New Fantasyland Opened for Soft Openings!

So, as I speak the New Fantasyland is open for a "Dress Rehersal" otherwise known as a soft opening!  I even found a link where you can "ride" the new Little Mermaid ride!!  It's not expected to last long because there are annual passholder previews and cast member previews coming up. 

And so, my anxiety over this begins again!!  Are we going to see it?  I think so since we are staying 1 extra day to be there for the first official "preview" day.  I'm literally going crazy thinking about it!  I'm a little bit obsessed!  This pretty much describes me:

 

Also among my new worries is the stroller dilemma.  Is my everyday umbrella stroller going to be enough or should I rent a better one that reclines and has a little more space.

 

And there is also the insanity of our ADR's which are now (finally) being analyzed by everyone else!  Don't they know how hard it is to change anything now!!!

 

Ok, enough about my craziness!  I want to invite anyone who reads this to please come over to www.facebook.com/fairytaledreamtravels  because I tend to update this quicker than this blog!  :-)

Final Countdown!

Well, we can finally say that we are going to Walt Disney World next month and it feels great!  Especially after dealing with all of the sickness in this house! 
And, guess what?  I'm still planning.  That's right, I'm still trying to get all of our plans nailed down.  As I've learned recently,  it could be very crowded the first couple of days we are there, so I need to be sure to have a really do-able plan. 
I've said in the past that you can always have a good time as long as you have a good plan! 
After all, it doesn't matter when you are surrounded by magic!

All that being said, I am concerned about the crowds.  We will get there early and hope everyone else sleeps in :-)

2013 Disney Deals Out Today for January-March!

Today's the day!!  If you want to go to Walt Disney World on select dates in January- early March, book now for awesome deals!!  There is a room only discount coming out as well as a package discount!
As I've learned from the Free Dining promo, rooms fill up fast so the faster you book the better.  Also, Southwest is having some really great deals on flights, so check it out!
Email me today if you want my help!  kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com

New Disney Deals for Winter 1/02-3/07/2013!! Play, Stay and Dine and Room Only Discounts!

Anyone want to see the new Fantasyland??

Today was a good day for those who want to go to Walt Disney World this winter!  If you are a Disney Visa Cardholder you can get up to 35% off room rates or a discount off a package that includes room, tickets and dining.  I've seen people get over $600 off their package rates.  This would be similar to free dining- not quite but close!  Dates are 1/02- 3/07/2013. There is a blackout around President's Day.

Even better news is that this will be open to everyone on October 10!!

Email me today if you want me to quote for you kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com

In other news, I still have sick kids at home, so my Disney planning has come to a hault.  I'll update as soon as I can!

Beast Greeting at new Be Our Guest Restaurant??

Sorry I haven't been writing lately!  Dealing with sick babies and being sick myself is really dragging me down!
However, I had to drop in to say that there are new rumors today that the Beast himself will greet people with DINNER reservations at the new Be Our Guest Restaurant opening in November.  No lunch appearances and no autographs. 
This is exciting news though and I'm sure it will make the crowds bigger. 
I'm just hoping that we can eat lunch there on the first day!

Magic Kingdom No Longer a Dry Park!

News today is that wine will be served with dinner at the new Be Our Guest Restaurant, opening with the new Fantasyland Expansion.  Alchohol has never been served in the Magic Kingdom before.  

For me, this is kind of sad.  I understand why Disney would do this, but the Magic Kingdom has always been the one place where you didn't have to worry about exposing your children to the effects of alcohol.  Believe me, going through Epcot while the Food & Wine Festival is going on can really open your eyes!

Of course I don't drink at all, so my opinion is probably very different than other people who are now rejoicing over this news.  What do you all think?  Good idea or no?

More "Celebrate the Magic" images & more!

Disney just released more info. for the Celebrate the Magic show that is to start in November.  It looks really cool, but I'm still wondering about the Christmas lights on the castle.  No answer as to whether or not this will replace those.

Also, today they announced that there will be more seating for Fantasmic added!  This is really good news because at certain times it can be a long wait for this not to be missed show.  And, as we all know, with a lot of kids waiting can be difficult at best. 

In other news, I'm still working on the itinerary for our trip!  I'm trying to decide if I want to try to switch days around, but that means switching some of our dining ADR's and I'm not sure if I want to do that. 

Enchanted Tales with Belle- New video!

So, the last video I saw about Enchanted Tales with Belle Disney showed Maurice's cottage and after you walked through you went through a Magic Mirror and the video ended.  Here is what happens after you walk through the magic mirror!!  So cool!! 

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/08/first-look-lumiere-madame-wardrobe-welcome-you-to-enchanted-tales-with-belle-at-magic-kingdom-park/

Oh, please Disney give me a chance to see all of this!!  I will take lots of pictures to help spread the word!!

New Nighttime Show for Magic Kingdom

November is going to be a very busy month for the Magic Kingdom!  Not only is the Fantasyland Expansion Preview starting and the Christmas Party in full swing, now they are adding a new night time show called Celebrate the Magic!  It looks really cool!  Kind of like they are bringing World of Color from Disneyland over to the Magic Kingdom! 

Now, my question is are they still going to have the castle lit up for Christmas too?  I would really miss it if they didn't because it is one of the things that I love about going in November.  It is so magical to see the lights glittering on the castle!

True to Disney form, no starting date has been announced, just November, so we'll have to keep you updated.  Knowing my luck lately, it will start the day after we are suppose to leave!

Fall Room Only Discounts Out Now!!

Today the fall room only discounts came out and can save your up to 30% off.  As always the rooms and dates are limited, so book soon to get the best deal!  I saved some clients over $3000 on their vacation this morning!   If free dining doesn't work for you this is the next best deal.  Or if you want to stay at a deluxe Disney resort, this deal may even work out to be a better price for you!
Email me today for more info!
kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com

New Update!

