Friday Photo

Since Christmas, I think my girls have watched Secret of the Wings about a hundred times. (Believe it or not, they didn't get it until Christmas! I had to exercise restraint and not go out and buy it immediately and give it to them when it released.) Here's a pic of them meeting their new favorite fairy, Periwinkle, on our September WDW trip:



 

 

Thursday's Tip

Here's a pretty basic tip: start saving early for a Walt Disney World vacation! Kind of a no-brainer, right? But how? I've offered several suggestions in previous posts--everything from saving spare change to skipping the morning latte--but there's a new saving method making its way around Facebook that I'm going to try this year. It's called the "52 Week Money Saving Challenge" and the concept is pretty basic: every week you make a deposit into your savings account (or, in our case, the Disney Fund), beginning with $1 and increasing by $1 each week, until the final week when your deposit will be $52. It starts rather simply--you won't miss a few spare dollars. But even your greatest deposit, $52,  isn't too much of a strain on the wallet. (For a family of 4 or more, this could be as simple as skipping one restaurant meal that week.) When you add all 52 weekly deposits, you'll have saved $1378! That will put you well on your way to paying for a Walt Disney World vacation. (My family has spent less than this on a trip in the past. And with some careful planning, you could too!)

We're getting a late start, since over 3 months have lapsed since our last WDW vacation, and we'll likely return before a full year has past. Still, I'm guessing this will add around $600 to our fund before we take our next trip. That alone will cover our resort stay. (We go in Value Season and ALWAYS have a room discount.)

So now you have your marching orders! Get out there and start saving!

Lego Buzz Lightyear Set 60% Off

I was trolling Amazon.com again (while I should have been writing lesson plans), and I found this fun Lego set. Who wouldn't love this combination--Legos and Buzz Lightyear? At $22, it's priced at 60% off (and eligible for free Super Saver shipping), so I couldn't resist posting, especially since I often overlook fun gifts for boys since we're swimming in a sea of princesses at our house. Still, I think this would make an excellent birthday gift, or maybe even a Disney vacation souvenir, for any Lego-loving Disney fan. Check it out:

My Magic+

photo ©Disney Co.

A couple of days ago, Disney officially announced the new "My Magic+" system. I'll admit that I haven't had time to fully absorb it or even form a complete opinion. So I won't try to sway you, dear reader, or even simplify it for you. Instead, I'll simply point you to the official word from the man himself, Tom Staggs, Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman. Here's the link to the official announcement from the Disney Parks Blog. For more information, a quick search of "My Magic+" will yield tons of articles, posts, stories, etc. from bloggers and fans who are way more informed than I am on this subject! (I'm not afraid to admit my limitations. When it comes to technology, I'll leave that to the techies. Just point me to the deals and coupon codes, please!)

 

Disney Recipe: Liberty Tree Tavern Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake

I have been wanting to try this recipe for Liberty Tree Tavern's Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake since before the holidays, but we've been burried under a sea of Christmas goodies. We had some friends over this weekend, so I decided we were past the post-New Year sugar shock stage and could finally tackle it. The recipe is rather simple (I do not claim to be a skilled chef or even much of a foodie), and the ingredients are pretty basic, with only the key ingredient--toffee--being even slightly out of the ordinary. Plan on about 20 minutes of prep time and around 35 baking time. You prep the dish in two layers, but it bakes together. The consistency is really more of a bar than a cake, and you can cut the sweetness a bit by serving it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Here's the recipe:

Cake "Crust" Ingredients

• 1 standard box of yellow cake mix


• 1 large egg


• 1 stick of butter, softened (1/2 cup)

Mix these ingredients together and press into a pan, much like you would a graham cracker crust. (I did mine in two 8 x 8" pans so that I could make one without the toffee for my allergy kid, but you could use a 9 x 12" or even muffin tins. ) Set aside, and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Cake Top Ingredients

• 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened


• 2 large eggs


• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract


• 1/4 cup of butter (1/2 stick)


• 1 pound of powdered sugar, sifted


• 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips


• 1 cup of toffee bits (you can buy Heath bar pieces, or you can buy whole bars and smash them in a zipper bag with a rubber mallet)

Beat cream cheese until smooth. (You can use a mixer, but a whisk is sufficient.) Add eggs and vanilla, continuing to stir and whip ingredients with each new ingredient. Add butter and mix well. Gradually sift in powdered sugar, and mix until creamy. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee bits, but don't over-mix! Pour mixture over the "crust" and bake approximately 35 minutes. Edges should be golden brown, and the center should be "gooey" but not raw.

This recipe got a big thumbs up from the whole gang! As I mentioned, I made one version without the toffee for my daughter who has a tree nut allergy (toffee contains almonds), and although that version was slightly less glorious, it was still pretty awesome. We served ours with whipped cream, but I think vanilla ice cream on a warm piece would be pretty heavenly--and the ice cream would help cut through some of the incredibly rich sweetness. This is not your every-day dessert! But we'll definitely keep this recipe in our arsenal of special occasion favorites.

Hidden Mickey Monday

It's a new year--and I have a fresh set of Hidden Mickeys for you to decipher. Here's one from our most recent trip to WDW:

Catching Up

OK, let me first apologize for being a total slacker. The truth is, I've been busy as a bee and trying to enjoy what little free time we have with my family. But because of this, I have totally neglected Affording the Mou$e. I'll do my best to catch you up on the major happenings around the World in this post. First, here is some info on a room-only discount that released to the general public this week (after a brief offering to Disney Visa Cardholders first):

• Discounts vary from 15 to 30% off regular rack rates at Disney World Resorts, for travel dates from February 18 through June 24, with blackout dates March 24 through April 1. The deal must be booked by March 7.


• In general, it appears that most Deluxe Resorts offer 30% off, with most Moderates offering 25% off, and Values offering 20% off. The family suites at Art of Animation are 15% off. That said, there are some resorts excluded (or offered at a lower percentage off) and not all dates are available for all resorts.


• You can add the meal plan and tickets for even greater savings.

And now, on to an update of closures and refurbishments:

Magic Kingdom

• Splash Mountain has closed for a lengthy refurbishment and will reopen on March 20.


• The Mad Tea Party will be closed January 7 through February 18.


• The Main Street Bakery has closed and will re-open sometime this summer as a Starbucks location. Have no fear--they will continue to offer many of the yummy pastries we all love.


• The Liberty Square Riverboat will close for a brief refurbishment February 1-7.

Epcot

• The Character Spot remains closed through February. Temporary meet-n-greet locations have been set up. Consult the Times Guide or ask a Cast Member for the location of your favorite characters.


• Fountain View will close in March and re-open this summer as a Starbucks location.


• Habit Heroes remains closed in Innoventions, but there are rumblings that it could reopen this month.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Beauty and the Beast will be closed January 7-12 for a brief refurbishment.


• Disney Junior, Live on Stage! closes January 14 through February 14.

Animal Kingdom

• Kali River Rapids will be closed January 6 through February 15 (but who really wants to ride that in the winter, anyhow?).


• Mr. Kamal's is closed January 6-26.


• Beastly Bazaar remains closed, as it is being re-themed as a meet-n-greet, with no re-opening date given.

And, finally, a contest. Log onto www.disneytimesweeps.com and enter every day between now and January 31 for a chance to win a Walt Disney World vacation. They're giving away one every day!