The Mouse Connection

Changes coming to the unofficial FastPass policy

2012-02-08T11:49:00.000-05:00

Disney diehards have long been aware of Disney's official unofficial FastPass policy, namely to honor a guest FastPass anytime after the return time printed on the ticket. This policy would allow guests to squirrel away FastPasses during the less crowded morning hours and then ride them whenever it was convenient (or crowded) later in the day.

As of March 7, 2012, a new FastPass policy will go into effect. The new policy will more strictly enforce return times. The new policy will allow guests to ride as early as 5 minutes before their window opens, which will hopefully alleviate some of the milling around in front of attractions for those that arrive a little early. The policy will also allow a 15 minute grace period for the stragglers.

As you can imagine the Disney-geek universe is buzzing about the changes. The strict rule followers feel are either neutral to the changes or even happy to have a level playing field. Those that have always taken advantage of the never closing window feel slighted. After all, the current policy for the most part works and people are happy. Why mess with it?

No, really. Why mess with it? Most think the answer lies with the rumored Next Gen / X-Pass initiatives. While much of the NextGen stuff sounds SUPER cool (read more here), the X-Pass concept (think premium FastPass) is getting a much more luke warm reception. Theme Park Tourist has a harsh, though not unfair critique here. I am anxious to see how the X-Pass is actually implemented. I am not a fan of creating a class based Disney park experience based on how much you are willing to spend. Although I have no problems creating a "class" based system between folks who are willing to do a little research for their trip before they go. I always am amazed at the people willing to wait in line 90 minutes for an attraction that has FastPass open and available. If they had done even 30 minutes of reading they would know that FastPass (in it's current incarnation) is free and fantastic!

But I digress...back to the implications of the anticipated policy change. So here are some issues that are bound to come up.

ADR's - If you get held up waiting for Pooh to visit your table, or if you have an unusually long time to wait to be seated you could miss your window. So make sure you pay attention to the return times before you grab the FastPass....any allow for things to go wrong.
Unexpected Delays - What happens if you get stuck on Splash Mountain for 45 minutes? By the time they get you off, your window may have closed. Will there be some sort of grace period?
Unexpected Downtime - What happens when the ride that you are holding a FastPass goes down? I can only assume that they will give you a open pass to return anytime later in the day?
The Meltdown / Or Planned Afternoon Break - I must admit that I was most likely to take advantage of the late return when I had to leave the park in the afternoon. Sometimes, it was for a planned break and others it was because someone in my party (child or adult - ahem - me) hit the meltdown point. So if now parents are in the position of pushing an exhausted toddler an extra 15 minutes so they can use their FastPass, or they have to give it up. That is not good for anyone in the parks! :)
Grace Period - With a 15 minute "grace period" being offered what happens if I show up 16 minutes late? Am I out of luck? What if my watch says 14 minutes? What if the reason for the delay is that there was only one poor security guy checking bags at 5pm when I tried to re-enter the park. (Yes, I am still bitter about almost missing my Le Cellier reservation over that!)
Bad Manners will abound - Can you imagine the poor cast members that are going to have to explain the policy. "I know that you have arrived late for every FastPass you ever had, but now you can't. Now you must wait 95 minutes to ride Toy Story Mania standby or you are out of luck." As badly as I feel for the verbal assault that that castmember is going to take, I will feel equally as bad for the FastPass holder immediately behind that guest who just wants to get on the darn ride!

Whether or not you favor the changes or not...whether you are a fan of NextGen / XPass or not....there are sure to be some growing pains. It will be interesting to see exactly how the new policy is implemented and if it will "stick". Stay tuned....

I am going on a Disney Cruise!

2012-02-01T19:42:00.000-05:00

Hi friends! First of all, let me apologize for the long break. Life has just gotten in the way. It seems that as soon a folks pack up the last holiday decoration they are ready to think Disney for spring! And who can blame them - I have the Disney Dream on my mind.

First of all, I have the best job ever. Helping people plan vacations is just plain old fun....and the fact that Disney pays me to do it is even better. If there is any downside to my job, it is that I have to do a lot of talking...and after awhile I am truly sick of my own voice. So after a fabulously busy and productive January (in a good way!) I am sneaking off to Disney with a girlfriend for a 3 day cruise on the Dream. It will be my first sailing on the Dream (she just celebrated her first birthday, you know!) and I am beyond excited.

My girls were a little annoyed that I was leaving without them, but when they realized that that meant they had their favorite manservant (their father) at their beck and call for the weekend, they decided it was not so bad after all. So they are sending me off with their blessings. I am trying not to take offense.

So what am I looking forward to the most?

Fabulous company aside, I am looking forward to ridiculously sweet and expensive cocktails served in the DCL hurricane glasses as we leave Port Canaveral. I am anxious to see what my friend Crush has been up to at Animator's Palate. I am ready for the warmth of sunshine on my face and sand between my toes - even if it means that there is a bathing suit involved. I am hoping that the water is warm enough for some snorkeling on Castaway Cay. I am anticipating a delicious dinner in the relative peace of Palo. I want to wander around the Straw Market in Nassau to find some treasures to bring home to my babies and the hubs, whom I will miss terribly.

As for said babies and the hubs....they will get their time on the Dream in April. I am excited to be able to take 2 cruises in such a short period of time wearing two different hats. This cruise is all about the grown up stuff, I want to try a mixology class, check out Serenity Bay and all there is for grownups to do. Next time it will be about the kids - the characters, the clubs, the pools. This trip is an oceanview stateroom, on deck 2...next is a veranda on deck 8. This trip we are flying in and out and pushing the time limits to do so. The next we will drive and check out a hotel near the port. This trip is 3 days...is it enough? Next trip is 5...will it be too much?

I will find out and let you know! I have a lot of work to do as soon as I land in Orlando in only a few short hours. I know, I know...It is a tough job. But by know you know that my dedication to my job is boundless! :) Also, keep checking back for news about our new blog dedicated to Disney cruises. It will be launching soon!

Pick a Pearl at Epcot!

2011-12-15T11:18:00.000-05:00

I was a tomboy growing up. A hardcore tomboy. I never played with dolls, saw no point in playing dress up, and would not be caught dead in fancy clothes. Ever. Well, along the way things changed. I still enjoy football, but playing in the creek gave way to hair product. I still love my power tools, but I gave up wrestling for makeup. I hung up my cleats and high tops and traded them in for killer heels. And jewelry...I love jewelry! While I enjoy the chunky funky jewelry that is fashionable now - I mean who doesn't love a good "statement necklace"? - I still find myself drawn to the classics. Which is why my heart is all a flutter each time I step into the Mitsukoshi department store.

Tucked back in the Japan pavilion at Epcot is the Mitsukoshi department store. Just inside, you will find a nice Japanese lady standing behind a huge tank of oysters. For less than $20 you can have your pick of oysters. So why would you want a ugly, stinky, old oyster? For the beautiful pearl inside, sillies!

On our last trip to Disney World I decided that both daughters and I should experience the fun. We waited for our turn and then we scoured the tank looking for the perfect oyster. I heard rumors that the uglier the oyster the prettier the pearl, so knowing that my daughers would choose pretty shells, I chose and ugly one - strictly for scientific purposes, of course. The official "oyster opener" opened my oldest daughter's pearl first. Inside she found a lovely little pearl. She dug it out, cleand it up, and used a gage to measure the pearl. It measured 7mm. Not too bad! The little table drum was banged with great fanfare and applause. Then she picked up my oyster next. In a matter of a few seconds she had managed to locate and squeeze out my pear that measured 7.75mm. That is a pretty big pearl! After more drumming and clapping we were finally down to one oyster and a very excited 4 year old. That little stinker got a pair of perfectly matched 6.5mm TWINS! They were absolutely beautiful. Each pearl was placed inside a tiny ziptop bag and labeled with the correct size.

I am not a mind reader, but I can imagine that you are thinking. OK, so now what?!!? Well, of course the Mitsukoshi department store has all sorts of settings that you can purchase for your pearl. But we came prepared. I got a Cinderella carriage necklace that doubles as a pearl cage. The cage is hinged at the bottom and the bale closes in a way that when the chain is fed through it stays securely closed. Now my princesses and I have matching necklaces.

I recommend this for boys and girls of all ages. Of course, the girls will love the end result, but the boys love the idea of having something rather gross looking disected for their pleasure. Boys especially like picking out something special for their mom - and if it can be a little gross along the way, then all the better!

So think about trading in the plush for a little something different next time. My girls call it their "real" jewelry and I agree. It is neither chunky, nor funky, but it is a beautiful keepsake from our trip.

PS - You can find the carriage necklaces online or you can get them as a thank you for booking your Disney travel with TMC Travel. You can also find pick a pearl locations at the Beach Club and Downtown Disney, but the Mistsukoshi Department store is the most fun!

It is Small Business Saturday!

2011-11-26T15:53:00.001-05:00

What is Small Business Saturday, you ask? Well, it is a day set aside to remind people to support the small businesses owners, help fuel the economy, and energize your local community.

How can you support a small business while planning your Disney vacation? It is super easy!

Use a Travel Agent that specializes in Disney Vacations - Using a travel agent to plan your vacation will not cost you anything extra, in fact, he/she may even be able to save you some money.
Check out Etsy.com - There are lots of crafty folks out there! Use someone else's sewing expertise to have a pillow case embroidered for your cruise, or make a cute t-shirt or outfit for your kids.
Check out your local screen printer. - Want some great family reunion shirts printed up? Find a local t-shirt shop to create something special for you family.
Order dog tags for the kids. Visit your boutique pet store and order tags with your child's name and your cell phone number. I have seen some local artisans make beautiful stamped metal charms or stamped leather bracelets that will serve the same purpose.
Subscribe to Touringplans.com. They can save you tons of time waiting in line. Their plans are not only based on anecdotal evidence, but cold hard facts. Io consider myself a Disney geek, but I am nothing compared to these guys. What ever Kool Aid they serve up, I am drinking!
There is an app for that! Check out some of the great Disney apps out there. Some are created by Disney, but many are created by small businesses who hope to earn enough money to pay for their next Disney vacation.

Those are a few of the ideas that I came up with. How about you? How are you going to support a small business today - or whenever you plan your next Disney vacation?

The Perk of Early Planning: The "Must Get" Disney Reservation!

2011-11-07T12:21:00.000-05:00

My "must get" Disney reservation is not made for a particular restaurant, made to enjoy a particular food, or even to visit a particular resort. My reservation is made for a partiular time.

One of the perks to planning your Disney vacation far in advance is that you are ready to go at the 180 day mark, when Disney opens the Dining reservations window. Planning early means that not only do you get your choice of restaurant, but even your choice of dining time.

For my family that means one thing - a breakfast reservation in the Magic Kingdom before the park opens. WHAT, you say? Before the park opens? Can you even do that? Absolutely, and it is just magical!

Imagine strolling through the turnstiles of the Magic Kingdom with out a stroller nipping at your heels. Enjoying the relative coolness of the morning hours, as you enter the park. Have your camera ready to snap a picture of your child's face as you round the square and the castle comes into view. Stop for a moment and enjoy - it is the only time you can do so in the morning without the risk of a mini stampede running you over. Wave a cheerful good morning to all of the PhotoPass photogs ready to snap your picture as you walk down Main Street. Don't be tempted to stop too soon...keep walking to the hub and find that last photographer. He or she will be ready to snap your picture in front of the castle in the empty park. Or by the Partners statue with nobody in the background. Get ready to snap away and get some of the best pictures of your entire vacation.

The Photopass photographers are usually just standing around waiting for families to stop buy, so they have lots of time to take pictures. We had a mini photo shoot the last time we were there first thing in the morning - complete with costume change!

As we continued across the hub to the castle, we found other photog with a different angle of the castle. Since we planned for picture time and still had several minutes before our reservation, I handed over out PhotoPass card. The photographer, said, "Let's do something a little different. We have the time and the space!" She snapped some pictures of us as we walked up to the castle holding hands and then some more as we walked back. How cool is that? My oldest said she felt like we were shooting a commercial. I'll bet not many folks have similar pictures in their Disney scrap books!

