Let's Do Disney # 5 The Magic Kingdom

Photo Courtesy here

Hey Everyone! Today I'm going to be talking about the Magic Kingdom! This is THE park. The one that every grown adult little child dreams about! This is where they'll see Cinderella's Castle for the first time. Ride the flying Dumbo, and meet the Big Cheese himself, Mickey Mouse! Everyone has their own idea of Disney World, but the Magic Kingdom is what most children and adults alike associate with Disney.

I'm going to give you some fun ideas on how to spend the day at The Magic Kingdom, which I will be referring to as MK. This is not necessarily how you HAVE to spend your day, this is just some suggestions to make it your own. Some people like to have a plan, and others enjoy just taking their time and being spontaneous. This may seem somewhat out of order but just bear with me while I take you through the fun! Let's get started!!

photo courtesy here

Did you know the Magic Kingdom has its very own "Rope Drop" or Welcome Show? If you're a first time Disney go-er or even a seasoned one, you have to see this! Its guaranteed to get you in the Disney "magical mood" before you even step foot inside the park. MK does this everyday and it usually starts about 15 minutes before the park's opening time! It takes place on the Disney World Train Station Platform at the Entrance of the park. Stand in the middle for a great view of the show or stand to the right or the left near the opening, to be on of the first into the park. I LOVE this show and highly recommend it! The kids will love it too. Make sure you arrive around 30 minutes before, for a good spot!

When you first enter the park, you will be on Main Street USA. This is a nostalgic look at a typical main street in America. Walt even had his very own private getaway on Main Street where his family could stay! In main Street you will find the Emporium, the biggest Disney souvenir store at the MK! You can get everything you need to remind you of your Disney Vacay. Also located on Main Street is the Confectionary. A bakery and candy store that sells lots of yummy snacks and treats. Main Street basically smells like a funnel cake and a hot dog got together and said "Let's Make Magic!" Its one of my personal favorite places in the park, and my favorite spot for a snack before watching the fireworks at the end of the day!
Here's something I bet you didn't know. On the left, when entering the park, you will see the Fire Station. There's a sign that says "Volunteers needed." If you go inside you will be able to take part in a fun Disney secret scavenger hunt, "Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom." You will be given a set of Disney trading cards, each containing a magical power to defeat the Disney Villians throughout the park. The best part is, its absolutely FREE! So, even if you don't want to participate in the scavenger hunt, you can always grab a set of cards for a souvenir, especially if you're a scrapbooker. This is a great item to save for your next project! Some cards are handed out regularly and some are rare! Each person in your party can receive ONE free set of cards per day.

As you continue to walk down Main Street you'll notice a little familiar something ahead of you. Cinderella's Castle!

 Fun Fact: Did you know that in Disneyland, it's Sleeping Beauty's castle? In Disneyland Paris, It's Belle's Castle! (And there's a fire breathing Dragon under it!!) You're welcome.
Cinderella's Castle is the Center of the park. MK is designed like a wheel. Divided into \6 Different "Lands." Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland (and NEW Fantasyland), and Tomorrowland. Walt designed the park in the shape of a wheel, because not only is this easier for guests to navigate but also to make sure guests could not see any other land from where they were. Walt wanted everyone to get the full Disney experience!

I'll briefly go over each land and things not to miss in each one.

Tomorrowland- A land all about the future, sci-fi, and outer space! You can access Tomorrowland from Mainstreet via the Tomorrowland Terrace or from the main hub in front of Cinderella's Castle. When facing the castle, Tomorrowland is on your right.
Things you can't miss: Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (get a fast pass, this line is one of the longest at Disneyworld!) Space Mountain, (fast pass if wait is more than 20 mins) Monster's Inc Laugh Floor, the People Mover (AKA the Tomorrowland Transit), and the Carousel of Progress! (my fave...also good if you need a break from walking or some AC!)
Things to skip- Stitch's great Escape. This ride actually replaced Alien Encounter several years ago that was deemed too scary for guests. They replaced it with Stitch. Its not really a "ride" but your are strapped in, in a dark room, and Stitch is running around talking and even burps on you. Don't waste your time. You wont regret this decision.
The Tomorrowland Speedway- The kids will probably see this ride and want to go immediately. Its one of those "drive your own car" rides. Don't waste your time. If  the kids really want to do it, do it with little or no wait. If the wait is greater than 20 mins definitely skip. This line can get very long and will take a huge chunk of time out of your day.
Astro-orbiter (much like the flying Dumbo in Fantasyland..but a lot higher up and may be scary for some little ones)
Possible Character Sighting- Buzz Lightyear, Stitch

Fantasyland-you can access this land by going straight through Cinderella's castle or around the castle. This is the land your kids came to see! Lots of little adventures based on Disney Movies and characters. Recently opening in 2012 was "New Fantasyland." This is still part of Fantasyland. It now includes some new rides and attractions for your little ones. Also added or "reinvented" is Dumbo the flying Elephant. Dumbo has been upgraded and there's now two Dumbo rides to entertain large crowds. This is located in New Fantasyland as party of Storybook Circus/ You will also find the kid friendly rollercoaster starring the Great Goofini! This is the same Barnstormer rollercoaster that was formerly located in Mickey's Toon Town Fair which no longer exists.

