Did you know that Disney’s Yacht & Beach Ship Shape Massage Salon & Fitness Center just underwent a major renovation? It is sparkling with a modern, yet warm, motif that complements the nautical resort. There are five treatment rooms and even a relaxation room for the ultimate in lounging.

Around Disney property there are other facilities that offer traditional salon services, plus a limited menu of massages, facials, manicures and pedicures, plus a fitness center to soothe and unwind. Think of these offerings as a super convenient way to get a little “you time” right at your home resort.

All six locations are now owned and managed by Disney so that means a whole new menu of relaxing and pampering services with a dash of Disney in décor and guest service. Treatment hours are from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and salon hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Zahanati Massage & Fitness Center, Disney’s BoardWalk Muscles & Bustles Health Club, Disney’s Coronado Springs La Vida Health Club and Casa de Belleza Salon, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Sturdy Branches Health Club, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort Olympiad Fitness Center. And remember the spa at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort is now closed for a major renovation and is scheduled to reopen in summer as the brand new Senses – A Disney Spa at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort. (The fitness center will remain opened with limited hours.)

For the ultimate in well-being, there’s also the newly opened Senses – A Disney Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. This full-service spa opened its doors last month to feature 15 treatment rooms with services such as water therapy, sugar exfoliation body treatments, rejuvenating citrus facials and an extensive array of massages, spa manicures and pedicures.

Tagged: WDW

Filed: Hotels & Resorts, Walt Disney World Resort

We so often recommend favorite Walt Disney World Resort restaurants, but it’s nice to share an out-of-the-way gem like Shutters Restaurant at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, where we recently dined when we heard that Chef Mike Reitzler is heading up the kitchen. Chef Mike spent a good bit of time in the Caribbean on the Disney Cruise Line ships, so he’s the perfect guy to tweak the casual restaurant’s island-inspired menu.

If you’ve been to Shutters before, you’ll hardly recognize the menu. Chef Mike left favorites like the chorizo-black bean soup and the crispy chicken wings tossed in habanero-brown sugar glaze, but pretty much everything else is new.

We’re partial to the starters, like the “Mahi Bake,” which is Shutters’ take on fish tacos with crispy mahi mahi, avocado, lettuce, mango salsa and cilantro-lime sour cream. It’s inspired by the “shark bake” street food in Trinidad, Barbados and Martinique, says Chef Mike, and he had one of the chefs on the ship teach him how to perfect this simple starter.

The citrus-poached shrimp, really more of a ceviche, is served with hot fried plantains, a nice way to amp up the simple dish. And each entrée shows off Caribbean flavors, from the fresh fish with yucca dumplings and a curry-lemon butter sauce to a char-crusted New York strip steak with mashed sweet potatoes and a garlicky chimichurri sauce. One of our favorites was the pasta with shrimp, chorizo, spinach and goat cheese (he also makes a vegetarian version).

The casual dining room is a fun, out-of-the-way spot for cocktails like the Caribbean Smuggler with Captain Morgan spiced rum, coconut rum, cranberry juice and pineapple juice or a cold Red Stripe beer.

We ended with a slice of no-sugar-added angel food cake, the prized dessert of the evening, topped with silky coconut crème Anglaise and fresh fruit. Served with a press pot of Jamaican Blue Mountain, it was a sweet ending to our journey to the islands. We’re just happy we can return without a plane ticket.

Shutters is open nightly at 5 p.m. for dinner. For reservations, call 407-WDW-DINE. Dinner is one (1) entitlement on the Disney Dining Plan.

Tagged: Dining, WDW

Filed: Disney Dining, Hotels & Resorts, Walt Disney World Resort

We aren’t at Graceland to celebrate Elvis Presley’s birthday today, but you can bet we’re making a beeline to the Bakery Shop in the food court at Disney’s Pop Century Resort at Walt Disney World Resort for an excuse to dig into The King Cupcake, a tribute to the King of Rock ‘n Roll.

Disney Pop Century Resort celebrates pop culture from the 1950s onward, so it’s a perfectly themed dessert fit for, well, a king. One of Elvis’ favorite sandwiches was peanut butter, banana and bacon, so this sweet is a riff on that unusual combo. Even better than a sandwich, this is a moist chocolate cupcake filled with banana custard and topped with a whipped peanut butter icing. And just for Elvis, there’s a flourish of candied bacon and a chocolate Pop Century logo atop.

Cost is $3.99 and counts as a snack on the Disney Dining Plan.

