy the Disney Bear, Noah, Robert Olszewski, Precious Moments, Linda Rick, Jim Shore, and more.

ACME Archives Limited invites guests to make the magic come alive in your home with the latest releases from Disney•Pixar, Disney Studio Art, Disney Limited, Disney Underground and more.

Disney Design Group highlights a new Signature Collection of artwork including four captivating pieces filled with imagination, which bring to life Sorcerer Mickey and some of Disney’s most beloved characters.

Disney Dream Collection and D23 Expo-Exclusive Jewelry will dazzle audiences with a sparkling new selection of fine jewelry debuting as part of this year’s D23 Expo and featuring classic Disney icons and characters like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Tinker Bell, among others.

Dream Store Autograph Sessions will give Disney fans the opportunity to meet and greet some of their favorite authors, artists, Disney Legends and other notable celebrities. Autograph sessions will be posted daily at the D23 Expo Dream Store.

D23 Expo 2013 Silent Auction offers Disney enthusiasts the rare opportunity to bid on unique artifacts, artwork, experiences, props and more. The D23 Expo 2013 Silent Auction takes place Saturday, August 10, 2013. Tickets for the Silent Auction go on sale June 11, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. (Pacific) via www.ArtofDisneyParks.com. Separate D23 Expo admission is required.

Please continue to watch as we release more details about Dream Store merchandise offerings, silent auction lots, and more on www.Disney.com/D23 and www.ArtofDisneyParks.com and on Facebook and Twitter at “DisneyD23”.

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Father's Day Specials at Fulton's Crab House, Portobello and Wolfgang Puck Cafe

Father's Day is just around the corner. If you'll be visiting the Walt Disney World Resort during this holiday, consider treated Dad to a nice meal at one of the Levy Restaurants in Downtown Disney.

Beef Short Ribs at Portobello

Father's Day special's include:

• Stuffed lobster tail, jumbo lump blue crab cake, mango béarnaise served with a twice-baked potato at Fulton's Crab House
• Beef short ribs, roasted corn polenta with farmer’s market local vegetables at Portobello
• Cowboy ribeye, blue cheese, fried onions served with campfire potatoes at Wolfgang Puck Cafe

Stuffed Lobster Tail at Fulton's Crab House

To make reservations for Fulton's Crab House, call (407) 939-6244.
To make reservations for Portobello, call (407) 934-8888.
To make reservations for Wolfgang Puck Cafe, call (407) 938-9653.

Reservations can also be made online, disneyworld.com.

Also, don't forget to present your Levy Restaurants Orlando Preferred card! If you don't have one, sign up here.

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Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken Perform a Once-In-A-Lifetime Concert at D23 Expo 2013

DISNEY LEGENDS RICHARD M. SHERMAN AND ALAN MENKEN
JOIN FORCES FOR A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME CONCERT

The two Academy Award^®-winning composers share the stage for one night only performing “The Disney Songbook” at the D23 Expo 2013, Saturday, August 10

BURBANK, Calif. – May 23, 2013 – For one night only, two of the world’s most celebrated songwriters and composers will take to the stage for “Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken: The Disney Songbook.” The concert will take place at the D23 Expo 2013 at the Anaheim Convention Center in the D23 Expo Arena on Saturday, August 10.

Together Sherman and Menken have won a combined 10 Academy Awards for their work with Disney, and have composed music and songs for more than three dozen Disney feature films, over two dozen Disney Park attractions and half a dozen Disney musicals on Broadway.

“I can’t express how excited I am that my esteemed friend Alan Menken and I will be sharing the same bill for the very first time,” said Sherman. “Alan is an incredible talent, and I know we’re both thrilled to be performing for Disney’s most ardent fans—they’re the best and I can’t wait to be a part of what promises to be a very special night for all of us.”

