Perks of Staying at a Disney Resort.

One of the main considerations when planning a Disney vacation is deciding where to stay.  While this choice--just like most others--boils down to personal preference, there are quite a few things to keep in mind when selecting a hotel, condo, resort, or vacation home.

The options in the greater Orlando area are vast: large resorts with huge pools, vacation homes & condos that can be secured through sites like VRBO and Airbnb, timeshare properties, and "Good Neighbor" hotels can all be found very close to Disney World.  Additionally, there are currently more than 25 Disney resort hotels that are actually part of the Disney World property, with price points to match most budgets (there are value, moderate, & deluxe resorts from which to choose).

In my opinion, the driving factor for most families choosing to stay "off-property"(in a nearby location) is space.  Believe it or not, the Disney resort prices are comparable (if not, in some cases, cheaper) per night than the non-Disney options.  The difference is that most condos & rental properties simply come equipped with full kitchens and multiple bedrooms, while Disney resorts are most often fashioned after typical hotel rooms (with Disney touches, of course!).

There are, however, many benefits to staying at a Disney resort that, depending on your personal preference, might outweigh the need for so much space:

• Disney resort stays include Magic Bands for all guests in the party.  Magic Bands are personalized bracelets (you choose your color!) that act as your room key & park ticket, allow you to make purchases & charge the expenses to a linked credit card, hold your dining reservation & FastPass selection information, and can be scanned to link pictures to your online account.  And they're free with a Disney resort stay. :)
• Speaking of FastPasses, guests staying at a Disney resort can make their initial FastPass selections (for up to 3 attractions per day) 60 days in advance of their trip.  At this 60 day mark, Disney resort guests can make selections for up to 10 days immediately following their check-in date. Off-property guests must wait until 30 days prior to their trip before making FastPass selections and are only able to make selections for one day at a time.
• While all guests are able to make dining reservations 180 days in advance, guests staying at a Disney resort can make reservations for the 10 days immediately following their check-in date at this point, while those staying in nearby locations can only reserve dining experiences one day at a time.  Dining plans are only available for purchase with a Disney resort stay; guests staying off property are not eligible to purchase these plans.
• Each day, one of the four Disney theme parks is open for "Extra Magic Hours."  Extra Magic Hours are times when a particular park is open only to guests staying on Disney property. These times are offered one hour before a park opens to the public OR two hours after a park closes to the public and are a great way to experience attractions with lower crowd levels.
• Transportation is provided to and from each Disney resort from each of the four theme parks, Disney Springs, & the two water parks.  Free transportation is also provided to and from the Orlando airport for Disney resort guests.  Additionally, should Disney resort guests choose to drive their personal vehicles to the parks, the daily parking fees are waived.  Guests staying off property must pay this daily parking fee, typically around $20/day.
• Additionally, guests staying at a Disney resort can buy theme park tickets as part of a package. This means that room, ticket & dining (if desired) packages can be secured for a $200 deposit, with the remaining balance due 30 days before travel.  Packages can be changed or canceled, with no penalty, up until the 30 day mark.  Guests staying off property must purchase tickets as a stand-alone item, meaning that payment is due in full upon purchase.  Ticket-only purchase are non-refundable.

Disney vacations are magical, and phenomenal memories can be made, regardless of whether families choose to stay at a Disney resort or somewhere in the nearby area.  It is important to consider, however, the benefits of staying on Disney property.  These benefits, along with family priorities and budget, should be considered when choosing where to sleep during your Disney vacation. :)

As always, I would love to talk through these options and help your family select a book a trip that best meets your desires.  Feel free to contact me and let's start planning today!