Once our picture taking was done, we strolled back up the ramp, into the castle and dined with the princesses. A bonus feature of the early morning reservation is that we finished our meal at 8:55, 5 minutes prior to the park opening. So as the masses were trucking down Main Street, we were hopping on Dumbo and getting a jump on the day!

So how you can you re-create this experience? It is actually pretty easy. On the 180 day mark, make a breakfast reservation on a day that the park opens at the usual 9am. Do not schedule breakfast on an early opening day or if there are Extra Magic hours. This could mean folks traveling at peak times may be out of luck. Aim for a breakfast reservation at or before 8:20. This will usually give you enough time to get a jump on the day by being at the back of the park when the park opens. Make sure you arrive with plenty of time before your reservations - allow for slow buses, security bag checks, walking time, and of course, plenty of picture time!

There are two restaurants that offer breakfast prior to park opening. The Crystal Palace with Pooh and Friends, which is the more affordable option, requires a credit card guarantee, and costs 1 dining credit on the Disney Dining Plan. You can expect, but are not guaranteed Pooh, Tigger, Eyeore and Piglet. Cinderella's Royal Table is the other option. You can expect, but again are not guaranteed, some combination of Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, and Ariel. Cinderella's Royal Table requires either prepayment in full or 2 table service credits and a credit card guarantee if you are on the dining plan. The princess meal also includes gratuities and a photo package which somewhat offsets the eye popping price tag.

So what if you can only find a reservation 10 minutes before park opening? I say go for it! You will miss much of that coveted first hour the park is open with super low crowds, but the experience and pictures are probably worth it - particularly if you have another morning set aside to get an early spin on Dumbo!

So what if you waited to long to book and the early morning time are completely booked up? All is not lost! Cancellations happen all the time. Just be diligent and troll for reservations regularly. You just might get lucky!

Are you DREAMing of a FANTASY cruise in 2013? Then now is the time to get started!

2011-10-18T12:17:00.001-04:00

Well now is the time! Disney just opened their booking window today for 2013 cruises on the Dream and the Fantasy.

As expected, the Dream will continue 3,4, and 5 night cruises to the Bahamas and Castaway Cay. The Fantasy - whose maiden voyage is this spring - will continue 7 night cruises to the Eastern and Western Carribbean as well as Castaway Cay.

QUICK CRUISE TIP #1- If you are thinking of a 2013 cruise, now is the time to book! Prices on Disney cruises tend to go up and up as they reach capacity!

QUICK CRUISE TIP #2 - If you would never consider a Spring Break or Holiday trip to Disneyland or Disney World because of the crowds - think cruise instead! The cruises have a fixed capacity and they always sail at or very near full capacity. So a spring break cruise will not "feel" any different than a late September cruise in terms of crowds. Prices are a bit higher during these peak travel times, but since you are a smart Disney shopper (and read tip #1) you already know that you can mitigate the extra cost by planning ahead.

As always, I would love to help plan your Dream-y Cruise! Please let me know if I can help ginger@tmctravelonline.com!

Changes Ahead: Disney World Dining Reservation Policy

2011-10-13T13:32:00.000-04:00

If you have not been making dining reservations lately, you may be unaware that Disney has been tweaking their Dining Reservations policy over the past few months. If you have ever stumbled onto a Disney message board, you have inevitably seen a post from a proud park goer boasting that they have booked a breakfast, lunch and dinner reservation for EACH park for EACH day of their vacation. Why would anyone go to such lengths? The reason given is they just do not want to be tied down to a plan…they just want to wake up and go where the mood takes them, and they want to be guaranteed a great reservation. As they delight in their superior ADR prowess, every other reader of the post is getting ready to give it to him…with both barrels. And I can understand why – by making a reservation in each park and perhaps a few resorts that person is keeping the rest of us from getting a coveted dinner at ‘Ohana or breakfast with the princesses. As a travel agent, I find myself scouring the internet looking for cancelations for my clients, in case someone was kind enough to cancel some of their double, triple, and quadruple booked reservations. And Disney…well they are stuck with empty tables, that could otherwise be filled.

Disney has been working to combat this problem in many ways. First of all, you are no longer allowed to double book dining reservations. If you create a reservation for a meal on a particular day, you are given a prompt that you already have a meal booked for that date and time. You will be asked which one you would like to keep, and the other will be canceled. This is a great feature as it not only prevents a accidental (or intentional) over booking, but it saves a step of having to cancel a previously made reservation. Nice!

Disney also has started sending out email reminders. With so many smart phones, families stay plugged in - even on vacation. A quick email is a great way to remind folks where they need to be. And if you need to cancel – they provide both a phone number and a link for you to do so. Easy! If you last minute planners are reading between the lines here, that means 24-48 hours is a great time to troll for cancelations.

Finally, and perhaps most controversially, a new policy effective October 26, 2011, will require a credit card guarantee for new reservations at Signature Dining and most Character Dining locations. Cancellations to reservations made less than one day in advance will incur a $10 charge per person listed on the reservation.

A few restaurants have already had this policy in effect, but the new policy will greatly expand the list. The $10 per penalty is not huge, but will certainly give triple bookers a cause for pause! Only serious diners need apply! While this can be a little frustrating, and some “innocent” dinners may be caught up in the penalty charges, this should mean more reservations available for those who fully intend to eat at the restaurant booked.

A word of advice: Be careful scheduling Signature and Character meals on your arrival day! A delayed flight, or excessive potty stops on your drive can mean that you not only miss a reservation, but will face a penalty if you do. Also, if you plan your trip and fully intend to go, but end up canceling your plans – be sure to cancel your dining reservations as well!

A new phone number has been added, specifically for canceling dining reservations. Avoid those penalties by calling 407-WDW-CNCL within the appropriate cancelation window.

The following locations will require the new credit card guarantee (Note: This is just a credit card guarantee, not a prepayment of your reservation):

1900 Park Fare
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Artist Point
California Grill
Cape May Café
Chef Mickey’s
Cítricos
The Crystal Palace
Flying Fish Café
The Garden Grill
The Hollywood Brown Derby
Hollywood & Vine
Jiko – The Cooking Place
Le Cellier Steakhouse
Narcoossee’s
‘Ohana
Tusker House Restaurant
Victoria & Albert’s – $25 per person
Yachtsman Steakhouse

The following locations still require prepayment of your reservation (or a credit card guarantee if you are on the dining plan):

Cinderella’s Royal Table
Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
Mickey’s Backyard BBQ

Overall, I think these changes will result in a better experience for everyone. Just remember to cancel your reservations if you do not need them – credit card guarantee, or not!

New Disney Discounts Coming October 5th!

2011-09-30T16:17:00.000-04:00

I love my Disney Visa for lots of reasons. One reason in particular is that is clues me in on new discounts that are on the way.

A few minutes ago I got an email for Disney Visa holders with some long awaited and much missed room discounts.

For Disney Visa holders traveling from Jan 2 - Feb 20 of next year you can look forward to the following discounts:

Value Hotels - Save 25% off a room only reservation (except All Star Movies which is 20% off)
Moderate Hotels - Save 30% off a room only reservation (except Port Orleans French Quarter which is 25% off)
Deluxe Hotels and Villas - Save 35% off a room only reservation (except Polynesian and Animal Kidngdom Lodge are 30% off)

Not a Disney Visa holder? No problem! The same rates will be availble to you beginning October 5th! If you are a Disney cardholder or just want to be ready for the October 5th general public discount, I will be available this weekend to book your trip, so give me a call if I can help!

Do your homework...but remember to have fun!

2011-09-22T13:03:00.001-04:00

Today is a dreary day in my hometown. I am recovering from a head cold. And I am feeling totally uninspired. I decided to go back and look through some Disney pictures for some inspiration on something Disney related to share with you. After several minutes scrolling through my pictures, I found myself not thinking about something to share, not making a mental note about something to do or do differently on our next trip, or even jotting down an idea for a family I am working with. Instead I realized I was just enjoying my pictures and the memories they brought back.

I am a huge believer than a little Disney Park knowledge goes a long way. A little planning and strategy will help you maximize your fun and minimize your waits. Prioritizing your the attractions that you family wants to visit is a great idea. Scheduling your dining reservations a simple must do.

Some people feel over scheduled in life and do not want to feel that way on vacation. They just want to show up and have fun. And while I agree with that in principal, in practice it can backfire. Now, I am not suggesting that every family should have a laminated schedule of daily events, in fact, I discourage it. My goal as a vacation planner is to give the families enough information that they can make the most out of their vacation dollars.

I often recommend my family's touring style. We heavily schedule our mornings. Just call me the Disney Drill Sargent from park opening until noon! As late comers meander their way through the turnstiles, we have knocked out Fantasyland and are rounding the corner to Liberty Square and Adventureland. Then we break for lunch. After lunch we usually wander and explore for an hour - no agenda - until we head back to our resort for a break. When we are refreshed we return to the park, often with one or two goals in mind, but mostly to go where the mood takes us. While no one in my crew would trade the "get it done" morning, we all truly treasure the "wander and explore" afternoon and evenings.

Whether the activity is scheduled or spontaneous, always have your camera ready to go and snap away as the magic unfolds. You never know when it may happen. So with that in mind, here are some of the things that had me smiling this morning...

Learning to Hula at 'Ohana. Yes, they are having fun in spite of the serious faces. Dancing is serious business in our house, and it must be give the proper attention and respect!

Big Sister's first trip on Splash Mountain. I am curious as to what part of "Splash" she did not understand!

Little Sister comes from a long line of "ride wimps". So for her first big girl roller coaster experience, we were not expecting THIS...

Character Meet and Greets are always fun. Especially if then kids are into it and willing to play along. Snow White teaching my princesses the art of the "twirl"...priceless!

We also tried to make the most out of our dining experiences. Who does not love a 4 year old S'more face at 50's Primetime Cafe? And my oldest thought the ketchup gag at Whispering Canyon Cafe was hilarious!

Here are my sweet girls wishing on a wishing star at Cinderella's Royal Table. Can you guess what they are wishing for? Also, I was happy to watch my picky eater dive into a bowl of noodles at Yakitori House.

And finally I will wrap up this super self-indulgent blog post with two of my favorite memories from our trip and an important lesson I learned. Both of these photos were literally taken during out last hour in the park after a week long vacation. We sat down for a moment as a family and talked. We all agreed we had a fabulous time and were so lucky to have such a fantastic vacation. I told the girls "This is it. Last call. Is there ANYTHING else that you have not done and want to do. Or any one thing that you want to do over." I must admit that I was surprised by the answer. The youngest wanted to drive the cars on the Tomorrowland Speedway since the line was so short. They had showed no interest in that attraction, but that was fine...ride we will. I honestly have never laughed so hard in my entire life. I learned that my 4 year old thought that driving consisted of moving the wheel to the left for a while and then to the right for a while. It does not matter what it in front of you, in fact, as the picture shows, there is no need to even watch where you are going! Her giggles as we crashed around the track were contagious, leaving me with mascara streaked tears of laughter down my face. Who knew that such a simple little ride would yield so much fun?

So what one thing did the oldest want to do? "Mom, over by the Caroussel, there is this big rock with a sword in it. I really want to try to go pull out the sword. I have ALWAYS wanted to do that." Really? THAT is your final request? On the one hand, I was happy that all of the "big stuff" had been checked off her list. On the other, I was surprised at how such a little thing was such a big deal. The lesson learned... ask! I was so focused on making sure they got all of the big stuff done, that I had overlooked the little things. Sometimes it is the smallest things that can put the icing on the cake.

Thanks for indulging me!

Hey Mom & Dad...It is your vacation, too!

2011-08-30T12:42:00.000-04:00

Ok, Mom & Dad...I think you all need a little talking to. You work so hard for very limited vacation dollars. You work. You save. You are going to take your kids to Disney. You want this vacation to be absolutely magical. I get it - and I am on board! But guess what? This is your vacation, too! So start acting like it!

