Behind The Magic Podcast Recap February 1 – February 5, 2016

BTM S4 Logo

Welcome to Season 4 of Behind The Magic Podcast!

This “snack credit” of podcasts is a unique 15-minute daily Disney podcast hosted by Zeek, Rachel, and myself. Every day Monday through Friday you can join us for entertaining Disney information, discussions, guests, games, and more. We’ll be surprising you each and every day with all of our funny stories and Disney insider knowledge. And of course, we’ll also keep you up-to-date on all of the latest Disney news and gossip.

Here’s a quick peek at what you can expect each day:

  • Monday ~ Mouse Whispers Mondays with all of the latest Disney gossip and rumors!
  • Tuesday ~ Topical Tuesdays with exciting Disney discussions!
  • Wednesday ~ With Us Wednesdays with celebrity guests from around the Disney Universe!
  • Thursday ~ Theme Park Thursdays with fun information, facts, and stories about the parks!
  • Friday ~ Fun Fridays with fantastic fun and games!

This Week’s Episodes

This week’s episodes include:

  • Monday ~ Mouse Whispers Monday Disney Quest
  • Tuesday ~ Happy Birthday
  • Wednesday ~ Behind Tad Stones Part 1
  • Thursday ~ Behind Morocco
  • Friday ~ Fun Friday

For more details about each episode and to listen, please click here!

We hope you enjoy our show!

Magic YOUR Band Plaid MagicBand Skins Giveaway

Plaid Skins CollageA must-have Disney World vacation accessory!

Recently I arranged with Tracy at Magic YOUR Band to review their MagicBand Skins. If you aren’t familiar with this product, these adorable decals attach directly to your Disney World MagicBand creating your own personalized look.

The Review

Tracy asked me to pick out a MagicBand Skin that I liked as well as try out their online design tool for this review. My youngest son was excited to test the product with me so he choose the two piece “Slice of Pizza” design to go on his orange MagicBand. I decided to try putting my DisneyWorldEnthusiast.com logo on a skin for my red MagicBand. I was amazed at how easy Magic YOUR Band’s editing system worked. In a matter of minutes, I had a background selected and my logo in place and looking great! Then my son and I eagerly waited for our MagicBand Skins to arrive. Just as promised, they arrived in about a week.

Magic YOUR BandWe opened our delivery to find our MagicBand Skins nicely packaged and looking gorgeous! The first thing that struck me was how bright and vibrant the colors appeared. Upon further inspection, the MagicBand Skins looked perfectly cut and well made. Next up was getting them on our MagicBands.

The process was much easier than I thought it would be. I spent a few minutes watching the installation video on their site and then gave it a try. I found the skins to be very forgiving and I was able to lift them and adjust them until they were just right. Once I had the MagicBand Skins where I wanted, I went back over them pressing down firmly to make sure they were in place. It only took a couple of minutes until our MagicBands were looking quite magical!

My son and I wore our MagicBands with the Magic YOUR Band Skins throughout our most recent Disney World trip. They held up beautifully to ten days filled with pool time, attractions, and rain. We can’t wait to wear our new favorite Disney accessory on our next Walt Disney World vacation!

Here’s all of the important information that you’ll need to get yourself a MagicBand Skin:

  • MagicBand Skins are available for purchase on MagicYOURBand.com.
  • They range in price from $6 to $8 each.
  • They offer special pricing when you purchase multiple MagicBand Skins in one order. Buy two to five and save 15%. Buy six to nine and save 25%. Buy ten or more and save 33%.
  • They come in one piece (that covers the center MagicBand Mickey) or two piece (that shows the center MagicBand Mickey) styles.
  • They have over 100 ready-made designs available including adorable holiday varieties!
  • You also have the options of personalizing one of their designs or creating your own with their easy-to-use online editing tool.
  • MagicBand Skins are fully waterproof. They hold up in the shower, pool, and a Florida rain storm!
  • The MagicBand Skins are easy to apply and remove if you want to change-up your look. They even have a handy video to show you how!
  • The Skins have no effect on how the MagicBand works. Your band will still be fully functional.
  • Magic YOUR Band is located in the United Kingdom and offers free international shipping on all orders.
  • The average delivery time is 7 days from the date of postage. You can upgrade to 2 business day FedEx International Priority Shipping for an additional fee.

