Let’s start with some pre-packaged Spicy Tofu! The label on the packaging proves its vegan-ness, and reads:

Spicy Tofu

INGREDIENTS:

Tofu, Spinach, Carrot, Mint, Parsley, Lemon Juice, Strawberry, Edamame, Corn, Red Pepper, Mandarin Orange, Red Onion, Hot Chili Sauce, Olive Oil, Cous Cous, Spanish Onion, Tomato, Salt, Black Pepper, Cilantro, Garlic, Lime Juice, White Vinegar, Distilled Water, Ginger, Sugar, Jalapeño Peppers, Canola Oil, Coriander.

How exciting is that?! The ingredient list is for all 4 trays of food in the container! If you are unfamiliar with identifying the foods in the picture above, I will help: The longer tray on the bottom is the Spicy Tofu. And on the top 3 trays, from left to right are: Cous cous, strawberries, and edamame with corn and red pepper. I can’t wait to try this next time I visit! (Though I will have to skip the cous cous since I am gluten-intolerant!

Next on the list at Landscape of Flavors is a great quick, portable, and healthy snack: Pretzels and Hummus! The hummus is Sabra, Classic Flavor which Ingredients are as follows:Cooked Chickpeas (Chickpeas [Garbanzos], Water), Tahini (Ground Sesame), Soybean Oil, Garlic, Salt, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate added to maintain freshness, Natural Flavors.

And the Pretzel Ingredients: Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Salt, Corn Oil, Malt Syrup.

What a great find, huh? Christy is hot on the trail with this next delight, as well!… For dessert we have Babycakes NYC! Any vegan traveling to Walt Disney World MUST make a note that ALL of Babycakes NYC’s food is completely vegan. It’s no accident, either! They pride themselves on that fact that they are vegan, so I won’t bother listing the ingredients here, but if you are interested, or have any allergen concerns, check out their website! At Landscape of Flavors, you can pick up a pre-packaged container of Babycakes NYC cupcakes! Don’t forget to, they are a MUST!

Angie has been a WDW addict since her first visit at age 8, and since then her life has never been the same! She lives in southeastern MA with her boyfriend, Kevin (fellow Disney lover), and their 3 dogs, Flip, Josie, and Hildy, where she is currently training to become a professional dog trainer.  Please join Angie every week in “Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan in WDW!” Angie believes that WDW is the most magical place for people with special diets, so, should you have any special diet questions (especially about vegan and gluten-free dining) she’d be happy to help! Angie is also an artist, and you can see her work at www.angiecarreiro.com!

Disclaimer: This blog post, and all past and future Fish Are Friends, Not Food blog posts, are written with my most recent knowledge of the food in WDW parks. Please note that things are constantly changing, so this information might not always be up to date. Also note that I do not take into consideration refined sugar, cross contamination, or impure food items. With that said, always ask a chef before ordering if you are unsure about something, because the recipe may have changed or you may have a different way of defining your vegan lifestyle. 

The post Fish Are Friends, Not Food: A Vegan, Pre-Made, Quick Service Meal at Art of Animation Resort appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Topics in this week’s Disney news include:

- Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party – Mobile site http://m.disneyworld.disney.go.com/
- Gaston’s Tavern in the New Fantasyland
- Fantasmic!
- Little Mermaid at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
- Phineas and Ferb and YOU: A Brand New Reality
- Disney Cruise Line from Galveston, Texas
- Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Members save $300 on Premium Annual Pass
- Walt Disney World Moms Panel
- And more!

QUESTION OF THE WEEK – Have you applied to the Walt Disney World Moms Panel before? Will you apply this year? Why should YOU be on the Moms Panel?

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Join us every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET at http://WDWRadioLIVE.com for a LIVE interactive video news show covering Walt Disney World. Be a part of the broadcast and discussion and discuss the news real-time in the chat room.

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Thanks for watching! Be sure to tune in next week!

- Lou Mongello

The post Video: WDW Radio LIVE – Sept. 12, 2012 – Walt Disney World News with Lou Mongello appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Starting September 15, the full expanse of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will be open and ready for guests to enjoy and build family memories.

According to a recent press release, “The Little Mermaid” wing is the latest and final wing to open and “will feature 864 standard hotel rooms that can sleep up to four guests. With a sea-inspired color palette and an aquatic motif, guests become part of her world as they plunge ‘under the sea’ into Ariel’s secret grotto.  Playful film-inspired décor and characters from the undersea kingdom including Ursula, King Triton and Sebastian come to life both inside guestrooms and in the courtyard.”

