My Favorite Finds

I know that in our Disney vacation experience, a resort discount works out better for us {sometimes} than Free Dining does. I think it's especially helpful if you want to stay at a Moderate or Deluxe Resort. Our friend Angela @ Destinations in Florida is back today to remind us of the details of the Resort Only Discount that Disney released last week, along with the Free Dining. Either way, Angela will be super helpful in giving you quotes and planning your vacation for you. You can request a quote-with no pressure-by using the box on the sidebar. Or, contact Angela directly .

If free dining is not available or a good fit for your vacation to Disney World, you can also save with another discount saving you up to 30% off your hotel. This discount may be a better deal than the free dining, especially for those guests staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort. Your Disney Specialist will price both options to make sure you are saving the most money during your vacation. This hotel discount is available for travel between 8/15/13 – 9/28/13.

The discounts include:

• 5% off Disney’s All Star Movies, Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (select rooms), Bay Lake Tower, and select rooms at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• 15% off Disney’s Art of Animation Family Suites
• 20% off Disney’s Pop Century, Disney’s All Star Music, Disney’s All Star Sports, Disney’s Contemporary (select rooms), Disney’s Grand Floridian, and Disney’s Polynesian Resorts
• 25% off Disney’s Caribbean Beach, Disney’s Coronado Springs, and Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resorts
• 30% off Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Old Key West, Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Saratoga Springs, and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• You can add tickets and Disney Dining Plans to your package for additional savings.
• For this resort discount, Disney has a few blacked out resorts including campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, 3-Bedroom Villas, and Little Mermaid Rooms at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. For this discount, you must pay your $200 and final payment using your Disney Visa Card. This discount expires on July 31, 2013.

Call us at 336-880-5607 or email me at angelas@destinationsinflorida.com to book today! Be sure to tell me Carrie sent you!

Angela is a Disney Vacation Specialist and Orlando Travel Expert with Destinations in Florida. She specializes in traveling with young children, and children with food allergies. She would love to plan your next vacation! You can contact her on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/AngelaDestinationsInFlorida or email at angelas@destinationsinflorida.com

Hi! I'm Laura from Peace but Not Quiet, and I'm excited to be back today, sharing tips on gardening with your kids. Actually, we got about a foot of snow and a low of 19° last week, so I'm really, really ready to get out there and garden! Or just get out there.

1.) Get them their own tools. The Melissa and Doug Sunny Patch tools are super-cute and hold up well, but there are tons of great kids' gardening tools out there.

Our kids always get some sort of gardening-related gift in their Easter baskets to get ready for spring! And while there are lots of tools and buckets and things, really they'll mostly use a watering can and a small shovel.

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Before we get started with this week's party...I'm also co hosting Shine on Fridays this week!  I know!  Party central, right?  So head over there and share your projects, too.  You can also enter to win a $15 Starbucks gift card!  

Welcome back, party people!  So glad you are here this week to show off your creations, recipes, and great ideas!  Are you ready for Mother's Day?  I know that I've seen some super cute crafts around Pinterest, and right here at Pinworthy Projects, that would be great gifts for Mother's Day!

Last week's most viewed links were:

Strawberry Shortcake @ Decorated Chaos

The Texting While Driving Lie @ Oh, Mrs. Tucker

Now, let's see what you have to share with us today!  Thanks for coming by!

Did you know you can find the features of Pinworthy Projects on our Pinworthy Projects Party Features Page?  Yep.....it's a page where Shannah, Sam, and I pin our "FAVORITE" projects from each week's party.  If you've missed some of the best, most "pinworthy" projects, or you want to get a sneak peek as to who is being featured, stop by!  You'll want to follow our board so you don't miss a thing!

Some of my {FAVORITE} links from last week are:

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Yay!   It's double the link party fun this Friday on My Favorite Finds.  I get to co host Shine on Fridays with my bloggy BFF Amy @ One Artsy Mama...plus her other three super cool co hosts!  AND, I hope to see you all tomorrow back here for another Pinworthy Projects party!

And...that's not all!  Because I love these girls, and a good linky party full of inspiration....I'm sponsoring with a giveaway.  Wanna guess what the giveaway prize is?  Go ahead......okay.  That's right!  A $15 Starbucks gift card....because we all know Starbucks is my {FAVORITE} place!  The Rafflecopter will walk you through the giveaway.....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So, link up your crafty goodness, recipes, ideas, and other awesomeness below!

- grab a party button and put it somewhere on your blog

- send us Starbucks gift cards {just kidding...kind of!}

 

Hi, My Favorite Finds readers! It's Shatzi from Love and Laundry here with my monthly seasonal craft! May is so fun because Mother's Day is this Sunday AND we get to celebrate our teachers! I thought this craft would be fitting for both!

I don't know if I'm like you, but every once in a while, my husband buys me flowers! And the vases the flowers come in are always too beautiful to toss, so I almost always save them. I've gotten quite a stock pile built up the last few years. I was digging through them a while ago, and I found a cool cylinder vase that was just begging for a makeover! So, here is is!