Tagged: Dining, WDW

Filed: Disney Dining, Hotels & Resorts, Walt Disney World Resort

We all know Disneyland Resort is the Happiest Place on Earth. But did you know that many people call the Mandara Spa the happiest spot inside the Happiest Place on Earth?

After a long day walking the parks and riding attractions, you might also want to check out Mandara Spa at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. Like most of the magic at Disneyland Resort, it’s the little things at Mandara Spa that make all the difference. The greeters at the front desk are all smiles, and they’re happy to answer questions. The aromatherapy is soft and pleasant, adding to the relaxing atmosphere. Therapists utilize Balinese practices, massaging the left side of the body and then moving to the right to achieve optimal results.

Be sure to ask an attendant which treatment might be best for your sore spots. Attalia Alverdes, the new manager at Mandara, said the hot stone massage is very popular. The smoothly rounded stones are heated to just the right temperature to make knotted-up muscles give a big sigh of relief.

Facials also are very popular at Mandara and it offers a wonderful selection. To test it out, I chose the “Visibly Brilliant Facial.” The therapist suggested this one after we had chatted about how I wanted to feel when I went home: relaxed and hydrated. I also recommend the scalp treatment and the seaweed wrap massage. Next time, I want to try the “Thai Poultice Massage.”

One surprise was also one of my favorite things: The therapists are trained to wash a guest’s feet at the beginning of each treatment. It’s not just to soothe feet that may have taken 10,000 steps that day; it’s the theory that clean feet are necessary for the body to fully relax.

I thanked the staff profusely for their service, but I never got to give them the best compliment possible: When I got home that evening, I still felt like I was floating on a cloud and I enjoyed one of the most restful night’s sleep in a long while.

If you go: Mandara Spa is open seven days a week and you can make reservations by phone, 714-300-7350, or online at www.mandaraspa.com.

Tagged: DLR

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Hotels & Resorts

Happy New Year from Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai`i! The first full year at Aulani has been an eventful one, with awards for the resort, a great visit from “Live! with Kelly” and, around the time of the resort’s first anniversary in August, the announcement of significant expansion with new water features and food service locations coming to the resort.

We’re all looking forward to seeing those new additions in 2013. It’ll be an exciting new year for us and, I hope, for all of you as well. Here’s a look back at some of our top stories here on the Disney Parks Blog this year.

Celebrating One Year at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Aulani marked its one-year anniversary on August 29 with new details on its expansion and the launch of its official Twitter handle, @DisneyAulani.

Details Announced for Expanded Water Fun and Dining Options at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
This summer, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, announced plans for expansion at the resort, including new water play areas and quick-service dining locations.

Aulani and Laniwai Make the Conde Nast Traveler ‘Hot List’ for 2012
In the May issue of Conde Nast Traveler, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, and Laniwai, a Disney Spa at Aulani, were included on the magazine’s “Hot List” for 2012.

As ‘LIVE!’ Spends the Week at Aulani, Kelly Ripa and Her Family Enjoy the Resort
Early this year, “LIVE! with Kelly” broadcast from Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, culminating in the wedding of the winning couple of “LIVE’s Hawaiian Dream Wedding Giveaway.”

Mischievous Menehune Take Over Disney Parks Blog Publishing
Just before April Fool’s Day, we suspected the mischievous Menehune had tricky plans in store for the Disney Parks Blog. We were right – they took over the site for the day on April 1.

Tagged: Aulani, DVC

Filed: Aulani, Disney Vacation Club, Hotels & Resorts

If you’re still not sure how to ring in the New Year, wonderful options abound all across Walt Disney World Resort. Here’s what we found with insider info on special menus:

At Epcot World Showcase, there are some fab choices. The new Monsieur Paul restaurant at the France Pavilion is offering four special courses, starting with a warm black truffle and artichoke tart or Maine lobster with tomato confit, ending with French sweets. Cost is $195, $275 with wine pairings. Seatings are at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.; call 407-284-0202 for reservations.

World Showplace has a bountiful, family-friendly buffet from 4:30-10:30 p.m. where you can nosh on everything from soups and salads to roasted pork and red-wine-braised chicken, plus key lime and pecan pies and red velvet ganache. Cost is $64.99 plus tax (includes gratuity), $41.99 ages 3 to 11.