So sorry I haven't finished out itinerary yet!  School started and it's been crazy getting everything done.  But, it is WONDERFUL having 4 kids in school now!! 
Well, guess what?  I took the plunge and added another day onto our already long vacation!  I just couldn't sleep knowing that we were going to miss the Fantasyland expansion by one day.  It was just too much.  2 weeks I could have handled or even 1 week, but one single day was too depressing. 
So, now I'm going to be busy figuring out how to stretch dining credits to the max because we had to book a room only deal for the last day because free dining was not available for our resort anymore. 
I'll keep you updated...

Fantasyland Expansion Shock and more about trip

So, I'm finally getting over the shock of not being there for the Fantasyland Expansion opening and the previews-by 1 Day!!!!  I debated and debated adding the one additional day, but with school conferences starting that day I just couldn't do it.  It's really depressing though.  I'm hoping and praying that a little pixie dust will come my way and they will have a soft-opening on one of the days that we are at the Magic Kingdom.  If not, I will just have to get myself over that wall :-) 

Ok, so now where was I on my itinerary?  Day 3.  This is our first day at Epcot and one that I thought was going to be free of the Food & Wine Festival, but as always Disney surprised me and added one more day to the Festival and of course it was my day at Epcot.  Oh well, I already have our Princess Meal scheduled for lunch so I really don't want to change it.  My plan is to totally avoid the World Showcase altogether except for our lunch in Norway.  I know a lot of people really like this food bonanza, but it is way to crowded for us.  So, anyway, we will start the day by getting to the bus stop an hour earlier than opening and then wait for the gates to open.  We will then head straight to Soarin and some of us will ride while the other waits with the baby.  We'll probably get a baby wait pass, but I'm not sure.  Next, we'll head over to Mission Space and see if pixie dust was spread and Test Track is open.  Then, we go to the Seas with Nemo and Friends and Journey into the Imagination (my kids love this ride and the activities after it)!  By that time it should be close to lunch and we'll head over to Norway to visit with the Princesses!! 

Here is where I side track to my princess dress hunt.  You would not believe what I have been through to find the perfect Belle dress for my youngest daughter.  I didn't want a normal store bought one, so I searched and even used my birthday money to buy the best dress!!!  It looks wonderful and should get here tomorrow!!  I'll post a picture soon!

Fantasyland Expansion Opening December 6!!

Well, we are going to miss the opening of the Fantasyland Expansion.  Disney has now given us a date- December 6.  The new Under the Sea-Journey of the Little Mermaid, the Be Our Guest Restaurant, Gaston's Tavern, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and the stores in that village will open then with previews set for November 19.  This is all very exciting, but I'm really upset that we are going to miss it!  Oh well, I guess I can look forward to seeing it next year.  It stinks to be so close to it though and have to miss it!

Also, there is news out that there is a new Disney app coming out, so stay tuned for details about that! 

My November trip

Ok, so nothing new today  (yet!).  So, here is my itinerary for our trip.  We are going in November and staying at Port Orleans Riverside.  On our arrival day, our flight lands at around 9:30 am.  We are going to head right to the resort to get our Keys to the World and then we are on to Animal Kingdom.  We are planning to do all of the exhibits on this day and save most of the rides and shows for day 2.  We are going to eat a counter service for lunch and then the Rainforest Cafe for dinner.  I figure we will probably be tired, so we'll go to bed early.  The next day we will get to the bus stop by 7:00 am bound for Hollywood Studios.  We have an 8:00 breakfast reservation at Hollywood N' Vine and we'll hopefully get out of their quick to get to rope drop for the CRAZY Toy Story Mania madness.  We'll stay at Hollywood Studios until around 4:00 and then we are going to do something new and ride the boat the the Beach Club Resort to eat dinner at Cape May Cafe.  We've never been there and we hope to see the Boardwalk area after dinner.  We'll then take a bus or boat back to Hollywood Studios and see the Osbourne Christmas lights before going back to our resort. 

More to come, stay tuned...

Disney Expands Free Dining Dates

Ok, so now I'm seriously wondering why I didn't stick with my Christmas at Disney plan as Disney expands the free dining dates to December 20.  Now, remember if you check in by December 20, then you will get free dining for your entire stay.  You could eat at Disney on Christmas for free!!  How cool is that!  Granted, it will be crowded, very crowded, but who wouldn't want to spend Christmas at Walt Disney World? 

I would love it!!!  I already get to see the castle lit up with these beautiful lights, but they would look even better on Christmas!    Has anyone ever been on Christmas?  Can you comment what it was like?

Back to planet Earth though, my trip is already planned and flights are booked.  Do I really want to change everything now?  Realistically no, but I'm so wishing I could! 

If anyone else wants to try it email me and I'll help you plan!  kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com  I can help you avoid some of the crowds!

So, I got sidetracked from what I was going to post today, so I'll post about my agenda early next week. 

Fantasyland Expansion- More Sneak Peeks

Well,  Disney is still leaving us all wondering what "holidays 2012" means and now they are creating even more excitement by giving us another sneak peak at the Fantasyland Expansion.  Behold Maruice's Cottage!!

It looks really great!!  Just like the movie!  Oh, how I want to see all of the new things when we go!  Hopefully pixie dust will be coming my way!

On to other things, the current free dining deal (late September - December) has rooms filling up quickly.  If you want to go, book soon!
kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com

Tomorrow, I'm going to post my itinerary for our trip and see what you think!

Be Our Guest Restaruant- More Information

Everybody knows that the rose was an important part of the Beauty and the Beast movie and it looks like Disney is incoorporating this into the theming of the Be Our Guest Restaurant too.  Roses will be everywhere and it will be fun to find them around the restaurant! 

On the Disney blog they also said that reservations will begin in late August, but yet again no one is telling when you will be able to make your reservations for.  They are really irratating me :-) about this!!  I want to know when the restaurant will open!!  Oh, well, hopefully we'll find out soon!