Etching glass is really easy and fun. You definitely still have time to whip this out if you're still looking for a mother's day present!

Here's what you need:

• An old vase
• Vinyl to use as a stencil (you could also use masking tape and make a pattern)
• Glass etching cream

Glass etching cream can be kind of expensive,  but it lasts forever! I bought mine years ago and I've used it for lots of projects.

Here's how you use it:

Cut the vinyl out into the pattern you want. I did a cut grass pattern and used my Silhouette to cut it out.

Next, apply the etching cream. I use a sponge brush and dab it on. You want a pretty thick and even layer on the glass so it will work right.

Wait five minutes for the etching cream to work it's magic, then rinse it off with some water.

Finally, just peel off the vinyl and admire your beautiful work!

My only work of warning is that etching cream can be kind of addicting! You'll start looking around your house for glass trying to think of a fun project to use it on! Don't say I didn't warn you.

Thanks for letting me hang out today, Carrie! I always love coming to your blog.

If you like what you saw today, let's stay in touch!!

Sometimes titled as the "flagship" resort at Walt Disney World Resort, the Grand Floridian Resort and Day Spa is an unmatched experience.  Our family had the privilege of staying at "The Grand", as a result of faulty AC equipment in our room at Wilderness Lodge. Yea, the conversation went something like this:

My husband: "Yes, hello.  Our AC unit in our room doesn't seem to be cooling.  We've been out walking around, and back to the room now, and I think it needs looked at.  Could you send someone? "

Minutes later, a gentleman arrived in our room to check the AC unit.  We stepped out to enjoy a walk around the Wilderness Lodge trails, check out the gift shop and just enjoy the resort for a bit.  After we returned to our room, the phone rings.

Guest Services:  "Sir, we inspected your AC unit, and it appears the entire unit needs replaced.  You have a few options.  First, we have a room available for your party on the second floor.  It has two queen beds, but we see you've requested a bunk bed room.  Will that work for you?

My husband:  "Not really, but possibly.  What are our other options?"

Guest Services:  "We've secured a room for you and your family at the Grand Floridian.  This room is equipped with a day bed, so you would have an option to split your children up-not bunk beds, but they'd be separate.  Thoughts?"

My husband: "The Grand Floridian room option sounds more accomodating to us.  We will move over there."

Done.  Squeal!  Yes, I squealed, and quickly packed our bags back up, and left them for guest services.  We were outta there!  Now, don't get me wrong.  We REALLY wanted to stay at Wilderness Lodge.  It was great, and we were perfectly content there-in fact, we weren't even expecting a move...just a quick fix of our AC unit.  But, staying at the Grand Floridian is something we probably wouldn't have been able to afford in general, so we took the opportunity.  And honestly, my boys can't sleep together very happily!  LOL!  Anyway, back to our stay at the Grand Floridian.

What We Loved about the Grand Floridian Resort:

• It's beautiful. If you've caught a glimpse of the Grand Floridian from the Magic Kingdom, you'll see it's Victorian ambiance across Bay Lake.  Many people get married here, and I can see why.  In fact, when we were checking in, there was a bride having pictures taken in the main lobby.  
• Transportation rocks.  It's on the monorail, which is super awesome.  You are the first Magic Kingdom stop when riding from the Grand Floridian on the monorail.  When taking the boat, the Grand Floridian is the first stop on the way back from Magic Kingdom. Super awesome!  We only had to take a bus to Downtown Disney, Disney's Animal Kingdom Park and Disney's Hollywood Studios.  The buses ran fairly regularly, but the monorail was for sure the highlight.

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Happy May everyone! This year is just flying by. So, a little confession. Not surprisingly, I'm a Food Network and Cooking Channel addict. I've been watching both for years. Unique Eats & Sweets, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, Throwdown, the list goes on and on - culminating with my foodie crush Alton Brown.

 Then Food Network Magazine happened. *happy dance in my kitchen* And that's where this month's recipe comes to you from. I was all over the cheese issue, and we love some macaroni and cheese in this house. So the easy answer to dinner was Philly Cheesesteak macaroni!

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Our friend Angela @ Destinations in Florida is here today to tell the details of the FREE DINING PROMOTION released by Disney today.   Although it's currently only for Disney Visa holders, it'll be released to the general public in a few days.  I always love getting quotes from my travel agent so I can think about my options.  I know from experience, using a TA to do your calling, internet surfing, and putting together scenarios saves a TON of time....and it's free!  You can scroll down to request a quote, or use the box on the right sidebar.  Angela has been so sweet to provide us with a great Disney travel article every Sunday here on My Favorite Finds.  I'm certain she will be a fabulous TA to work with in planning your next Disney trip!  

Are you ready for FREE food at Disney World? The most popular Disney World discount is now available for guests that have a Disney Visa Card. For everyone else, stay tuned. This same discount will be released to the general public on May 9.