Things you can't miss: Peter Pan's Flight (you can get a fast pass for this) do not wait longer than 20 minutes!
It's a Small World (prepare to have this song in your head ALL DAY)
Mickey's Philharmagic (Very Cute 3D show)
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Ariel's Undersea Adventure
Ariel's Grotto (Ariel meet and greet)
Enchanted tales with Belle (only if your child loves Belle..otherwise skip)
Flying Dumbo
Goofy's Great Goofini Rollercoaster
Prince Charming's Regal Carousel
Mad Tea Party (skip if you have motion sickness)
The Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster (a HUGE replacement to Snow White's Scary Adventure!) This will not be opening until 2014

Pretty much everything in Fantasyland is a win for the little ones! I still love Peter Pan's flight to this day even though its a total little kiddie ride. And I'm not the only one... the line is always packed! If you see a short wait, get on!

Possible character sightings- Cinderella's mice, Lady Tremaine and the evil stepsisters, Snow White, Fairy Godmother, Ariel, Winnie the Pooh and friends, Donald and Minnie (Storybook Circus) Belle, Gaston

Liberty Square- This is a small land celebrating the heart of the American Revolution. There aren't too many attractions here but I would suggest a few:

Things you can't miss-The Haunted Mansion (not necessarily scary, but if your child is afraid of the dark, I'd skip it)
The Hall of Presidents-Ok a lot of people skip this! I LOVE THIS ATTRACTION! All of the presidents are represented and they are EXTREMELY lifelike.Pay attention to their movements. Amazing. If you have smaller kids, they may not enjoy this as much, but its a great place to come for a break and AC. We never miss it!
Liberty Square Riverboat-A nice relaxing boat ride is always fun!

Possible Character sightings: Princess Tiana and Prince Naveem

Frontierland- Taking us back to the days of Davy Crockett and the good ol'  Wild West!
Things you can't miss- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Splash Mountain (you will get wet!)

Things to skip-The Country Bear Jamboree. This show is extremely outdated but can be somewhat entertaining if you need to get out of the rain or the heat.

Possible character sightings- Woody and Jessie from Toy Story

Adventureland- Your little pirate lover will love this one!
Things you can't miss-Pirates of the Caribbean (see if you can spot Captain Jack Sparrow...he's in the ride 3-4 times and was added when the movie became a hit!
Jungle Cruise (do not wait more than 30 mins)

Things to Skip-The birds of the Enchanted Tiki Room. (You'll thank me later)
Magical Carpets of Aladdin (do it if your kid insists, but this is basically like Dumbo in Fantasyland)

Possible Character Sightings: Aladdin and Jasmine, Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirate Goofy, and Tinkerbell and friends. Rare sightings include Peter Pan

You can also meet various characters in the Town Square on Main Street USA throughout the day. A few popular ones are, Pluto, Daisy, Mary Poppins, Tigger. You can meet the princesses in Town Square theater as well as Mickey himself! (The princesses will be moving to a permanent spot in New Fantasyland in 2014.

Fun Fact: If you've ever been to Disneyworld, have you ever noticed why you haven't seen a Tomorrowland Cast member in Fantasyland, or a Fantasyland Cast member in Adventureland? Maybe you've never noticed or don't really care. Well in case you HAVE noticed or you were curious, Disney thought of EVERYTHING. Disney has another "Magic Kingdom" under the MK. Disney has hallways and tunnels called the "Utilidoors" that cast members can access throughout various locations in the park. That way, the wrong character wont be seen in the wrong part of the park and children will never see the same character twice. For example, Disney is set up in such a way that Mickey will not be seen dancing on stage in front of the castle while another one is taking a picture with a guest in front of the castle. Your child will never see the same Disney Character twice...or at the same time. Make sense?

Personal Tips for MK:
When most guests enter the MK, they tend to veer to the right towards Tomorrowland or straight to FantasyLand. Less people will go to the left. Head that way and make your way around towards Adventureland and Frontierland. You will avoid congestion.

