Family travel, entertainment, mom blog | Theme Park Mom (Leigh Caldwell)

Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant will be the center of the St. Patrick’s Day universe at Walt Disney World this weekend. The Downtown Disney eatery has plenty of special entertainment planned over the next two days, and there will be plenty of Irish food to enjoy and Guinness to drink.

Tonight’s entertainment starts at 6 p.m., with guest entertainers Murphy’s Law & The Irish Rogues, Creel and the Raglan Road Dancers.

And on St. Patrick’s Day, doors will open at 11 a.m., with all-day entertainment starting at noon. Elevation, a U2 tribute band, will perform inside Raglan Road at 10 p.m. Saturday night.

I checked out the food and entertainment last night at Raglan Road, and here are some tips for enjoying your weekend there:

1. Bring the kids. While the words “Irish Pub” and “family friendly” typically don’t go together on St. Patrick’s Day, Raglan Road is a family friendly place. Kids were having a fabulous time last night interacting with the Raglan Road Dancers, and some even got up on the stage to dance themselves.

2. Plan for a wait. Raglan Road is not taking reservations this weekend, so expect big crowds. Plan to come and get on the list, and then enjoy the music and other entertainment happening outside the restaurant while you wait. Warn the kids so that they’ll know to expect it, too.

3. Cover charge. There will be a $10 cover charge per adult (18+) on St. Patrick’s Day itself. No cover charge on Friday.

4. Wear green. Really. Just do it.

5. Eat this:

Tart Art - Asparagus & goat cheese tart with garden peas, leeks & lemon oil dressed arugula.

And this:

Keen Eye for the Shepherds Pie - We give the traditional shepherd’s pie a little makeover with our contemporary twist to this favorite dish.

And, most importantly, this:

Ger’s Bread & Butter Pudding for dessert. (This you can share.)

Well, actually, eat anything you want, because at my table of 10 last night, every single thing brought out looked amazing.

Thanks to the lovely Amanda Tinney of Disney Every Day for the photos.

Disneyland Resort has announced that its new land — Cars Land — as well as two other additions at Disney California Adventure will have their grand opening on June 15. It was a big treat for me to travel to Disneyland Resort a couple of times last summer and catch glimpses of the amazing mountains being constructed in Cars Land, and I can’t wait to go back and see the finished product.

Here’s the press release from Disney:

The Happiest Place on Earth will get even happier June 15, 2012, with the grand opening of Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and the Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney California Adventure park. The exciting, new additions will complete the five-year expansion of Disneyland Resort, a premier, multi-day vacation destination in Southern California with two theme parks, three hotels and the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district.

With four new attractions opening at Disney California Adventure park, full day-to-night experiences at both parks, and the magical transformation of the Disneyland Hotel with new pools, themed suites and remodeled rooms, guests of all ages will enjoy more fun and adventure than ever before at the Disneyland Resort.

Cars Land expands Disney California Adventure by 12 acres and immerses guests in the thrilling world of the Disney•Pixar blockbuster “Cars.”  Guests will feel as if they have stepped into the town of Radiator Springs as they enjoy three family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the movie, plus “Cars”-themed dining and shopping locations such as Flo’s V8 Café, Ramone’s House of Body Art and Radiator Springs Curios.

One of the largest and most elaborate attractions ever created for a Disney park, Radiator Springs Racers is a twisting, turning, high-speed adventure through Ornament Valley and the town of Radiator Springs. Luigi’s Flying Tires invites guests to glide on air aboard special tires, whirling around with their pals. At Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, guests will whip around behind a baby tractor and enjoy tunes from a giant jukebox built from Mater’s most prized possessions.

Starting June 15, guests will enter Disney California Adventure along Buena Vista Street, a place that transports them to an era when Walt Disney arrived in California with new dreams:   1920s Los Angeles. Buena Vista Street features Red Car Trolleys, inspired by the transportation system that once served Southern California, and the Carthay Circle Theatre, modeled after the site of the 1937 world premiere of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Carthay Circle Theatre will include a lounge and the elegant Carthay Circle Restaurant, designed to be the premier dining location in Disney California Adventure.

Adding to the fun at Disney California Adventure this summer will be the new Mad T Party in Hollywood Land, the return of Pixar Play Parade, and the new Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop at Pacific Wharf.  Mad T Party will feature nighttime, family fun inspired by the wild and whimsical world of Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.”

The summer debuts of Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and Carthay Circle Theatre complement previous additions to the park, including the 4D fun of Toy Story Mania; the spectacular after-dark “World of Color” show; The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure; Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta and Paradise Garden Grill restaurants, plus the re-themed attractions Mickey’s Fun Wheel, Silly Symphony Swings and Goofy’s Sky School.