In the resorts, the chefs have kicked it up for New Year’s Eve. There are three hot spots at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Cítricos is offering four generous courses – we’re partial to the filet Sicilian with Spanish onions, peppadew and banana peppers, quattro formaggi potato puree and a flourish of rich glace de viande. Cost is $75. Next door, Victoria & Albert’s is offering the most exclusive menu at Walt Disney World Resort, and Chef Scott Hunnel will make this a New Year’s Eve to remember, from Maine lobster and Siberian caviar to hand-cut pasta and crispy pork belly. Cost is $495 and includes wine pairings and gratuity. For reservations, call 407-939-3862. Narcoossee’s is featuring a family-friendly evening with a balloon artist and special viewing for early fireworks. Our pick on the four-course menu is the Australian Kobe-stye Manhattan filet with butter-poached Maine lobster, or the Basque-style bouillabaisse. A sophisticated kids’ menu includes filet mignon and grilled Wild Atlantic shrimp. Cost is $161.85, $77.19 ages 3 to 11 (including tax and gratuity).

Over at Disney’s BoardWalk, there are two diverse options: dance your way into 2013 at Atlantic Dance Hall, or dine in style with Chef Tim Keating at Flying Fish Café. Atlantic Dance fun kicks off a dressy evening at 8 p.m., with a DJ, party favors and Champagne at midnight. The fun goes ‘til 2 a.m. Admission is $37 and includes parking passes with advanced ticket sales. Or, for $80, book a spot in the VIP area with private access to the upstairs balcony with lots of desserts and viewing of Epcot fireworks. Guests must be 21 or older. For reservations, call 407-939-5100.

Flying Fish Café is offering a New Year’s Eve menu that showcases lots of beautiful Florida produce and seafood, such as local tomatoes and cucumbers from The Land Pavilion at Epcot and local day-boat fish. Fans of Chef Keating know to book early – the oak-grilled organic Scottish salmon with a truffled citrus and Vermont butter reduction sounds like a hit. The prixe fixe dinner is $79.88, $26.63 for ages 3 to 11.

Across the water, Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort has three courses for $75 – from chilled shellfish or lobster bisque to a 16-ounce boneless rib-eye. Vegetarians will love the black truffle tortelloni.

It is two table-service entitlements on the Disney Dining Plan for the special menus at World Showplace, Cítricos, Flying Fish Café, and Yachtsman Steakhouse. To make reservations, call 407-WDW-DINE.

Tagged: Dining, Epcot, Holidays, WDW

Filed: Disney Dining, Epcot, Hotels & Resorts, Walt Disney World Resort

Many people know that Imagineers have for decades placed thousands of “Hidden Mickeys” throughout the resorts and attractions of Disney Parks. Some are incredibly difficult to spot and only those with a keen eye and patience, basically everybody but me, can find them. But there is one hidden gem that even I can’t miss. It is the gorgeous 700 acres of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground.

Moms Panelist Kay Belin is a huge fan of this special place. She parks what she calls her “bus,” a spacious and luxurious motor home, at the resort for long periods of time throughout the year. Kay is drawn to the tranquil, peaceful atmosphere of the resort. She loves watching birds and other wildlife such as deer and foxes make their way around the thick forest in the early morning hours.

This resort has three different accommodation choices: tent camping, recreational vehicle sites, and fully equipped family cabins. Kay tells me that for the family who wants to be budget-savvy, the camping option is an ideal solution. The loop for tents offers each site water and electrical hookups, and she says that the bathhouses are kept clean with showers and laundry facilities nearby.

“I really love Fort Wilderness. The recreation options are endless. They have archery lessons, Segway tours, canal fishing, and many playgrounds. My family likes to rent bikes and tour the back wood paths. It is a serene experience,” she said.

I love my high heels, but I happily give them up to go horseback riding at Fort Wilderness. My daughter shares my love of horses. Spending time riding and enjoying the outdoors together is a rarity in this technology-centric time.

But perhaps my favorite Fort Wilderness memory is watching my little one toast marshmallows through the large bay window from the living room of Kay’s home away from home. Except for one little thing. She has two bulldogs who enjoy taking naps on me. Where I sit, they nap. I’m sure they are quite dapper to each other, but their mom dresses them in these ridiculous cheese hats for some strange reason. Odd indeed.

Even with the gargled and loud snoring of Kay’s four-legged “children” ringing in my ears, a visit to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is peaceful, quiet and an incredibly fun way to experience Disney.

What are your favorite campfire memories?

Tagged: Moms Panel, WDW

Filed: Hotels & Resorts, Vacation Planning, Walt Disney World Resort