Get Fast Passes! If there's a ride that you MUST RIDE and will most likely have a wait, get a fast pass. A fast pass is a machine that will take your Disney Ticket and pop out a ride time for you to come back and ride later so you will not have to wait. For example. A fast pass for Space Mountain. The wait is an hour and you decide not to do it. Grab a fast pass. It will tell you a specific time to come back. An example would be to come back between 12:45 and 1:45. Each person can get one Fast pass Per ride Per Hour. Some rides will allow you to come back and do the fast pass line if you hour has passed. They have the option to say no, but usually they will let you redeem them.

Lines that you will most likely need fast passes for:
Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Ariel's Undersea Adventure, Peter Pan's flight
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin

Go to Adventureland and get a Dole Whip. Do it! You'll thank me later.

Buy a poncho before you go! The weather is crazy at Disney. Buy them cheap at Walmart so you don't have to pay a ton for them in the Disney Park. Get a color you wouldn't normally see so you stand out like a sore thumb and can identify your family in a sea of Disney Ponchos.

Bring a towel from your hotel room in your bag. Use it to wipe water off of wet rides, something to shade your child in their stroller, or to sit on the ground while watching a parade.

Arrive to Wishes Fireworks, Mainstreet Electrical Parade and Celebrate the Magic Castle Show EARLY. I cannot stress this enough. Grab  a snack and sit down in a spot around the castle or on main street to watch the show. You wont regret it.

Pack Snacks. Disney will let you bring snacks into their parks. Save a buck and pack some fruit snacks, cheese sticks, fruit or crackers instead of going for the Mickey Bar or Pretzel... (or buy one anyway!:) Who am I to judge??

Don't wait till the end of the night to buy souvenirs. The lines are insane. Buy throughout the day. You don't have to carry your bags around. Disney will send the bags to the front of the park for pickup when you leave, or they'll have them shipped straight to your Disney Resort hotel room!

Enjoy your day! Don't stress. If you miss something don't beat yourself up. I do recommend for those with small children to take at least two days in the MK to see and do everything. Also, character lines are very long at MK. Keep in mind that all the parks have character meet and greets and some of those are a lot shorter and have more characters in a single meeting.

I hope this helped! If you have any questions about the MK or any Disney Park- feel free to post a comment or question! Also if anything I said in here is untrue or has changed, feel free to let me know as things change in Disney quite often!

See ya Real soon! :)

Let's Do Disney # 4 Eating at Disneyworld

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We meet again! This time we're talking about one of my favorite things...besides Disney World! Food at Disney World!. This is something people ask me about A LOT. There are so many different options at Disney World...family budget friendly food to world class dining! Almost anything you want, you'll be able to EAT it at Disney World!

The Disney Dining Plan....do it or don't do it? First let me give you a rundown of how it works. 

Option 1: Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining Plan

Walt Disney World's Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining. It’s available only to guests who stay at Disney hotels and resorts, including Disney Vacation Club properties. It works like this: For each night of your Magic Your Way package, you’ll pay an additional $56 per adult and $17 per child between the ages of 3 and 9.

Tip: Every so often, during off-peak months such as January or September, Disney offers the Dining Plan as a free add-on. This can be a compelling reason to visit during a slower time of year. For each night of your stay, you are entitled to a day on the dining plan, including:

• One table-service meal including appetizer, entrée, dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage. Kids 3 to 9 must choose off the children’s menu. A child under 3 can share from an adult’s plate for free. Note: Since 2008, the gratuity is no longer included in the dining plan
• One quick-service meal including entrée, dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage
• One snack, such as ice cream, popcorn, fruit, or a non-alcoholic beverage such as juice, soft drink, or coffee

Guests can use the meals and snack in any order and in any amount throughout the package stay. Usage is tracked electronically, and the server or cashier can provide a receipt showing the remaining balance.

Ok, So with the above Disney Dining Plans..I didn't write that in my own words. Basically because its a little hard to explain.

While this plan is great for some people, I'll tell you why we won't be going that route! This a great thing to do if your family plans on having a sit down meal at a Disney Restaurant every single day. I don't know about you but I love the fact that Disney does allow you to bring your own food in a soft cooler into the park. You can pack snacks for all throughout the day! That will save a little bit of money right there. One of my favorite things about Disney when it comes to dining is being spontaneous! There are a few places I almost always hit up when I'm at Disney but part of the fun is not knowing. Maybe you'll have breakfast at your hotel and a quick service lunch at Pinocchio's Tavern. Instead of Dinner maybe you'll sit down with a hot dog or some popcorn and ice cream while you wait for the parade and fireworks to start at MK. The possibilities are endless and there are over 300 eateries in Disney World. That doesn't include food service carts set up throughout the parks! 

