Monday, January 21, 2013

A Disney Recipe: Bailey's & Jack Daniel's Mousse


Bailey's and Jack Daniel's Mousse from The Coral Reef Restaurant.

I had this for dessert back in June when we went to EPCOT. It was amazing! I had never had Jack Daniel's before, but decided to try it. The Daniel's was a little strong, but very good. I wanted more after I was done!

(note: mine did not come with the raspberry sauce from the recipe)



This recipe was found on AllEars.net



Ingredients for Bailey's Mousse
1 pound white chocolate
5 each of egg yolks
1/8 cup Bailey's (liquor)
1/4 cup gelatin
1 cup heavy cream

Method of Preparation
1. Cream egg yolks.

2. Whip heavy cream (not too stiff).

3. Melt chocolate in double boiler.

4. Dissolve gelatin in boiling hot water, add to chocolate.

5. Add Bailey's to chocolate, blend well; add yolks and fold in.

6. Fold whipped cream into chocolate.

7. Spray molds inside with baking oil, sprinkle with sugar, put
all on one tray, and store in freezer until mousse is ready.

Ingredients for Jack Daniels Mousse
1 pound dark chocolate
5 each egg yolk
1/8 cup Jack Daniels (liquor)
¼ cup gelatin
1 cup heavy cream

Method of Preparation
1. Cream egg yolks.

2. Whip heavy cream (not too stiff).

3. Melt chocolate in double boiler.

4. Dissolve gelatin in boiling hot water, add to chocolate.

5. Add Bailey's to chocolate, blend well; add yolks and fold in.

6. Fold whipped cream into chocolate.

7. Spray molds inside with baking oil, sprinkle with sugar, put
all on one tray, and store in freezer until mousse is ready.

Preparation for each dessert plate:
4 ounces of Bailey's mousse
4 ounces of Jack Daniels mousse
1 each cigarette décor
Fresh blueberry
Raspberry sauce (raspberry jam with water to make sauce depending on thickness you prefer

1. Place the Bailey's mousse on one side of place.
2. Place the Jack Daniels mousse on the other side.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Pin Trading Tips


This article comes from my new favorite Disney Blog, Disney Tourist Blog. They have a lot of really great trip reports and tips. They are also amazing photographers. 

(http://www.disneytouristblog.com/)

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Sarah and Tom's Walt Disney World Top 30 Must Sees - #13

     Disney Pin Trading is a popular hobby for Walt Disney World guests looking for unique souvenirs of their favorite Disney rides, Disney characters, and special events. Disney Pin Trading began during the Millennium Celebration in October 1999. Since then, Disney Pins have become easily the most popular merchandise and collectibles in all of Walt Disney World and Disneyland, with the possible exception of Vinylmations, which are now rising in popularity.
While some fervent Disney fans scorn Pin Trading (presumably because they oppose good, clean fun), there is no doubt that Pin Trading has been embraced wholeheartedly by the general public and by legions of Disney collectors.
       Pin Trading is relatively simple in practice: guests interested in the hobby and most Cast Members wear lanyards with pins attached to them. While Disney itself allows Pin Trading between guests, this is actually quite uncommon in practice. About the only time it will actually occur is if you happen upon one of the “professional” Pin Traders outside of the Downtown Disney or Epcot Pin Trading shops. Be warned, as these individuals are selling their pins without calling the transaction as much (since Disney prohibits the exchange of money in Pin Trading). Instead, they circumvent the “no cash” rule by sending eager traders inside the Pin Trading Central store to purchase specific items that they will then accept in trade. From a value perspective, these individuals are almost always ripping off casual traders. If there is a specific pin you really want that no longer is in Disney stores, I highly recommend avoiding these individuals, and instead checking eBay.
Pin Trading 2
       The more common, and much more advisable, Pin Trading route is guests trading with Cast Members. Cast Members who trade can be identified by their pin-filled lanyards. If a Cast Member has a green lanyard, they will only trade with kids. All other lanyards are fair game for all guests.