Is Jake and the Neverland Pirate Crew moving into Hollywood N' Vine?

Rumors are circulating today that Disney will replace the current Disney Play N' Dine at Hollywood Studios' with a new character meal featuring Jake, Izzy, Captain Hook, and Mr. Smee.  Fans of Jake and the Neverland Pirates are holding their breaths that this will be true!!

They say that they will replace some other Disney Junior stars at Hollywood N' Vine at breakfast and lunch. 

I really hope this rumor pans out because although my boys are a little too old, my other kids are not and I think I would love it too!!

This will probably be a very hard reservation if this does become reality, so plan ahead!
 

Check out my website www.mouseworldnews.com for more information!

Changes for 2013- Extra Magic Hours Reduced

Disney is apparently going to make some changes starting in 2013.  One is rumored to be the reduction of evening Extra Magic Hours by 1 hour.  So, what does this mean?  Well, instead of staying open 3 extra hours in the evening for resort guests it will now only be 2.

What are Extra Magic Hours?  They are an incentive given to Disney Resort guests.  This means you are staying at a Disney Resort on property.  Usually they are 1 extra hour in the morning or 3 extra hours in the evening at certain parks each day. 

Personally, this doesn't change what we do at all.  Why?  Because we tend to avoid the park that is scheduled to have EMH.  We have found that these parks are usually more crowded than the other parks.  Saying that, we have tried the EMH morning at Animal Kingdom a few times.  It wasn't terrible, but it was more crowded.  However, we went straight to the safari ride and then toured for a little while before going to breakfast at Tusker House. 

Also, it looks like prices for the dining plan are going up again!  What's new though.  Disney keeps making it harder for the average family to go the world.  This makes Free dining even more inticing! 

Matching T-Shirts at Disney

Every year when we go to Walt Disney World, we plan out matching t-shirts to wear.  For a big family this makes it so much easier to make sure we are all together and it really helps when the kids are on a playground or when we are in a mad dash to a ride (think the crazy chaos to Toy Story Mania!).  I know that some people out there are thinking that I am crazy, but believe me it does help!

So, what kind of shirts are we talking about here?  Well, we have done matching or cooridinating shirts from the Disney Store.  One year we bought Donald Duck shirts for the boys and Daisy for the girls.  We have also made tye dye shirts and got many compliments on those.  We painted a Mickey head on them with a bleach pen so they were Disneyfied.  And, many times, we have had t-shirts that were made with iron-on transfers.  You could use any image you want and there are people out there who will personalize these for you if you want!  One other idea is to use bleach to make spiral Mickey heads on colored shirts!  This was fun too!

What do you all think?  Are you going to try it?  It really does help!

Side note:  Rooms are filling quickly for the Free Dining Promo!  Book today or email me to help you! kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com

Fantasyland Expansion- Prince Eric's Castle

Update on the Fantasyland Expansion in Walt Disney World!  New pictures were released showing Prince Eric's Castle as part of the new Little Mermaid ride.  It looks really cool! 

I really hope that this is open  when we go in November!  If not, I at least hope we can see what they are doing!

On that note, I will get on my soapbox again about how irritating it is when Disney says "Holiday Time"!  What does that really mean??  Technically the Magic Kingdom starts celebrating Christmas at the beginning of November with the start of the special ticket Christmas event.  So, will it be open by then?  Who knows!  I know that they are trying to cover themselves in case they have delays, but come on!  Us planners out here are dying to know! 

Ok, off my vent!  My next post will be about matching shirts for big families. 

Free Dining Fall 2012 for Walt Disney World for Everyone!

It's here!!  Free dining at Walt Disney World for everyone starts today!!  Select dates September 30-December 13! 9/30-10/4, 10/19-11/1, 11/9-11/15, 11/23-11/29, 12/10-12/13  Rooms are limited so book quickly!  Free Quick Service dining for value resort guests and free Regular dining for Moderate and Deluxe guests.  Little Mermaid standard rooms, 3 bedroom villas, and campsites are excluded.

This is a huge savings for big families and think of all of the great places you can eat at!  Not to mention the peace of mind knowing you and your kids can pick whatever you want to eat without worrying about the price of each thing. And, most character meals are included!!

Something important to remember is that you have to check-in on one of the dates that are specified to get dining for your entire stay.  For example, if you check in on December 13 you'll get free dining for your whole stay. 

Also, remember that you can upgrade the dining plan to the plan of your choice!  If you get quick service for free you can pay to upgrade to the regular dining! 

Good luck to everyone and as always let me know if you need any help!  I can take care of everything for you if you don't want to do it yourself!  kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com

2013 Walt Disney World Packages are Out!!

Planning a trip in 2013 to Walt Disney World?  If so, be happy today because you can now book your vacation!!  2013 packages came out today!!!  To book you need to have $200 per room deposit with final payment not due until 45 days prior to your trip.    I already priced out a trip for someone this morning, so email me if you want me to help you out.  kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com  Or, if you don't need help, you should be able to do this yourself on the Walt Disney World website.  Important to remember that any discounts can be applied to your reservation even after you book, so your prices are not set in stone!  I just changed our reservations to the Free Dining, so it is easily done.  Any discount can save you a lot of money so keep that in mind when you are overwhelmed by the prices you see now!


Tomorrow fall free dining should come out for everyone, so if you are waiting for that, stay tuned!!

Free Dining- More details

So, I was so excited to read that Disney was releasing Free Dining to Disney Visa Cardholders today for our dates!  I called as soon as I found out and was able to get it for our resort.  I just had to upgrade to a different view room because there were no standard rooms available.  We still saved over $1000 and now we don't have to worry about food while we are there which is priceless when you have a lot of kids!  I LOVE the dining plan, so I am super excited to have gotten this!!!