To accommodate a media preview and make final preparations for the exciting debuts, Disney California Adventure will be closed June 14. The fun, new attractions, locations and entertainment will open to the public June 15.

Headed to a theme park? Make sure if you are traveling you have www.21st.com for your car insurance provider to be protected at all times.

Leap Day (Wednesday, Feb. 29) is also known as One More Disney Day to Disney fans around the United States. Both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World are staying open for 24 hours to mark the extra day.

I will be at the Magic Kingdom for Leap Day, and I thought it would be fun to do a Disney photo challenge.

In the image below, I’ve provided 24 photo prompts. I’m going to post a photo for each of these prompts – 24 in all, to signify the 24 hours that the Disney Parks will be open – on Leap Day. I hope you’ll join me! Here’s how:

1. Take Disney photos using the prompts to inspire you if you are at a Disney park, or play along at home by going through previously shot photos and using those.
2. Post your photos to Instagram, on Twitter, in a public Facebook album or any combination of the three.
3. Tag your photos #24disneyphotos.
4. If you decide to post only in a Facebook album, please leave a link to the album in the comments below so that I can find them. (I will be able to find Instagram and Twitter photos through the hash tag #24disneyphotos.)

You can browse through the photos others are taking by searching Instagram or Twitter for the hash tag #24disneyphotos. And I will be posting some of my favorite photos here in blog posts after the fact.

Sound fun? Great! Please play along!

Disney Cruise Line has introduced some new, exciting itineraries for 2013. For the first time ever, there will be sailings from Miami, and the European cruise offerings have been greatly expanded. I am already counting my pennies and trying to decide which one to save up for. You can start booking these cruises on Jan. 26. Here’s the news release from Disney Cruise Line:

In 2013, Disney Cruise Line will offer new itineraries, including an expanded portfolio of European cruises with new destinations such as Venice, Italy, and the Greek Isles. In addition, Disney Cruise Line will utilize a second homeport in Florida, with Caribbean sailings departing from the Port of Miami for the first time.

With the addition of the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy to the fleet of cruise ships, Disney Cruise Line is able to take more families to more destinations around the world. Disney Cruise Line has always catered to the unique vacation needs of families, and next year will be enhancing the cruise options for guests — whether it’s sun and sand in the Caribbean, outdoor adventures in Alaska or experiencing the wonders of Europe.

Highlights of the Disney Cruise Line 2013 schedule (which can be booked beginning Jan. 26, 2012) include…

Mediterranean from Barcelona

Beginning June 1, 2013, the Disney Magic returns to Europe with plenty of new twists to the Mediterranean itineraries, including a four-night option and special 12-night sailings in addition to seven-night itineraries that treat guests to the best of Europe during the three-month season.

The new 12-night sailings visit destinations such as Venice, Italy, and Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast on one itinerary and Ephesus, Turkey and the Greek Isles including Athens, on another. Each itinerary will offer a sailing departing in June and another departing in July.

All itineraries depart from Barcelona, Spain, as the Disney Magic takes guests on an exciting journey of richly diverse cities, cultures and people. With romantic boulevards, bustling bazaars, iconic locations, mild climates, sun-drenched islands and the brilliant blue Mediterranean Sea, guests will enjoy a world-class family vacation with legendary Disney guest service.

Rates start at $796 per person for four-night cruises, $1,015 per person for seven-night cruises and $2,244 for 12-night cruises departing from Barcelona for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

Four-night Mediterranean Getaway

Ports: Barcelona; Nice (Villefranche), France; Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Departure dates: July 9, Aug. 6

Seven-night Mediterranean Cruise

Ports: Barcelona; Nice (Villefranche), France; Florence (La Spezia), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples, Italy

Departure dates: June 1, 8, Aug. 10, 17, 24, 31

12-night Mediterranean with Greece

Ports: Barcelona; Nice (Villefranche), France; Florence (La Spezia), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Mykonos, Greece; Valetta, Malta

Departure dates: June 15, July 13

12-night Mediterranean with Venice

Ports: Barcelona; Nice (Villefranche), France; Florence (La Spezia), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples, Italy; Venice, Italy (overnight); Dubrovnik, Croatia; Valetta, Malta

Departure dates: June 27, July 25

Bahamas and Western Caribbean from Miami

Disney Cruise Line will sail from Miami for the first time on Dec. 23, 2012. One six- and one seven-night Caribbean sailing aboard the Disney Wonder will set the stage for a schedule of four- and five-night cruises from Miami to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean between Jan. 5, 2013, and May 2, 2013. The four- and five-night cruises have a variety of itineraries. Ports of call may include Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Cayman; Key West; Nassau, Bahamas, and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

The itineraries offer families magical days at sea to explore all of the fun aboard the Disney Wonder and days in port to lounge on warm, golden beaches, to swim and snorkel in azure waters or to shop to their heart’s content in exotic marketplaces.