The Giveaway

Interested in getting a MagicBand Skin of your own? Well, you’re in luck! From now through Friday, February 19, 2016 at midnight, please enter daily to win a set of four Plaid MagicBand Skins. Just click the image below and follow the instructions to be entered into the giveaway. Be sure to take advantage of the bonus entries, and please tell your friends and family to enter too!

Click image to enter!

Can’t wait and need a MagicBand Skin right away?
Please click this link to purchase one today!

2016 Garden Rocks Concert Series Bands Announced

Garden Rocks 1

If you plan to visit Disney World this spring during the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, here is some exciting news! Disney has just released the information about which bands will be appearing in the Garden Rocks Concert Series that runs during the festival. Here’s everything you need to know courtesy of Disney:


Thirteen pop bands with hits spanning several decades will play the Garden Rocks Concert Series at the 23rd Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival March 2-May 30, 2016. This year’s festival expands from 75 to 90 days, adding two additional concert series weekends to the lineup and extending the final weekend of performances to Memorial Day.

Garden Rocks 2Blood, Sweat & Tears, BRIAN HOWE, former lead singer of Bad Company, Darlene Love and Georgia Satellites will rock Epcot audiences for the first time. Night Ranger, a fan favorite band that’s played the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, will make a Flower & Garden Festival debut. The Orchestra starring former members of ELO, who topped charts in the 1970s and ‘80s, will kick off the concert series March 4-6.

Guests can dance in their seats each festival weekend to classic tunes at the park’s America Gardens Theatre. An eclectic mix of Flower & Garden Festival fan favorites includes the Village People, who debuted at the festival in 2013. With a nod to the 1960s, Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone will rock the house April 1-3. On Memorial Day, The Spinners will close the 90-day festival on a high note, extending their weekend performance to Monday.

Performances are at America Gardens Theatre at 5:30, 6:45 and 8pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival and are included with Epcot admission. Here is this year’s lineup (subject to change without notice):

  • March 4-6: The Orchestra starring former members of ELO “Evil Woman”
  • March 11-13: Starship starring Mickey Thomas “We Built This City”
  • March 18-20: Little River Band “Lady”
  • March 25-27: Village People “Y.M.C.A.”
  • April 1-3: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone “I’m Henry the VIII, I Am”
  • April 8-10: The Guess Who “These Eyes”
  • April 15-17: New! Blood, Sweat & Tears featuring Bo Bice “Spinning Wheel”
  • April 22-24: New! Brian Howe, former lead singer of Bad Company “Can’t Get Enough”
  • April 29-May 1: New! Georgia Satellites “Keep Your Hands to Yourself”
  • May 6-8: Gin Blossoms “Hey Jealousy”
  • May 13-15: New! Darlene Love “Wait ‘Til My Bobby Gets Home”
  • May 20-22: Night Ranger “Sister Christian”
  • May 27-30: The Spinners “Working My Way Back to You”

Looking for more information about the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival? Please check out this article that includes lots of details about what is currently planned!

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

What band are you most excited to hear?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!

New Programming At Select Walt Disney World Resort Children’s Activity Center Locations

Kids Activity Centers 1

At two Walt Disney World Resort Children’s Activity Center locations, the Sandcastle Club at Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Lilo’s Playhouse at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, children ages 3 to 12 years old can enjoy exciting new activities.

Similar to the award-winning programming onboard Disney Cruise Line, these supervised centers now offer adventures in science, cooking activities, and enchanting character interactions, as well as toys and games, dress up, crafts, storytelling, and dancing.