I cannot tell you how many families that I have talked to when the adult coordinator (usually Mom) tells me. "Oh, that sounds like fun! *sigh* But little Johnny would probably not enjoy that." That is when I step and and firmly but kindly remind mom that little Johnny is not paying for this trip!

Yes, Disney is a great place for kids and families. Yes, most of us parents plan a trip specifically for the kids or grandkids. We are willing to cough up a lot of money to make sure they have a great time and and experience that they will remember forever. But this is a family vacation, and everyone should get to do something that they want to do!

I unapologetically tell my kids, that since we have done everything that you wanted to do all day long, it is my turn to pick. End of story. And you know what? It works! In fact, I think they like the idea of letting Mom or Dad be the kid and have some fun our way.

Disney actually is on board with this idea, and makes it easy for parents to have fun, too!

Dining - If you want to try a nice restaurant or a more adventurous spot, Disney has you covered. Kids are welcome anywhere, except the super-posh Victoria & Albert's. Every restaurant has a kids menu with a sub-set of the Disney kids menu staples. Aim for a meal time close to when you eat at home. At dinner, your kids should be appropriately tired from a busy day that they will hopefully sit still and behave. Try not to ask to much of the little guys by pushing a meal into the bedtime hour. We all know that can end disastrously! I am not ashamed to admit that I will use the next day's activities as a powerful bribery tool. (If the gentle warning "Santa is watching." works for you for the month of December, the "Mickey is watching." works just as well at Disney!)
Rider Swap - If you have a kiddo that is to small to ride, or too scared to enjoy, it does not mean that you can't! Take advantage of the Rider Swap option. Essentially, the Rider Swap allows your family to stand in line once, but to allow each parent to ride separately. Think of it as a fastpass for the second adult.
Date Night - Disney has some great kids club options. Several of the Deluxe hotels have clubs that will allow you to drop off your kids in a safe and fun spot for the evening. Not only will you enjoy some grown up time, but your kids will have a ball!
Spa Day - Let your spouse enjoy the pool with the kids for the afternoon and you enjoy the spa. A pedi for those tired feet is a great treat!
Head out Solo - This is a frequently overlooked option! I regularly put the children and husband to bed and then take off on my own. I enjoy a late night shopping adventure at Downtown Disney without my kids in tow. I can do twice the shopping in half the time, and save money! I will also often head out to a park that is open late. It is a great time to take some pictures, scope out / preview attractions you are not sure your kids will enjoy, eat a great snack, or just wander around on your own. Fair is fair, though...the next night you have to stay in with the sleeping kids and let your spouse go explore.

So, on your next Disney vacation, I strongly urge you to take a little time - even if it is only a few minutes and do something just for you. You work hard - you have earned it! I promise that your kids will forgive you if you have some fun yourself. A happy mom is a good mom! You can always remind your kids that the more fun YOU have, the more likely you are to return! 'nuff said!

Marathoning with the Mouse…

2011-08-23T08:49:00.000-04:00

The Mouse Connection Blog would like to welcome it's second guest blogger, Lindsey Porter. Lindsey loves all things Disney and is a Travel Agent with TMC Travel. She is also in much better shape that I am...

My husband and I have made a pact to start exercising. Well, it’s more of a challenge really. I tend to do a little better when there’s some friendly competition involved. I thought I might start running again and when I thought about finding a race to train for, I thought about Disney’s big Marathon in January. When I started researching this topic, I was surprised (and excited) that Disney offered so many races to all types of runners during this weekend, not to mention all of the other races offered throughout the year they host. Although I currently can’t run from here to my mailbox without feeling out of breath, one of the races during the Disney World Marathon Weekend might just be what I need to get me motivated. What better way to reward myself for training for a race than a trip to Disney? Complete my race, then enjoy a week in the parks with my family? It might just work.

In 2012, the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend runs from Thursday, January 5th-Sunday, January 8th. The festivities begin Thursday with Disney’s Health and Wellness Expo running from 10:00 am-7:00 pm at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports. Runners begin their marathon weekend here to check in and receive their packets. The Expo offers seminars on training, racing and nutrition. Runners can also pick up their marathon gear, and get information on the latest and greatest training apparel and equipment. The Expo remains open at scheduled times throughout the weekend. After participants check in on Thursday, they can head over to Epcot for the Pasta in the Park party from 6:30-8:30 pm. This includes a buffet dinner (pack those carbs on for a lot of extra energy!), a live DJ, character visits, and great reserved seating for Illuminations; Epcot’s nighttime spectacular! This marathon kick-off party requires a separate ticket and reservations.

Disney hosts the Family Fun Run 5K in Epcot on Friday, January 6th at 6:30 am (c’mon moms…you know your kids are up anyway…). This family event does include a stroller division, so if even the kiddos aren’t quite old enough to keep up the pace on their own two feet, families can still participate together. Participants receive a t-shirt, a medallion (or two if you’re pushing your little future marathoner in the stroller), a program guide, a goody bag, and refreshments throughout and after the race. Then, on Friday and Saturday at 11:00 am, at the ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Track & Field Complex, Disney hosts the Kids’ Races. Disney has a variety of events for kids all ages. There’s even a Diaper Dash for crawlers under 12 months old. All children under the age of 13 can participate in the Mickey Mile held on Friday. Children that participate in these events will receive a t-shirt, a goody bag, a medallion, and refreshments. Early Saturday morning (5:30 am…moms, I hope you’re not up this early everyday…) the serious runners get going in the Walt Disney World Half Marathon event. Participants in the Half Marathon will enjoy plenty of goodies such a long sleeved half marathon shirt, a Donald Duck finisher medal, refreshments, and much more including a Family Reunion Area with live entertainment and character appearances.

Just as bright and early on Sunday morning, Disney presents two opportunities to participate in the Walt Disney World Marathon. Runners can either run the magical 26.2 miles individually or they can sign up as a relay team of two people. Both races begin simultaneously in Epcot, wind through the Magic Kingdom (where the relay teams switch runners in the parking lot), continue through Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and back to Epcot for a big celebratory finish with Mickey and friends. Participants of the Marathon receive many of the same goodies as the Half Marathoners, with the exception of the Marathon finisher medals which have Mickey on them.

Now, I am fully impressed by anyone who can finish any of these events. 5K, Half Marathon, Full Marathon…they’re all amazing accomplishments in my book. However, there is one final event that can only be described as downright astonishing. It’s called Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge. It’s for those runners who are, well, goofy. Runners participate in the Half Marathon on Saturday and the Marathon on Sunday to complete 39.3 miles of running in two days. Not only will finishers receive the Donald Duck medal and the Mickey Mouse medal, but the Goofy finisher medal, signifying that they completed both events. Make sure to go ahead and book yourself into a spa day at the Grand Floridian Resort on Monday. You’re going to need it.

Make sure to tack on a few extra days in Disney World after your event(s). With the wide variety of resorts and the awesome Free Dining deal going on right now for resort guests, why wouldn’t you stay to relax, celebrate, and show off those medals?

So, if the wide variety of family and individual events, the free dining, and the general perks of running in one of the events on Disney Marathon Weekend hasn’t convinced you to try it out, consider the following: Where else can you run a race through multiple countries in one day, take pictures with characters at music-filled and themed water stops, watch the sun rise over Spaceship Earth, wave to crowds on the Monorail overhead as you run by, run through Cinderella’s Castle while taking in the view of crowds spilling into Main Street USA, pass the breathtaking scenery around many of Disney’s beautiful resorts, experience the views of early morning Animal Kingdom, run down Hollywood Boulevard, and finally, cross over a finish line to celebrate with a dancing Mickey and Minnie Mouse? Nowhere but Disney World. And those may be all the reasons I need to motivate myself to start training.

If you want to join me in a quest for exercise, a healthier lifestyle, personal achievement, and a great excuse to visit Disney World, please contact me at Lindsey@tmctravelonline.com. From where to stay to when to run, I can help you plan your Walt Disney world vacation, and as always, my services are free. The Walt Disney World Marathon is a great place to start, but Disney hosts many amazing running events throughout the year. Please contact me for more information on any of the events listed below. No matter which one you choose to participate in, you can plan on the same magical atmosphere and Disney perks during them all:

January 5-8, 2012-Walt Disney World Marathon

February 24-26, 2012-The Disney Princess Half Marathon (geared toward us ladies!)

March 2-4, 2012-The Champion 5K (During ESPN The Weekend. This is by far my best chance to get my husband to participate.)

May 2012-Expedition Everest Challenge (Adventure run and scavenger hunt through Animal Kingdom…for those adventurous athletes.)

Fall 2012-Disney’s Wine and Dine Half Marathon (Most of this event is already full for Fall 2011. The slogan for this race is “The Run is a Beauty. The Party is a Beast.” Sounds like my kind of event.)

Thanks, Lindsey! You have almost imspired me to put on my running shoes....almost! ;)

Minnie and Minnie Method Soap - a fun touch!

2011-08-18T09:44:00.001-04:00

So, you guys know I love all things Mickey....no surprise there! People often assume that my home is overflowing with the latest and greatest Disney collectibles and decor. But surprise...hardly a Mickey in site. My few items of Disney "stuff" is confined to my little corner of my office. I display all of my trading pins on a bulletin board, and I have some photos, and posters around, but that is really the extent of it.

My girls have a bit more going on in their rooms, lanyards, trading pins, ears, plus princess and fairy stuff galore. They are 100% on board with my Disney affection and think I am perhaps the coolest mom ever for helping people plan their Disney trips! (My oldest is actually my best little PR person...she should probably be getting paid.)

As we were wandering the aisles of Target this week stocking up on school supplies we wandered over to the hand sanitizer (gotta send a big tub o' that stuff!) and as I was putting a few vats of it in the shopping cart I hear squeals of delight followed by "Oh, Mommy!!! PLEASE!!!" It sounded odd because they never ask for things in stores - they are fanatically trying to save their money (and ours!) for a Disney Cruise this spring. Extremely curious as to what had them so excited and willing to actually spend money, I went over to investigate. They had found the cutest bottle of Micky and Minnie hand soap from Method. At only $3.89 it was absolutely going home with us.

Minnie now sits proudly in their bathroom. Preliminary studies indicate that children in my home are much more likely to wash their hands if they get to use the cute Minnie Mouse soap. Who knew?!? Perhaps I should make Minnie disappear until cold and flu season is in full swing.

So if you want to add some Mickey or Minnie fun to you home to get excited about your trip...or to mitigate post Disney vacation funk, head over to Target and get you a bottle! Of course, now I am left wondering, it this the beginning of "Mouse Creep" in my home....

Free Dining Announced for Many Dates In 2011 & 2012

2011-08-03T08:57:00.004-04:00

The free dining announcement announced this morning is even more delicious than the wildly speculated rumor circling every corner of the internet over the last week! Disney has announced free dining dates for many travel windows through the end of the year and even into 2012. The savings for this promotion can quickly add up, making a favorite for many guest (especially those staying in Value and Moderates.) As an FYI, a hefty room discount is often the best promotion for those staying in Deluxe resorts (still no word on what, if any room discounts are coming.)

So here is the scoop:

2011 Travel Dates

October 2, 2011 – October 8, 2011

October 23, 2011 – November 5, 2011

November 13, 2011 – November 19, 2011
November 27, 2011 – December 3, 2011
December 11, 2011 – December 17,2011

2012 Travel Dates

January 8, 2012 to January 14, 2012
January 22, 2012 to February 4, 2012
February 12, 2012 to February 18, 2012
March 4, 2012 to March 10, 2012
March 25, 2012 to March 31, 2012

You can book this discount from August 3 - Oct 29 pending availability. A three night minimum stay is required as is a 2 day ticket.

This will be a very popular offer, folks! Do not delay with making your plans. If you are still tentative about your travel plans I would recommend that you go ahead and reserve your spot. A $200 deposit is required to do so and it is fully refundable up until 45 days prior to travel when your final payment is due.

As always, I would love to help plan your Disney vacation. As a reminder TMC Travel never charges a fee for our services and we offer a free gift for everyone in your travel party with the purchase of a 4 or more day vacation package!

