Posted on Tuesday, 2nd February 2010 by Dave Parfitt

Take twelve college students, Tiara Todd as chaperone, two off-site rental condos, a minivan, and a “hamster-mobile”, mix them all together for one alternative experience to Central Florida.  Let me back up a second – this was no normal vacation trip.  This time, I was leading a group of college students on a week-long “alternative [...]

Tags: alternative break, Dreams Villas, Give Kids the World, Magic Kingdom, Villas at Seven Dwarfs Lane
Posted in Walt Disney World | Comments (9)

Posted on Sunday, 3rd January 2010 by Dave Parfitt

I know, I know, it’s cliche to write the year-end retrospective article around New Year’s.  However, I can’t help it.  It’s my nature as a scientist to analyze, evaluate, and reflect, and it’s amazing to think about all the different experiences I’ve squeezed into 2009.  There were trips to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, Universal [...]

Tags: Apollo, DIS Unplugged, friends, Give Kids the World, Kennedy Space Center
Posted in Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, Editorials, Sea World, Universal Orlando, Universal Studios, Walt Disney World | Comments (5)

Posted on Saturday, 26th December 2009 by Dave Parfitt

Greetings Everyone: I wanted to recap DIS-apalooza weekend, December 10-14, from the perspective of your special correspondent.  It was a special weekend indeed.  Get it?  Special weekend?  Special correspondent?  Oh gimme a break, I’ve been dealing with a cold since I returned from the weekend, and it’s the best I’ve got in my sinus pressure [...]

Tags: Boma, Candlelight Processional, Chef Mickey's, Dinner Package, DIS Unplugged Podcast, Epcot, Give Kids the World, Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, Lee Cockerell, Magic Kingdom, Marty Sklar, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Rose and Crown, Shula's Steak House, Toy Story Mania, Walt Disney World Dolphin
Posted in Walt Disney World | Comments (7)

Posted on Friday, 27th November 2009 by Dave Parfitt

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Pamela Landwirth, President of Give Kids The World.  Pamela has an extensive background in the theme park and resort operations industry from her 16 years at the Walt Disney Company.  She discussed some of her experiences with Disney including the opening of EuroDisney (now [...]

Tags: Disneyland Paris, EuroDisney, Give Kids the World, GKTW, Henri Landwirth, Pamela Landwirth, Walt Disney World
Posted in Editorials, Walt Disney World | Comments (5)

Posted on Tuesday, 26th May 2009 by Dave Parfitt

The DIS and DIS Unplugged have been involved in a number of fund-raising efforts for Give Kids The World (GKTW), and this has led to lots of discussion on other ways people can give back, or visit the GKTW Village. So how does one go about visiting the Village, or, better yet, become a [...]

Tags: Give Kids the World, volunteering
Posted in Walt Disney World | Comments (2)

Posted on Tuesday, 19th May 2009 by Dave Parfitt

10 years ago, the Muddy Buddy Series was founded by Bob Babbitt with two men and a horse (sounds like a sitcom).  Bob quickly realized he needed to lose the 2,000 pound animal with a mind of its own, and reformulate the event.  The horse was replaced with a mountain bike, and in 1999 the [...]

Tags: Challenged Athletes Foundation, Give Kids the World, Muddy Buddy, Wide World of Sports
Posted in Walt Disney World | Comments (6)

Posted on Saturday, 9th May 2009 by Kathy Werling

Today finally was the day that many of us were excited for!  The Muddy Buddy took place today at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.

Tags: Disney Wide World of Sports, Give Kids the World, Muddy Buddy
Posted in Walt Disney World | Comments (5)