Kids Activity Centers 2Nightly programming may include:

  • Lava Flow
    Learn all about physics! Build paper mountain volcanoes then watch them explode—just like the real thing.
  • Ratatouille Cooking School
    Join a specially trained cookie chef and learn how to make chocolate chip goodies fit for the toughest food critic—even Remy would agree.
  • So You Want To Be a Pirate?
    Leave your landlubber ways behind—train like a buccaneer and come face to face with Captain Hook.

Price is $55 per child from 4:30pm to midnight and includes dinner. Please call 407-WDW-DINE for reservations or for more information.

501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Does your child enjoy the Activity Centers?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!

Celebrating Love In Disney World On Valentine’s Day And Every Day

If you are one of those lucky people who will be celebrating your love in Disney World this year on Valentine’s Day or any day really, you have lots of romantic options available. Here are just some of the many possibilities available courtesy of Disney:


Celebrate love with your significant other on Valentine’s Day and every day at the most magical place on earth, Walt Disney World Resort.  Throughout the 40-square-mile playground there’s simple and luxurious splurges for couples of all ages — from moonlit strolls and stolen kisses aboard attractions to pampering spas and intimate dining for two.

The four Walt Disney World theme parks and 26 resort hotels create a perfect setting for spontaneous romance. Gazing at dazzling fireworks, a surrey bike ride for two at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn & Villas Resort, or a leisurely swing beachside at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, couples can embrace a bouquet of romantic experiences.

Here’s a few options for lovebirds:

The Couple that ‘Spas’ Together… What’s more enjoyable than a luxurious spa treatment? Imagine sharing it with that special someone.  The Senses – A Disney Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort or Senses – A Disney Spa at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, both feature a “couples room” where guests can enjoy specialized spa treatments – such as massages and facials – with the one they love. For information about spa treatments, call 407-WDW-SPAS.

Make like Aladdin and Jasmine – Fly through the sky with your special someone on an adventurous tandem parasail over Bay Lake. Those looking to soar to new heights can spend 10 minutes soaring high above Disney and get a bird’s-eye view of Magic Kingdom and its neighboring resorts. Contact Sammy Duvall’s Watersports Centre at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, or call 407-939-0754 for reservations for a tandem flight.

Sunset in the SkyA very different kind of flight is aboard a tethered balloon rising gently into the Florida sky. Located on the waterfront at Disney Springs, Characters in Flight gives romantics a chance to take their love to new heights. Operating daily, the giant balloon provides breathtaking sights from 400 ft. up in the air with an unparalleled, 360-degree view of the Vacation Kingdom and beyond. Flights take place between 8:30 a.m. and midnight (weather permitting) and last approximately 8-10 minutes. Romantics who time their flight to sunset or fireworks bursting above the parks are in for a special treat. Tickets can be purchased at Disney Springs West Side; tickets are $12.00 per child and $18.00 per adult.

Polynesian Village ResortMagical ResortsFrom the tropical splendor of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to the Victorian era of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the mood is set for an enchanting stay at a Walt Disney World resort hotel. Disney’s fantasy hotels transport couples to faraway places with lavish theming, picturesque views and superior service. For reservations, please click here.

The Love Boat The Grand Floridian’s Grand 1 – an elegant 52-foot yacht – can give couples, or parties up to 18, a stunning view of “Wishes” fireworks showering above Magic Kingdom during select evening cruises along Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. Private butler service and gourmet meals also are available. Romantic evening cruises include a captain and private deck hand. Reservations may be made up to 90 days in advance by calling 407-WDW-PLAY. Callers to that same number can ask about Magic Kingdom or Epcot fireworks cruises aboard gently floating pontoon boats. To turn up the romance, lovebirds can order up champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries for their fireworks viewing.

Disney Dining Serves Romance Couples find Disney dining infused with romance in settings ranging from subdued to spectacular.