TIP: As Cast Members are trading pins provided to them by Disney, they will accept whatever trades offered to them, so long as the trade is an Official Pin Trading Pin (denoted by a © Disney on the back of the pin). So don’t fret too much about a “fair” offer if you see a pin that you recognize as exceedingly rare, as Cast Members will trade any other official pin for it.
        One of the fun aspects of Pin Trading is that there are so many pins (if you’re a completionist, this can be a drawback). This means that you can go for certain categories of pins (my favorite are pins with the Epcot character “Figment” on them–although I probably don’t need to tell you that I’m a HUGE Figment fan!), and there will be plenty of different pins within that category for you to collect. Some fun options include:
  • Hidden Mickeys (These are semi-common pins with small mickey heads hidden on them that are available in a series that are unique because they’re not available for sale in stores, and can only be found on Cast Member lanyards)
  • Characters (Choose your favorite character and trade for as many pins containing that character as you can)
  • Series (These are groups of ~4-8 pins that have a similar theme but are substantively different)
  • Retro Disney (Pins featuring Disney attractions, characters, and films from years past)
TIP: Look for Cast Members with Lanyards early in the morning as they have “fresh” pins. These pins get picked over during the course of the day, but are replenished at shift changes.
One downside to Pin Trading is that it can be very expensive, as individual pin prices range from $8.99 to an upwards of $34.99! However, it doesn’t need to be nearly this expensive.
TIP: If you do your homework, and buy your pins on eBay before leaving home, you can buy groupings of assorted pins for $1-2 per pin. Prices like those make the hobby much less costly! The only caveat here is that some pin sellers on eBay sell bootleg pins, so you have to do your homework. Pins having copyright or pin trading stamps on the back doesn’t necessarily mean they’re legitimate. Make sure to check the seller’s feedback (long-standing members with near-100% feedback are generally safe), and ask the seller questions if you are uncertain. If they give an answer that deflects your original question, err on the side of caution, and avoid them. While this may seem like a lot of work, the savings are substantial (at least ~$350 for 50 pins), so it’s definitely worth checking out eBay.
Pin Trading 1
Our Opinion of Pin Trading:
       Sarah and I were once avid pin traders. Pin trading caused us to interact with more Cast Members than we ever did prior to trading, we’ve had more fun hunting “rare” pins than Hidden Mickeys on attractions, and it even got us selected as the “family” of the day in the Jammin’ Jungle Parade in August 2008! Moreover, I have found that pin designs are by far the most unique merchandise in all of WDW (extinct attractions, attraction anniversaries, rare characters, you name it!) If you do it right, it’s an incredibly cheap hobby, and it provides you with cheap souvenirs, especially in comparison to those costly and large Big Figs I had been collecting. That said, while we enjoyed it, we haven’t been active with Pin Trading in a while because we already carry a lot of photography gear when in the parks, and lanyards with pins would just be too much.
        The size of the pins is a big deal for us. We love to collect things, but if we continued to accumulate large items at our pre-Pin Trading pace, we would have needed to invest in a large warehouse to store everything. Sarah can attest to this, I have boxes upon boxes (we have storage rooms reminiscent of Citizen Kane or Raiders of the Lost Ark) bursting with Disney items that are just waiting to be unleashed, upon our future home. In this regard, especially, pin trading has been a good hobby, as our entire collection can be condensed into just a shoe box!
        That said, we haven’t become nearly as addicted to Pin Trading as many others have; it can become just as expensive and space-consuming as collecting other Disney pieces, as Disney churns out tons of pins on a monthly basis all with varying price points, designs and edition sizes to satiate all of those interested in Pin Trading. The hobby has become so popular that Disney holds special conventions dedicated to Pin Trading each year, and that several websites devoted to following the collectibles have sprouted up. While you certainly don’t have to become that enamored with the hobby, sometimes it’s difficult to resist: I’ve heard of many unassuming Disney fans getting hooked and spending substantial amounts of money on the hobby.
         However, if you commit to only buying a limited number of pins via eBay prior to the trip, and stick to that plan, you can have fun without getting hooked. With this plan, you might even find yourself spending less on souvenirs!
What do you think of Disney Pin Trading? Are you a fan of it or not?

