Being a runDisney Volunteer

By: Laurie

 
In January 2014, my husband and I were able to volunteer for Marathon Weekend. This was our first experience volunteering for runDisney.  I participate in runDisney events and it was great to give back a little! I had signed up on the runDisney website.

We had received our badges in the mail.

We got very nice wind jackets and a t shirt.

We volunteered for three days. The first was Expo packet pickup (13 hour shift) and to pass out water for the 5 & 10k runs (6 hour shifts). We had to arrive at 3:30 am for the water handouts. This is even before the runners had to start showing up. We were assigned our positions and driven by van backstage at Epcot. 

We were to set up by China!

We had to work quickly to set up the tables and the cups and then pour all the water.  It wasn’t long before the runners starting going by!

The next three hours flew by in a dizzying array of runners and walkers. After the last participant, the security team came through and told us were all done. We broke down the tables and started to leave. I saw Mushu  from Mulan and asked their handler if I could get a picture. There are characters all along the running route!

It was truly a great experience and I will certainly volunteer for this again! Unknown to us at the time, if you volunteer for 16 hours, you receive a one day ticket to WDW parks!  We received the letter and ticket in the mail!

We are annual passholders so will save this ticket until a family member needs it next year!

Face to Face With Disney Characters

Face to Face...

 

By: Heather Kaminski

 

After weeks and months of planning and saving, you have finally arrived. You are home!

 

You hit the parks hard, ready to let loose and act like a kid again. You're ready for a trip filled with magical moments with food, family, friends and some your favorite characters. And then you see them...

 

FACE CHARACTERS

 

We have all been there. You're so ready to dive in and act like a kid again, but as soon as a Princess (who is clearly, like, a sophomore at FSU) asks you if your husband slayed a dragon for you or asks about this far off land you call "Pittsburgh", you freeze.

 

For the record, "Uhhhh, yeaaaahhh" really was the best thing I could come up with.

 

If you are childless, like myself, these experiences can be awkward if you let them. Without an elated toddler to focus on, it's sometimes hard to get caught up in the magic as quickly as you would like.

 

Here are some tips for to make the most of these opportunities, so you can migle with the characters and have a little fun.

 

Know their backstory:

 

Ask Jasmine if she gets "Carpet Sick" or Ariel if she has a spare Dinglehopper you could borrow. Tell Alice that it's your Unbirthday too, and ask her where the party is! I wonder if Snow White will tell you her favorite Dwarf if you ask her nicely?

 

Ask them to teach you something:

 

Ask Peter Pan for a swordfighting lesson, or challenge Hook to a thumb war! I know from personal experience that Mulan is always up for a martial arts lesson.

 

Greet them in their native tongue:

 

Whether it be a hearty "Bonjour" for Belle, an "Ahoy Matey!" for Captain Jack, or a dainty "How do you do" with Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, it's always fun to get into character and pretend you're part of the story.

 

 

Speaking of getting into character....

 

Strike a Pose:

 

Even if you can't dress in full costume most days, you can always strike a pose to be like your favorite characters. Grab onto your "skirt" and curtsey with the Princesses. Make a "fishie face" with Ariel, salute with the Green Army Men, or show off your guns and make a muscle with Gaston. 

 

 

Whatever you decide to do, just let go of your inhibitions and have a blast! You're on vacation! Live it up. And if you're still uncomfortable, you can always stick with the far less intimidating "Fab 5" pictures. There's totally no one inside of those costumes, they are 100% the real deal.

 

 

Enjoy!

Epcot's China Pavilion

Guest Writer Wednesday

Epcot's China Pavilion
By: Gaylin

I love going to the China Pavilion. The pathway into it, the bridge over the pond to this amazing building. The intricate details, the gold leaf, the colours, it is truly beautiful.

And then if you are a Disney geek like me, you lay down on the floor in this wonderful building so you can get this photo! I had the whole room to myself when I laid down on the floor but a family walked in just as I took the photo and their teenage daughter looked at me as if I was insane. Snicker . . . just a bit insane!

I love the replica of the Terracotta Army, I wander around looking at the individual faces, I find it fascinating.

 

And the other artwork in the display room is also lovely, the pavilion is generally quite quiet and peaceful, a lovely place to stop during a busy vacation.

I don't love the film at the pavilion and am hoping it gets updated sometime soon. Even though I skip the film, I do love to wander through the rest of it, the shop has a myriad of small things to look at. Even the packaged chopsticks are amazingly ornate. While I doubt I ever will go to China the country, going to the pavilion is always a highlight for me.

Also, in front of the pavilion you may catch sight of Mulan and get a photo with her, she is lovely to behold and quite polite as well.

Brunch at Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel

Goofy's Kitchen is located in the Fantasy Tower of the Disneyland Hotel.

A very popular brunch, with plenty of food choices, including many breakfast item, such as "Mickey Mouse" Waffles & Pancakes, French Toast, Sausage & Bacon, a Create-Your-Own Omelet Station, Eggs Benedict, Fresh Fruit, Goofy's Famous Peanut Butter Pizza, Soft-Serve Yogurt with Toppings.

 

There are several lunch type items as well, since this is "brunch", such as an extensive salad selection, Chicken Breast Nuggets, pizza, and many other items.

But to me, there seems to be more desserts than anything else, including an ice cream bar.

 
To be honest, the food here, in my humble opinion, is mediocre.
I think the food at the Storyteller's Cafe buffet at the Grand Californian is superior, while their characters are not as varied.
At Goofy's, the characters are the draw, including Baloo, who joined us for breakfast:

 

 The new super team, Chip 'n' Mulan?

 Dale:

A character I've not previously gotten a picture with, Br'er Fox!

Pluto:

Rafiki:

And our host, Goofy:

As of January 2013 Brunch is 7am-12pm Mon-Fri and 7am-2pm Sat & Sun, prices for Adults: $32.99 and Children 3-9: $16.99 not including gratuity or sales tax.

Final analysis: The food, while not the best, is plentiful, and you won't go away hungry. Go for the fun.