A lot of families decide they want to do the dining plan and use one of their meal credits for a character dining meal. For Example, say you want to use your Dinner credit at Cinderella's castle to meet the princesses! You're more than welcome to do that! But, keep in mind, some places (Especially those with Character Dining) you  will use TWO Dinner credits instead of one! You have to pay attention to these things. Make sure you always check your receipts!

We opt not do do the dining plan for our own personal reasons but this may be perfect for some families out there...so give it a shot if it's for you!

With that in mind, let's talk Character dining/special reservations. Disney Dining Reservations BOOK UP VERY QUICKLY. I can't emphasize that enough. Character dining and sought after restaurants in particular! PLEASE NOTE that you can start making dining reservations up to 180 days in advance! If you know you want to have Dinner at Cinderella's Castle, or you've just been dying to try out the new "Be Our Guest Restaurant" I cannot stress the importance of booking these right around the 180 day mark! These places will book up quickly and I wouldn't wait! Do your research, and find out what you want to do and where you want to go and Book it! Set up an account on Disney's website..even if you haven't booked your hotel reservations yet. If you are in that 180 day mark you can make reservations at any Disney Restaurant or Character Meal. The character meals however, usually require you to pay up front and are pretty pricey. Keep that in mind when making reservations! Also, make sure you view the Disney Calendar to see a detailed schedule of what Events are going on that day and night. If you make reservations at Cinderella's castle at 9:00 but had your heart set on watching the Main Street Electrical Parade, then re-think when you want to make your reservation. There are so many cool options and Character Meals at Disney World. I will post links at the bottom of the page! 

If you have any questions regarding food at Disney World..please feel free to ask! 

I would like to add-The Hubs and I did the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at the Polynesian resort! We really enjoyed the show and the food! It was expensive but we would do it again!There were two nightly shows. We went to the later show and when they brought out our Dessert, we were able to see the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom! Perfect :)

For Dining Plan Info Here

List of Disney Restaurants Here

For Character Dining Experiences Here

Let's Do Disney #3 Buying your Disney Tickets

 Hello, Again! Time to start talking "Moolah!" As I mentioned before, Disney is Expensive. Hopefully after reading this blog, you'll figure out a few ways to save some money!

Let's talk Tickets! Ok, so you've bought your plane tickets, and you've decided where you want to stay!  First I want to talk about resorts again for a minute. We've talked about which resort might be best for you but you're still worried about the cost. Well, that's ok! Disney is amazing. All you have to do when booking your resort is pay for the first night down! That will hold your spot. Over the period of time before your trip you can put money towards your account and make payments all the way up to the day before your vacation! There's not a set monthly payment plan. You can put 20 dollars down one month and 300 down the next. You can put down 100 dollars a week or 5 dollars every day! However you want to do it. Just know that all the money will need to be paid in full at the time of Check-in. I love this feature because it really makes it this type of trip doable for families on a budget! Also, you should know that when staying at a Disney Resort for a week, some days are more expensive than others. That's because more guests visit on weekends and the prices go up a little. Don't be alarmed when every night you stay varies a little in price. Usually Friday and Saturday are more expensive than Monday or Tuesday! 

Park Tickets-Park tickets, hands down are the probably the most expensive thing at Walt Disney World. There's not much you can do to get out of it. Some non-Disney Resorts will offer Disney tickets at a discount. Keep in mind, these are usually for ONE day tickets and in the long run you'll do better if you do the Multi Day Pass formerly known as the  Disney Magic-Your-Way pass. Let me break it down to you. 

An Adult ticket to Magic Kingdom (10+) = 95 dollars

A child ticket to Magic Kingdom (3-9) = 89 Dollars

Children under 3 are free! (great reason to go when kids are younger)

An Adult ticket to Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Disney's Hollywood Studios (10+) = 90 dollars

A child ticket to Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios (3-9) = 84 dollars

Children under 3 are free!

Now My guess is that if you are traveling with young children at least under the age of ten, you will probably want to go to Magic Kingdom twice. Trust me, there's a lot to do and its hard to push children to do everything in one day. Especially if you're counting in time to meet with characters. You have to wait in line to do that too, so I consider MK a two day park. The other Three parks are easily doable in one day, but maybe you want to go to AK or HS twice. For a family of four to do all of these parks..well.. you do the math. No really, you do it, I'm terrible at math. 

Ok so here's why I suggest getting the Multi Day Ticket. The more days your purchase, the more the cost of your tickets go down each day. For Example

An Adult 1 day ticket to MK is 95 dollars per day

An Adult 2 day ticket is 92 dollars per day

An Adult 3 day ticket 87.34 dollars per day

An Adult 4 day ticket is 69.75 per day

An Adult 5 day ticket is 57.80 per day. 