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Star Wars Weekends

(Article found on chipandco.com)

2013 Dates Revealed for Star Wars Weekends at Disney Hollywood Studios



2013 Dates Revealed for Star Wars Weekends at Disney Hollywood Studios
Gear up fanboys and fangirls for the triumphant return of Star Wars Weekends! Disney Parks just released the dates for set for every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 17 – June 9 2013!
The celebrity guests who make appearances in parades, special programs and autograph signings have not been announced at press time however Disney has named two stars who will be there during the event’s duration. “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” voice actors James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano) are scheduled to return as celebrity hosts. Taylor will be the official emcee while Eckstein will reprise her role as host of “Behind the Force,” a live show that takes fans behind-the-scenes in the Star Wars universe.
2013′s Star Wars Weekends may be the biggest one yet with Disney’s recent acquisition of Lucasfilm and the announcement of new Star Wars Episode VII. Be sure to check back for more announcements regarding the various stars and special events taking place at this year’s Star Wars Weekends! May the Force be with you!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Disney Buttons


I found this article on Chip & Co (chipandco.com). I love getting the buttons. They make you feel a little extra special. 
The dish on Disney Buttons
One of the most popular pieces of advice given by savvy Disney travelers is to get your “Disney Button” .  You may ask what could possibly make you want to look like you work for a restaurant chain while visiting Disney?  Well, Disney is its own little “World” and wearing Disney Buttons and Mickey Ears on your head are all OK.  So here is the dish on Disney World Buttons.
What are they?
Well, they are a 3 inch round button provided by Disney at no charge to you.  They promote different occasions you might have come to Disney to celebrate.   Currently there are buttons available for the following:
  • First Visit (Can be personalized)
  • Happy Birthday or Feliz Cumpleanos (Can be personalized)
  • Happy Anniversary
  • Just Married
  • Just Engaged
  • Family Reunion
  • Generic “I’m Celebrating”
More info after the jump…
Where do I get one?
  • If you’ve notated your special occasion on your resort reservation its likely they will have ready for you when you check in.  If not, ask at the concierge desk and they will make up a button for you.
  • Guest Services at Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios or Epcot.
  • City Hall at the Magic Kingdom
What do I get with my button?
A little extra pixie dust is all I tell everyone to expect.  Everything after that is a bonus!  Cast Members will go out of their way to wish you a “Happy Birthday” or other occasion when they notice your button.  Here are some other perks we’ve gotten over the years:
  • The button itself makes a cool souvenir, make sure they redo the writing as you finish your trip.  It can get a little rough-looking after a few days.
  • A special dessert (cupcake, ice cream, etc.) at a table service meal.
  • Signed birthday cards from the characters at a character meal.
  • Stickers handed out randomly by cast members.
  • Fast passes to a particular ride
  • Balloon Bouquets from the resort
  • Extra attention during a live show
What are the rules?
There are no hard and fast rules for getting a button.  While Disney gives them out freely I think it ruins the magic if you take a button just to get free stuff.  That being said, I don’t think it has to be your actual birthday or anniversary to get a button.  If you are in Disney celebrating the occasion then make sure everyone knows it!  My son’s birthdays are 6 weeks apart and when we celebrate at Disney we go in between both their days.  They both get a celebration button of course!
Anyone have a button I didn’t mention above?  They’ve changed over the years and some come and go.  Want to share your button stories?  We would love to hear from you!
Mickey Mom is a mom to two boys, loves going to Disney for their birthdays and has never worn a button at Disney World.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Favorite Christmas Decor

I thought I would share some photos of my favorite decorations from the holidays in Disney. The last time I was there for Christmas decorating season was in January of 2011. Here are some pictures from that trip.


This is the tree at Downtown Disney. I love the board games surrounding the base of the tree.

Stars in Hollywood Studios


Christmas Carol in the windows of the Emporium in the Magic Kingdom


Magic Kingdom Wreathes


Front entrance to the Magic Kingdom



The Magic Kingdom tree

The Animal Kingdom tree


Nemo tree at Camp Minnie Mickey in Animal Kingdom





Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Disney By the Numbers

I found this on Pinterest a while back and thought that it was something really cool to share.



(click to enlarge)

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

A Message



Thank you to all of my readers! I love writing this blog, even if I'm not as consistent as I would like. 

I hope everyone has a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

If you are in Disney for the holiday, say hi to Mickey for me! ;-)