Tampa Mom

Abracadabra! It’s Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show! Mickey, Minnie and a host of Disney friends come together with world-class magicians to perform magic from legendary Disney films right before your eyes. See the Fairy Godmother transform Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful ball gown in a split second; the spectacular levitation of Aladdin’s Princess Jasmine; and the enchanted dancing brooms of Fantasia. Join Donald and Goofy, Alice and the Mad Hatter, and many more for a one-of-a-kind stage show you’ll never forget. Playing the Lakeland Center March 2-3, the Mahaffey Theatre March 4 and the St. Pete Times Forum March 6. Tickets start at $15. Complete details are at DisneyLive.com.

To get $3 off your tickets, use promo code “MAGIC” at ticketmaster.com or at the Arena Box Offices (good for all performances, no minimum purchase required, excludes front row and VIP seats).http://www.disney.go.com/disneylive/mickeysmagicshow/

Want to win free tickets? Enter our contest!

Lowry Park’s ZooBoo is open on Thursdays-Sundays through Nov. 1. Admission is $17/Adults (ages 12+), $14/Kids (ages 3-11). ZooPass holders pay $12/$10. Open 7-10pm on Thursdays and Sundays, 7-11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Important information: For the safety of guests, adults (ages 12 and older) are not permitted to wear masks, wigs, face paint or costumes of any kind. Little boys and “ghouls” (ages 11 and under) are invited to come in their most spooktacular attire. Toy weapons of any sort will not be allowed into the Zoo.

Guavaween Family FunFest will be held Saturday, October 25, 2008 (10am-3pm) in historic Ybor City. This is a totally free event with a daytime crowd estimated at around 20,000. Safe trick-or-treating, costume contest and parade, and pumpkin contests are among the fabulous family activities.

The Florida Aquarium is holding Guppyween 2008, a safe, fun, and supervised children’s trick or treating on Sunday, October 26 from 4 to 9 p.m. Bring your ghosts and goblins in costume for a deliciously fun time! Candy stations will be set up throughout the facility with plenty of kids’ activities in between. Kids in costume are free, while adults (12 and over) pay $12. It’s a safe, fun party with spooky creatures and loads of tasty treats.  * Limit four children per adult. Aquarium members get in free to this event.

MOSI presents their 3rd annual Hall-O-Boo! Family Halloween Event on October 24 & 25, 5-9pm. Admission for members is only $8, and non-members is $10. Activities include hayrides, monster mash ball, mad scientist demonstrations, and much more!

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom is a fun Disney event especially geared to the under-10 crowd. Tickets vary in price depending on the date. Expect to spend up to $56 for an adult ticket. October 31st is sold out. Event takes place 7pm-midnight, though October 31st.

If you know of another family friendly Halloween event, please post your info in a comment! Thanks! Happy Halloween!

The 2008 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival runs from September 26 through November 9. Florida residents are eligible for a lot of great deals during this time of year. If you live close to Orlando, consider the Epcot After 4PM Annual Pass, a fantastic deal, and will get you into Epcot all year without blackout dates after 4pm. This is great if you just want to dine, go to an Eat to the Beat concert, or visit France for pastries and fireworks at the end of an evening.

Kids can experience all the fun of the festival by traveling to over 14 Kidcot activity stops around the theme park. Our kids really enjoy this and it keeps them motivated during the day. It also provides an opportunity to rest inside, out of the sun or rain. This year, USA Pears sponsors The Pearville Fair, a learning center about pears! Our kids love Epcot!

A note about food allergies: In our experience, Disney is very accommodating, especially in the more formal dining experiences. Even the takeaway food stands are pretty knowledgeable about what they are serving. If you have food allergies, notify your server, and they will typically introduce you and your allergic child to the chef. We’ve met numerous Disney chefs and had just as many conversations with them about our food needs. Once, a chef at Boma (my personal favorite Disney restaurant) made a special dessert for Elizabeth since she couldn’t eat a single thing from their dessert offerings. As with any food activity with allergies, don’t forget your Epi-pens, Benadryl, Albuterol, and whatever else you typically need to deal with an incident. Also, don’t forget to pack some safe snacks. We always pack plenty of safe snacks wherever we go.

One last money-saving tip: You can get a large cup of ice water for free at any fountain drink vendor at Disney. I get a 32-ounce cup of ice water and sometimes mix in a Crystal Light To Go packet. Don’t let your budget prevent you from staying hydrated! Pack a water bottle. Water fountains are abundant throughout the parks, and single-serving drink packets can make it more palatable.

Tasting menus from some of the 2007 international food vendors.