If you have already booked a trip with me, be assured that I have spent the morning on hold with the Mouse having the discount applied to your existing reservation. I will be contacting you with some good news soon!

Christmas in July - Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

2011-07-31T19:37:00.000-04:00

Well, July has managed to fly by! I guess I had better sneak in one more Christmas in July post while I have the chance. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party is a separate ticketed event held in the Magic Kingdom in November and December. Tickets for this event are not part of your base or Park Hopper ticket, are purchased for a specific day and are not inexpensive, so if you are going to make a trip to Disney World for the holidays, you will want to plan ahead for the party.

The most common question I get about the party is "Is it worth it?" While I can say my whole family did enjoy the party, it is not something that we would necessarily do every year. The party officially starts at 7:00 and ends at midnight, but you will be allowed entry to the Magic Kingdom beginning at 4:00. This essentially gives you a park hop into the Magic Kingdom for the day. We used this as such and decided to go to the party in lieu purchasing a park hopper ticket. Even though you can get into the park beginning at 4:00, the day crowds will not be asked to leave until 7:00 and there is nothing special going on until that time. As a result, if you have young kids who turn into pumpkins at 8:30, this might not be the event for you...wait a few more years until you can get the biggest bang for your buck. Of course, that being said, we did the party on the last night of our vacation and allowed the 4 year old to stay up until the bitter end. Shockingly, she was game and we drug her out of the park at midnight with a smile on her face!

So what makes Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party special than a regular night in the Magic Kingdom?

Low Crowds - Attendance at the party is capped at a reasonable number. Parties early in the season and on week nights have notoriously sparse crowds. This means that most attractions are "walk-ons" for most of the night.
Special Characters - You will find lots of favorite friends in the parks. Last year the princesses were accompanied by their princes and we used the rare sighting of all Seven Dwarfs as our Christmas Card Photo. You will also see many characters in spiffy holiday attire, so it is worth stopping by for another visit.
Snow on Main Street - Ok, so the "snow" vaguely resembles Palmolive, but it is still a fun and festive touch. Who cares if your kids belch bubbles for a few days?!? (Kidding!)
Cookies and Cocoa - There are several refreshment stations through out the park serving an assortment of snacks. We splurged with Christmas Cookies and Hot Chocolate, but there were some healthier options as well.
The Christmas Parade - The evening parade is different for the party than what you may have seen on the previous evening. The parades are all perfectly holiday themed as are the characters riding them. The Toy Soldiers and the Gingerbread Cookies "hot off the pan" are big hits as well. And like any good Christmas Parade St Nick himself makes a special appearance. Hint: The parade runs twice a night and the second parade is always less crowded!
Holiday Wishes - The fireworks are absolutely spectacular. A must see. Even if you opt not to attend the Christmas party, I recommend finding a spot outside of the Magic Kingdom.
Special Stage Shows

While the party is a lot of fun, there are a few things to consider:

Cost - Tickets start at $56.95 for adults and $51.95 for children 3-9 for off peak dates if you purchase your tickets in advance. Expect to pay a $6 premium for peak nights. For a family of 4 that can quickly add up!
It is a late night. - While I am a night owl and hanging out in the Magic Kingdom to midnight and beyond sounds fantastic to me, it is certainly not for everyone! Make sure that you will at least be able to stay long enough to enjoy the parade and fireworks.
Controlled Chaos from 6:45-7:45 - During the early evening hours, all daytime guest are politely but firmly asked to leave. All Party guests are asked to obtain a wristband to indicate that you are a party guest. I felt like I should have just walked around with my wrist in the air for the hour or so that it took to make sure everyone was where they belonged. Also, be aware that if you choose to arrive right at 7:00, you will be like a salmon swimming up stream!

If you would like to purchase tickets to MVMCP click here for more information. If you have already booked your vacation with me or if you would like to, I will be happy to handle this for you.

Here are some pictures from our night of holiday fun last year...Enjoy!

Our Seven Miner Friends

My oldest getting down to some Black Eyed Peas with her favorite chipmunk!

(Lots of missing teeth between the two of them!)

First Parade Float

The Gingerbread Men from the front...

And the back!

The adorable Toy Soldiers

Christmas in July - The Candlelight Processional

2011-07-21T16:26:00.001-04:00

The Candlelight Processional is a beautiful Christmas performance showing at Epcot that is not to be missed! The Candlelight Processional is a beautiful, reverent reading of the Christmas Story by a celebrity narrator. In addition to the narrator, a mass choir carrying candles (hence the name!), 50 piece live orchestra, and the Voices of Liberty round out this fantastically talented group.

The show is held three times each night (5:00, 6:45, and 8:15) from late November through December at the American Gardens Theater in the American Adventure in Epcot. This show is free with regular admission to Epcot. However, because seating is very limited for this popular show, the only way to be guaranteed a seat is through the purchase of the Candlelight Processional Dining Package. The Dining Package includes lunch or dinner at one of Epcot's fantastic table service restaurants, seats for the show, and preferred viewing for the Illuminations Fireworks show.

My family got to enjoy Susan Lucci's reading of the Christmas story last year on my husband's birthday...definitely his most original gift from me! Here is a quick video clip from our show:

One other note...the American Gardens theater is an outdoor venue. We ended up with shockingly cold weather during our stay. But even on pleasant December days, it can be a bit cool once the sun sets. It is wise to come armed with cooler weather gear - at least a pair of gloves. You may not find yourself chilly at all while you are "out and about" cruising around the parks, but sitting on a metal bench in an outdoor theater, perched over water is a whole other story! You will want to hear the performance, not your teeth chattering, I promise!

This years celebrity narrators include:
•11/25 - 11/27: Mira Sorvino

•11/28 - 12/01: Michael W. Smith

•12/02 - 12/03: Whoopi Goldberg
•12/04 - 12/06: TBA
•12/07 - 12/09: Isabela Rossellini
•12/10 - 12/12: Neil Patrick Harris
•12/13- 12/14: TBA
•12/16 - 12/18: TBA
•12/19 - 12/21: Trace Adkins
•12/22 - 12/24: Susan Lucci
•12/25 - 12/27: Blair Underwood
•12/28 - 12/30: Marlee Matlin (interpreter: Jack Jason)

Disney will begin taking dining reservations for the Candlelight Processional Dining Package on July 26. The reservation will require a credit card guarantee. You can use the dining plan (credit card guarantee still applies) to book your reservation. This reservation will use 2 of your table service credits, but will also include an appetizer, which is not usually part of the dining plan.

Each show will have an allotted dining window prior to the performance. Guest viewing the 5:00 show will have a lunch reservation. Guests at the 6:45 show, have a rather awkward late afternoon dinner. Guests at the 8:15 show will have a more reasonable "early dinner" time, but may not have time after the show to find a good spot for Illuminations in the preferred viewing area.

Participating restaurants include:

(Prices do not include tax or gratuity)

Biergarten Restaurant
Lunch $ 32.99 adult / $ 17.99 child
Dinner $ 50.99 / $ 25.99

Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
Lunch $ 38.99 / $ 12.99
Dinner $ 49.99 / $ 15.99

Le Cellier Steakhouse
Lunch $ 53.99 / $ 14.99

Garden Grill Restaurant
Dinner $ 52.99 / $ 26.99

Coral Reef
Lunch $ 51.99 / $ 13.99
Dinner $ 64.99 / $ 17.99

Nine Dragons
Lunch $ 38.99 adult / $ 12.99 child
Dinner $ 49.99 / $ 15.99

Restaurant Marrakesh
Lunch $ 38.99 / $ 12.99
Dinner $ 49.99 / $ 15.99

San Angel Inn
Lunch $ 38.99 / $ 12.99
Dinner $ 49.99 / $ 15.99

Via Napoli
Lunch $ 38.99 / $ 12.99
Dinner $ 49.99 / $ 15.99

Les Chefs de France
Lunch $ 51.99 / $ 13.99
Dinner $ 64.99 / $ 17.99

Tokyo Dining
Lunch $ 51.99 / $ 13.99
Dinner $ 64.99 / $ 17.99

Teppan Edo
Lunch $ 51.99 / $ 13.99
Dinner $ 64.99 / $ 17.99

Tutto Italia
Lunch $ 51.99 / $ 13.99
Dinner $ 64.99 / $ 17.99

Hacienda de San Angel
Dinner $ 64.99 / $ 17.99

I highly recommend this beautiful show if you are headed to the World after Thanksgiving and before the New Year. Please let me know if I can help you plan and book your trip. I will be happy to make your Candlelight Processional Dining Reservation for you as well!

Christmas in July - Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

2011-07-14T19:08:00.001-04:00

And a spectacle it is! No Holiday trip to Disney's Hollywood Studios

would be complete without an evening stroll down the Streets of America to enjoy this enormous display of lights.

As you wander down the street you may be surprised to know that the majority of the lights in the display were once part of a private "collection" owned by Jennings Osborne. A resident of Arkansas, Mr.. Osborne set out to fulfill his daughters Christmas wish of covering their home in lights for the holidays. Like my husband who will do anything to please his daughters a mere 1000 lights the first year was not enough. Each year, their display grew and grew. They even purchased adjacent properties to extend their Christmas passion. Over a million lights and many a traffic jam later, the neighbors (understandably!) had had enough. When the Osborne family refused to take down the lights, the local residents petitioned the courts for help. Fortunately, it was Disney to the rescue. An offer was made to move the lights to a permanent new home at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Since 1995 visitors, including the Osborne family, come from all over the world each year to wander through the streets, sip hot cocoa, enjoy the Florida "snow", and admire the spectacular display of dancing lights while Christmas music plays all around. While most of the displays are original, the teams of decorators (that begin this huge undertaking in late summer!) have started switching over to more energy efficient LED lights.

This is a magical event that must not be missed if you are headed to the World in late November or December. A few tips...learn from my photography mistakes! Photographing this event can be a bit tricky. If you are going to take pictures look for special nighttime settings on your camera and bring a long a tripod, or steady your camera on something stationary. Also, be sure to WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING...especially if you are pushing a stroller. This is an especially bad spot for folks to be looking up and randomly stopping...Not that I ran over my husband with the stroller or anything...;)

And I did not notice it at the time, but isn't this picture odd? There are lights everywhere, but on the tree...which is where most people put them in the first place! Go Figure!

Christmas in July - Holiday Wishes Fireworks

2011-07-04T09:22:00.000-04:00

Who says fireworks are just for the 4th of July?!?! Certainly not the folks at Disney World!

I am such a kid when it comes to fireworks. Perhaps it is because my birthday is right around Independence Day and we are always at the beach...it always seemed to make my birthday extra special.

It should be no surprise that I aways try to catch at least one fireworks show each night I possibly can. Last December, I not only managed to see Wishes inside and outside the park, but Holiday Wishes as well. (And if you are a huge fireworks fan, may I humbly suggest staying at the Polynesian!)

While I enjoyed the show each time I saw them - and Holiday Wishes is different, and even more specatular than it's not holiday cousin, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed not watching it from inside the Magic Kingdom. Of course, we are a Disney loving family, but only one night at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party was in the budget. So I made plans to head out to the beach at the Polynesian at the approprite time and check out the fireworks from there, where they pipe the music in so you can get the full experience.

It is a very differente perspective from being right on Main Street, but I liked it just as well for Wishes, and perhaps even more for Holiday Wishes. You see, for Holiday wishes they did not just shoot the fireworks from behind Cinderella Castle. During 2 different parts of the show, the launched amazing rockets from several satelliete locations. The entire skyline was lit up with 180 degrees of sparkly goodness! My mouth literally dropped as the beach lit up like dayight. I got a video of the entire show, but my camera work does not even come close to doing in justice. You can check it out in the link below, but due to the whole tripod system breaking down when I hit record, the first minute or so is super annoying to watch, so you may want to skip ahead!

Christmas in (almost!) July - The Castle Lighting Ceremony

2011-06-28T14:08:00.000-04:00

It is Christmas in July time! Our family did a week long trip to Disney World during the first full week of December last year. I think it is my new favorite time of the year to visit. So through out the month, I thought I would share some snippits of our December to remember...