Questions to Consider When Planning a Disney Trip

I've been having such fun serving my current clients that the blog has been a little neglected lately. Forgive me!  I know I've said it a hundred times, but one of my favorite aspects of my vacation planning role is the opportunity it gives me to help families create custom trips.  I love talking through the wishes & desires of each specific family and then offering suggestions, selecting FastPasses, & making dining reservations that are tailored to that family's dreams (and budget!), and I never grow tired of answering questions and talking through options with guests.  More often than not, I actually feel a sense of loss once each family travels and our communication becomes significantly less than what it was during the planning process.  Call me crazy, but I love it! :)

That being said, I thought I'd share a few of my most essential Disney-related planning questions here on the blog tonight.  In case you're wondering, these are the types of things I help clients work through as part of the quote-building and vacation-booking process.  Whether you're looking to book through a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations (which, by the way, should always be a completely free service) or attempt to handle the planning on your own, below are some important things to consider:

• What is your budget?  (I'm a huge fan of a budget, by the way!)
• It's no secret Disney World is expensive.  There are so many options, though, that really allow for flexible pricing, as well as a variety of ways to save.
• What time of year do you want to visit? 
• Is your schedule flexible?  Do you want to avoid crowds & heat or do you literally have one week that will work for your family this year?  Are you interested in seeing the holiday decorations?  Do you want to travel when it's cheapest?  It's important to prioritize your wants/needs when picking travel dates!
• Where do you want to stay?  
• Do you want to stay "on" or "off" property?  In a value, moderate, or deluxe resort? Do you know the benefits of staying at a Disney hotel?  There is so much to consider here!
• Which parks would you like to visit?
• Did you know that not all characters can be found in every park?  Or that some parks have more shows than rides?  Or that Epcot might actually appeal more to your family than Animal Kingdom?  Have you ever thought about visiting Disney's water parks? Park details can be incredibly overwhelming; it helps to have an idea of what to expect at each place!
• Are you interested in purchasing a dining plan?
• Is a dining plan the best use of your family's money?  Are you interested in dining with characters?  Do you know where to dine with the characters you'd like meet?  Did you know you can bring your own food & drinks into the parks?  How much food do you actually need/want each day?  Disney's food & dining options are vast--and delicious--and it can definitely help to bounce some ideas around!
• What rumors/myths (positive or negative) do you need to verify before you move forward?
• Let's be honest: everyone, everywhere has an opinion about how to "do Disney."  Some information you'll find via google is accurate, some is not.  Some will work for your family, some won't.  It's important to know your options, but to not allow yourself to get overwhelmed in the process, which can be tough!!

I don't want to leave you hanging, so if you're interested in a Disney trip, be sure to check back soon! I'll be blogging more on each of these topics (with details!) over the next few weeks (or even months!). If you have specific questions, please don't hesitate to email me at heather@mmadventures.net or check out my Facebook page for more info!  I'd love to help your family plan a fantastic vacation!!

Free Disney Fun: Club Cool.

Without a doubt, one of my kiddos' favorite spots in all of Epcot is Club Cool, a refreshment station/gift shop sponsored by Coca-Cola and located right in the heart of Future World inside the gates of Epcot.  While I'm not sure I'd list the attraction as one of my very favorites, my husband & I don't mind swinging by Club Cool, either, because honestly..."If it's free, it's for me!"

It's no secret that Disney World isn't the cheapest place to vacation (although I promise I'll help you find the best deal possible!), so when you stumble upon something that is both FUN and FREE, it's a most definitely a win!

Club Cool serves a wide variety of Coca-Cola products from around the world.  For free.  Guests can grab small cups and sample as many (and as much!) of the drinks as they desire.  Each of my children has discovered a favorite, but beware: some of the choices are downright disgusting!

That's part of the fun, though, for our family.  We enjoy daring one another to try different selections and laughing together as we work to find the "grossest" flavor possible.  As mentioned, however, my kids have each found something they love as well, so we'll often stop by the store for a cool, refreshing drink whenever we pass by!

If you're looking for a neat, outside-the-box experience and don't mind going out on a limb with your taste buds, be sure to swing by Club Cool during your next visit to Epcot.  It's such a great way to add a little extra fun to your day--at no additional cost! :)

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If you're interested in planning a Disney vacation and/or would like more information, be sure to contact me at heather@mmadventures.net or via my Facebook page.  I'd love to help your family book & plan a magical adventure!