Disney’s Visa cardholders can get a free Disney Dining Plan for travel dates of 9/2/13 – 9/25/13. You must purchase a package that includes a minimum of 3 nights accommodation at a Disney Resort and a minimum 2-day Base Ticket. If you stay at a Disney Value Resort, the Quick Service Dining Plan is free. If you stay at a Disney Moderate or Deluxe Resort, the Basic Dining is free.

You can also upgrade from the Quick Service to the Basic Dining for an additional $19 per adult per night and $3 per night per child. You can also upgrade from the Basic Dining to the Deluxe Dining for an additional $45 per adult per night and $20 per night per child.

Book by 7/31/13. Disney will require a deposit of $200 and final payment is due 45 days prior to arrival. Both the deposit and final payment must be paid with your Disney Visa Card. This discount is currently available just for Disney Visa Cardholders, but will be released to the general public on May 9.

This discount is on a space available basis. However, it is blacked out for campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, 3-Bedroom Villas, and Little Mermaid Rooms at Art of Animation Resort.

Call us at 336-8800-5607 or email at angelas@destinationsinflorida.com to book today! Be sure to tell me Carrie @ My Favorite Finds sent you

Angela is a Disney Vacation Specialist and Orlando Travel Expert with Destinations in Florida.  She specializes in traveling with young children, and children with food allergies.  She would love to plan your next vacation!  You can contact her on facebook at:  https://www.facebook.com/AngelaDestinationsInFlorida or email at angelas@destinationsinflorida.com

Learn About Destinations in Florida

Picture this: You are going to Walt Disney World. They most amazing place ever! Lots of rides, characters, shows, and food all over the place. OH NO! Food… Lots of food, Cupcakes, Ice Cream, Dole Whips, Pretzels, and Popcorn, almost everything a food allergy child can’t have. Yes, this sounds easy enough. Just don’t give it to them. This is the common belief, and I thought this way before having a food allergy child. My exact thought was: Yes, it’s sad your child can’t have that, but don’t give it to them, and they will be alright, correct? WRONG! When you are a food allergy parent and child you have to think of things people don’t always think of. You must remember that someone could of eaten that Mickey Ice Cream Bar, had it all of their hands, then grabbed the lap bar on Winnie The Pooh, and now my kid has it on their hands, and now I have to get out my epi-pen.

It’s crazy what you have to think of as a food allergy parent, but out of everywhere I have ever taken my child Disney is the most accommodating and helpful for my food allergy child.  Today I want to share with you Three Tips for Traveling to Disney with Food Allergies.

Food Allergy Tip Number 1:   Remember the wipes. I use baby wipes all over the world. Do I wipe down a ride before he gets on? Absolutely not. But do I wipe his hands as soon as we sit on a ride? Yes I do. He poor little hands should be raw by the time our vacation is over. I wipe them when we sit on a ride, when we get off of a ride, when he sits on a bench, when he touches an elevator button, the list is endless. For some this sounds obsessive, but he has a deathly allergy of peanuts, eggs, and corn syrup. Trust me, it’s in everything, and it’s everywhere. I’d rather wipe his hands down and look like a germaphobic mother, than to have to pull out my epi-pen or Benadryl on my vacation.

Food Allergy Tip Number Two:  every restaurant you go to in Disney World, including Quick Serve Restaurants are beyond accommodating. Be sure to tell the waiter/waitress/cashier that you have a food allergy child. The Chef/Manager will then come out and speak to you about what your child can have on the menu. When we went to Rainforest Café at Animal Kingdom, unfortunately there was not one thing that my child could have on the menu. Nothing. The Chef went to the back, came back, and went back to the kitchen again. Finally, he created a meal that was not even on the menu for him. Now that is some service!

Food Allergy Tip Number 3:  Try not to obsess. Yes, I say that after I just made the confession that I wipe his hands down after everything he does, but the chances are very slim of your child having a reaction from touching the lap bar on a ride. Disney is very clean, they clean all the time and you don’t have to worry about food particles being left in various places. They are very good about cleaning all of this up. Enjoy your time! I know as a food allergy parent, that my mind goes to places it shouldn’t on a regular basis. My mind wonders to what if that child who just gave my child a hug had peanut butter on his hands… We need to just step back and have a good time!

When I am in Disney I feel that it is a vacation from my child’s food allergy. This is because Disney does the work for me! They tell me what he can eat! I wish restaurants all over the world would do this! It would make life so much easier! So, Food Allergy Parents use the tools that Disney gives you and take a vacation from the fear of food allergies!

Angela is a Disney Vacation Specialist and Orlando Travel Expert with Destinations in Florida.  She specializes in traveling with young children, and children with food allergies.  She would love to plan your next vacation!  You can contact her on facebook at:  https://www.facebook.com/AngelaDestinationsInFlorida or email at angelas@destinationsinflorida.com