The Flippin’ Fins pool complements the wing’s theming and brings the resort’s pool total to three.

In addition to this wing, the Art of Animation Resort also includes buildings that pay homage to “Finding Nemo,” “Cars,” and “The Lion King” family suites.

Now that the completion of the resort is in sight, we wondered how our WDW Radio Family felt about the buildings.  And so, this week’s poll asks:

The post Art of Animation Update and POLL appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Topics in this week’s Disney news include:

- Chase Disney VISA Debit Card
- Walt Disney World Extra Magic Hours
- Dining Tent at Storybook Circus Construction
- The Lion King wing of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort opens August 10
- Special Summer PhotoPass+ deal
- WDW Radio Random Acts of Disney Magic Logo contest (click for details)
- And more!

QUESTION OF THE WEEK – Does this new PhotoPass+ offer make you want to use this service and take advantage of the discount?

Leave your answer in the Comments section below

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Join us every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET at WDWRadioLIVE.com for a LIVE interactive video news show covering Walt Disney World. Be a part of the broadcast and discussion and discuss the news real-time in the chat room.

Thanks for watching! Be sure to tune in next week!

- Lou Mongello

The post WDW Radio LIVE – Disney News July 25, 2012 – Disney Visa, Lion King, Storybook Circus and more! appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Hello and welcome to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. I am your host, Lou Mongello, and this is show #282 for the week of July 8, 2012.

Hearing directly from you is one of the aspects of the show that I enjoy most, and being able to answer your questions, help you plan your next Walt Disney World vacation, or even just talk about Disney trivia and history makes this a two-way conversation, and hopefully helps you enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of the parks. So this week, I’m opening up the inbox again, and will answer your questions about boat rides in Walt Disney World, Shades of Green, the Haunted Mansion stretching room, Art of Animation, Premiere Passports, Disney Cruise Line Land/Sea vacations, Disney Honeymoon registry, planning a surprise party in Walt Disney World and much more.

I’ll then have the answer and winner for last week’s Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week, and pose a new question for your chance to win a Disney prize package!

Be sure and stay for the announcements, including information about the next WDW Radio Meet of the Month in Walt Disney World, our upcoming WDW Radio Cruise on the Disney Dream, the E-Ticket Event to kick off Epcot’s 30th Anniversary, as well as some of your voicemails at the end of the show. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

Thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week!

Information and Links from This Week’s Show:

Question for YOU: Put on your creative caps – How would you surprise someone for their birthday with something special at Walt Disney World? Leave your answer in the comments section below

• Listen to this week’s episode for the Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week for a chance to win a Disney prize package!
• Private Tours of Walt Disney World with Lou Mongello
• Disney Meets and WDW Radio Meets of the Month in Walt Disney World – Get dates and locations on our Events page
• Watch & chat during our LIVE WDW NewsCast Wednesdays at 7:30pm ET at WDWRadioLIVE.com
• WDW Radio on YouTube – Watch past episodes, subscribe to the show and comment on the WDWRadio YouTube Channel
• Get Celebrations Magazine on your iPad/iPhone in iTunes App Store
  
• Welcome to our new sponsor, the Disney Food Blog! Be sure and check out their e-book: The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining - Use code WDWRADIO to save 20%! Money-back guarantee!
  

The post Show # 282 – July 8, 2012 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (June 18, 2012) – Lightning McQueen, Mater, Flo and other characters from the popular Pixar film “Cars” race into Radiator Springs just in time for the summer vacation season today as Disney’s Art of Animation Resort opens the second phase of its new family suites property at Walt Disney World Resort. Less than a month ago, Disney’s Art of  Animation Resort opened its first phase of family suites, themed to Finding Nemo.

In the new Cars wing, featuring 480 family suites, a freshly paved road leads guests on the greatest road trip ever, a cruise down memory lane to small town America — Radiator Springs.  Parked at the entryway Sheriff and  the infamous  Doc Hudson welcome folks into town, along with other car “faces” parked along the road.  There’s backdrops of Luigi’s Casa Della Tires, Tow Mater Towing and the Wheel Well Motel, creating an authentic setting lifted from the super-charged adventure.