Typhoon Lagoon.

While Disney World is well known for its four major theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios), the two water parks on property often remain unnoticed and overlooked, making them hidden gems in my eyes! :)

Seriously.  Just imagine a water park near your home.  Then imagine that same water park built using Disney's impeccable design.  Our family has fallen in love with Blizzard Beach & Typhoon Lagoon, the two water parks in Orlando bearing Disney's name.  

For the stage of life we're in right now, Typhoon Lagoon is our clear favorite.  The area built for smaller children, Ketchakiddee Creek, is a huge hit with our youngest two, but we also love the fact that our four- and five-year-old can enjoy the majority of the water slides across the property as well.  

The select few that they can't ride quite yet are made much more tolerable, however, by the fact that there is typically a pool or smaller water slide built in the immediate area of said attraction.  For example, our older kiddos love riding the Crush n' Gusher slides inside the park.  Even though our youngest aren't quite tall enough, the splash-down pool is literally attached to a zero-entry pool, meaning that while my husband rides the "water coaster" with our oldest, I can splash & play with the littles...and vice versa!  It truly is the perfect set-up, and even with the focus on families, there are still plenty of thrill rides to entice & excite my nine- and eleven-year-olds. 

My husband, who is slightly afraid of heights, loves the fact that the stairs leading up to most of the water slides are made out of concrete and securely built into the surrounding landscape--no freestanding towers of stairs to sway in the wind or make him nervous.  :)  We also appreciate that the walkways and paths are shaded and/or constantly sprayed with water--the soles of our feet are never burnt!

Most importantly, though, Typhoon Lagoon simply "feels" like Disney:  the park is clean, the cast members are accommodating (no need to bring your own towels!), the food is good, and, like all great Disney attractions, the backstories to each slide and the theme to the park as a whole is amazing.

And did I mention the character meet & greets?!?!  

Lilo and Stitch are available throughout the day for pictures, hugs, and autographs, and in all of the times we've visited Typhoon Lagoon, we've never waited more than 5-7 minutes to meet these highly sought-after favorites.

The water parks are a great way to add a day of fun to a vacation without breaking the bank, too. Water park admission is typically cheaper than theme park admission ($62/adult and $56/child, free for those under three), and can be purchased as a stand-alone ticket or added to the Park Hopper option as part of a package.  Both water parks are open for a good portion of the year as well, typically closing from mid-January through mid-March for seasonal maintenance.  

If you're looking for a great way to stay cool on your next Disney vacation, be sure to consider a visit to either Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon.  As always, please don't hesitate to let me know how I can help your family book & plan a fantastic trip; even if you're not quite sure where to start!  I'd love to answer your questions and/or simply talk through the possibility of customizing some magic for your next vacation, all with no obligation!  Contact me through email at heather@mmadventures.net or on Facebook at My Magical Mouse Adventures.

The Pirates League.

Y'all.

Out of all of the "extra" experiences we've done over the years, The Pirates League just might be my very favorite.

I didn't know much about what to expect when I made the reservation for my four-year-old son, Buddy, but I assumed that the experience would be right up my pirate-lover's alley.  I couldn't have been more right!

The Pirates League is located inside the Magic Kingdom, very near Pirates of the Caribbean over in Adventureland.  I was pleasantly surprised that all six of us were allowed in to witness Buddy's transformation!  Unlike Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, there is no limit to the number of guests allowed in with the pirate-to-be.

From the minute we walked in, we found the whole experience to be warm & welcoming, in a pirate sort of way. :)  We felt right at home with the easy conversation, gentle teasing, and jovial atmosphere that permeated the place.  Buddy spun a ship's wheel to determine his new "pirate" name (Frances Sailmonger) and was then escorted to his seat.

We LOVED Buddy's "Pirate Master!"  She was excellent at engaging our entire family in the experience, but went out of her way to make sure Buddy felt extra special.  Her quick wit had all of us laughing constantly, and the way in which she interacted with the other Pirate Masters and their Pirates-in-Training added such a fun group element.  It was as if everyone in the entire room was part of a big, fun family dinner.

