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...