My family on a magazine?!

As part of the Ultimate Blog Challenge, I receive daily e-mails containing ideas for blog posts.  In yesterday’s e-mail, one of the suggestions was “If you (or your family) were to be on the cover of a magazine, which one would it be and why?”  In all honesty, I kinda shrugged that suggestion off – it sounded like it would require  too much thought. 

But, the whole point of the Challenge is to be meeting and mingle with new bloggy friends.  One of my new friends shared a link to a website to create your own covers, and the rest is history (well, maybe not history, per se, but you get the point).

Seriously, could there be a magazine cover any more perfect for my family?  (Well, maybe there could, but still!)  I love the  byline on this one – CHEAP people, CHEAP places, CHEAP experiences.  Yep, that’s pretty much us in a nutshell.  Over the years, we’ve learned how to save for trips and do things very inexpensively.  As a matter of fact, I talked about this very thing in the past 2 weeks’ Destination Disney topics (Disney on a Budget and Ways to Save for Disney).

 

The photo on the magazine cover above was taken at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, after enjoying a wonderful character breakfast at the Cape May Cafe. We took the photo ourselves using my camera’s automatic timer.  (The picture snapped directly after this one contains a family pedaling by in a surry! LOL)

 

Can anyone guess which headline I added to the magazine cover?

 

How about you and your family?  Which magazine would you be on?  Please share!

Orlando Attractions Magazine

If you’re familiar with my Recommended Disney Resources list, then you may have seen the Orlando Attractions Magazine Blog on my list of recommended websites.  I’ve been a follower of this blog for quite some time now and I always enjoy the up-to-date information that they share about Walt Disney World. 

About a month from now, we’ll be visiting the Orlando area and, more specifically Walt Disney World.  My kids love Legos, so we were excited to see this post about the reopening of the Lego Store in Downtown Disney.  The blog posts are not only informative and timely, but they almost always contain nice, large pictures – which I really appreciate!  Sometimes the blog posts even contain videos!

Because I enjoy reading the blog (and recommend that YOU do too!), I was anxious to see the magazine . . .

Orlando Attractions Magazine is published QUARTERLY (4 issues per year, 1 per season).  Each issue contains 64 glossy pages.  The cost for a one-year subscription is $19.99.  (Single back issues are also available here.) Here are some popular features that you can expect to find in each issue:

• In-depth feature stories on Orlando's theme parks and attractions
• Coverage of Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld
• The latest attractions on International Drive, 192, and Lake Buena Vista
• Articles reach as far as Busch Gardens and Kennedy Space Center
• What's hot, new and unique
• Large, high-quality photos
• Calendar of events
• Progress updates of new/refurbished attractions
• Photo spreads from the latest special events
• Spotlighted Restaurants & Resorts
• Cartoons and Puzzles

While the magazine, like the blog, is not ALL ABOUT DISNEY, it certainly contains enough Disney information to keep this Disney-obsessed fan happy!  When we  find ourselves in the Orlando area, it’s mostly to visit Disney World and spend time with friends.  However, there are  times when we are looking for other ways to spend our  time – and I appreciate the information on Sea World and the upcoming Legoland that I’ve found in Orlando Attractions Magazine.

One of my personal favorite sections of the magazine is the Work in Progress section.  It showcases attractions that are under construction, have a new name, are coming soon, have changed, etc.  Again, this isn’t just a Disney-feature, but covers all the attractions in the Orlando area.  Each feature includes a color photograph as well.

I definitely recommend the blog – now I recommend the magazine as well.  If you’re looking for a publication about all-things-Disney, then this isn’t it.  But, if you’re interested in the Orlando area in general, and find yourself longing to know what else is out there, then check out Orlando Attractions Magazine.  You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. 

NOTE: I received samples of this magazine in order to post about it on my blog. The opinions expressed in this post are my own, and were not influenced in any way.

Celebrations Magazine

Last week, I introduced you to a great Disney book for kids – Guide to the Magic.  (If you missed that review, be sure to click back and check it out!) Tim Foster, author of Guide to the Magic for Kids, is also the co-editor of Celebrations Magazine, my topic for this week’s Disney-themed review.

As most of you, my readers, know, I work for a homeschool magazine, so I’m rather familiar with the magazine industry.  When I got my hands on Celebrations, I was beyond impressed! 

Here is what the Celebrations website has to say about their publication:

What is Celebrations? It's the magazine that all Disney fans have been waiting for! Discover the magic of the Disney theme parks & resorts, relive the classic films, and celebrate the secrets, stories and history of the most magical place on Earth.

Inside Each Issue You'll Find:

• The latest news from Disney
• Upcoming events at the parks and resorts
• Feature articles and exclusive interviews
• Great moments in Disney history
• Spotlight features highlighting attractions, resorts and beloved films past and present
• Hidden treasures and magical moments
• Fun & games, scavenger hunts, mystery photos, the Celebrations Kids Korner, and more!