  • Indulge in a romantic dinner for two at California Grill atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Situated on the 15th floor of the resort, the onstage, market-inspired kitchen boasts breathtaking views of the Magic Kingdom, Seven Seas Lagoon and nightly fireworks.  The menu is creative, seasonal, sophisticated and fun.
  • Be Our Guest BreakfastBeneath shimmering chandeliers, lovebirds can dine in fairy tale elegance at Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland. Known as the place where Belle and Beast fell in love, the grand ballroom in Beast’s Castle is the perfect setting for romance as ‘snow’ falls on the French countryside outside the windows and guests dine on French-inspired cuisine and fine wines.
  • One of the most romantic dinner spots at Walt Disney World Resort is a table for two at Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. The elegant restaurant has been honored with the Five-Diamond Award from AAA for its gourmet cuisine. Combining Royal Doulton china, Cristofle silver and personalized menus, Victoria & Albert’s is the “crown jewel” of the Grand Floridian’s dining destinations. Soft harp music fills the air in the intimate dining room. Ladies also receive a long-stemmed red rose. For the ultimate romantic experience, an evening at the Chef’s Table is unsurpassed. Couples are seated at a cozy table in Victoria & Albert’s kitchen and treated to a culinary feast custom-tailored to their palates by Chef Scott Hunnel.
  • Guests who prefer to dine in an even more intimate setting at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa need only to pick up the closest telephone. The Grand Floridian can arrange a private dinner for two, served against the elegant backdrop of the Grand Floridian beach – or aboard the Grand 1 – on a sunset excursion along Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. Certain menu items can be specially prepared for the evening. Seven-day notice is requested.
  • France PavilionThere’s nothing more romantic than a champagne toast with classical French cuisine. Monsieur Paul restaurant at the France pavilion at Epcot pays homage to one of France’s most celebrated chefs, Paul Bocuse with upscale French creations. The second floor vantage point of the newly redesigned restaurant offers stunning views of the nightly IllumiNations fireworks display.

For all Walt Disney World dining information, guests can call 407-WDW-DINE (939-3463).

Nature Lovers A horseback ride through one of the backwoods trails at Walt Disney World Resort is just the thing for couples who share a love of nature and each other. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground offers wrangler-led tours (45 minutes) through the deep, pine-scented woods that make up part of the Vacation Kingdom’s 40 square miles. Tours leave several times daily from Trail Blaze Corral, and may be reserved by calling 407-WDW-PLAY (939-7529).

Romantic Evening Horse-drawn carriage rides through the wilderness of Walt Disney World Resort are a romantic treat for couples looking for a secluded nighttime outing. The antique carriages depart from Pioneer Hall at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground and traverse throughout the scenic landscape of the 750-acre rustic resort. Or guests can choose a relaxing old-fashioned carriage ride through Disney’s Port Orleans Resort-Riverside with pickup at Boatwright’s Dining Hall. Each nightly excursion is 25 minutes long. For reservations, guests can call 407-WDW-PLAY (939-7529).

Wedding PavilionWeddings Around the ‘World’ The epitome of Disney romance can be summed up in four words: Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings. Since the first wedding at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion in 1995, more than 1,000 couples each year have exchanged vows at Walt Disney World Resort.

For these couples, dreams become reality. Where else but at Disney could a bride arrive for her wedding in Cinderella’s glass coach, have a handsome major domo carry wedding rings to the altar in a glass slipper, or have Mickey and Minnie greet guests at the reception?

Whether it’s an elegant ball at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, a traditional ceremony at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion or a beach-themed wedding complete with tiki torches, leis and luau on one of the Walt Disney World white-sand beaches, Disney custom designs each wedding with the famous “Disney Difference” – providing attention to the tiniest detail. For more information on Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, call 321-939-4623 or click here.

And honeymooners thrive in the romantic allure of Walt Disney World Resort–a top-rated honeymoon destination, according to industry experts. To book a Disney’s Fairy Tale Honeymoon, please click here.

Renewing Vows Many couples who’ve been married for years are coming to Walt Disney World Resort, often with their families, to renew their vows five, 10, 25 and 50 years later. A Disney vacation provides the perfect backdrop to celebrate this family milestone. Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings experts can tailor the ceremony and celebration to suit each couple.


501 WaysHeading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Will you be celebrating Valentine’s Day in Disney World?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear from you!