All roads lead to the 60′s style Cozy Cone Motel where distinctive orange cone-shaped cabanas invite guests to kick back and then take a dip in the Cozy Cone Pool. High-octane theming is full-throttle inside the family suites, with orange cones imprinted in the carpeting and adorning the light fixtures plus animation-inspired artwork. Guests will feel as though they walked into a scene from the blockbuster film as a pull-out bed extends from the living room sofa (whimsically appearing as the back seat of an old hot rod), the tool chest is actually the dresser and the bathroom design is inspired by a car wash.

If you could ask one of the Art of Animation Imagineers a question about the design of the Art of Animation resort, what would you want to know? Post your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Opens Second Phase; Immerses Guests in the Middle of Story With Enchanting Tales appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. May 31, 2012 – The big blue world of Nemo and friends comes to life just in time for the summer vacation season as Disney’s Art of Animation Resort opens its doors today with “Finding Nemo,” the first phase of  the new resort offering at Walt Disney World Resort.

Opening in phases, each of four distinctly designed wings celebrates rich storytelling, spirited characters, original sketches and playfulness with colorful icons and whimsical theming inspired by classic Disney and Disney•Pixar films.

Family suite wings will showcase “Finding Nemo” opening today with 320 suites, “Cars” opening June 18 with 480 suites, and “The Lion King” opening Aug. 10 with 320 suites. All the themed areas offer elaborate storytelling both inside and out, from each beloved film depicted. Standard guest rooms will make up “The Little Mermaid” wing, the final phase set to open Sept. 15 with 864 rooms.

The three-story, value-priced resort tells the story of the animation process in phases from pencil drawings to close ups. It will immediately transport guests into the worlds of favorite Disney characters and animated films beginning at check-in as pixilated patterns and wavy ribbons of bold colors decorate the resort’s exterior. Pencil drawings of Ariel, Lightning McQueen, Nemo and Simba adorn the entryway, and a whimsical chandelier composed of 77 animation storyboards enhances the lively and modern Animation Hall lobby.

“Our goal was to make guests feel like they have been immersed in the artistry and enchantment of Walt Disney and Disney•Pixar animated classics,” said Walt Disney Imagineer Frank Paris.

Giant sketchbooks filled with favorite characters seem to come to life as they pave the way to each storyline revealed. Scenic settings, icons—including a brightly-colored coral landscape, a 35-foot-tall model of King Triton, a towering Mufasa and more—immerse guests into the playful world of animation. At the “Cars” wing, a freshly paved road will lead to the Cozy Cone Motel complete with a Cozy Cone pool and cone-shaped cabanas. It’s a journey through an African landscape in “The Lion King” complete with an elephant graveyard play area that invites youngsters to seek hakuna matata time. Treasures from the human world fill Ariel’s grotto in an under- the-sea kingdom in Little Mermaid courtyard.

From linens and carpeting to fixtures and furniture, all details of the guestrooms tie to the storyline. In “Finding Nemo,” there’s coral-shaped chairs and bubble ceiling lights; rusty metallic tiles in the bathroom make guests feel as though they are in the submarine. Zazu takes center stage on the headboards in “The Lion King,” while Pumbaa and Timon decorate the shower curtain.

Kids of all ages can make a splash at the “Big Blue” pool, the largest resort swimming pool at Walt Disney World Resort measuring 11,859 square feet. Guests will feel like they are swimming with Dory and Nemo as underwater speakers periodically pipe in music and messages from film characters. Guests will enter scenes from the animated world and can explore the colorful reef and East Australian Current with a giant-sized Mr. Ray whose wings span 27 feet, pose for a picture with Crush or frolic with Squirt in the Righteous Reef, a children’s play area. And the character sketches become three dimensional with some 2,500 sculpted figures decorating the resort’s exterior and interior.

The Pixel Play Arcade, Drop Off pool bar, and Ink and Paint gift shop round out the offerings. Kids will enjoy the daily character artist in the “Finding Nemo” lobby, and nighttime movies poolside. There are two additional pools under way in the “Cars” and “The Lion King” wings as well.

Dining options include a poolside snack bar, pizza delivery and Landscape of Flavors food court. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the food court features items such as fresh smoothies, hand-scooped gelato and Mongolian barbecue. Original backgrounds from featured films decorate the walls in the dining area, adding to the attention to detail and sense of immersion.