Anyway, here is the link with more details:
http://www.disneyrewards.com/offers/wdwfreedinejuly12

Rememeber if you don't have the Disney Visa Card, you shouldn't have to wait long to get this deal!  It should open to everyone on Thursday!  Rooms are limited though, so call right away- Disney directly or your travel agent.

Disney Free Dining for Disney Visa Card Holders!!

If you have a Disney Visa Card, you can now get free dining for selected dates in the fall!!  Call Disney now or email me and I can make the reservation for you!  kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com

More Free Disney Dining Rumor Details!

Here are some more insights into the Disney Free Dining rumor (said to come out on July 12) I've told you about.  I read that the dates covered will be:

9/30-10/4
10/19-11/1
11/9-11/15
11/23-11/29
12/10-12/13

Now, remember that if your arrival date falls in one of these dates you will get free dining for your entire stay.  For example, if you check in on 11/15 and then stay to 11/22 you will get free dining! 

People staying at value resorts are said to get the Quick Service plan, while people staying at the moderates and deluxe resorts will get the regular Disney Dining Plan.

I've also read that the Art of Animation Little Mermaid standard rooms will not be a part of this deal.  That really stinks, but Disney knows that they will probably fill that new resort easily. 

Stay tuned....

Juicy Free Dining Rumor!!!

Ok, so I was so happy to catch up on my Disney news today when I read that a reliable source is saying that Disney is releasing FREE  DINING dates for the fall on July 12!!!  I so hope that this is right!  Dates will include select dates in October-December!  For those that don't understand the Dining Plan or why this is so exciting, I posted even more details on my brand new site Mouse World News so please check it out (Free Disney Dining Plan Rumor).

Also, today I found out that I will be able to start booking 2013 packages for clients on July 11, so if you are wanting to take a trip next year, email me!  kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com 
Remember, you only need $200 to make a depost and then you can make payments up until 45 days prior to your trip.

Be Our Guest Restuarant Details

So, last week Disney released some information about the new Be Our Guest Restuarant in the Magic Kingdom.  The chef said there will be French inspired items on the menu and that it will be counter service at lunch and table service at dinner.  The table service will be 1 credit per person and it will not be a character meal at this time, so it will not require a credit card deposit.  They also said that they will begin taking reservations in August (DIS boards is reporting August 4), but, and a big but here, they didn't say when the reservation will be for!!  This drives me crazy!!  Don't they know that I am axiously waiting for this!!??  Oh well, I'll just have to wait some more and pray for pixie dust that it will be open when we are there. 

By the way, I am starting a new website called Mouse World News and will also be on facebook with this same name.  This will be a news and updates site for everyone about Walt Disney World.  I'm going to try to update it every couple of days.  More on that to come!

More Disney Dining- Character Meals

There are still even more character meals to consider when planning a trip to Walt Disney World! 

One of them will have the preschool set rejoicing- Playhouse Disney's Play n" Dine at Hollyood & Vine located in Disney's Hollywood Studios.  Imagine a breakfast or lunch filled with music and dancing with the Little Einsteins or Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  The kids love doing the "Hot Dog" dance with their favorite characters!  My kids loved this when they were younger and I know that my youngest will love this too when we go in November.  It's a lot of fun and a great buffet with something for everyone. 

The next character meal I'll tell you about is located in Disney's Polynesian Resort's popular restaurant 'Ohana.  Only available at breakfast, this meal features Lilo and Stich and appearances by Mickey in his luau gear!  Now, I haven't been to this one yet, but it gets good reviews from those who have.  This one is typical American breakfast food served family style at your table.  Think bacon, eggs, potatoes, Mickey waffles, and juice.

Disney Dining- Character Meals cont.

At Walt Disney World, there are so many choices about where to eat!  And, of course with kids, you want to remember to book the character meals well in advance so that you won't miss out!  As I said before, it is great to not have to stand in line to meet your child's favorite character!  They'll come right to your table!

Ok, so let's discuss the popular character meal in Disney's Animal Kingdom at the Tusker House restaurant, the Donald's Safari meals.  They now serve breakfast and lunch with Donald (who greets you outside), Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and the hard to find Daisy and they are all in their safari gear.  This is a really fun buffet that has some really good food!  There is typical buffet food, but there are also choices that are African inspired.  In fact, the lunch here is one of or favorites because of the unique choices!  Breakfast has more American choices (think donuts and bacon), but there are some new things to try.  There is a fun parade for the kids with musical instrunments and believe me the kids will love it!

Next, let's move to the Magic Kingdom to the Crystal Palace restaurant where Winnie the Pooh and Friends circulate at breakfast, lunch and dinner.  This restaurant is really beautiful and the buffet options are wonderful!  And, a really fun option to consider is an early breakfast before the park opens.  You will experience an almost empty Main Street!  The pictures that you can get of your kids walking down Main Street will be fantastic!  But, as always, remember to make your reservation early!  As early as 180 days in advance!

More character dining options to come!  Stay tuned!!

Disney Dining- Character Meals

Hey everyone, sorry it's been so long!  It's been busy with the kids heading off to camp.
Today's topic is the Character Meals at Walt Disney World.  Everyone wants their kids to see their favorite characters and one of the best ways to do that is to schedule a character meal.  It isn't just at breakfast anymore!  You can now schedule meals any time of the day.  And, the best news is that the characters come right to your table so there is no huge line to wait in!  How great is that?  You need to plan ahead though because some of these wonderful restaurants can fill up quick. 

Let's talk about some of them right now and then I'll try give more in-depth information about each one in particular at another time.
 
The one character meal that people think of first is the one at Cinderella's Castle.  Doesn't everyone dream of eating in the castle? They now offer princess' breakfast, lunch and dinner in the castle! 

This is one of the ones that you will have to make reservations for well in advance.  And, keep in mind, that it is very expensive and if you are on the Disney Dining Plan it is 2 table service credits per person.  I truly believe everyone has to eat here once, but this is something that you should save for a special occasion.  Cinderella is usually the greeter here and you will get a photo package with your meal.  There are also appearances by other princess' and friends (Mary Poppins). 