(these prices are for 2013)

So as you can see, buying the multi day pass would cost a whole lot less than buying your ticket individually each time you hit up a park. Yes, it's still a lot of money but you will absolutely save money going this route and every little bit helps at Disney World!

So you've got your tickets to the Theme parks! Keep in mind that these tickets will only get you into ONE park PER day. You start thinking, maybe you want to be able to go to TWO parks in one day! Or Three or Four! Then, you will need the Park Hopper Option. This is something that you can add onto your Disney Multi Day Ticket. This ticket will allow you to leave one park and go to another park. You can go back and forth as many times as you want! So if you buy a 5 day multi park pass with the Park Hopper, you can go to any park you want at any time in those 5 days! The Park Hopper is an added expense onto each ticket. This option is an extra 59 dollars added on to each person's ticket. I don't recommend the park hopper for first time Disney Goers. You will more than likely want to see and do as much as you can at each park and going to two different parks in one day might be a little overwhelming. Most people who choose this option know exactly what they want to do at each park and this is a great option for them. I also don't usually recommend this to anyone staying off Disney Property. I mention this in my blog about Where to Stay in Disney World! 

Say you don't want to add a the Park Hopper Pass to your ticket but you WOULD like to add the Water Park Fun and More Option. This will give you the option to go to Disney's water parks! Disney has two amazing Water Parks, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach! You can add this option to your Multi day pass for 59 dollars per person as well! This would allow you to go to Either a  Disney Park or a Disney Water Park during your 5 day pass! Normal ticket prices for Disney Water parks are 53 dollars for an adult and 45 for Children. Under 3 is free! 

So what if you want to get a 5 day pass with a Park Hopper and Water Park Fun and More Option? You can and will save some money! Instead of 59 dollars for each of these added to your ticket, you can have both added for 84 dollars/per ticket! 

The way you order your Disney Tickets is up to you. You can order your Multi Day tickets before you arrive at Disney! If you get to Disney and realize you might like to add the Park Hopper or the Water Park Option, you can do that at a later time. Its up to you! Disney is very flexible and they want you to have the perfect vacation! Take advantage of ordering your tickets this way, it will save you money in the long run!!

Get your Disney Tickets Here

Let's Do Disney #2 Where to Stay

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Hello, Again! Welcome back to my Disney Series! This time I'm going to be talking about where to stay when visiting Walt Disney World and the advantages and disadvantages to staying on or off Disney Property. 

People Often ask, Is it better to stay on or off Disney Property. The answer is: BOTH! Honestly there are advantages to both, and I'll go over them now!

Staying on Disney Property

First and foremost, I want to go over the different types of Disney Properties. There are several different categories. Value Resort Properties, Moderate Resorts, Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villas, and the Disney Fort Wilderness Campground. 

Value Resorts-These are the cheapest resorts on Disney Property. They are perfect for guests with smaller children because they are highly Disney Themed. They are very family friendly! This option is great if you think you're going to spend a lot of time away from the room or in the parks. They're your standard hotel rooms with a little Disney themed magic scattered throughout. Also, don't worry about beds for the little ones.. (ALL Disney resorts will have a pack-n-play in your room) Most of the time these can be found in your closet in your room, if not, you can request one free of charge from the concierge) These rooms aren't fancy by any means, but I think are perfect when you have little ones! Most of the resorts now also carry mini fridges free of charge in the room for you to store snacks and drinks. No, they do not come stocked with Alcohol so it's kid friendly. If your room does not have a mini fridge, you can request that as well! Each resort has A great food court and several pools, arcades, gift shops and all the usual benefits of staying at a Disney Resort!  A personal tip when staying at the value resorts! These resorts are HUGE! Sometimes you have to walk a long way or take a bus to the main building, which houses check- in and the food courts! If you pay a little extra for a preferred room, you will be closer to the main building and bus stops to the parks! Two Great Examples of the Value Resorts are Disney's Pop Century Resort and Disney's Art of Animation Resort!

Photo Courtesy Here

Moderate Resorts-These resorts are a little schmancier. (That should be a real word) You're going to have some nicer rooms here, but they will cost around 50-100 dollars more a night than the value resorts. These resorts usually have a couple of  different restaurant options as well. Again, these resorts will have all the benefits of staying on property with Walt Disney World. Check out one of my faves, the Port Orleans Riverside resort! Some of the Rooms have beds that actually display their own fireworks show, or the Carribbean Beach Resort that has Pirate themed Rooms! 