One of my favorite things happens every night at the Magic Kingdom. Right around dusk, head to the hub and find a great view of the castle. It won't belong before you hear the Fairy Godmother lead the Castle Lighting Ceremony.

In case you have not been to the Magic Kingdom in late November or December, the castle is beautifully draped in over 20,000 lights. The "Castle Dream Lights" are turned on each evening by the Fairy Godmother's magic..."Bibbidi, Bobbidi, BOO!"

Enjoy this video of the castle lighting ceremony. Please pardon the first few seconds of wiggling, the family next to me wanted to be a little ahem "cozier" than I expected. If you want to get to the good stuff, skip ahead to the 4:30 mark. Enjoy!

Good things coming soon...

2011-06-23T20:19:00.002-04:00

It is hot. My children's schedule is oddly demanding. Work has been pleasantly busy...It is summer time. Vacation time. And while I am not headed off to Disney this summer, there is a sandy South Carolina beach calling my name.

But I am also getting really excited about my upcoming Disney cruise. Well, it is not upcoming until spring, but since we are now officially in summer that means I am one season closer...Right? I know, I am mildly pathetic. But did I mention that I am REALLY excited about checking out the Disney Dream?!?

Another thing that has me excited is that I hear a new blog dedicated to Disney cruising is on the way! No comment on if this is part of the reason I have been staying up half the night lately. Stay tuned for more details.

I am also working with several families who are headed off to Disney in December. I love the first week of December at Disney. The decorations, the parties, the lights, the low crowds, the Santa Mickey Ears...what is not to love?  To that end an executive decision has been made to run a Christmas in July series on The Mouse Connection. Disney has really gotten me in the mood by publishing a partial list of guest narrators. In case you missed the announcement, here is the latest (no official date on the dining packages, but I would expect it will be sometime next month):

     Nov. 25-27 — Mira Sorvino (“Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion”)
     Nov. 28-Dec. 1 — Michael W. Smith (Christian singer)
     Dec. 2-3 — Whoopi Goldberg (“The View”)
     Dec. 4-6 — TBD
     Dec. 7-9 — Isabella Rossellini (“Alias”)
     Dec. 10-12 — Neil Patrick Harris (“How I Met Your Mother”)
     Dec. 13-14 — TBD
     Dec. 16-18 — TBD
     Dec. 19-21 — Trace Adkins (country singer)
     Dec. 22-24 — Susan Lucci (“All My Children”)
     Dec. 25-27 — Blair Underwood (“The Event”)
     Dec. 28-30 — Marlee Matlin (“Celebrity Apprentice”)

My whole family really enjoyed the Candlelight Processional last year, in spite of the freakish cold snap. Susan Lucci was our narrator and she did a great job. I would love to see Whoopi or NPH this year, but sadly, I do not think it will be in the cards for us this year. (Did I mention a few months after Christmas I am going on a Disney cruise? )

If you want to whet your cruse whistle, check out this video posted on the Disney Parks Blog. Their amazing photog Matt Stroshane assembled 10,000still photos to condense a week long Alaskan cruise into 1 minute and 58 seconds. While I am a total and complete beach bum, and it is hard for me to fathom taking a vacation where sunscreen is not involved, this has me rethinking things!

If I can help plan your cruise, Alaskan or otherwise, send me an email and we will find something perfect!

You can now Book Art of Animation, Princess Rooms, and a Pool View at Pop!

2011-06-12T19:19:00.002-04:00

As expected with the early announcement of ticket prices, Disney has announced new package rates for 2012.

At first look, there do seem to be some changes...

Dining -

The Quick Service Dining Plan now only includes 1 snack per day instead of 2. At $34.99 per adult, $11.99 per child, the price remains constant, but with one less snack.
The Regular (Plus) Dining Plan now includes a refillable drink mug. At $51.54 per adult, $15.02 per child this is an increase of $5.50 for adults and $3 for kids. With the addition of the refillable drink mug, I am calling this a good bargain, in spite of the higher price tag!
The Deluxe Dining Plan now only includes 1 snack per day instead of 2. At $85.52 per adult, $23.79 per child., this is a $6.50 increase for adults and a $1.80 increase for kids.
Both the Regular and Deluxe dining plans still have peak pricing.
No Wine and Dine option is offered this year.

Resorts -

Ready to check out the Art of Animation? The newest Disney Resort starts taking reservations for arrivals beginning May 31.
Are vacationing with royalty? If so, your little princess will surely enjoy the Royal Guest Room at Port Orleans Riverside beginning March 4
An Affordable Room with a View? At Pop Century, guest can now pay a premium to insure a pool view! The All Star Resorts do not offer a pool view at this time.
No information yet on the new health and wellness rooms at the Contemporary.

Stay tuned...I am sure more details will follow!

Disney Announces Price Hikes Sooner than Expected

2011-06-10T22:50:00.000-04:00

Usually in late August there is a flurry of activity for those trying to get their vacation packages booked, effectively locking in their ticket price before the next year's rate increase takes effect. Perhaps the unseasonably warm temperatures have fooled Disney into thinking that August is here, as they have announced ticket prices will increase 3 months earlier than usual.

If you have kept up with this blog, you may remember that I posted some rumors regarding Disney announcing next years resort rates and ticket prices earlier than in previous years. While it stinks any time prices rise, the silver lining in this news is that it paves the way for long range planners to book their trips for the next calendar year earlier. In years past, you had to book your dining reservations before you knew how much you were going to be paying for your hotel, dining, or tickets!

You can find a complete list of all ticket types HERE. But in a nutshell, all tickets increases in price, with the largest percentage increases tickets of longer duration and on tickets for kids. Instead of a adding a day to a 4 or more day base ticket for $5, it will now cost you $8. That is going to be a tougher sell for families to add on arrival or departure day! For a typical family of four to add a day - even if it was only a few hours - for $20 was kind of a "no brainer". Now that it will cost over $32 may give more folks cause for pause.

So thinking of a trip to Disney World and want to get in under the wire? Good news! I will be happy to get your vacation booked and locked in at the lower rates this weekend before the price increases Monday morning. I will be available all weekend to take your call or email. Contact me and we can get the ball rolling. If you want to take a few days to think things over before you are ready to make your deposit, we can get a courtesy hold on a room for you which will allow you 7 days to thinks things over.

And if you are thinking about Disney in 2012, let's talk soon...it looks like we can get started sooner than expected!

Do you REALLY save money on the dining plan?

2011-06-06T14:25:00.001-04:00

To dining plan or not to dining plan...that is the question.

Many of the families I work with are gung ho about signing up for the dining plan, and others are more than a little suspicious. Critics of the dining plan site its cost, the overabundance of food and not wanting to be “tied down” to dining reservations so far in advance. While all of that is absolutely true, I decided to wear the hat of my number crunching husband. I took the practical approach to see if the dining plan actually saved us money. Turns out, for our family, the dining plan is not only a winner, but a BIG winner.

We opted to go for the Regular Dining Plan, often called “Plus Dining”, which consists on one table service meal, one quick service meal, and one snack per day for each night of our resort stay. This plan made the most sense for us because I like to have one sit down, relaxing meal each day. In fact, it is my favorite part of the day. I love to be face to face with the family and talk about what we loved, what we didn’t and what we are looking forward to the next day. After we order, I have been known to discreetly pull out the video camera and do a quick interview with the kids. I love hearing about the day in their own words while it is still fresh. I like the break, the “forced” time out from the world to relax and really talk.

Another reason the dining plan makes sense for our family is that I hate nasty surprises. My thought going into the trip that I would either break even or come out slightly ahead cost wise with the dining plan (Boy was I wrong, I came out WAY ahead!). I signed up any way because I wanted to know exactly what our food costs were going to be. The husband I and decided that even if we ultimately spent a little bit more on the dining plan, it would be worth having as a sort of "insurance" policy. Also, I like to splurge a little on vacation and Idid not want to “settle” for the hamburger when I really wanted the steak. It was a good feeling knowing that meals were budgeted and paid for in advance. We could order whatever we wanted off the menu guilt-free….no surprises…no sticker shock.

To be fair, the critics of the dining plan do have some reasonable points. If you have paid for so many table service meals, you want to make sure you use them, which requires dining reservations…which requires advance planning. Of course, if you want to eat at any particular tables service restaurant, you will need a dining reservation whether or not you are on the dining plan! I also tend to plan most of my park days well in advance any way. While I do not necessarily believe in scheduling every second, I do not like crowds, so for most days I pick my park based on crowd levels…once I pick my park my dining falls into place.

Assuming that you are going to eat one sit down meal every day, the most compelling argument against the dining plan is the cost and the “too much food” aspect of the plan. So I dutifully saved my receipts and crunched the numbers. I looked at the numbers in two ways…what I actually ordered vs what I would have paid and what I would have ordered if I were not on the dining plan vs what I would have paid. If I were not on the dining plan, we might have shared a snack instead of buying more to take home with us, we would certainly have skipped dessert at lunch, and instead of my husband and I both ordering dessert at dinner, we would have gotten one to share.

I figured that I would have come out ahead on the apples to apples comparison, but what if I compared apples and oranges? What if I compared the cost of the dining plan to what I would have ordered as if I had to pay on the spot? Would that 1 dessert and 1 snack for the family to share ultimately mean the dining plan cost us more than it was worth?

Well...let’s see… I used our first 4 park days as an example since we ate one quick service and one counter service meal each day. I totaled up what we ate and subtracted the cost of the dining plan to see the savings. To be fair, I did order more than I would have if I were not on the dining plan so I subtracted out the “extras” that we would have passed if left to our own devices.

So over our first four days, we saved over $280 on dining! If you subtract out the extras we still would have saved over $190! I must admit that I was really surprised at the savings. I honestly thought we would come close to breaking even or maybe end up getting out snacks “free” out of the deal.

To be fair, if we were not on the dining plan, I might have chosen some less expensive restaurants. For example, I might have traded in Liberty Tree Tavern for the Plaza. I also may forced my kids to eat from the kids menu. But I am sure that I still would have kept some of my favorite higher end restaurants in the mix. Of course, some of those snacks that I subtracted from my end of day total went to buying rice crispie treats to bring back home as little gifts…so that savings would ultimately have been added back into my souvenir budget.

For our family the biggest savings was a result of having children under the age of 9 on the dining plan and eating at buffet restaurants. The cost of the kids dining plan is $11.99. The cost of some dinner buffets is $14.99-16.99. So we came out several dollars ahead with just one meal! Also, Disney does not distinguish between adult and child counter service credits, so if my kids preferred something on the adult menu, I allowed them to order it. While Disney policy states that kids under 9 should order from the kids menu when available, every cast member when asked, allowed me to order from the adult menu for my kids.

So is the dining plan for you? I give you an enthusiastic “YES!” if one or more of the following is true:

You plan to sit down and eat one meal a day.
You have a budget that is important to adhere to.
You have kids in the 3-9 age range.
You enjoy eating from the "higher end" of the menu.
You enjoy eating at "higher end" restaurants.

And if all of the above are true - you are crazy NOT to be on the dining plan!

If I can help you with your vacation planning please contact me at TMC Travel or by email. As always there is no fee for my services!

A cool way to beat the heat at Disney World (or anywhere, really)!

2011-05-27T09:17:00.001-04:00

I don't know about you but the "Dollar Bins" by the front door at Target lure me in every trip like a moth to flame. I find lots of great stuff in there for my Disney trips, as well as inexpensive Disney themed stuff for the kids. During this week's shopping adventure I scored the coolest (pun intended) personal mister that has not only earned a spot in my park bag, but my pool bag as well.

This fairly small mister is about the size of a flashlight, but is a bit skinnier. You unscrew the top and fill with water to you get to the "fill line". Secure the top and then store in a cooler or other cool spot. When you are ready for a little heat relief you use the bottom of the unit as a piston to pump air into the container and put the contents under pressure. About a dozen quick pumps gets the job done. Then you just press the button near the spray head to release a fine mist. Fantastic!