A great alternative to the castle for a fun princess meal is Akershus in Epcot.   This restaurant also has breakfast, lunch and dinner and has a variety of princess' who make an appearance.  It also includes a photo package usually with Belle in her beautiful yellow ball gown.  It is only 1 table service per person, so this may be a better option if you are on the Disney Dining Plan.  We have been here once and loved it.  We are planning to go again this fall.

Another must do character meal is Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary Resort.  This is the classic Disney character dining experience and you'll get to see Mickey, Minnie,, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto!  This restaurant has breakfast and dinner and you must make reservations early to get a decent time!  It is so much fun here and is well worth the trip to the Contemporary.  We go here every year and really wouldn't miss it for anything! 

In my next post, we'll discuss some of the other character meals and the characters at each so that you can pick where you should go!



Disney Rides- Dumbo

One of the most popular Disney rides is Dumbo at the Magic Kingdom.  Who doesn't love flying through the air on that lovable elephant?  Kids young and old love this ride and it is even better now!  With a new que (waiting area) and now 2 identical sets of Dumbo rides, this ride is going to get even more popular! 

The new que is interactive and lets parents sit and rest while the kids run around the "Big Top" and play.  Guests will receive a pager, similar to those used at restaurants, that will tell you when it's your turn to ride.  No more waiting in that long line that winds around endlessly.  And, even better, you don't have to wait in the hot Florida sun.  The new circus tent is air-conditioned!!

This looks really fun and is a wonderul addition to the new Storybook Circus area that is a part of the Fantasyland expansion project.  Disney is really on a mission to make new ques that everyone can enjoy while waiting in line.

One important thing to remember if you want to ride this new and improved Dumbo- go early in the morning!  It will get crowded early!

Disney Increases Prices and More

Well, it happens every year and this year is no exception.  Disney has increased the price of park tickets.  It wasn't much this year, but any increase is a headache.  It is now $89 for adults and $83 for kids for a one day, one park pass.  Now, I always tell people that you should stay at Disney as long as you can because then your per day price goes down dramatically!  The longer you stay the less you pay!  You really need at least 2 days for the Magic Kingdom and Epcot and at least 1 whole day for Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.  Ideally, it would be best to have 2 full days at each park and have some time to explore Downtown Disney too!

Now, on to other news.  The Fantasmic Dining Packages finally opened up for November.  But, guess what?  I didn't book it.  Why?  Well, for one the times that that had opened for Mama Melrose were horrible!  As a family, we eat lunch early (11:00) and dinner at around 4:30.  They were giving me 1:20 times.  After thinking about it, I decided it just wasn't worth it.  We'll just do Fantasmic the regular way and hope we can get a seat in the back of the theater.  Also, this allowed me to go back to my original plan of trying out the Cape May Cafe for dinner on one of our Hollywood Studios days.  Did you know they have a boat that goes from the Beach Club Resort to Hollywood Studios?  It sounds fun to try anyway!

Southwest openend up their flights through January this morning, so I was also able to book our flights!  I got really good times and used points that we had, so we hardly had to pay anything.  I was really happy to finally get that part done!

One more thing, Disney has not yet opened the package rates for next year, but they should soon.  So, I'm keeping my eye on it for several people.  If you want to be added to my list for a quote email me at kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com

Saving Money at Disney-Disney Pin Codes

Disney pin codes are the secret to saving money on your vacation, but what are they and how can you get them?  First off, the pin codes are special discounts sent to you from Disney Destinations via email or snail mail.  They will have a long series of letters and numbers to get you a special deal, whether that be a room only discount or free dining.  You can call Disney directly to find out more or contact your travel agent who can also help you if you get one of these codes.   

How do you get them?  Well, a way to get noticed by Disney is to sign up on their website.  You could also order a free vacation DVD and start searching for packages on their site and save the offer.  This seems to have worked for some people. One more thing to think about is to order the free Walt Disney World maps.  These are not only fun to have, but it lets Disney know that you are interested in a vacation.  You can do all of these things to up your chances even more!

Disney says these pin codes are completely random, however, I'm not sure that is quite true.  I think they target certain geographical areas and certain people with each code.  I find it odd that we have gotten codes in the past, but they are very infrequent now.  Right now I'm really hoping the pin fairy finds it in her heart to send me a free dining code!  :-) 

If you do not get one of these coveted codes, your other option is to wait it out for Disney to open a deal up to the general public.  There is usually some kind of deal, you just need to plan ahead and wait for it.  Remember you are always better off to book a vacation ahead of time!  You only have to pay a $200 deposit to save a vacation and then you can wait until 45 days prior to your first day to pay the rest off.  A good travel agent (kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com :-) can help you find the best deals!  You can always change your reservation to reflect the deal!  Good luck!!

Iconic Disney Ride Closing

The classic Disney Ride- Snow White Scary Adventures is closing tomorrow!  Located in the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland, this ride has been around for awhile and enjoyed by many.  However, times change and Snow White is moving out to make way for the new Princess Meet & Greet location as a part of the Fantasyland expansion. 

It took us a few years to get our kids to even go on this ride.  I think it was that it said "Scary" in the name of the ride that prevented us from getting them on it.  When we finally went on it the response was that it really wasn't that scary!  It was the story of Snow White, but there were a lot of evil queen scenes that I could see scaring small children.  After riding it a few times, my middle son said it was one of his favorites! 

(copyright AllEars)

Oh well, all things must change!  There will be another Snow White ride included in the Fantasyland expansion, this one based on the 7 dwarfs.  Imagine riding on a mine train!  The Fantasyland expansion is going to be going on for the next few years, so stay tuned for all of the latest updates!

Now, on to other news.  I've still had no luck getting a Fantasmic Dining Package for my week in November.  I don't know what the problem is!  I've read that there are some people that are getting them for the week after my trip!  I guess I need a little pixie dust to help me out with this.  I could use some to get the free dining pin too! 
Hopefully next week I'll be able to book our flights and the dining package.