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Disney Deluxe Resorts- These Resorts are the most expensive resorts! They are also the fanciest of the resorts. You will receive all the benefits of staying at the Disney resorts as well. The details and quality of these resorts are amazing. They also offer some pretty fabulous restaurants! This is the way to go if you're having a special event such as a honeymoon or an anniversary...perfect. Or if you just want an all around amazing experience, these are highly recommended. Keep in mind you will be paying several hundred dollars more a night. A fun idea might be to stay at the Polynesian (A deluxe resort) for a night or two and then travel to a value resort for the last days of your trip!  (Disney will handle all your luggage and transportation as well!)

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Deluxe Villas-These are located at the Disney Deluxe resorts and are basically suites with kitchenettes or multiple bedrooms! These can be pretty pricey but would be great if you had a large family or large group of friends traveling together where the cost could be split between everyone! 

Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground-This is a cheaper option if you're a camper at heart. Bring your trailer and hitch it up....this is the cheapest lodging option at Disney! DFWC also has cabins you can stay in, but those cost a lot more...in the Disney Deluxe range!

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Advantages of Staying On Property

-No Car Necessary! If you FLY into Orlando International Airport (MCO) Disney will transport you to your resort. This option is called the Disney Magical Express! (YOU WILL SKIP BAGGAGE CLAIM!) Disney will handle your luggage and get you where you need to go on the property! They will also deliver your baggage to your room! There are buses that will transport you for FREE around your particular resort as well as to ALL Disney themed Parks, Disney Water Parks, and Downtown Disney! (Disney was pretty smart doing this because in reality it keeps people from going off property and spending their money elsewhere!) Not that you can't go off property, but you will need to have your own transportation! Even if you drive to Disney, you can leave your car at the hotel and save a ton of money on parking! Its about TWENTY DOLLARS per DAY per PARK to park at Disney World. So my recommendation would be to take advantage of this free transportation as MUCH as possible. This is only offered to those Staying ON Disney Property! Extra Tip-If you're staying on Magic Kingdom Resort Property-Disney's Wilderness Lodge, The Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian, or Polynesian, you will have monorail transit to those resorts, Magic Kingdom and Epcot. 

Extra Magic Hours-There are certain days and certain parks that may open an hour or two earlier or stay open a couple hours later for those who are staying at Disney Resorts! This means, if you are staying on property then you can stay after everyone leaves for the extra magic hours! Who says riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 5 times in a row isn't lucky?? You can check Disney's Daily Calendar to find out what What parks are offering Extra Magic Hours for that particular Day!

Park Hopper- anyone can use the advantage of the Park Hopper whether you're staying on or OFF Disney Property. The Park hopper is extra feature that you can add to your  Park tickets package (more on that later) allowing you to visit more than one park in a day. Say you wanted to go to Magic Kingdom in the morning, but have dinner reservations at Hollywood Studios that night and want to watch Fantasmic! The park hopper option allows you to do this! The reason I think this is an advantage for On-Property guests, is because they can leave on Disney's transportation system, go back to the room to relax a bit, or go straight to another park in a matter of minutes. If you are staying off property and driving your own vehicle this may not benefit you as well as staying on property. Keep in mind that you will have to go to your car, which will consist of waiting for a tram to take you there, then fight traffic to get to another park or back to your hotel and you will pay an additional parking fee to park at the second park! Remember its around 20 dollars PER PARK per DAY! So in the long run, I feel that the guests staying on-property have more of an advantage of this feature!

Disney Movies-Ok this is a personal favorite of mine. Most of you probably don't have time to watch Disney Movies while on you're vacation or want to waste your time doing that. However, EVERY Disney resort offers a FREE showing of a Disney movie EACH night at your Disney Resort Hotel! The movies are usually outside under the stars! Come on, everyone knows watching a movie outside on a blanket is better than in your hotel room or the back seat of your minivan! Maybe you've decided on a low key day of hanging out at the resort pool and you've had dinner and now its the perfect time to watch a movie! This is such a fun option for kids! While all the resorts show the free movies...My favorite thing to do is go to the Fort Wilderness Resort for Chip and Dale's Campfire Sing-Along! Because you're a Disney Resort on-Property guest, you can take your FREE transportation to the campground and sit outside. There will be an official sing along, s'mores, and the chance to meet Chip and Dale and watch a movie under the stars! This is ABSOLUTELY FREE! What a fun night with the kiddos! BTW- anyone can travel to any of the other Disney Resorts to look around, shop, or enjoy some of the Disney restaurants. Its all open to you! The only thing you can't do is swim in another resorts pool. Understandable! The movie schedule will be listed on each resort's website! Take advantage of the free things...kids love this stuff!

