For more than 40 years, Cinderella’s Castle has stood tall as the Magic Kingdom’s most indisputably iconic landmark. At 190 feet high (and cleverly designed to look even taller), the castle has dazzled millions of visitors with its polished stone walls and 27 turrets which strike an elegant silhouette against the expansive Florida sky.

Cinderella's Castle, photograph by Valerie Champagne

The castle’s central location – where Main Street ends and the Magic Kingdom’s six lands converge – has guaranteed that Cinderella and her Prince reign as the supreme royals of Walt Disney’s Florida kingdom. Of course, they’ve never had any real competition. Until now.

Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=3072

If you’ve never seen a spectacle of five million brilliant lights dancing in sync with beloved holiday songs, then you’ve never experienced Christmas at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.

Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, photograph by Samantha McElhaney

Disney first acquired the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights in 1995 from Jennings Osborne, an Arkansas family man who designed the holiday display for his young daughter. Over the years, the residential display grew increasingly more popular – and elaborate – attracting thousands of visitors every year until a court case initiated by overwhelmed, angry neighbors forced the family to shut it down.

Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=3053

When it comes to thrilling attractions, Epcot might not rank highly on the Walt Disney World theme park scale (Test Track and Soarin’ are standout exceptions), but what Epcot lacks in rides, it makes up for in sheer square footage and seasonal events that draw thousands of visitors every year.

2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival, photograph by Samantha McElhaney

For more than six weeks in the fall of 2012, Epcot hosted its 17th Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival which featured mouthwatering edibles and thirst-quenching drinkables from more than 20 countries worldwide.

During the 46 day festival, park visitors were encouraged to “Taste Your Way Around the World“, by visiting Epcot’s expansive World Showcase International Marketplace and sampling delicacies from around the world. 2012′s Marketplace featured booths dedicated to the cuisines of Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Caribbean, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hawaii, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Poland, Scandinavia, Singapore, South Africa and South Korea.

Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=3041

With cooler weather, smaller crowds and cheaper accommodations, fall is the best time of the year to visit Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The back-to-school season is also Disney’s favorite time of the year to promote major discounts on its Magic Your Way vacation packages.

For families planning to stay 3-14 days at a Disney-owned resort, Magic Your Way With FREE Dining is one of Disney’s most popular and cost-effective discounts. The deal is available to guests arriving most nights* between September 30th and December 20th, 2012, with the purchase of a full-price Magic Your Way vacation package.

Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2809

The holiday season is a magical time of the year* when Christians and non-Christians alike can revel in the gorgeous twinkling lights that are on display every December and through the New Year.

Christmas Lights in Brooklyn's Dyker Heights, photograph by Valerie Champagne

This year, I indulged in the Christmas spirit by visiting Brooklyn’s Dyker Heights neighborhood which is famous for its extravagant Christmas light displays. Every December, Dyker Heights homeowners bedeck their luxurious manses in outrageous and elaborate displays that include thousands of lights, oversized nutcrackers, spinning carousels, and animatronic Santa Clauses. Some of the homes are elegantly decorated and others are garishly overdone with front yards overflowing with lighted reindeer, plastic candy canes, and inflatable snowmen – too many to count.

Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2652