 

Disney Rides- Toy Story Mania

I wanted to take a minute to address my tip of getting to the parks before they open and the very popular Disney Ride- Toy Story Mania- at Hollywood Studios.  This ride is by far one of the best rides in all of Walt Disney World and even better, the whole family can ride.  Yes, even infants!  Our baby was 4 months old when we rode last year.  She loved it!  It is a carnival inspired ride that engages you by giving you a blaster that you shoot at targets with!  There are even 3D glasses to get the whole experience.  And, the kids love the Toy Story characters.  Heck, even the que (line) is a sight to behold!  It looks just like Andy's room from the movie!

Now, the most important thing to remember about this ride(if you want to ride it without a huge wait) is to get to Hollywood Studios about 1/2 hour before opening time.  If the park opens at 9:00am, get there at 8:30.  Why?  Because, the wait times on this ride can exceed 2 hours quickly and I've seen Fastpasses gone for the whole day by 11:00am. 

We have found the best strategy to be to get to the park early, get through the entrance and wait with the rest of the crowd.  The best side of the crowd to wait on is the right.
 
Now, here is the thing about this.  It is a virtual stampede to this Disney ride.  Almost everyone there will be heading that way.  Be careful and stay together.  If there are 2 adults, make sure you each are in charge of some of the children.  About 1/2 will get in the Fastpass line and the other 1/2 will ride.  Your best bet, in my opinion, is to get in line for the ride.  Enjoy this classic Disney ride and then get out and get some Fastpasses to ride again.  The Fastpass line will have died down by then and you should still be able to get some for later in the day.

(copyright Disney)

We have found this works the best for the very popular Toy Story Mania.  Just remember, it's worth it in the end even though it seems crazy!  This is one Disney ride that you don't want to miss!

Disney Free Dining? & Tips

Wow!  There are actually people reading this blog!  Good to have you here!  I'm working on a Facebook page (WDW for Big Families) and a new website called Mouse World News too, so stay tuned! If you have any advice for me, please comment and let me know how I can make these better for you!

Today, the free dining for fall rumors continue.  Lots of people are saying they got an email with a pin code, while others are saying they got an email with no pin code attached!  Sounds like Disney had an email problem.  An even bigger problem is that I haven't gotten either one of these!  I guess I will have to wish on a star really hard tonight :-) Remember to sign up on the Disney site, order maps and the DVD. These things can help you get an elusive pin!

Moving on, I am trying to work on my biggest tips page for my clients, so I will share these with you too!  (Feel free though to contact me at kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com if you want to have me book a trip for you!  My services are FREE!- sorry, trying to drum up some buisness, have to make money so I can go back to WDW myself! )

My first tip, which is especially important for big families, is to plan ahead!  Make your plans well in advance.  I'm talking more than 6 months ahead of time.  I think I've said this before, but it's really important! If you make early planning a priority you will be able to do everything you want to do while on vacation!  Dining reservations will be easier and everything else will fall into place easier.  You won't have to worry as much about things like taking your princess to meet those other princesses or letting your pirates become real pirates!  A Disney Travel Specialist (like me- another shameless plug) can help you with all of these things if you want help.

Secondly, plan to get to each park 1/2 hour before it opens for the day!  Walt Disney World is not a place to sleep in!  You want to get to the parks early so that you can do the most popular rides first.  If you do this, I guarantee the rest of your day will be enjoyable!  You will get the big things that you want to do out of the way and you won't have to spend all of your day waiting in line.  This is very important!!

My other tips will be coming soon!  Thanks for reading!

Disney Pin Codes

Exciting news today, Disney is beginning to send out pin codes to some people for Disney Free Dining in the fall!!  This is very encouraging that this offer will be extended to the general public in the future.  Although it may not be for a few months yet. 

What is a pin code?  This is a special code sent out by Disney Destinations usually via email or regular snail mail.  If you get something look closely for a set of letters and numbers.  These offers can vary and can be a room discount, a package discount or the infamous Disney Free Dining!  To get a pin code, be sure to sign up on a Disney site and it helps to "save" vacations that you price out.  This lets Disney know that you are interested in staying on-site.  Remember that a travel agent can apply  a pin to your new or existing reservation.  And a good Disney Specialist will be on the look out for you if a deal is available to the general public.

(copyright Disney)

Disney Free Dining is one of the best deals that big families who are staying on-site at Disney can get.  For example, for our family, free dining can save us $1400 off of our vacation!  The major drawback, of course, is that you are required to stay on-site and have tickets for the parks.  However, many people (my family included) wouldn't dream of staying anywhere else!

Now, there are people who say that Disney Free Dining is not as good of a deal as it seems because you are paying rack rate for the room.  However, if you were planning on purchasing the dining plan anyway, this is a great deal!  And, you have to eat right?

I love, love the Disney Dining Plan!  Why?  Well, honestly, it is so wonderful to go to Walt Disney World and not have to worry about paying for food while we are there.  Everyone can order what they want and get snacks and I don't have to say "No!".  And, it makes our trip an all-inclusive vacation, which I adore!  We can enjoy character meals, which means that we do not have to wait in as many lines to meet some of the characters- they come right to our table!  We have even done a character meal every day! 

I am really hoping to be able to get the Disney Free Dining for our trip in November and this latest news of pins is very exciting!  Hopefully some pixie dust will be coming my way!   

What is the Fantasmic Package?

