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One of the confusing issues over the question ‘To tip or not to tip’ just got a little more complicated in Disney World.

Now we all know that waiting staff rely for much of their income on the generosity of guests when it comes to tipping. The custom is to leave a tip of between 15 to 20% on the original amount of the check.

But Disney guests have been a little confused on the Disney Dining Plan and the Disney Dining Experience Plan and the word is that unfortunately this has impacted on the income of the servers.

The Disney Dining Plan ( where you pay for your dining in advance as part of a package with your Disney resort hotel stay) does not include the tip. Some guests are confused about this and leave little or sometimes even no tip. What should you do? You should look at what the check would have been if you had not been part of the plan and add the appropriate tip.

The Disney Dining Experience is different. This is a card that Annual Passholders and Florida residents can buy to save 20% off most Disney World restaurants. It is a great system and one that I use a lot. Disney has now cleared up the tipping confusion on this plan – from Jan 1st 2008 a gratuity of 18% will be added to the check regardless of the size of your party.

Perhaps Disney should just go ahead and introduce this to the Disney Dining Plan too – however their reluctance could be due to the fact that they it may not look like so good of a deal to those people who don’t want to, or are not used to tipping. Perhaps it would be better to explain it a little more to people by putting a note in the check to remind them. I often get those little notes anyway ( I think it is the British accent – they don’t know I have lived in the US for many years)!

Whatever the solution – don’t forget those servers. The tip is a their livelihood.

As a lot of us expected, it has now been confirmed that the refurbishment of Spaceship Earth will take a little longer than first announced. The current re opening date now on the official Disney World website is February 19th 2008. Looks like we will have to wait a little longer to see how the changes shape up.

January 7th 2008 marks the day when Disney MGM is no more – and changes it’s name to Disney Hollywood Studios. I never really understood the MGM connection, and certainly it had been a problem for Disney in the past with various legal actions over the use of the name.

Disney has just released the new Hollywood Studios logo. I feel it is a little uninspiring and had hoped for something more.

What can we look forward to at the newly named park? Well, not that much is going to be any different. Toy Story Mania, a major new attraction should be a great addition. Not much else is changing though. There is to be a new High School Musical street show – I am guessing this will be the same as the one at California Adventure. The new parade is to be the Block Party Bash – again from Disney’s California Adventure theme park. I have to say I have never been impressed with Block Party Bash. I have only seen it a couple of times because I really didn’t feel it was worth my time. I think it is the only parade I would happily walk by without looking back!

Here are some fun facts about Disney World. Did you know that every year:

A lot of the time when you are in a theme park you just want to eat as quickly as possible and get on with the serious business of getting to see as much of the park as possible. Other times though, don’t you just want to sit down and enjoy the experience of the restaurant itself?

Disney has some fabulous places to eat. There aren’t many other places where you can have a smorgasbord in Norway, a buffet in Germany and sip a latte in a French cafe, all within a stones throw of each other.

So savor the experience and take some time to enjoy it.

One place that you have to try at least once is California Grill at the Contemporary Resort. Good food and you get an amazing view of the Magic Kingdom, the lagoon and of course the Disney Wishes fireworks. Such an amazing view this floor is now only open to diners – they used to get so many people just going up in the elevator to the 15th floor that now they have blocked it to everyone except those with reservations. Plan to be there to view the Magic Kingdom fireworks.

We all know how difficult it can be to get our kids to eat their veggies. At the moment I am using a points system with my 5 year old son so he can ‘earn’ a Disney Cars bedroom. Bribery works and I am not too proud to try it!

Now it looks as though parents are going to get a lot of help from Disney with the launch of Disney Garden a new healthy packaged food line marketed towards kids. What better way to get your child to eat fruit and veggies – Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy are telling them it is cool!

I have just checked out the new website www.disneygarden.com which is still under construction, but some parts are working right now. We have just downloaded a Disney pumpkin carving template and printed out a healthy eating certificate as a reward for all the fruit and veg he ate yesterday.

The food sounds like fun which of course is just what us parents need. The idea behind Disney Garden Foodles is fun healthy snacks and side dishes which can be easily packed in a lunch box or quickly eaten at home with no fuss (and hopefully no argument, bribery, tears etc). The food is in a Mickey shaped tray and the kids are encouraged to create pieces of art with the food and then eat them. I know these kind of tactics work, but how great to have them handed to you on a plate, or at least in a package! Seven Foodles choices include: Celery, Peanut Butter and Raisins; Carrots, Celery, Tomatoes and Ranch Dip; Carrots, Celery, Pretzels and Cheese Dip; Apples, Cheese and Crackers; Apples, Caramel and Cheese; Apples, Peanut Butter and Raisins; and Apples, Grapes and cheese.