“Richard Sherman and I share so many things; our cherished association with The Walt Disney Company, the blessing of having the opportunity to share our musical talents with "children of all ages" and a genuine mutual admiration—but one thing we've never gotten to share is a concert stage,” said Menken. “This summer at the D23 Expo 2013, we will do just that. And I can't think of anyone I'd prefer to share that stage with. Richard, along with his brother Robert, wrote songs that filled my formative years with joy and fantasy. And, all these years later, I can say with complete honesty that there is no one I've met in our business who is more warm and generous than my friend and fellow songwriter, Richard Sherman.”

Admission to the concert will be on a first-come, first-served basis and is included in the price of a ticket to the D23 Expo. In addition to the 4,000-seat D23 Expo Arena, the concert will be simulcast into a 2,000-seat overflow theater inside the Convention Center.

Richard M. Sherman and his brother Robert B. Sherman composed some of the most beloved songs in the Disney canon. The Disney Legends won two Oscars^® for their work on Mary Poppins, and during their decades–long association with Disney they wrote more than 200 songs for 27 films and two dozen television productions. They made unforgettable contributions to such Disney films as The Parent Trap, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and the entire Winnie the Pooh series, as well as the family classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. They also penned beloved songs for Disney Parks including the theme songs for Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, it’s a small world, and Carousel of Progress. Richard wrote the song “Make Way for Tomorrow Today” for the blockbuster film Iron Man 2, and is working on a new stage musical based on Walt Disney’s 1967 animated film classic The Jungle Book, premiering this June at the Goodman Theater in Chicago.

With eight Academy Awards, Alan Menken has received more Oscars than any living person. He has written songs and scores for some of the world’s most beloved films: Tangled (Oscar nominee), Enchanted (three Oscar nominations) The Little Mermaid (two Oscar wins), Beauty and the Beast (two Oscar wins), Aladdin (two Oscar wins), Pocahontas (two Oscar wins), Hercules (Oscar nominee), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Oscar nominee), Little Shop of Horrors (Oscar nominee), Home on the Range and Newsies. His song “Star Spangled Man,” was the patriotic anthem of the 2011 hit film Captain America: The First Avenger.

Menken’s Broadway successes include his 2012 Tony Award^® for Newsies, plus The Little Mermaid (Tony Award nominee), Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors, and Sister Act (Tony Award nominee). His other stage productions include King David, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and his latest stage production Aladdin: The New Musical, opening next year. At Disney Parks, Menken added an exclusive ballad (“To Be Free”) to his song score for Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at Disney California Adventure and penned “Compass of Your Heart,” the catchy theme song for the attraction Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage at Tokyo DisneySea

Tickets for the D23 Expo are available at a discounted price for a limited time. Though June 15, tickets are $52 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $45 for a one-day adult admission and $37 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available for both D23 Members and the general public, and D23 Members can save as much as $144 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate before June 15. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for members and general admission, visit D23Expo.com.

About D23 Expo 2013

The D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings the entire world of Disney under one roof, providing attendees with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, and theme parks. For the latest D23 Expo 2013 news, visit D23Expo.com. To be part of the D23 Expo conversation, make sure to follow @DisneyD23 and tag your tweets with #D23Expo.

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s nearly 90-year history. D23 gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com; member-exclusive discounts and special events for D23 Members throughout the year, highlighted by the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, August 9–11, 2013.

Fans can join D23 at D23.com and at www.DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow us @DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

For D23 Expo logos and imagery, please visit www.D23MediaNet.com. 

Time is running out to get your D23 Expo 2013 tickets at a discount! Purchase your ticket HERE before prices go up. Ticket prices will increase on June 16, 2013.

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The D23 Website is Being Reimagined!

D23: THE OFFICIAL DISNEY FAN CLUB LAUNCHES

REIMAGINED D23.COM WEBSITE JUNE 17

Members Will Have Online Access to Vast Array of

Exclusive Disney Content

Disney to Celebrate Expansion With New Free D23 Membership Level

BURBANK, Calif. – May 16, 2013 – On June 17, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, will launch a massive reimagining of its D23.com website, opening up the wonderful worlds of Disney like never before to its members. The site will provide access to newly digitized content that delves deeply into The Walt Disney Company’s vault of material, past and present, along with exclusive glimpses of the future. The new gated content will be free to current D23 Members; plus D23 is launching a new free level of membership, which will include access to this incredible content. D23.com will continue to offer the latest Disney news free to all guests who visit the site. But D23 Members can unlock even more magic in each section by logging in and accessing content whenever a golden key is shown.

