Actress and former Mousketeer Annette Funicello died today from complications of Multiple Sclerosis. She was 70 years old.

The news first broke online via D23, who announced via Twitter: "We're sorry to report beloved Disney Mouseketeer and iconic teen star Annette Funicello has passed away at age 70." Funicello's family later confirmed that the star died, surrounded by family after she was removed from life support.

If you've been to the Downtown Disney area you've seen the hotels. Maybe you've stayed at one or all of them. Or maybe you're wondering if it's worth it to say "off property." While we can't tell you where to stay, we can tell you that the Downtown Disney area hotels have enough magical amenities that they're worth considering for your next trip.

Disney's Limited Time Magic continues into it's fifteenth week of unique fun! From April 8th through April 14th, 2013 you can go vintage at the Disney Truck Shop. For one week only, the Disney Truck Shop will be parked along the Downtown Disney Westside route, offering you the chance to pick up a limited release vintage-style tee.

The next time you're wandering through Epcot's Future World and it's hotter than HOT and you're thinking how refreshing the Fountain of Nations looks, we suggest ducking in to Club Cool for a short visit.

Club Cool is home to a fun and free activity that should be part of every trip to Epcot - sampling Coca-Cola products from around the world. (It's also a great place to find a frozen Coke, but more on that in another post).

Disney has announced that they will be shuttering LucasArts, the development and publishing arm for interactive entertainment software. The move is a strategic shift "from an internal development to a licensing model" that will hopefully bring in successful new development partners. Sadly, with this closure there have been lay offs for approximately 150 LucasArts employees.

This week the powers that be at Disney officially confirmed the news reported by our friends over at Disney Food Blog last fall. A brand new World Showcase dining option is coming soon to the Kingdom of Morocco Pavilion.

Our friends at the Disney Food Blog have done it again, with 119 pages of everything you could possibly want to know about Snacking at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom! The DFB Mini-Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book, 2013 Edition is out now for your fun and foodie pleasure.

Did you know that Disney's Animal Kingdom is an active participant in Species Survival Plans for dozens of endangered animals? The role of promoting species conservation is something they take seriously, and hand in hand with other zoological facilities, wildlife organizations and government agencies Disney works hard towards rehabilitation and reintroduction of endangered and threatened species. Climb Aboard the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki's Planet Watch on your next visit to Disney's Animal Kingdom for a closer look.

Sometimes, in the midst of the hustle and bustle at Walt Disney World you just want to sit down, relax and take a boat ride, right? And that's why we're compiling a list of the top 10 boat rides at Walt Disney World. Put on your life vest and keep your hands and arms inside the boat at all times. Here we go!

On a recent visit to the Magic Kingdom it was about 3 p.m. when I realized (1) I was starving and (2) I wasn't going to get anywhere near Casey's because Main Street was a mass of humanity thanks to the parade. As disappointed as I was to not be eating corn dog nuggets and fries with cheese, I had another less hectic location in mind. So, in an attempt to avoid the crowds my friend and I headed through the castle, walked past the very long lines at Peter Pan's Flight and it's a small world, turned the corner and then it hit us.