Then try Disney Garden Quick Snacks: fruit and veg with dips. Food like this is always a hit with kids if it is in a packet rather than just on a plate, and I can imagine if Nemo is telling them it is good for them this is much more convincing than an anxious parent!

Disney Garden Fresh Veggies and Sauce. Veg with a packet of sauce. Easy and quick – they take less than 5 minutes to prepare. Try Totally Teriyaki Sugar Snap Peas, Sunny Honey Orange Carrot Coins, Threezy Cheezy Broccoli Bites, Lemon Butter Blast Broccoli Bites and Pizzalicious Broccoli Bites.

I have just checked out the new website Disney Garden which is still under construction, but some parts are working right now. We have just downloaded a Disney pumpkin carving template and printed out a healthy eating certificate as a reward for all the fruit and veg he ate yesterday.

So, confession time. I am a healthy eating fanatic. My family know that I can spot an additive, a corn syrup, anything non organic a mile away. Will I buy Disney’s new line of foods? Yes, I will. My 9 year old daughter is more of a health food freak than I am, my 1 year old eats all the good stuff I put in front of him. My 5 year old boy? Any trick in the book I will use to get him to try something – and if that is a Mickey Mouse shaped package then that is just the way it has to be!

We already had Disney’s Magical Express, and now Disney cruising is about to get an upgrade. This fall Onboard Airline Check-In is being introduced for Disney Cruise Line.

So you can check in for your Orlando International end of cruise flight on board ship. Checked luggage will go directly from the ship to the flight, so no more having to collect it and transport it yourself.You even get your boarding card delivered to your room the day before you disembark. Anything that saves time at the airport is a great thing and these changes will certainly help make it a lot easier. The catch? At the moment it is only for domestic flights on these carriers:

AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Northwest Airlines, or United Airlines/Ted.

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Want to spend a little time dreaming? I have just spent some very happy time browsing Disney’s new Year of a Million Dreams 2008 catalog!

This Disney giveaway has been extended into 2008 and they have some amazing prizes.

Disney’s private island for a day, lead the parade in Florida, California, Paris and Hong Kong on a 15 night vacation, behind the scenes with an Imagineer, stay in Walt’s Suite at Disneyland California. Just a few of the many dreams that those lucky winners will enjoy.

Which one would I choose? Difficult one this. Probably the New Year’s Eve in Cinderellas Magic Castle Suite. It is my birthday on New Years Day so what better way to celebrate. That really would be my dream come true.

What would my daughter like? To go to the High School Musical 3 premiere. Just when you thought HSM2 hype was over here we are planning the next one.

Spend some dreaming time and browse though the catalog………

Disney Dreams Catalog

Disney has announced plans that they will open a new 800 room hotel, including Disney Vacation Club villas, in Hawaii. Construction is already to start next year with a planned opening for 2011.

Well I have never visited Hawaii and this may be just the push I needed to go!

Disney hinted earlier this year that will open more stand alone resorts, independent entertainment districts, and even niche theme parks in other places in the world.

The new Hawaii resort will be part DVC time share and part hotel rooms. Disney characters are not going to be a huge part of this resort – it was announced that only those ones which fit in, such as Lilo and Stich will be there.

It seem that Disney is wanting to widen it’s locations and spread out from the existing worldwide Disney theme parks. More cruise ships in production, DVC units just announced at Disneyland California – Disney is rapidly expanding outside of Orlando.

Always wanted to be a Jedi? Duel it out with Darth Vader and Darth Maul? Well now your children have the chance – sorry you just have to sit back and watch!

Just back from a great trip to Disneyland and one of the highlights was the Jedi Training Academy which I have not seen before. It is coming soon to Disney World at MGM Studios so I can’t wait to see it there too.

All the family are huge Star Wars fans so the chance for the children to actually get up there on stage with Darth Vader was too good to miss. The whole idea is that the ‘chosen’ children are taught some really simple light saber tricks and get to fight against the Dark Side. Around 25 children are picked. We went twice and my daughter managed to get picked both times ( my 5 year old son was hiding as Darth Vader up close was a little too much for him)!

How did she get picked? By arriving about 15 minutes early ( it wasn’t busy at the park), being near the front, and jumping up and down a lot when they asked for volunteers! Another tip is to wear a Star Wars t shirt or costume. They are of course conveniently sold near the stage!

The show was even better than I had hoped. The Jedi Training Master was excellent, and Darth Vader and Darth Maul were amazing. An absolute must for Star Wars fans out there. Just a pity that you have to be a child to get up there…………………