The whimsical property, situated adjacent to Disney’s Pop Century Resort, will open in phases with rates from $248 per night. The 1,120 family suites include two bathrooms, a kitchenette and three separate sleeping areas that can sleep up to six. The 864 standard rooms sleep up to four, with rates as low as $94.

“Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is part of our continued investment in Central Florida and helps keep our region squarely on the map as the world’s premiere family vacation destination,” said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, US and France. “As more and more families travel and make memories together, they also want to stay together, which has created demand for family suites.”

Those staying at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort are treated to complimentary transportation, Extra Magic Hours and other benefits available to a Disney Resort hotel guest.

For reservations, guests can call 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639) or contact their travel agent.

What aspect of the new Art of Animation Resort do you find most intriguing?  The family suites? The pool? The theming? The food court?  Something else?  Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Opens, Immerses Guests in the Middle of the Story With Enchanting Tales appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Reminder About Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and More!

by Don Myers

First I’d like to wish all the mom’s out there, especially my Mom, Kim, a very Happy Mother’s Day! And now, it’s time for the latest edition of the WDW Radio Newswire…

Thursday, May 31st. That’s when Walt Disney World’s newest Resort, Art of Animation, opens up its doors along the shores of Hourglass Lake. And according to the White Rabbit’s trusty watch, the very important date is just over two weeks away! However, only one of the four wings, Finding Nemo, will be opening on that date. The other three wings will be welcoming in their first Guests later this Summer. The Cars section is slated for a June 18th opening, and the Lion King is scheduled to follow suit on August 10th. Little Mermaid will round out the quartet, with an opening date of September 15th on tap. And for you aquatic lovers, there are going to be not one, not two, but three swimming pools featured at the Resort! The Main Feature Pool is located in the Finding Nemo section, and has been appropriately titled the Big Blue Pool. The other two swimming pools are smaller. One can be found in the Cars area, while the other is located in the Little Mermaid wing. They have also received clever names, as they have been dubbed the Cozy Cone Pool (Cars) and the Flippin’ Fins Pool (Mermaid), respectfully.

Now let’s head into the Parks. Our first stop is the Magic Kingdom. More specifically, Fantasyland, where tarps have just popped up at it’s a small world. It doesn’t appear as if the attraction will be experiencing any downtime as a result of this construction however, as all indications point to this simply being the latest in a long line of exterior refurbishment projects around the Park

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for one of Fantasyland’s other attractions, Snow White’s Scary Adventures. The opening day dark ride is scheduled to drift into the realm of extinction in just over two weeks time, so if you plan on experiencing the ride one more time before it’s gone forever, you’ve got until Wednesday May 30th to do so. On Thursday May 31st, the attraction closes its doors for good to make room for Princess Fairytale Hall, an all-new meet and greet experience scheduled to open up in 2014.

Now let’s Park Hop from the Magic Kingdom over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where there is a small bit of news to report on the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Indy will be going on a two-day hiatus later this month, as there will be no performances of the stunt show on Wednesday May 16th or Thursday May 17th. But fear not; as Dr. Jones will be back in action on Friday May 18th, just in time for the kickoff of the 2012 edition of Star Wars Weekends!

Speaking of Star Wars Weekends, the final celebrity spot for the third weekend has finally been confirmed. The spot now belongs to Catherine Taber, the voice behind Anakin’s one true love, Padme Amidala, in the Clone Wars series. Back in the April 19th edition of the Newswire, I detailed the complete list of Celebrity Guests for all four weekends, which can be viewed at:

http://www.wdwradio.com/2012/04/wdw-radio-newswire-avenge-o-rail-coming-to-a-monorail-station-near-you/

Well, that’s gonna do it for today’s update. But I’ll be back again soon with another edition of the WDW Radio Newswire

The post WDW Radio Newswire: Art of Animation Ready For Its Big Debut appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — To kick off the summer vacation season, Walt Disney World Resort will open on May 31 its newest resort hotel with Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, a value property consisting primarily of family suites that immerse guests into the magical worlds of classic Disney and Disney•Pixar films.

Opening in phases, each of the four wings celebrates rich storytelling, spirited characters and playfulness with colorful icons and whimsical theming inspired by each beloved film depicted.  Three family suite wings will showcase Finding Nemo opening May 31, Cars opening June 18 and The Lion King opening Aug. 10, with elaborate storytelling both inside and out. Standard guest rooms make up The Little Mermaid wing, the final phase to open on Sept. 15.