I tested my new find out yesterday after a hot walk around the block on a muggy 90 degree day. It worked like a charm. The mist was very fine and with one quick spray, did not leave me wet at all. A longer spray did allow my arms to feel a little damp - either way made me feel much cooler.

The device does not hold a lot of water, which is nice as it is not to heavy to carry around or even attach to your wrist or belt loop. Of course that will mean that frequent refills will be necessary on long days, especially if you have a large family. So keep an extra bottle of water handy or just fine a water fountain.

With only one day of moderately heavy use (my kids are fascinated!) my little mister seems to be holding up well. I am hoping that the manual nature of the pump will mean a longer life, 'cause I really like this little guy! So my verdict is head out to Target this weekend and scope out the dollar bins and see what you can find. It was in the $2.50 section, and so far is worth every penny - even if it ultimately finks out on me sooner than I would like. I think I am going to stock up over the weekend, so if you live in central NC consider yourself warned with a fair head start! Viva la Target!

Disney Must Do's That are Not Official Attractions

2011-05-17T09:44:00.001-04:00

For me a trip to Disney would not be complete without flying over the streets of London with Peter Pan, or being totally immersed in the California skies on Soarin'. Everyone has their obvious list of attractions and shows that are not to be missed. As and Disney geek knows, there are so many other great things to enjoy besides things beside the ubiquitous wait time clock. Here are a few of my favorites..

Riding the monorail to Epcot. Our last visit we stayed at a monorail resort and the monorail served as our primary source of transportation. If our next visit is less of a "splurge" trip, somehow, someway I will manage to get over to the TTC to ride the monorail to Epcot - even if I stay on board and return right back to the TTC. While I love zooming quickly and quietly across the property, my favorite part is the bird's eye view of the park as you approach the monorail station. Finishing my morning coffee on the monorail while my girls wiggle with excitement is bliss.
Dole Whips. For the uninitiated, a Dole Whip is a signature taste of Disney deliciousness. It is a non dairy, pineappley, (Yes, I just made up a word.) frozen, soft-serve treat. It is kind of has the taste of a sorbet but with the texture of soft serve ice cream. I am not sure why I am so fascinated by Dole Whips. My husband pointed out that while they are good, they seem to have reached mythic proportions in my own head. I guess it is because it combines something cool when I am hot,my favorite fruit, and Disney...and it is not a diet buster. In the now infamous words of Charlie Sheen...WINNING!
Get an Early Morning ADR in the Magic Kingdom. I love scoring an 8:15 or so breakfast at the Crystal Palace or Cinderella's Royal Table. I love strolling down Main Street with just my little family...no strollers used as battering rams, no polite stampede. Stopping in front of the castle for pictures of my princesses (usually in their favorite princess dress) with nobody else in the background is a must. Hands down those precious snapshots become my trip favorites. You will also find PhotoPass photographers stationed along the way ready to take your picture. The photographers are not busy, so sometimes they get a little creative. On our last trip we got a few pictures of us walking up to the castle holding hands...just us! When else can you have the entire kingdom to yourself? Plus, once you eat you will be poised and ready to go ahead of the masses at the front gate!
Boating to Downtown Disney from the Port Orleans Resorts. There is nothing like a relaxing float down the Sassagoula River at the end of a long day. I love checking out the Treehouse Villas as I float past (maybe someday!) and enjoying the peace and quiet as we cruise to Downtown Disney. After a quick spin through the World of Disney store I am back on the boat to return to Port Orleans French Quarter and some freshly made beignets (a diet buster for sure). My favorite time to go is after I have put the kids and husband to bed, so I can enjoy the quiet (and let's face it...not have to share my beignets!) Which brings me to my next item...
Going out Solo. I adore my husband and love my children to bits. That being said, I also love to kiss them all good night and head out solo. Sometimes it is to shop in peace at Downtown Disney, but most of the time, I head out to enjoy which ever park has magic hours. I pop on my headphones, and off I go. The freedom is amazing! I stop whenever and where ever I want to take pictures. I duck into any store that looks appealing without having to explain that we are not actually going to buy anything. I don't have to struggle with strollers or worry about holding hands so nobody gets lost. I eat my own snack. I drink my own drink. I ride what I want. I totally enjoy myself for a few hours. That being said, I am quite happy to have the crew back together for rope drop the next morning.
Watching Wishes from the beach at the Polynesian. There is nothing better at the end of a long day than to hit the beach at the Polynesian to watch the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom. If you are out there long enough, you may also see the Electrical Water Parade float by. Watching the fireworks from the parks is amazing, but is it equally as amazing from the Polynesian. You can still hear the music, but you have a totally different perspective of the scale of the fireworks. This is especially true if you are watching one of the special fireworks shows during the Halloween or Christmas Party. Since they shoot a series of rockets from satellite locations (not just from behind the castle) I think the best view is actually not in the park, but a little further away!

In a perfect (Disney) world, you can eat dinner at 'Ohana early in the evening. Walk over to the TTC to ride the monorail to Epcot and back. Return to the Polynesian and swing by Captain Cooks for a Dole Whip. Then head out to the beach to grab a hammock and wait for Wishes to start. Hopefully, things will time out so you can see the Water Pageant as well. It will be your own little slice of Disney heaven, with no park ticket required! Just send me a picture, so I can live vicariously through you!

Last call for a chance to win a 5 Night trip to Disney World (with Deluxe hotel and tickets for a family of 4)!

2011-05-13T14:42:00.001-04:00

I just wanted to remind everyone that TMC Travel is raffling off a 5 night trip to Disney World tomorrow (Saturday May 14, 2011). Tickets are still available.

Each ticket is $100 and only 100 tickets will be sold. Pretty good odd! And the best part of all? We hope that we will raise over $10,000 for Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy.

For more details, see my previous post HERE.

Please get in touch with me asap if you would like to purchase a ticket!
ginger@tmctravelonline.com

Happy Birthday to The Mouse Connection!

2011-05-10T19:24:00.000-04:00

Well, the Mouse Connection is officially a year old! I have really enjoyed blogging about how to "do Disney" over the past year. Some months I was a better blogger than others, but regardless, you came and you read...and I appreciate you doing so! In the past year there have been 2 column designs, 87 posts (a bit short of my twice a week goal), thousands of visitors, and probably at least that many misspellings and gramatical errors. (My mother is an English professor, it clearly is not in the genes!)

I started this blog as a labor of love and to give my clients a crash course in Disney 101. I have been amazed at how many others have followed along the way. Who knew that people from every corner of the globe actually cared about my Disney ramblings?!?! The best part of all is when I get an email from a reader who lets me know that a trip really made their vacation better. It honestly makes it all worthwhile.

I thought it would be fun to list the most popular blog posts that I have done in the past year...counting down from number five...

5. Aloha! Welcome to Disney's Polynesian Resort

4. Got Kids? Get Glow Sticks!

3. Going to Disney: How to Tell the Kids

2. Fun Facts: Magic Kingdom Tunnel System

And hands down, the most popular post:

1. Fun Facts: Cinderella Castle

Of course, I have a few favorites as well...

The most often linked to post...   Keep up with your Kids!

My goofiest post... A Dozen Great Uses for a Ziploc bag

My most commented on post... Diary of a Park Bag

My most self serving post...   Why use a Travel Agent for your Disney Vacation?

And finally, the post I am the most proud of...   Win a 5 Night Disney Vacation and Help Raise $10K for MD Research

So thanks for coming along for the ride. I am looking forward to another year together!

Win a 5 Night Disney Vacation from TMC Travel - The Mouse Connection and help raise $10,000 for Muscular Dystrophy research!

2011-05-09T13:32:00.000-04:00

The ladies of TMC Travel are thrilled to announce that we are raffling off a 5 Night Disney vacation! We are working to raise funds for Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, the largest non profit organization in the US focusing on curing Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood, affecting approximately 1 in every 3,500 live male births (about 20,000 new cases each year).

This charity hits particularly close to home for me, as my friend's son is living with Duchenne. Allison and I were pregnant with our second children at the same time. Her son Matthew was born just a few weeks before my daughter. As he started to grow, his parents noticed some delay in his gross motor skills. Testing revealed the devastating diagnosis - a fatal form of Muscular Dystrophy.

While Matthew may look like a normal, newly minted 5 year old, his future will not be normal. He will likely be wheel chair bound by age 12 and later become a quadriplegic. His life expectancy is less than 30 years. His parents Allison and Bobby made an instant decision; they are fighting for their son's life with all the tools in their arsenal. They work tirelessly with Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy to raise funds to educate, find a ways to lessen symptoms, and ultimately find a cure.

These amazing warrior parents have enlisted the help of their friends to help raise funds by hosting events in Matthews honor. In fact, there is an event coming up this weekend, and I am thrilled that TMC Travel is able to donate a trip to be raffled off by the Imagine How chapter of Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. Our goal is to raise over $10,000 by selling only 100 raffle tickets for $100 each.

If a 5 Night Disney Vacation at a Deluxe resort including 5 day tickets for a family of 4 sounds like fun to you please contact me at ginger@tmctravelonline.com for more details. You have great odds of actually winning this trip - 1 in 100! Again, tickets are $100 each and ALL PROCEEDS WILL DIRECTLY BENEFIT PARENT PROJECT MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY. The drawing will be held on Saturday, May 14. Please contact me prior to that time so that I can make sure you have a chance to buy a ticket. Ticket sales are capped at 100, so don't wait to long and miss you chance!

If you are the lucky winner, you have a year to complete your travel and I will personally assist you with all of your travel plans, from picking the perfect Deluxe resort to making your ADR's. Even if you don't win the trip...you are still a winner by helping this family and others fight the good fight! Imagine How you can help save the lives of the children suffering from this disease. Good luck!!!

If you would like to learn more about sweet little Matthew and his amazing parents, please visit http://www.imaginehow.org/ or check out this video:

Free Dining Announced for Disney Visa Holders...General Public offer coming soon.

2011-04-28T14:50:00.000-04:00

If you are thinking about a Disney vacation in late August or September, listen up! Free dining has just been announced for Disney Visa holders, and they are sweetening the pot with a Disney PhotoPass Photo book. This offer will be open to the general public beginning on May 2nd.

Here are the delicious details...

For a limited time, get a FREE dining plan when you buy the New Walt Disney Travel Co. Memories Vacation Package for 5 nights/6 days at select Walt Disney World® Resort Hotels.

The New Memories Vacation Package includes:

Walt Disney World® Theme Park tickets. Enjoy admission to one Theme Park per day, each day of your ticket.
Stay in a select Walt Disney World® Resort Hotel.
A Disney's PhotoPass® Photo Book to relive your Disney vacation memories! Choose from a variety of layouts and page designs and customize with your favorite photos! This 20-page book is printed on archival paper to preserve it for years to come.
And, for a limited-time with this Memories Vacation Package, enjoy a FREE dining plan for stays most nights 8/28-9/24/11.

For 5 night/6 day packages at select Disney Value Resorts, get the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan — includes 2 quick-service meals and 2 select snacks per person per night of your package stay, plus one Resort Refillable Drink Mug per person (refillable only at your Disney Resort Hotel).

For 5 night/6 day packages at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts, get the Disney Dining Plan — includes 1 table-service meal, 1 quick-service meal and 1 select snack per person per night of your package stay.

As always, I would be happy to help you with your Disney Vacation Planning!

Princess Rooms at Disney. Very Cool.

2011-04-27T19:04:00.001-04:00

As a former tomboy, I have always been a bit baffled by the whole princess phenomena. The dresses, the tiaras, the fancy shoes and the accessories....just not me. I always imagined that I would have a few boys and we would spend weekends in the back yard tossing a football and getting dirty. I am sure God was chuckling at my idea when he sent me not one, but two of the girliest girls on the planet. If they had their way the world would be pink, purple, sequined, beaded, and bedazzled. While I am certainly much "girlier" now than I was a child, I still do not know how to play Barbie, I am not sure what to do at a pretend tea party, and sacrificing comfort for style at age 4 is just beyond me. So what is a former tomboy mom supposed to do? I guess the answer is what almost every other parent in the world has done... submit to the whims and desires of their offspring. So, hello Disney Princesses, I guess I am now on board. Which, I guess, means Disney made an exciting announcement yesterday...