PLUS:
Every issue will feature regular columns by many of your favorite authors and personalities including:
Tim Foster • Guide to the Magic
Lou Mongello • Walt Disney World Trivia/WDWRadio
Steve Barrett • Hidden Mickeys Guide
Tim Devine • The Magic in Pixels
Beci Mahnken • MEI & Mouse Fan Travel
Allison Jones • Destinations in Florida Travel
and more...!

Now, let me tell you what I think sets this magazine apart . . .

• Upon first glance, you are greeted with a gorgeous cover.  Not only is there a large Disney-themed photograph front and center, but the cover is made of very thick, sturdy paper (cardstock, really); so the magazine is going to hold up to lots and lots of reading.
  
• The pages inside, while not nearly as thick as the cover, are still a heavyweight, durable paper (much more so than many other magazines that I read).  With the possible exception of 1-2 pages, every page in this 84-page publication contains high-color pictures that draw you in and exude the excitement that is Walt Disney World.
  
• This magazine is very light on advertisements (which I love!) The few ads that are included are for the magazine itself, and other Disney-related books and resources (such as Guide to the Magic and the Audio Guides to Walt Disney World by Lou Mongello of WDW Radio – I’ll be reviewing these in a future edition of Thursday Review).
  
• The editorials, written by Tim Foster and Lou Mongello, are perfect for setting the scene and introducing what you have to look forward to in each issue.  Make sure you have lots of time to sit and read because once you start on the editorials, you’ll want to read a lot more!
  
• Letters from Readers include pictures that the readers send in.  This makes the letters so much more personal!
  
• The Disney News section talks about those things that are new or coming soon at WDW.  If you’re planning an upcoming trip to the world, this section will be extra interesting.
  
• The Mouse Views section contains the regular columns listed above. Subscribers will come to expect these columns in each issue and jump ahead to their favorites.  My Gracie loves the Hidden Mickey column written by Steve Barrett, while Ashley is fascinated by the Shutters & Lenses column by Tim Devine. I’m pretty much intrigued by the whole thing!
  
• Each issue contains a Featured Film section – focusing on a Disney movie and detailing how it was made, etc.  There is also a Featured Attraction section, and some issues contain a Featured Resort column as well.
  
• Rounding out the magazine is the Wayback Machine (which gives you a fun glimpse at WDW history), Wandering the World (which focuses on those off-the-beaten path things that you might otherwise miss), and the Kids Korner (if you don’t have children, though, no worries – even adults will have fun with the Disney-themed puzzles and facts in this section).
  
• The back covers are frame-worthy as they feature a Disney-themed picture and a quote from Walt Disney. 

What’s not to love?  I’m hooked and I’m definitely subscribing to this magazine.  So, Happy Birthday to ME!  The magazine costs $29.99 for a one year subscription, which includes 6 bi-monthly issues.  You can also purchase back-issues on the website for $5.99 each (or buy all twelve available back issues for $72).

~~~~~~~~~~~

I promised a giveaway, so here goes - - -

I received 2 copies of Issue 15 – the January/February 2011 issue. This is the Back to Nature issue and includes features on:
The Tree of Life, Yehaa Bob, DinoLand U.S.A., the Story Behind the Pleasure Island Plaques,
PLUS: Dinosaur, Tangled, TRON: Legacy, and more!

It’s a beautiful issue, and actually the first one that I picked up and read – it’s the issue that roped me in and made me want more!

I’d love to send my extra copy to one of you! 

MANDATORY ENTRY – you must be a Destination Disney participant in order to qualify for this contest. DD participants, just leave a comment and you’re entered!

If you’ve never participated in the past, that’s ok, it’s not too late – you can participate in the new topic, which will be posted tomorrow, or go back through the old topics (just click on the Destination Disney link at the top of my blog to see all the previous topics), choose one, post on your blog, and come back and comment with a link to your post.

Other chances to win ( be sure to leave separate comments for each):

• Visit Celebrations website and tell me which issue you’d most like to read and why.
• Follow Celebrations Magazine on Facebook. Tell them Heidi sent you! :)
• Post about this contest on your  blog or FB wall, with a link back (for FB, you can use the button at the top of this post).
• Tweet about this contest (or retweet, using the button at the top of this post).
• Add the Destination Disney button to your blog’s sidebar.  (The code  can be found directly under the button in my sidebar ===>)
• Give me a topic suggestion for an upcoming Destination Disney (if you have more than one idea, leave a separate comment  for each one!)
• Tell me what one Disney book or resource you’d like to see me review on my blog.

I will draw a random winner from all entrants next Thursday, March 17th, at noon.  Good luck!