“We’re creating a unique destination that celebrates, in all respects, the essence of Disney,” says Steven Clark, head of D23. “We believe the new site will offer one of the most engaging Disney experiences yet—with even more to come in the future. We look forward to debuting the new D23.com to our current members as well as to new ones from around the world.”

The reimagined D23.com will feature exclusive celebrity interviews; vintage film clips; rarely seen artwork and photography; treasures from the Walt Disney Archives; behind-the-scenes previews of new movies and theme park attractions; and more.

Website highlights at launch will include:

· 23 Questions – We enhance our popular feature with audio interviews with Once Upon A Time star Ginnifer Goodwin who reveals her Disney favorites—and what she’s looking forward to in the next season of the hit ABC show. Plus an exclusive with Phineas and Ferb’s popular “evil mastermind” Dr. Heinz Doofenschmirtz, who talks about his truly devious plans… and Christmas.

· D’scovered – Treasures unearthed by the Walt Disney Archives. In the coming weeks the Archives will share extremely rare imagery from the proposed Mickey Mouse Park, a concept which evolved into Disneyland; spine-tingling alternative dialogue for the Haunted Mansion penned by Disney Legend X. Atencio; the illustrated story script for “The Karnival Kid,” the 1929 short in which Mickey Mouse first speaks; and a very special memento created for Walt by legendary artist Salvador Dali.

· Disney A to Z – A complete and newly-updated electronic version of the definitive Disney encyclopedia with more than 7,000 entries written by Dave Smith, founder and Chief Archivist Emeritus of the Walt Disney Archives.

· D23 Presents – A deeper dive into all parts of Disney from the opening of Mystic Manor in Hong Kong Disneyland to rarely seen footage of the former Disney Studio on Hyperion Avenue.

· Disney Legends and the Walt Disney Archives – Two new microsites; Disney Legends will provide a deeper look at those who’ve made significant contributions to the Disney legacy, and the Archives site will open up the doors of this venerable institution so D23 can share more of The Walt Disney Company’s expansive collections.

In addition, new departments and sections include: Weird Disney, looking at some of the more unusual and outrageous pieces of Disney’s past; Characters, profiling the most beloved characters from television, film and comics with concept art and complete biographies; The Quotable Walt Disney, a digitized version of the out-of-print book featuring some of Walt’s most enduring words; Ask a Legend, a video feature in which Disney Legends like Marty Sklar answer fans questions; First Look, which gives members a glimpse into what’s new and what’s next including Monsters University; Attraction Rewind, celebrating the beloved attractions of Disney’s past which once delighted theme park guests; and Muppetology, which opens up the Muppet-acular universe of our fuzzy friends. D23’s popular video series Armchair Archivist and Disney Geek will also return with all-new episodes.

And that’s just the beginning—on launch day, D23.com will reveal even more surprises.

D23 Free Membership will include:

• Members-Only Website Content: Access to all exclusive content on D23.com.
• Exclusive Merchandise: D23 offers its members access to exclusive, limited-edition merchandise and collectibles.
• Subscription to Weekly D23 FanFare E-newsletter with breaking news and special offers. (You may opt out of receiving FanFare after your first e-newsletter arrives.)
• Discounted tickets to the D23 Expo 2013: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event (For more information click here.)

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Best Counter Service Restaurants to Dine at When It's Raining

Welcome to those of your joining me today from Disney Babies Blog and those of your just hopping aboard. I'm the 3rd stop on our Magical Blogorail.

There are several things that you can do when it's raining outside at Disney World that are fun. Orlando often gets small storms that can blow over in an hour or so. One way to get out of the rain is to grab a bite to eat. Table service restaurants offer the best choice for getting out of the rain but most are booked up with advanced dining reservations, making counter service your best bet. It can be difficult to find a restaurant where there is indoor seating or seating that is covered well enough that you won't get wet. These are some of the best counter service options I've found.