According to the Official Disney Parks Blog:

Exciting enhancements also are taking place over at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort, with 512 Royal Guest Rooms planned to debut by March 2012. The story behind these lush rooms is that Princess Tiana (“The Princess and The Frog”) invited some of her royal pals – Belle (“Beauty and the Beast”), Jasmine (“Aladdin”) and more – for a vacation getaway. Princes and princesses of all ages can enjoy their luxurious lodging quarters, which will include ornate beds that feature headboards with fiber-optic special effects, and gold and crystal accents. Guests also can enjoy artwork and special mementos left by Tiana’s royal friends.

Photo property of the Disney Parks Blog

So if the new princess motif is not for you, perhaps you would be interested in some of the new rooms coming to the Contemporary?

Again from the Disney Parks Blog:

Beginning this fall, guests looking for some rest and relaxation can indulge in new health and wellness suites, which will debut at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. These suites will feature bamboo flooring, 100-percent cotton linens, non-allergenic wrapped mattresses – as well as great views of Magic Kingdom Park and Bay Lake. Bathrooms on this floor also will be equipped with rainwater showers and tea tree oils. Guests staying in these suites also can enjoy the benefit of having cardio equipment right in their room. And they’ll have daily access to seasonal and organic fresh foods at the concierge lounge, and can enjoy yoga sessions and spa treatments at the resort’s renovated wellness studio.

Photo property of Disney Parks Blog

So what do you think? My guess it that the princess rooms will be quite popular. A fun room at a moderate hotel? Sounds like a winner to me! I am not so sure about the rooms at the Contemporary. First of all, it sounds very pricey. I am sure it will appeal to a certain segment of the population, but an entire floor? I am no paragon of fitness (I say as I pop a second Hershey's Kiss into my mouth), but I have no problem getting in my daily exercise just bopping around the parks!

It sounds like some of these new premium rooms will be available for booking soon! Let me know if you would like me to add you to a notification list. I will be happy to book your vacation as soon as they are released...and I will gladly offer up some column space if you would like to write up a review of your experience!

So...are you read to get your princess on?

Contact me at TMC Travel if I can help you plan your next Disney vacation. As always, there is no extra fee or charge for using my services!

Disney's Give a Day Get a Day Revisited

2011-04-12T10:42:00.000-04:00

My family and I participated in Disney's Give a Day Get a Day promotion last year. In case you do not remember, Disney offered 1 million people the chance to make a difference in their communities by volunteering for various charities, and in exchange they could receive a free 1 day park ticket, set of FastPasses, or souvenir ear set.

My family worked with a local food bank and we collected over 700 food items that directly benefited our community. We opted for the FastPass option for our December trip and we were thrilled to ride Big Thunder Mountain and Toy Story Mania back to back to back. We even shared some FastPass love and gave away a set to a family in front of us in line.

Our whole family loved the experience of working with the food bank and we have made many subsequent visits, which was, I am sure, the idea that Disney had in mind! In fact my youngest daughter has asked for her friends to bring food instead of presents to her 4th and 5th birthday parties. As a parent, I could not have been more proud, but what I really noticed is that all of the kids were proud of themselves! I thanked everyone at the party for their donations, and took a moment to explain to the children that they were helping other children. You could literally watch their little chests puff up with pride. Adorable.

So, why am I writing about last year's promotion so long after the fact? Well, the "baby" just turned 5 and collected 100 cans of food and $150 at her birthday party and we just dropped it off. When I got there, I was shocked to find bare cupboards. In fact, they have had to close their doors for the past week because they had nothing to give. When I arrived with a trunk full of groceries and a fair amount of cash, the volunteers almost cried. They are hoping to re-open next week and need every donation they can get. The volunteer explained that they can use cash donations to actually purchase food from regional food banks. In fact she explained that a $20 donation will allow them to purchase over 105 POUNDS of food. A little bit really does go a long way!!!

I am not Disney, my pockets aren't that deep, and I cannot offer you FastPasses or a free park ticket. What I can do is make sure that any donation you would like to make will get into the right hands. Please email me at ginger@tmctravelonline.com if you would like to help. Or just grab and extra jar of peanut butter and a few canned veggies on your next grocery run and drop them off at your local food bank. Times are hard, children are hungry, and you can make a difference.

Cruise News You Can Use & Friday's Mystery Announcement

2011-04-06T14:21:00.000-04:00

Disney just made an exciting announcement about new itineraries and ports for 2012!

For the first time ever, Disney Cruise Line will set sail from three new ports in 2012 – New York, Seattle and Galveston – making the Disney family cruise vacation even more accessible to guests across the country. There are also more itinerary choices, including one special voyage to Hawai‘i.

If are a lucky Platinum or Gold Castaway Club Member, you get the exclusive benefit of booking a day early beginning April 7. Everyone else can begin booking on Friday morning at 8:00 am. As always, I am more than happy to help book your cruise experience. Please call or send me an email if I can help!

Here is what future cruisers have to look forward to...

New York Sailings
Beginning May 25, 2012, the Disney Magic will sail a total of 20 cruises from New York.

8-night Bahamian cruises include a day at Disney’s Castaway Cay and a stop at Port Canaveral, gateway to the Walt Disney World Resort. As part of this itinerary, you will receive a one-day Park Hopper Ticket and roundtrip transportation between the ship and resort.
5-night Canadian/New England cruises will visit Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Saint John, New Brunswick.
2-night cruises are perfect for Clients looking for a quick getaway at sea over a weekend.

Seattle Sailings

Beginning May 28, 2012, the Disney Wonder® will sail a total of 14 cruises to Alaska from the Port of Seattle, Wash.

7-night Alaskan cruises will call on Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan plus Victoria, British Columbia.

Galveston Sailings

Beginning Sept. 22, 2012, the Disney Magic will sail 12 cruises from the Port of Galveston, Texas.

7-night Western Caribbean cruises will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico, as well as Grand Cayman.

Los Angeles Sailings

In addition to 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises, the Disney Wonder will set sail on Disney’s first-ever voyage to Hawai‘i on April 29, 2012.

15-night Hawaiian cruise departs from the Port of Los Angeles and includes stops at Hilo; Kahului, Maui; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai and Ensenada, Mexico.
7-night Pacific Coast cruises will call on San Francisco, San Diego and Ensenada, Mexico.

The Disney Dream will continue to sail 3-, 4- and 5-night Bahamian cruises. The new Disney Fantasy will offer Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, beginning with the maiden voyage on March 31, 2012. Sail dates for both ships are now available through December 2012.

The Mysterious Friday Announcement

Popular Disney message boards and the well connected Disney blogosphere are all abuzz about an announcement coming from Disney on Friday morning. So what is the mysterious announcement? Of course, the most obvious speculation is that a new round of discounts are about to be announced. Free Dining for fall is the most repeated rumor. Is it true?I don't know. My crystal ball is currently out for repair. While I will certainly be poised and ready to dial bright and early tomorrow if that is the case, I think it might be something else. One possibility? I think they might announce package prices for 2012 in April instead of waiting until August. This would certainly make things easier for the Type A among us who want to get trips for early 2012 booked asap. While I am certainly hoping for fabulous discounts for all, I would not be surprised at all if that is not the case. So, if on Friday we learn 2012 packages are announced early, you can remember that you heard it here first! If not, well, hopefully my crystal ball will be returned in working order shortly!

New Discounts for Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts - including summer dates!

2011-04-01T07:35:00.001-04:00

Save up to 30%* at Select Disney Deluxe and Disney Deluxe Villa Resort Hotels

This summer at select Disney Deluxe Resorts and Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts save up to 30% for stays most nights June 15 to August 13, 2011.

Book through April 30, 2011 for travel April 22 to May 28, 2011
Book through May 28, 2011 for travel May 29 to August 13, 2011

*Save 25% at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Disney's Polynesian Resort for stays most nights June 15 to August 13, 2011.

New Discounts Rumored for Later This Week!

2011-03-29T15:09:00.000-04:00

From the TMC Travel Disney Rumor Department...

With the last round of discounts expiring on Sunday, the discount well is currently dry. But fear not! I am hearing that a fresh round of discounts will be announced late this week.

THESE DISCOUNTS ARE NOT IN THE FORM OF FREE DINING.

Instead look for room discounts similar in nature and time frame to the round that just expired. This round of discounts does not include much in the way of fall dates.

As always, please contact me at ginger@tmctravelonline.com if I can help you plan your next magical vacation!

Why use a Travel Agent for you Disney Vacation?

2011-03-22T09:17:00.001-04:00

It is an inevitable question. It pops up at least once a week on any given message board. "Should I use a travel agent to help me with my Disney vacation?" Well, since I am a travel agent, I bet you can guess what my answer is...ABSOLUTELY! Now that I have confessed to my obvious bias, let me convince you why...

The service a travel agent provides is FREE! Really! Travel agents are paid a commission by the supplier (Disney) for the travel that is booked. There are no behind the scenes mark ups or hidden fees. Disney, in particular, has very standard pricing and they offer the same rates to all travel agents that they have on their website. You may be wondering why Disney would pay a travel agent if they could book all of the travel themselves? The answer is actually pretty simple - travel agents work to make your trip better. The more fun you have on your vacation, the more likely you are to go back.
A travel agent specializing in Disney has knowledge and experience. Not only do specialists have a love of Disney, and lots of experience, they also have taken tests to "earn their ears." (Literally! When I completed the College of Disney Knowledge Disney sent me a set of ears complete with Mortar Board and Tassel!) Specialists also work hard to keep their knowledge current. I often get calls from overwhelmed parents trying to plan the perfect Disney vacation for their families. Let's face it, there are a lot of moving parts to a Disney vacation, from transportation, to choosing from a multitude of hotels, to sorting out all of the ticket options, to finding a place to eat, to figuring out which park to visit on which day, and even down to what to do inside each park. It is a lot to figure out! I like to get to know my families a little bit, figure out the budget, and help them make the most out of their time and budget.
A travel agent knows what the discounts are and where to find them. I have worked with many clients who were very surprised when my quote was substantially less than the exact same vacation they priced out themselves. My favorite story is about a family who called and said that they wanted to meet some friends at Disney and knew exactly what they wanted and just wanted me to book it for them. My client was in a bit of a hurry, so I got the pertinent information and booked her vacation. Shortly after we hung up, I realized that what she thought she wanted was not really the best idea. I called her back and asked if she could check in 1 day earlier. She did not have much interest in the idea until I explained that if she checked in 1 day earlier, her entire vacation would cost her almost $900 less! Stay longer for less money - SURE!
A travel agent can usually retroactively apply discounts. If a discount comes out after you have booked your vacation, and you otherwise would have qualified for the discount, then a travel agent can retroactively apply it to your reservation. If you booked with Disney directly, you can do this too, but you have to make sure you constantly check for the latest discounts, and then commit to sitting on hold for an hour to get the discount applied. I was just working with a family who was ready to make their final payment and I was able to give them the good news that their trip was going to cost them $800 less than they thought! I honestly get ridiculously happy for people when that happens.
A travel agent can save you money in other ways. Personally, I try to spend my clients money like I would spend my own. Sometimes spending a little extra gives you a lot, sometimes spending a lot extra gives you very little. In addition to lots of money saving tips, I try to let my clients know where they should splurge and where they should cut corners. I have on many occasions tried to talk clients out of more expensive vacation packages. While it is absolutely true that the more you buy the more commission I may make, I am much more concerned that at the end of your vacation, you feel like you got your moneys worth. I would rather make less and have you trust me that make more and have you feel like you overspent. You will be much more likely to share my name with a friend, and I will sleep better at night.
A travel agent is a great sounding board! If you have ever called Disney directly, and asked whether you should do A or B. You will likely hear something like "Oh, they are both fabulous choices." Well, I have opinions that I will freely offer! More than that, I try to tell you why I like something or not or why I think you would like something or not.

