Students can nominate favorite teacher for chance for both to win Disney vacation

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 8, 2012 — The Downtown Disney® Resort Area Hotels has partnered with Walt Disney World® to once again honor outstanding K-12 teachers with its 2012 A+ For Teachers at Downtown Disney essay contest.

The fourth annual contest, which kicks off today and runs through April 13, 2012, asks students in grades 1 through 12 to nominate their favorite teacher by writing a brief essay of no more than 300 words and submitting it via www.downtowndisneyhotels.com . The essay should explain how the teacher has made a difference in the student’s life and will be judged on its relevance to theme, creativity, originality, and the merit of the teacher’s accomplishments as outlined in the essay.

Seven winners will be chosen, and those students and their favorite teacher nominees each will win a vacation prize package that consists of:

Five-day / four-night accommodations (for up to four family members) at one of the Downtown Disney® Resort Area Hotels

Four free Walt Disney World® one-day, one-park passes

Four free tickets to the DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive theme park

Complimentary breakfast at the hotel each day (for up to four family members)

One $100 gas card

“We’re excited to kick off our fourth annual contest to celebrate those teachers who truly make a difference in the lives of their students in spite of the many challenges their schools are facing,” said Kevin Renzi, chairperson of the organization’s marketing committee. “We’ve been amazed by the stories we’ve received in prior years, so we look forward to selecting even more gifted teachers for the recognition they deserve.”

Downtown Disney® Resort Area Hotels has awarded 60 vacation trips to deserving teachers and their students since starting the annual essay contest in 2009. Prior winners have been recognized for home schooling students struggling with challenging illnesses, persevering in their teaching careers despite life-threatening medical conditions, supporting the work of non-profit organizations, helping their students excel academically, inspiring learning in the classroom, and other professional and personal feats.

This year’s A+ For Teachers at Downtown Disney contest winners will be notified directly by May 1, 2012 and also announced on the hotels’ website and Facebook page at : http://www.facebook.com/DtnDisneyHotels