Souvenirs-I just wanted to throw this last one in here because I think its cool! When you are shopping at any of the Disney Theme parks and you buy a 27  a few souvenirs, why bother carrying around that heavy bag or worry about losing it on Space Mountain. Problem solved. Disney will transport your souvenirs..TO. YOUR. ROOM. You're welcome. LOVE this feature. Also, if you're not staying on Disney Property and you don't want to carry your bag around all day...you can have it sent to the front of the park. It will be in a special place where you can pick it up at the end of the day! Also...Great! :)

Staying Off-Property

Ok, While I love and highly recommend staying on-property due to its advantages, I also think staying Off-Property is a great choice for a few different reasons! 

You can get away from it all!-tired of listening to Disney Music all day (btw you're crazy if you are!- just kidding?) Come home to your non-Disney themed room for the evening and take a load off!

It's CHEAPER!-Probably the biggest advantage! You can find MUCH better rates for hotels outside of Disney...there are HUNDREDS of Hotels within a five mile radius of Disney World! Keep in mind that you will have to drive yourself (unless taking a taxi or city-bus) and will have to pay the usual 20 dollars to park catch the tram to the entrance where you will then take the Ferry or Monorail to the front gate! (at Magic Kingdom)

You can travel to other parks and Orlando Attractions!-The world is your oyster! You can go anywhere you want, easier. Yes, maybe you're doing Disney one day and Sea World (also great) another day. Maybe you're going to visit family! Maybe you feel like hitting up Gator Land (yes that exists and I've been there) or the beach! you are free to go anywhere you want!  (EVEN if you are staying on-property) you can leave anytime. Keep in mind that while on- property you will have to take your own transportation as Disney's transit system is specifically for Disney attractions only and for Disney Guests Only. 

I hope this helped you plan your stay a little easier. The beauty of Disney is that there are so many options! And you can personalize your stay as much as you want! PS: Don't forget to leave notes for Disney "MOUSEKEEPING"- you may find a special surprise in your room when you return!

Stay tuned to my Disney series for more Tips and Advice!!

Disney Resorts Here
Disney Parks Calendar Here
Chip and Dale's Campfire Sing Along  Here
Disney Mom's Panel Here

Let's Do Disney #1 -Best Time To Go To Disney

Hello, Folks! I'm here with the first excerpt of my Disney Vacation series. This particular blog will talk about the pros and cons of traveling to Disney at certain times of the year! Enjoy! :)

Photo Courtesy Here

Best Time to Travel to Disney

If you're thinking it may not make a difference what time of year you go to Disney, you would be wrong! It absolutely makes a HUGE difference. Now, don't get me wrong. I personally believe that ANY time of year is a great time to go to Disney. I mean really, you're always going to have a good time. But many factors will be effected depending what time of year you go. Examples being, weather, crowd levels, prices, ride refurbishments, and Limited Time Magic (Ill explain later)

If you are a first time Disney-Goer, and want to soak up as much as you can in the time you are there (and btw, you will never get to see or do EVERYTHING, probably not even in a lifetime) then your best bet is to go in the off-season. The off-season for Disney consists of January 2 thru the end of February and right after Labor Day when the kids go back to school until about the beginning of October. As well as Nov 1st thru the start of Thanksgiving. I've also heard that the first two weeks in December are great until the crowds really roll in for Christmas vacation. Off-Season, is when the crowds at Disney are the LOWEST. The very LOWEST being January and February. Usually the PRICES are the lowest during these times as well. Obviously March-May are full of Spring Break, and Easter Break, so a lot of people travel to Disney during that time. The Summer is also very crowded of course with kids out of school. And Halloween and Christmas are both very, very crowded. 

I personally believe if you're going for the first time, these are the best times to go. You will rarely have long waits for rides or shows and probably have a better chance at reserving dining reservations during these times. (another thing to hit on later) There are some disadvantages of going during these times. The weather is always up in the air (pun intended) Florida has its "Severe" weather season during the early part of the year. Interestingly enough, January through March, is Florida's "unofficial" tornado season. Storms can pop up anywhere and become severe in a matter of minutes. That's one thing to keep in mind. Also, the weather can be fairly warm during the day, but can change drastically at night to the point of needing jackets or hoodies. Florida's weather in general is very unpredictable. No matter what time of year you're there, you're bound to have a freak midday downpour at least once a day. ALWAYS CARRY PONCHOS AND RAIN GEAR. (buy it before you go or you will pay a lot more at Disney) and ALWAYS have it on hand. I can't stress that enough. 