At Disney's Hollywood Studios there is a fantastic show called Fantasmic which casts Mickey against the Disney Villians.  It is a really good show.  But, there is a problem with it.  It is at the end of the day and almost everyone who visited Hollywood Studios that day stays to see it.  Why is this a problem you ask?  Well, to get a seat, especially a good one, requires you to get to the Fantasmic area early.  Really early.  Like up to 2 hours early!  It's true!
However, there is a solution to this problem and it is called the Fantasmic Dining Package.  With this package, you get lunch or dinner at one of 3 selected restaurants and a voucher that will guarantee you a seat 30-45 minutes early.  You get to go in a special entrance and then sit in a designated area.  It is a good deal, especially during the busy season. 
The 3 restaurants that give this option are Mama Melrose, Hollywood N' Vine, and the Hollywood Brown Derby.  If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, you can use 1Table Service Credit for each person for Mama Melrose and Hollywood & Vine or 2 Table Service Credits each for the Brown Derby. 
All this being said, you cannot just make a reservation for one of these restaurants and assume you will get a voucher.  You have to be booked for a Fantasmic Dining Package.  These are hard to come by and it is best to make your reservation as soon as you can.  Remember you can book up to 180 days in advance.  Right now, however, Disney has not opened this up for November or December yet.  Believe me, I've checked every day, several times a day :-) 
We have never done the package, but are trying to get it this trip.  We will have a 1 year old this time and I think it will benefit us not to fight the crowds or the wait.  Hopefully they will open it up soon. 
This is where a travel agent would come in handy.  They could watch and wait for you.  Unfortunately for me, I'm my own agent :-) 

Refurbished Rooms!

So, today I found out that rooms at Port Orleans Riverside are being refurbished and I saw some really great pictures of the new rooms!  The new Murphy bed is really cool and looks much more appealing than the old trundle beds that came out from under the bed.  I'm excited now to stay there again to see these new rooms! 
In other news, the rumors are still predicting a deal coming out next week for the fall.  I really hope so, but sometimes the deals don't pan out as expected.  However, there are some lucky people who are getting Free dining now for November, so one can hope!

Another day and still no Fantasmic package!!  This is very frustruating!  How rude of these Disney people :-)  However, I was able to book 3 appointments at the Pirate's league and 1 at the Main Street Barbershop for a little princess' first haircut!  So excited about those!
Also, the rumor mills are saying that there is a possible new deal coming out next week for fall/winter.  Here's to hoping that comes true!! 
Don't forget, I can book vacations for you!  Email me at kerri@fairytaledreamtravels.com today!

Disney Dining Reservations

Well, we got all the dining reservations we wanted except for the Fantasmic Dining Package.  Apparently these have not been put into the computer yet for November.  What is the delay?  Disney needs to get on the ball here!  Oh well, thankfully I like being obsessed about something :-)  It extends my planning out some more and secretely I love to plan! 

Today's the day!! I get to make my ADRs!!  I spent last night going over what reservations we wanted.  I have a game plan, now I just have to get started.  The online site for Disney dining should be opening soon for me.  I tried already, but it wouldn't let me start yet.  I think it's 6:00 am before it will open up.  Here is what I'm going to try to get today:  Chef Mickey's, Rainforest Cafe, Tusker House, Ohana, Chefs de France, Princess Storybook, Crystal Palace, Mama Melrose,Cape May Cafe. 
Wish me luck!

Character Meals- How many?

Today I'm determined to nail down some of our dining reservations!  That is my goal- we'll see if it actually happens.  Monday is the day that I can start making the ADR's!  I really need to get this done.  So, how many character meals are we going to do this time?  One year I think every sit-down meal we had was a character meal.  How many is too many?  I think it depends on the family.  We love the character meals!  It gives the kids a chance to see the characters they want without having to wait in line to see them.  And, best of all, they can be loud and no one notices!  I think this year, we'll  scale it down a little bit since some are getting older, but secretly I still love them too! 

Port Orleans for 6 people??

I forgot to mention that our plans have changed a little as far as which resort again!  One of our children has decided, of their own free will, that they would rather spend the week with their grandparents.  This is beyond comprehension to me, however, this is one battle I will not fight. 
On that note, we decided that we are still going with the cheapest option because we are not in the room enough to justify spending more money on a resort (even though I would love to stay at the new AOA resort!). 
So, long story short,  we are now staying at Port Orleans Riverside.  Why you say?  Because there are rooms that can accomodate 5 people, 6 if one is under 3!  This works perfect for us and is cheaper than any other option.  We've done this twice before and it works fine.
The rooms in the Alligator Bayou section have 2 queen beds and 1 murphy bed, plus you can get a pack-n-play.  It's squished, but it is kind of like camping :-)  If all you are going to do is sleep in the room, then this is the way to go!

Today I am going to sit down with the November calendar and decide for sure which park we are going to each day.  How do I do this?  Well, first I avoid Extra Magic Hours (EMH).  We've found this makes the park that is having this more crowded.  We tried it a few times, but it just isn't worth it unless we have a really solid plan. 
The next thing I do is make sure that we don't miss the Main Street Electrical Parade and Wishes Fireworks at Magic Kingdom.  I really love these and can't imagine going to WDW without seeing them!  Do you like these?
Finally, I make sure that nothing special is going on that would make a park more crowded.  For example, last year we made the mistake of going to Epcot on the final day of the Food N' Wine Festival.  Now, in theory, this seemed like a good idea.  We'd get to try foods from around the world right?  No!!  It was so crowded, you could barely move!  And, the lines to get the food were really long! 
So, anyway, after I look at the calendar and circle the park we will be at each day, I will start looking at everyone's requests and figure out our ADR's.  Our ADR day is Monday already!!

I've been so busy, but now it's time to buckle down and get to work planning these ADR's.  We've gone through the calendar and have narrowed down where we will be each day and we have all decided on the place that we cannot live without eating at while at WDW.  Now, I have the challenging task of trying to get them all in! 

The Planning Begins!

Ok, so the first thing I need to do is get the November Walt Disney World Calendar and figure out which park we will be at each day.  This will help when trying to decide which restaurants to book.  The first thing I look at is the EMH (Extra Magic Hours) for each park.  Why you say?  Because I want to avoid them like the plague!  I tend to think that the park that has the EMH will be more crowded that day.  Only 1 time have we actually done the EMH and that was for Animal Kingdom.  I'll tell you about that later, but needless to say, we will not do that again!  More to come...