Magic Kingdom

• Tortuga Tavern across from Pirates of the Caribbean. Tortuga is open seasonally so it may not be an option. When it's open it's usually only until 4 pm.
• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in Frontierland near Splash Mountain. This is one of the best choices because the restaurants has a lot of seating and tons of it are located inside.
• Columbia Harbour House across from the Haunted Mansion. There is a lot of indoor seating making this an excellent choice, especially if you like seafood and fish.
• Pinocchio Village Haus in Fantasyland. This is another restaurant with a lot of indoor seating.
• Be Our Guest in the New Fantasyland. Right now there are typically very long lines for lunch here (which is when it's a counter service option), but once there lines are gone this restaurant will be a fantastic choice because of the three dining rooms inside.
• Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. This restaurants has a lot of seating and most of it's inside. There are three sections of seating and the main section is where you can catch Sonny Eclipse.
• Tomorrowland Terrace in Tomorrowland. Currently the restaurant is open due to the refurbishment of Main Street Bakery. There is no word on whether or not it will remain a dining option after the reopening. Tomorrowland Terrace has covered outdoor seating and a lot of it. Many people have taken cover here from the rain.

There are no worries when it comes to dining in the rain at Magic Kingdom. The park has many options and most have several dining areas inside to find a seat.

Epcot

• Sunshine Seasons in the Land pavilion. This restaurant sits in the middle of the pavilion on the bottom level. It has an incredible amount of seating and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Electric Umbrella outside of Innoventions East. This Future World restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating but there is a good bit of it inside. If you're caught in the rain near Mission: Space this is the place for you.
• Boulangerie Patisserie located in the back of the France pavilion. The restaurant has a new location which offers some seating inside but it's very limited.
• Katsura Grill located in the Japan pavilion. Katsura has both indoor and outdoor seating. Both are very limited but you can usual find a table as it's often overlooked.
• Liberty Inn in The American Adventure pavilion. There is tons of seating here, most outside, but you'll be able to find a seat inside the large dining room.
• Lotus Blossom Cafe in the China pavilion. This small counter service location has limited seating with two dining rooms but you should be able to grab a table.

Epcot serves up a wide variety of dining choices and many of them offer refuge from the sun and rain. There are two dining options that I didn't include: Sommerfest in the Germany pavilion and Kringla Bakeri og Kafe in Norway. Reason being, they have very, very limited seating. It's outside and covered, and often will be taken up by guests trying to stay dry rather than dining. Chances of getting a table in the rain are very slim.

Katsura Grill in Japan pavilion

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Backlot Express located next to Star Tours. This restaurants has a lot of indoor seating!
• Pizza Planet located in front of Muppet Vision 3D. There is a decent amount of seating. However, it's difficult to find a table here when it's typical dining hours.
• ABC Commissary located on Commissary Lane. This is another restaurant that has a lot of indoor seating. 
• Studio Catering Co. located near Lights, Motor, Action. Seating is outdoors but it is completely covered so if you find seating closer to the middle you'll stay dry. This restaurants isn't always open either. It only operates seasonally.

Disney's Hollywood Studios is the second hardest places to find a place to eat that is out in the rain. All of the dining located on Sunset Blvd. (Tower of Terror and Rock n' Roller Coaster) is outside. So it eliminates a lot of dining choices when it storms.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• Pizzafari is located near the entrance to Camp Minnie-Mickey has indoor and outdoor seating. There is an abundance of seating inside. 
• Restaurantosaurus is located in Dinoland U.S.A. near Dinosaur. There is plenty of indoor seating and the outdoor seating is covered, but most of it isn't enough to keep you dry.

This is the hardest park to find seating that isn't outside. Flame Tree BBQ has covered seating, but it's outside so if it's pouring and windy it's not an option. If you going during a steady rain, you'll be able to stay dry under the covered pavilions. 

Thank your for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is A Disney Mom's Thoughts.


Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic
2nd Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog
3rd  Stop ~ Cooking with Mickey Blog
Final Stop ~ A Disney Mom's Thoughts

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