Another threat you will face during the off-season are ride refurbishments. Disney will usually close down one or two rides (sometimes popular ones!!) to make sure everything is up to par, or to update with some new effects! So, if you're going during one one of these seasons, and you really want to ride Splash Mountain or Aerosmith's Rock-n-Roller Coaster, you may be out of luck. I'm not saying these are the rides they will refurbish, just examples of some favorites! There is a place you can check on Disney's website that will show which rides are closed during that time. I will try to find a link to post at the end of this post. 

Next,  Prices. Yes, this varies throughout the year. During peak seasons, Disney prices will soar. The park tickets will remain the same but Disney Hotels will skyrocket during popular seasons. Keep that in mind. Also, inflation will also add increases to Disney's prices yearly. Ticket prices will usually go up a few dollars. (parks and parking) Disney usually puts out their prices for the following year by July of the Current year. This may not include special Events like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party or  Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. These events usually require an extra ticket and prices may not be listed until closer to those dates. Keep that in mind.

This brings me to the last thing I'm going to hit on in this blog. Limited Time Magic! Limited time magic occurs only for a Limited time! (duh, Megan) For Example, Disney's Not So Scary Halloween  Party. The Park will be decorated for Halloween. There will be special fireworks, parades, and parties that you can only see at the Halloween Party. Also during Limited Time Magic, you have the opportunity to meet characters that are usually not found around the Disney Parks in other times of the year, or who are very rare. For example, the Halloween party is the only time you will be able to meet and greet some famous Disney Villians..such as: The Wicked Queen (from Snow White) The Queen of Hearts (from Alice in Wonderland) Maleficent (From Sleeping Beauty) etc. Or during Mickey's very Merry Christmas Party, Scrooge can be found in the park! Limited Time magic is not limited to just these parties, Disney does little things all the time that you may or may not experience throughout the year. From something as simple as to a performance by the "Dapper Dans" in the Magic Kingdom, or a special snack offered at Hollywood Studios for a limited time! Some merchandise can only be found during limited time magic as well, including clothing items and rare pins for Pin Trading (More on that later).

So you see, anytime you go to the Disney World resort, there will always be something for everyone and everyone will have a MAGICAL time!

See ya real soon!

Ride Closures and refurbishments http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/rehab.htm

Let's Do Disney!

Photo Courtesy  here

Zip A Dee Do Dah! Hello, Everyone! I've received several requests lately for tips and tricks on planning a Disney World Resort Vacation! I'm so excited to do this and ready to spill everything I know (Which is an insane amount) about Disney World. I'm probably going to be doing this in a series of blogs, just so it's a bit easier to break down.

Let me start by giving you my Disney "autobiography" if you will. My first Disney trip, I was three years old. I don't remember ANYTHING. Not a thing. Except bits and pieces that I can see in what few pictures we have. I do remember meeting this guy!

Mickey Mouse, or the Big Cheese as I like to call him! I cried when I met him and my parents refused to take me to see any of the other characters for fear that I would scream and embarrass them some more! Notice how much MM tries to interact with me in the picture... I love this. Disney prides themselves to be 100 percent authentic all the time and want every child's visit to be magical. They NEVER and I do mean NEVER, break character. Believe me, I tried my hardest with Mary Poppins and she didn't flinch. Walt Disney knew exactly what he wanted when he created Disneyland in California and then later, DisneyWorld. (I'm currently reading one of the Walt Biographies..maybe I'll do a book review when I finish)

Anyway, I got off track. My next two visits to Disney were when I was Ten and Fourteen. I did not have any desire to go really, and felt way to cool for school both times I visited. I couldn't really take it all in and didn't appreciate it. Fast forward to 2010. My husband and I made a last minute decision to do our Honeymoon in Walt Disney World. At first, I wasn't thrilled with the idea but the moment we stepped foot off the monorail at the Magic Kingdom, we were hooked. We had the BEST time and Disney took care of us for our Honeymoon. They personalized lots of things for us..which I'll get to in a later post. While on that trip, we knew the next time we'd be going to DisneyWorld we would have a youngster with us. We took note of so much on that trip and realized that while some say bringing young children to Disney is pointless, we learned early on that there's so much for even Toddlers to enjoy at the parks! And while they probably wont remember it, you will. There will always be that moment where you blubber, cry tears of joy,  will be so happy when your child meets his/her first Mickey Mouse, Princess, or favorite Disney character. You'll take a thousand pictures and hope that one day you can raise your children to love it as much as you do..so maybe they'll take you for your 50th anniversary. One can only Hope! So sit back and enjoy my new Disney Series on this blog...I will try to do a few a day for the next several days..so keep coming back!!

I forgot to mention that recently this year I traveled to Florida with one of my best friends for a wedding. We just happened to hit up Disney on that trip..and it just happened to be my birthday..It was AWESOME SAUCE!! no big deal..