There were a variety of pirate faces from which to choose, and Buddy quickly decided on the "Blackbeard" style.  Regardless of the make-up chosen, all pirate packages included a sword & sheath, a pirate bandana, an earring, an eye patch, a Pirates League pouch, a pirate coin necklace, a pirate's key, and a large, printed copy of the Pirate's Oath, personalized with each child's newly given pirate name (totally frame-worthy).

The transformation was amazing!  It was as if my Buddy was given a totally different persona.  He loved it!

With his transformation complete, Buddy was asked to recite the Pirate's Oath and was then greeted with a loud "Yo Ho!" from the room as he was officially given the title of "pirate."  (Actually, his Pirate Master stressed the fact the he was merely a "First Mate," which meant my husband & I outranked him--and thus Buddy would need to follow our orders throughout the day.)

Our experience ended with a trip through a "secret" door, which led to Captain Jack Sparrow's treasure room!

Once inside the treasure room, Buddy was able to "search" for his treasure (the pirate coin necklace) and sit in Jack Sparrow's chair for a few pictures.

It was such a great morning for our entire family!  We truly felt as if we'd been welcomed into a Pirates League, and Buddy was SO EXCITED to have a sword, sheath, and pirate key (and an earring!).  

Pirates League packages average about $50 (the most expensive is $100), and include Mermaid options as well!  In fact, after witnessing the mermaid transformations firsthand, both of our girls (ages 5 & 9) declared their desire to participate next year.  While the minimum participation age is three, there is no maximum age, and we saw quite a few adults working with Pirate Masters while we were there!

Reservations are highly encouraged and can be made 180 days in advance.  As always, I'd love to help your family book & plan a custom Disney trip!  Please don't hesitate to let me know how I can help! :)

Tusker House.

As far as "table service" (or sit down) restaurants go, the options can sometimes seem limited when visiting Disney's Animal Kingdom.  Unlike Magic Kingdom & Epcot, Animal Kingdom's physical location does not provide easy access to a variety of resort dining, and there are not as many choices inside the park as some other places.  

While there are two phenomenal table service experiences within the gates (Yak & Yeti and Tiffins), the menus don't always appeal to our kiddos, leaving us with two Animal Kingdom "go to" restaurants: Rainforest Cafe and Tusker House.  We love them both!  Today we'll take a closer look at Tusker House.

Tusker House is the only restaurant inside Animal Kingdom that provides a character experience. Goofy, Daisy, Donald, and Mickey are decked out in their best safari gear and visit each table to give hugs, take pictures, and sign autographs.

Tusker House serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (buffet-style), and much of the food is prepared with an African twist (although corn dog nuggets and macaroni & cheese can be found as well!). We've found that the restaurant's menu allows our family to be adventurous in our eating, knowing that there will definitely be something we'll enjoy even if we end up not liking the new food we've tried (although we typically find most of it to be delicious!).  Sweet plantains, spit-roasted bone-in ham, curry chicken, mojo pork with spicy mustard, and beef bobotie have become some of our favorites!

The restaurant is located toward the very back of the property, near the entrance to The Festival of the Lion King and Kilimanjaro Safari.  Early breakfast reservations (at least an hour before the park opens) can allow your family to enjoy the meal, meet the characters, and be among some of the first in line to ride the Safari, but you'll need to be sure to arrive at the park early enough to make it through security and complete the trek back to the restaurant in time for your reservation!  (Valid theme park admission is required to dine at Tusker House.)

We LOVE the breakfast buffet, but prefer to eat as late as possible (typically around 10:30-10:45ish), so we often time our meal with the start of The Festival of the Lion King, which allows us to finish eating and immediately head over to see one of the best live shows in all of Disney World.

The breakfast buffet costs around $30/adult ($18/child), while lunch is about $38/adult ($23/child) and dinner averages $42/adult ($25/child).  You can also pay for the meal with one (1) table service credit per person on the Disney dining plan.