The three-story resort will immediately put guests into the worlds of favorite Disney characters and animated films beginning at check-in as pixilated patterns and wavy ribbons of color decorate the resort’s exterior. Pencil drawings of Ariel, Lightning McQueen, Nemo and Simba adorn the entryway, and a cleverly created chandelier composed of animation storyboards enhances the lively and modern lobby.

“Our goal is to make guests feel like they have been immersed in the artistry and enchantment of Walt Disney and Disney•Pixar animated classics,” said Walt Disney Imagineer Frank Paris.

Giant sketchbooks filled with favorite characters seem to come to life as they pave the way to each storyline revealed. Scenic settings, icons—including a brightly-colored coral landscape, a 35-foot-tall model of King Triton, a towering Mufasa and more—immerse guests into the playful world of animation. At the Cars wing, a freshly paved road leads to the Cozy Cone Motel complete with a Cozy Cone pool and cone-shaped cabanas. It’s a journey through an African landscape in The Lion King complete with an elephant graveyard play area that invites youngsters to seek hakuna matata time. Treasures from the human world fill Ariel’s grotto in an under- the-sea kingdom in Little Mermaid courtyard.

From linens and carpeting to fixtures and furniture, all details of the guestrooms tie to the storyline. In Finding Nemo, there’s coral-shaped chairs and bubble ceiling lights; Zazu takes center stage on the headboards in The Lion King, while Pumbaa and Timon decorate the shower curtain.

Kids of all ages can make a splash at the “Big Blue” pool, the largest resort swimming pool at Walt Disney World Resort measuring 11,859 square feet. Guests enter scenes from the animated world and can explore the colorful reef with a giant-sized Mr. Ray whose wings span 27 feet, pose for a picture with Crush or frolic with Squirt in the Righteous Reef, a children’s play area. An arcade and two additional pools round out the fun.

Dining options include a poolside snack bar and pizza delivery. The Landscape of Flavors food court will feature items such as fresh smoothies, hand-scooped gelato and Mongolian barbecue.  It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The whimsical property, situated adjacent to Disney’s Pop Century Resort, will open in phases beginning in late May 2012 with rates from $248 per night. The 1,120 family suites include two bathrooms, a kitchenette and three separate sleeping areas that can sleep up to six. The 864 standard rooms sleep up to four. Rates as low as $94 include complimentary transportation, Extra Magic Hours and other benefits available to a Disney Resort guest.

In which area of the Art of Animation Resort would YOU most want to stay?

The post Disney’s Art Of Animation Resort Puts Guests in the Middle of the Story With Enchanting Tales appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Hello and welcome to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. I am your host, Lou Mongello, and this is show #272 for the week of April 29, 2012.

This past weekend, Disney welcomed in media and moms from around the world as they kicked off their summer season by giving us a closer look into “What’s New and What’s Next” at Walt Disney World. From their Summer to Remember media event to the third annual Social Media Moms conference and celebration, we were able to get a closer look at changes and additions coming to the parks and resorts. We also heard from Disney executives, Imagineers and celebrities and got sneak peeks “behind the curtain” at the New Fantasyland and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. We’ll recap the weekend’s events and announcements, and share our thoughts on what this summer (and beyond) will have in store for Walt Disney World fans and guests.

I’ll have the answer and winner for last week’s Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week, and pose a new one for your chance to win a Disney prize package.

I’ll then have a few announcements and share new information about ticket sales to our The 1st Annual WDW Radio E-Ticket Event: An Evening with the Secret Society of Historical American Adventurers before playing more of your voicemails at the end of the show. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

Thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week!

Information and Links from This Week’s Show:

Question for YOU: If you could be Imagineer for the day and choose the theme for the next Walt Disney World resort, what theme would you choose?

More photos and videos to come – stay tuned!!!

Disclosure: I was an invited guest of Disney for the Summer to Remember media event 

• Listen to this week’s episode for the Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week for a chance to win a Disney prize package!
• Private Tours of Walt Disney World with Lou Mongello
• Disney Fan Meets and WDW Radio Meets of the Month in Walt Disney World – Get dates and locations on our Events page
• Watch & chat during our LIVE WDW NewsCast Wednesdays at 7:30pm ET at WDWRadioLIVE.com
• Get Celebrations Magazine on your iPad/iPhone in iTunes App Store
  

The post Show # 272 – April 29, 2012 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.