Rates for four- and five-night cruises departing from Miami start at $440 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

Five-night Caribbean

Ports: Miami, Cozumel, Castaway Cay

Departure dates: Jan. 5, 19, Feb, 2, 16, March 2, 16, 30, April 13, 27

Five-night Caribbean

Ports: Miami, Grand Cayman, Cozumel

Departure dates: Jan. 14, 28, Feb. 11, 25, March 11, 25, April 8, 22

Four-night Bahamas

Ports: Miami, Key West, Nassau, Castaway Cay

Departure dates: Jan. 10, 24, Feb. 7, 21, March 7, 21, April 4, 18, May 2

Western Caribbean from Galveston

The Disney Magic, which will begin sailing from Texas in 2012, will continue to sail from the Port of Galveston through May 2013, to the Western Caribbean.

Rates start at $750 per person for six-night cruises and $920 per person for eight-night cruises departing from Galveston for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

Six-night Caribbean:

Ports: Galveston, Grand Cayman, Cozumel

Departure dates: Dec. 15 and 29, 2012, Jan. 12, 26, Feb. 9, 23, March 9, 23, April 6, 20. May 4

Eight-night Caribbean:

Ports: Galveston, Key West, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel

Departure dates: Dec. 21, 2012, Jan. 4, 18, Feb. 1, 15, March 1, 15, 29, April 12, 26, May 10

Alaska from Vancouver

Beginning May 27, 2013, the Disney Wonder will sail seven-night cruises from Vancouver to Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska.

These cruises will combine the natural wonder and adventurous spirit of Alaska with the unparalleled, family-friendly experience found on a Disney Cruise Line ship. Disney Cruise Line worked closely with Alaskan tour operators to create exclusive-to-Disney family-friendly Port Adventures that allow guests to best experience Alaska’s natural beauty and rich history.

Rates for seven-night Alaska cruises departing from Vancouver start at $1,015 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

Seven-night Alaska:

Ports: Vancouver, Tracy Arm (scenic cruising through fjord), Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan

Departure dates: May 27, June 3, 10, 17, 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Aug. 5, 12, 19, 26, Sept. 2

Caribbean and Bahamas from Port Canaveral

The Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream will continue to sail a variety of Caribbean and Bahamian itineraries departing from Port Canaveral.

The Disney Fantasy will sail out of Port Canaveral on seven-night Caribbean itineraries – alternating eastern (St. Maarten and St. Thomas) and western (Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel). Special Eastern Caribbean sailings, January through April 2013, stop at San Juan, Puerto Rico. All Disney Fantasy itineraries include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

Rates for seven-night Caribbean cruises on the Disney Fantasy start at $1,085 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

The Disney Dream will sail three-, four- and five-night cruises from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

Rates for three- and four-night Bahamian cruises on the Disney Dream start at $450 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

Adventures By Disney

Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney will offer families unique land and sea experiences in the Mediterranean. Available on select departures, guests can maximize the magic with three-night or four-night pre-cruise Adventures by Disney vacation itineraries in Barcelona and Madrid. These immersive add-ons allow families to envelop themselves in the culture of the region with VIP access in the most-sought-after tourist destinations – such as the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona and the El Prado museum in Madrid – as well as hands-on lessons in archeology, flamenco dancing, local cuisine and stained glass crafting. Each Adventures by Disney departure is led by knowledgeable Adventure Guides who handle all the planning logistics so parents can relax and enjoy quality time with their family.

Families can also enhance seven-night and 12-night Mediterranean sailings with Adventures by Disney Onboard Experience packages. Throughout the voyage, guests will have access to exclusive Adventures by Disney activities and concierge service from dedicated Adventure Guides. These guides will also lead travelers at each port, helping them unlock the wonders of each destination through exclusive excursions and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Specific itinerary and pricing information for the 2013 Adventures by Disney experiences will be available in March 2012.

All Disney Cruise Line pricing reflects a category 11C standard inside stateroom, Government Taxes and Fees not included. Bookings for the 2013 schedule open Jan. 26, 2012.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can visit http://www.disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500 or contact their travel agent. I recommend booking your cruise through Kingdom Magic Vacations.