If you're looking for a fun character dining experience that offers a little more variety than your standard buffet, Tusker House would be a great spot to try!  I'd love to help your family book & plan a Disney trip-- tailored specifically to your desires and budget--with as little stress as possible.  Please don't hesitate to let me know how I can help!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

On our most recent trip to Disney (just a couple of weeks ago), our 5-year-old daughter, Emmy, got to experience Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for the very first time.

Many guests with whom I have the pleasure of working often inquire about this "princess salon," and most choose to book packages for their own personal princesses.  While packages range in cost from approximately $65.00-$200.00, our personal experience has been that the Crown Package ($65) is the perfect fit for our family's budget and our daughters' dreams.  

Just as there are multiple packages from which to choose, there are also multiple locations: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique can be found inside Cinderella's Castle within Disney's Magic Kingdom (valid theme park admission is required to access this salon) as well as at Disney Springs, the outdoor mall area located on Disney property (no theme park tickets necessary!).

The pictures featured in this post are from our experience at the Disney Springs location, which we found to be quite spacious and fun!

All of the available salon packages include hairstyling, shimmering make-up & a princess gem, nail polish, and a princess sash & cinch sack.  The difference in the more expensive packages comes down to the addition of items such as t-shirts, tutus, and Disney princess gowns.  Princesses are allowed to bring their own gowns from home, however, and doing so is a great way to cut down on cost (and is exactly what we chose to do with Emmy!).

Two adults and all children in the party can accompany princesses into the salon, so our entire family was able to experience the Boutique with Emmy--and the experience was definitely entertaining enough for us all!  (If more than two adults are part of the group, the grown-ups can take turns visiting the salon throughout the experience.)

Before Emmy met her Fairy Godmother-in-training, she had the opportunity to change into her gown inside an enchanted dressing room (no pictures/spoilers here!).  Our whole family got to watch the magic come to life, which only heightened the excitement!

Emmy selected her own hairstyle from a picture menu of four choices and then sat back to let the transformation begin. 

Her Fairy Godmother-in-training was kind, personable, and age-appropriate, always keeping our family engaged in the process but going out of her way to make Emmy feel special.

Fingernails were polished and make-up was applied once the hairstyle was completed.

And of course there was pixie dust!  Lots and lots of pixie dust! :)  (Side note: all guests can stop by the front desk at any Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique location to receive a little pixie dust of their own!)

The big "reveal" (her chair was finally turned around to face the mirror) was definitely my favorite moment to watch.  I loved, loved, loved seeing Emmy's reaction to her transformation.  I also loved that PhotoPass photographers were on hand inside the salon, taking lots of pictures that became part of my Memory Maker package. :)

Emmy was given a sash and a precious pink cinch sack, which held all of her new trinkets: the make-up palette & "dinglehopper" (comb) that were used, the bottle of sparkly nail polish, the sheet of remaining face gems, a make-up remover cloth, and a bottle of shampoo.  I will say that, contrary to what has occurred in the past, large amounts of hair spray & gel are no longer used inside the boutiques.  Emmy's hair was held in place with lots of bobby pins, a small amount of spray, & a hair net placed over her bun. While the style definitely made it through the evening, it didn't have a chance of lasting on its own overnight.

She got to participate in a quick photo shoot with a PhotoPass photographer before leaving the salon (again, the pictures were included with our Memory Maker purchase), which she absolutely loved!

And, because we visited the Disney Springs location, we also had the opportunity to visit the new PhotoPass Studio there for a few more pictures.  In addition to having the pictures from the studio uploaded to our Memory Maker, our Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique package purchase included an immediate 5x7 print of our choice as well!

Our experience at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique did not disappoint in any way, and I know our little princess had the time of her life (and thoroughly enjoyed all of the attention she received as she sashayed her way through the shops & restaurants at Disney Springs!).

If you have questions related to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or would like help selecting the perfect magical addition for your little one, please don't hesitate to let me know!  I'd love to help your family plan an amazing Disney vacation, even if a trip to the Boutique isn't on your agenda. :)