Interesting choice for a Friday Photo, right? But this photo is from the grab-n-go area of one of my favorite Epcot eateries: Sunshine Seasons. Not only does SS have an extensive menu of both convenience foods and full entrees w/sides, but much of the produce used is grown right there on-site in The Land pavilion. Now that’s fresh! And did I mention it is very reasonably priced? Large side salads for around $3, and full plates for around $10. I highly recommend this counter service restaurant, especially for the health-conscious eater!

We’ve been waiting…albeit, not very patiently. And now we have our answers. It looks like the free fall dining promotion will be, well, pretty much the same as past years.  Thankfully, Disney did not downgrade Moderate resort guests to the Quick Service Plan, as some suspected. Hooray! Free Dining is currently available to Disney Visa cardholders, but will likely be released to the general public on Monday (May 3).

For the record, here are the details:

• Travel dates: August 15–October 2, 2010 (your travel dates can extend past Oct. 2, providing you check in on or before that date)
• Book by August 14 (but the offer is limited, so book ASAP!)
• Must book a Magic Your Way package (resort stay and tickets) at the regular price
• Resort stay must be at least 3 nights, but no more than 10
• Must include at least a 2-day MYW ticket
• Guests staying at a Value resort will get the Quick Service Dining Plan free, but can upgrade to the regular Dining Plan or Deluxe Dining for the price difference
• Guests staying at a Moderate or Deluxe resort will get the Disney Dining Plan free, but can upgrade to the Deluxe Dining for the price difference
• Deposit must be paid with Disney Visa

Time to book those ADRs!

Today marks the first-ever World Wish Day, in honor of the 30th anniversary of the wish that inspired the creation of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Disney, of course, has a long-standing history with the organization, having granted more than 75,000 wishes to date.

“We applaud the great work of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and its 30-year history of granting wishes for these very special children,” said Jim Fielding, president of Disney Stores Worldwide and Make-A-Wish Foundation board member. “Providing children with a magical experience is Disney Store’s mission every day and we are proud to be a place where Make-A-Wish children and families can have some fun and celebrate life.”

Disney Stores nationwide are celebrating by offering a World Wish Day tote for $7.50 (buy it online) through May 3, with $3 from each purchase going to Make-A-Wish. In addition, Disney Store contributed a number of items to an online auction, with 100% of those proceeds going to the organization.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world. With the help of generous donors and more than 30,000 volunteers worldwide, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted more than 240,000 wishes around the world since its inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit worldwishday.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party dates and prices for 2010 have just been released. Here are the confirmed dates: September 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, and 30; October 1, 3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, and 31 ; and November 1.

This is a hard-ticketed event, meaning that your regular Magic Your Way ticket won’t cut it. (And the Magic Kingdom closes early on MNSSHP nights, so keep that in mind and plan your park days accordingly if you’re traveling to WDW during these fall dates.) Tickets can be purchased in advance (highly recommended, as the late October dates seem to fill up) or at the TTC (Ticket and Transportation Center). Here are the prices:

Advance purchase adult $53.95
Advance purchase child (3-9) $47.95
Day of event adult $59.95
Day of event child $53.95
Annual Passholder or DVC Member adult $49.95
Annual Passholder or DVC Member child $43.95
(above prices are before sales tax)

Times for the party are officially 7:00 p.m. to midnight, but guests are allowed to enter the park at 4:00 p.m. with a MNSSHP ticket, so that’s nearly a full day of touring for less than the price of a one-day MYW ticket! To order your tickets, call (407) WDISNEY.

Today’s tip isn’t for everyone…but maybe it could be. Do your children belong to a club, group, or organization? Did you know that Disney offers group rates? Today’s tip: go with a youth group! You can save considerably on tickets to WDW when you travel with your group through “Disney Youth Programs.” In addition to discounted tickets, many of these programs offer opportunities such as workshops, classes, performance opportunities, etc. (But, if you just want to play in the parks, that’s OK too!)

No, you’re not going to get discounted Disney tickets by inviting your entire extended family for a reunion. There are stipulations as to what an official “youth group” comprises. But nothing says you can’t go along as the chaperon, right? Here are a few examples of groups sanctioned by Disney as eligible: 4-H Club, church youth group, high school band or chorus, graduating senior class, and even a homeschool co-op…just to name a few.

Here’s another great tip: Disney offers two free chaperon tickets for your group, and you can purchase additional guest tickets (for parents or siblings of group members) at the same low student price, providing the number of guests doesn’t exceed the number of youth in the group. A minimum of 10 students are required to qualify for group rates. To find out more about the Disney Youth Programs, click here.

Toy Story Midway Mania! is our family’s absolute favorite ride at Walt Disney World. Maybe it’s because we love the giant-scale toys in the queue. Maybe it’s because the games are so easy to play–even for my three-year-old. Or maybe it’s just because Woody and the gang make you feel like a kid, no matter what your age. For whatever reason, we just love it! (And apparently so does everyone else, judging by how the FastPasses seem to disappear by noon most days.)

Our favorite attraction is getting tweaked this month, and a game featuring the characters/scenes from the new Toy Story 3 movie will be added. “Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts” allows guests to throw virtual darts at virtual balloons, in a landscape filled with virtual volcanoes. (Did I mention that it’s virtual?) The new game will replace “Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop.”