Back to the dining plan discussion!  My family loves the dining plan.  Why?  The pure convienience of it is wonderful!  I love that we can just go on vacation and not have to worry about anything. 
So, what plan do we get?...
The regular dining plan is the winner!  This is the plan that includes 1 table service, 1 quick service, 1 snack, and 1 mug for each family member per night.  We get this because the table service credit can be used for character meals and other sit-down meals.  Character meals are great for families with a lot of kids.  They provide entertainment and you don't have to worry if your kids are a little loud. 
A lot of people wonder if this is enough food and believe me- IT IS!  We have always had extra snack credits left at the end and I've never had anyone say that they have been hungry! 
In the next few days I'll write about how we go about picking what places to eat.  Stay tuned!

A little detour from the dining plan discussion to say that today Disney announced some "dates" for new openings.  Think of this as a teaser really because no real dates were given.  I mean what does "holiday" time really mean?  November/December?  Who knows! 
Oh well, I'm really considering changing our trip now.  I might try to find dates in December so that we may catch some of the new things. 
What new things you say?  Well, the Beauty and the Beast restaurant, the Little Mermaid Ride, and the Test Track re-opening (which lools really different and really cool!)  Oh, decisions, decisions! 

Topic for today- Dining Plan!  First of all, I have to say that I am a little biased about this.  We have done the dining plan for the past 4 visits and I really love it!  What is not to like about not having to worry about paying for food while on vacation?
Let's start off with the facts.  The Disney Dining Plan is available to those staying at a Disney Resort who also have tickets on their package (the only exception is those in the DVC).  It is available in 3 plans.  The Quick Service plan gives 2 quick service meals, 1 snack, and 1 refillable resort mug per person per night of your stay.  The next step up is the Regular Dining Plan.  This gives each guest 1 counter service, 1 table service, 1 snack, and 1 refillable mug.  The big one is the Deluxe Plan.  This one pulls out all the stops and each guest gets 3 meals per day (Table Service or Quick Service), 2 snacks, and a mug. 
Quick Service, or Counter Service, credits are for the fast-food places around the "world" and the Table Service are the sit-down restaurants, this includes the various character meals available.  Snack credits can be used for a wide variety of things, such as drinks, pastries, pretzels, ice cream, etc.
Also worth noting, the refillable mug is only for use at your resort, not the parks.

What do we do?  Read tomorrow to find out!

Yesterday was the day!  We booked our November vacation!  We decided to book a long vacation and then trim down if necessary for any pins/codes (praying for Free Dining!).  What resort did we book?  Drumroll please............ The Art of Animation!!!  We decided that we really want to stay at this resort, so I booked 2 standard rooms in the Little Mermaid section.  That being said, it will probably change based on cost if we don't get a pin.  Stick around to see what happens!
 It would have been great if they had standard rooms in the Cars section, but only family suites there.
What is next?  Trying to figure out our dining reservations!    
Check out Fairytale Dream Travels for booking a vacation!  www.fairytaledreamtravels.com or "like" it on facebook at www.facebook.com/fairytaledreamtravels

Well, we are at a stand-still about where to stay!  It will definetly be 2 rooms at a value resort.  Which value is anyone's guess!  Is it worth it to pay more to stay at the new resort? 
The boys want to stay at All-Star Sports.  I want to stay at Pop Century or Art of Animation.  Oh, what to do?  If it was all the same price it would be so much easier!  At least they are all now going to have free refrigerators.  That will help for breakfast.
All I know is we need to decide soon.  What would you do?

Ok, so onward with the planning!  Guess what I found out?  Not all values are priced the same!  I could have sworn that the last time I looked they were!  The cheapest option for us (a family of 7) is 2 rooms at one of the All-Star Resorts.  Next, is 2 rooms at Pop Century and then 2 rooms at the new Art of Animation Resort.  This resort looks like so much fun!  It is themed with Lion King, Cars, Nemo, and Little Mermaid.  Most of this resort is family suites, but they do have standard rooms in the Little Mermaid section.  I've attached a picture of this newest Disney Resort. 
All that being said, I would LOVE to stay here for our November trip!  But, the question is- is it worth it to spend more on a resort that is still in the value category? 
For us, it makes the most sense to get the cheapest option.  Why?  Well, we just don't spend too much time at the resort.  We wake up early and get to the bus to a park and don't usually come back until it's time for bed.  So, as much as I would love to stay at the Art of Animation, it's probably just not worth it.  Maybe we'll just visit it!

We've finally decided that we are going to go to WDW in November again.  (Really hoping for some kind of deal, especially Free Dining!) This has worked well for us in the past, although it has been getting more crowded.  The kids will only have to miss 4 days of school and they will have 1 week off when we get back to finish up work.  I know a lot of people do not want to pull their kids out of school, but for our family it works better to do this.  I think if you had a child who was struggling, it might not be the best choice.  Every family has to do what they think is best. 
Now, on to trying to decide what resort to stay at!  My next post will look at the options for our family of 7.

Hi everyone and welcome to my very first post on WDW for Big Families!! I'm really excited to start this blog and share our experience and find out how other big families visit the most magical place on Earth- Walt Disney World!

I'm going to start by sharing my story. I am a stay-at-home mom with a wonderful husband and 5 very special children (don't all parents say that about their kids? :-) We started going to Walt Disney World in 2008 and have gone every since. We love it there! (I think they put something addictive in the air!) We have always stayed on site and love the Disney Dining Plan! It makes it feel like an all-inclusive vacation!

We learn more every year and each vacation is unique in it's own way. We are starting to plan our trip for this year and can't wait to go again.

I hope you'll join me as I talk about our planning process and any news that will help us along the way. Feel free to comment! Let's share our experiences!