Disney Around the World (in lieu of 11/6 post)

Living in the United States, we are very familiar with the Disney culture. It pretty much has taken over the nation since Walt Disney created Ricky the Rat, and later, Micky Mouse. When Walt created Disneyland in 1955, no one had an idea the effect it would have on today's culture. It took the nation by storm and soon enough we had Walt Disney World in 1971. The Disney Company has spread far beyond the US. Here are the Disney resorts around the world.


Disneyland Resort- Anaheim, CA:
This is the original Disney theme park. Disneyland opened in 1955. At first it was a flop, but it soon became very popular and gained mass success. Disneyland is one of the most popular theme parks in the world, bringing in million of tourists every year. It also had a recent expansion with California Adventure in 2001

Walt Disney World- Orlando, FL:
Walt Disney World was the second Disney park. It is the most visited entertainment park. The resort contains four theme parks and two water parks. It sits on 30,080 acres. The park opened in 1971 and had bigger and better plans than Disneyland in California. Walt wanted it to be more than the one-day visit Disneyland was intended for. To get the full effect of Disney World, I recommend spending at least a week there.

Disneyland Paris- Paris, France:

This park, Disneyland Paris, opened in 1992. Disneyland Paris consists of two theme parks, a retail, dining and entertainment district, and seven Disney-owned hotels.  It was the second Disney resort to open outside the United States (following Tokyo Disney Resort) and the first to be owned and operated by Disney.

Tokyo Disney Resort- Tokyo, Japan:
Tokyo Disney Resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park (Tokyo Disneyland), but developed into a resort with two theme parks, three Disney hotels, six non-Disney hotels, and a shopping complex. Tokyo Disneyland was the first Disney theme park opened outside the United States.




Hong Kong Disneyland Resort- Hong Kong, China:
Hong Kong Disneyland officially opened on September 12, 2005, the resort contains the Hong Kong Disneyland theme park, the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Hollywood Hotel, and several retail, dining and entertainment facilities covering 320 acres of the island. The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is the second extension into Asia after the opening of the Tokyo Disney Resort.


Shanghai Disney Resort- Shanghai, China:
The Shanghai Disney Resort is a new upcoming theme park resort built by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. The resort is scheduled to open in 2016. Phase 1 of the resort's development will feature a Magic Kingdom style park, Shanghai Disneyland Park, an entertainment district, 2 themed hotels, recreational facilities, a lake and associated parking and transportation hubs.

A little bit of Mickey in your stocking

What is better than getting a little Disney holiday merchandise? I personally would be content with a Disney souvenir underneath the Christmas tree. This past weekend (yes, on the dreaded Black Friday) I made my way to New York City to get some holiday gifts. My best friend Rachel and I, being the extreme Disney fans that we are, had to stop by the Disney Store in Times Square. It was packed inside, to say the least. It was well worth it to us though. The store itself is actually pretty big. It consist of two levels and a pretty decent floor plan. The store is very well organized with different sections divided by the merchandise genre. They have a princess section, a classic Mickey section, a Toy Story section and many more. Those three just happen to be my favorite :)

As we shopped through the store we noticed they had some pretty decent deals going on. Gifts under $20 and discounts off your entire purchase, if you spent over a certain amount of money. Rachel and I found some things we just couldn't leave behind. Being the Vinylmation collector that she is, Rachel picked up some New York exclusives. Since she is from California, she had to buy the collectible Vinylmations here in NYC.  She picked out a cute Statue of Liberty one and a Taxi Cab one. Both were adorable and $15. We also purchased a great hot/cold Minnie Mouse mug for $9.95. The classic plush animals were $19.95 and the smaller ones were 2 for $20. Great deals to say the least!

As we made our way upstairs, I immediately found the Toy Story section. I fell in love with a Buzz Lightyear zip-front jacket. Unfortunately they didn't have my size because it was for little boys. A large would've been perfect but they only had smalls and mediums. If you are interested in Disney clothing I highly recommend shopping online. Hit up those "Cyber Monday" deals. The Disney website has a lot of good deals going on for the holidays. One of the best finds I made was the ornaments. Disney has some of the best Christmas ornaments. They have about every character, classic Mickeys, every princess, traditional holiday ones, and some over-the-top ones too. You'll be sure to find one right for everyone in your family! Check out the Disney merchandise and spread the holiday cheer!

Xtranormal Video

Disney Auditions
by: caseykrygierpinkl0ver

CLUB 33

This week's blog entry is taking a turn to Disney's unknown. Well maybe it isn't the "unknown", but more of a Disney secret that many people do not know about. No this isn't a hidden Mickey or a secret hidden message in a movie, this is a secret place inside Disneyland. Club 33 is a restaurant located inside Disneyland in Anaheim, California. This five-star restaurant sits right in the heart of New Orleans Square above the other eatery, Blue Bayou.

What makes Club 33 so special, you ask? Well, for starters it is not open to the public. This is a member’s only, exclusive restaurant only open to those apart of the club. Club members can arrange for their friends to take part in the experience though. Two types of memberships are available- Limited Corporate Membership and Individual Membership. Both of course come with a nice price tag- $27,500 (if they are a corporation) or $10,450 (for individuals). On top of that, they pay annual fees of about $6,100 or $3,275, respectively. Becoming a member is quite difficult. It mostly just takes a lot of patience considering the wait list is standing at a fourteen-year wait. The wait list is currently closed at the moment too.

Club 33 is the only place on the Disneyland property (besides select places in California Adventure) that allows the serving of alcohol. Aside from their top-of-the-line wine list, the food is reportedly amazing too. From the finest meats to fish to greens, you are sure to have one of the most enjoyable dinners. A children's menu is also available. A flat fee of $59 for the kid’s menu should give you some sort of insight to the pricey-ness of the club. 

You may be asking yourself, 'Why do people what to be members to such an expensive club?'. It is simple. This is an elite club that gives a certain status to your name. Because Club 33 is so exclusive, you have every right to brag about your membership. Some benefits besides the restaurant include free admission to both parks on your reservation day, valet parking at the California Grand Hotel, a ride aboard the famous Lilly Belle Railroad Car, a visit to the wheel house of the Mark Twain Mississippi River Boat, and admission to Club 33 special events which they host often. Club 33 is non-the-less an elite group to be part of. Start applying for that membership today!