To be fair, using a travel agent might not be for everyone. If you are an ultra type A personality in terms of vacation planning (ahem - like me) it can be a little hard to let go of the control. Not that a travel agent is going to "control" your entire vacation! But once a travel agent books your reservation, they have to make changes to the reservation. So if you decide at 9:45pm that you want to add a Park Hopper option to your ticket, then you will need to contact your travel agent to do it instead of calling Disney directly.

Also, you should have a good feeling about your agent. There is no "travel agent law" that says your agent must rebook you with a discount if it comes out. In those cases travel agents are actually doing more work to earn less money. For me, my relationship with my client is all about trust. I want my clients to know they can trust me to do the best I can for them. In the long run, I know that working harder to reduce my commission is good for my client, good for my business and good for my conscience. If you do not get a good feeling after your first conversation with your agent, just thank him or her and move on.

Now that I (hopefully!) have you convinced that using a travel agent is a good thing, let me convince you why you should use TMC Travel - The Mouse Connection for your next Disney vacation.

You deal with one agent. We do not pass you around from agent to agent. We are not a call center. We want to get to know you and use that information to make your trip better! We work for you - not Disney.
We are available outside of regular office hours. We work from our home offices, so we have great flexibility! I often meet families in person on the weekends if that is convenient. I have hung up the phone with a client at 11:45pm, once the last dining reservation was made. And if I get an email at midnight I will answer it at 12:15 if I am still awake!
We offer free gifts to all of our clients who book a 4 or more day vacation package! We have a lot of "goodies" that can make your trip a little more special and fun.
We help you tame the crowds. Believe it or not, there is some science behind which is the best park to visit on any give day. Crowds can swing wildly from day to day for any given park. We try to use our "Disney Crystal Ball" to your advantage!
We help with dining reservations or recommendations. With more and more families taking advantage of the dining plan, "Where should we eat?" is a much bigger factor to consider. We are happy to make some recommendations for you, help you find some menus to peruse, or even make dining reservations for you!
We keep you organized! We have some great tip cards that are personalized for your trip. Sized to fit in your back pocket or park bag, we will make sure you know park hours, parade times, fireworks times, magic hours, and the dining reservations we made for you for each day of your trip! We also have other great tip cards that cover everything from the best snacks in "the World" to how to enjoy Epcot's World Showcase with children.
We accept transfers. If you booked your trip yourself and are unsure about it or just need some extra help, we can transfer your reservation to our agency and help you just as if you were our client from the beginning. And you will still get all of the goodies and extras that we offer all of our clients!

And to be fair, I guess I should give you a reason not to use TMC Travel for your next vacation...or at least a reason not to use me. Using me makes you a Disney-enabler. Each trip you book with me only furthers my Disney addition. If you can live with that, give me a call or send me an email and let me help you plan your next vacation!

TMC Travel - The Mouse Connection - http://www.tmctravelonline.com/

A Disney Bathroom Tip - Taking multiple children for a pit stop

2011-03-16T10:29:00.000-04:00

Yes, you read that correctly. A Disney bathroom tip. On the surface, it may sound crazy, but one way families get separated and children get lost is in bathrooms that have multiple entries and exits - or where you enter on one side and exit on another. And of course there are all of those scary bathroom stories that your friends tell you they "know is true because it happened to a friend of a friend."

While I confess to being a bit of a safety nut concerning my children, I do not think I am in the minority when it comes to letting children use public facilities solo. My girls are now 4 and 7, and as the same sex parent, I always am in charge of the potty stops. (Lucky me.) Until recently, we would all pile into one stall together and take care of business. Over the past year my oldest has decided that she prefers a bit more privacy, which I understand and respect. But I am still not comfortable with her wandering around the bathroom on her own (and possibly even leaving the facilities) while I tend to her little sister.

Our solution? I put big sister in a stall and wait until she locks the door. She is instructed that she is not to unlock or open the door until she sees my feet under the door of the stall. I can then take the time required for myself and her sister without worrying that she is wandering out on her own. When we are done I return to the first stall to get my oldest - who is obviously standing and waiting for me to come and get her. We all wash our hands together and head out to meet dad and resume our day.

It may sound a bit crazy, but for us it works! It is the best balance that I could find between safety and privacy. Hope this helps your family...and I hope this is the only Disney bathroom tip you read today!

Silhouettes on Main Street...A Cut Above the Rest!

2011-03-11T08:25:00.002-05:00

It is easy to bolt down Main Street with eyes firmly focused on the castle, rushing to the hub in front and then jockeying for position to exit off onto your "spoke" of choice. I must admit to being very guilty of commando touring in the morning and Main Street USA is, at that point, just an obstacle keeping me from Dumbo and my first Fast Pass of the morning. As I exit the park for my afternoon break, or more likely as I re-enter the park for the evening, it occurs to me to take a moment and appreciate the quaint little "town" that Walt created to greet his guests. As you may know, Main Street USA was modeled after Walt's home town of Marceline, Missouri at the turn of the century.

It is worth taking the time to admire the perfect little town, with the quaint shops, ice cream parlors and restaurants. The true Disney historian knows that each window on Main Street tells a story itself. Each name is a nod to an Imagineer who made a significant contribution to realizing Walt's vision. There are some wonderful books on the topic that you can find if you want to learn more.

On my family's most recent trip to Disney World, I made a mental note to find a silhouette artist and have my daughters' silhouettes cut. In case you have not visited the home of someone over eighty recently, a silhouette is a classic art form in which someone's profile is cut out of a special black paper. This paper is mounted on white card stock and framed. The end result is beautiful and timeless.

My girls are four and seven, so I figured that that would be a great age to attempt the feat of a sitting...old enough not to wiggle too much, but young enough to still look like children. We had about 30 minutes before our dining reservation at Crystal Palace, so I figured we would head over to and see what we could find. As usual, there was a silhouette artist tucked into the little alcove on Main Street about half way down on the right. There was a family in front of us, but we only had to wait a few minutes for our turn.

I had been dying to get my girls' silhouettes cut, and I knew my mother-in-law would have a fit over them (in a good way!). So I had already prepared my husband that I was going to pay whatever it took for both her and I to have a separate profile cut of each child. I tried to have them cut at a local children's boutique last spring, but they ran out of appointments before I got one. They were charging $25 each plus and extra $10 to have a double cut. I was prepared my husband that what would cost us $70 at home would certainly be done for a premium at Disney. He rolled his eyes, but realized that this was not a battle he was going to win. He told me to "handle it" as he went in search of a restroom.

While we were waiting I walked over to check out the price list. To say I was shocked was an understatement. To have a portrait cut for me and an extra for my mother-in-law was going to cost LESS THAN TEN DOLLARS FOR EACH CHILD!!!! No kidding for less than $20 walked away with a beautiful silhouette of each of my princesses and an extra set for grandma. I consider silhouette cutting an art form, and to walk away with an original piece of art containing the beautiful profiles of my babies for less than $20...well it was just amazing. (And my husband even admitted “Good call!”)

The whole thing took less than a minute for each profile. My oldest was fascinated watching Jan, the artist work. She had a lot of questions that Jan answered with kindness. She also offered her a pointer, "Start with things that don't move." While I appreciate her kindness to my budding artist, I do not appreciate the ten thousand "snips" of paper that I have subsequently picked up off of my floor!

There are a few decisions for you to make during the process. You can have each person cut as a separate work, or you can have multiple people layered together. There are different prices for each option. You can also choose to have your profile mounted on plain card stock or on cardstock with a pre-printed border. And finally, you can even purchase frames at the same time. I opted for separate works, no border, and no frames. I have kicked myself repeatedly for not getting frames while I was there. (We were flying and I was worried about running out of space.) I have not be able to find the classic black oval frames since I returned home. I am sure I can find some online somewhere, I just have not taken the time to look.

I absolutely encourage you to take a moment to not only enjoy Main Street, but take time to seek out all that it has to offer...most especially the silhouette artists. Not only to I treasure the memory of my daughters' excitement during the whole process, but I have a forever keepsake. If you happen to recognize Jan while you are there, please stop by and atleast watch her magic. She truly was wonderful, as was the experience as a whole. Just be sure to make a deal before you hand the scissors over to your own artist..."Pick up your own scraps...or else!"

The Animation Academy at Disney's Hollywood Studios

2011-02-25T13:05:00.001-05:00

I can't draw. Not even stick people. Clearly my 7 year old's affinity and talent for sketching was not derived from my gene pool. Since I cannot help her budding artistic talents directly, I will sign her up for the occasional art class after school or if I find a cute learn to sketch book I will grab it for her. As you can imagine, a visit to the Animation Academy was on our "must do" for our Studios day.

The Animation Academy is a fantastic attractions that you actually have to seek out. There are no exterior signs or lights to draw you in. There are no "teasers" about what you may find inside. There are no squeals of delight as you walk by. And yet this 20-25 minute class is a fantastic little find.

The Animation Academy is located inside the Magic of Disney Animation building. As you enter the large room to the right you immediately notice the characters surrounded by the adoring masses. We saw Sorcerer Mickey, Lotso, Frozone, and Mr. Incredible. It is easy to become distracted by the Sunnyside Daycare set up and not even notice the small waiting area for the Animation Academy. The waiting area consists a few benches separated from the rest of the room with a movie theater style velvet rope. The classes are offered every 30 minutes or so through out the day. There are a limited number of seats available, so I would not arrive moments before a class is scheduled to begin and expect to find a seat.

Usually, our family plans a mid day break, but for our Studios day, we decided to try to push through.We planned to attend the class in the afternoon to give ourselves a little rest. It was a great idea, as the "tired" was starting to set in. Because of that, I was not nearly as diligent with picture taking as I normally am - my apologies.

In any event, we ended up waiting about 20 minutes for the class to begin. As they swept open the doors, we entered an upscale classroom. The instructor was seated at the front next to a large overhead projector. There were rows of Mickey themed desks and stools, along with paper firmly secured to the desk and some pencils. The room filled quickly and the instructor started the class by letting us choose which character we wanted to draw - an easy Mickey or a more complicated Stitch. The class must have been filled with other drawing impaired folks, as the overwhelming choice was Mickey. (I am sure it had nothing to do with it being, you know...Mickey!)
The instructor moved at a good pace. She kept everyone moving so the class would end on time. She gave great general drawing tips - For example, when you draw a circle you should move from your shoulder, not your wrist or elbow, as that is the natural movement of your shoulder. You know what? It worked! I started my Mickey face and ears with a much rounder circles than I had ever drawn before. Certainly not perfect, but passable.

The she moved on to explaining exactly where to draw a few simple guidelines. Once we had our guide lines we and used them to get the proportions of Mickey's features just right. Before I knew it I had a pretty good Mickey staring back at me - albeit a bit cross-eyed.

Quick Tip - In order to keep the class moving, there are no erasers in the Animation Academy. Keep your sketch lines very light until you are instructed to make them heavy - or just wait until the end of class and use the last minute to darken up the appropriate lines. If I had done a better job of that, my picture would have been even better.

So next time you visit Hollywood Studios, build in a little rest and drawing time at the Animation Academy. It is absolutely worth looking for. I must say that I was ridiculously proud of my work. You are encouraged to sign and keep the fruits of your labor. I wonder if Mom has any room left on her refrigerator?

My crossed-eyed mouse

My 7 Year old's efforts - She was frustrated with no eraser, but now sketches much better Mickeys with ease.

And the 4 year old...Have I mentioned that listening and following directions are not her strong suit? She now does great sketches of Mickey, but she still puts the guidelines on the face - even though she does not actually use them!

So long, Toontown: A tribute

2011-02-11T12:37:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day that kids will take their first roller coaster ride on Goofy's Barnstormer, run through Donald's Boat, smile at all of the clever details in Minnie's House and Mickey's House, or load up on Disney goodies in the County Bounty. Today is the last day Mickey will greet visitors in the Judge's Tent. Today Toontown closes forever. Toontown is saying goodbye to make way for the much touted Fantasyland expansion (details here).

Although Toontown never received much "critical acclaim", I must admit that I am a fan. As a total ride whimp, the Barnstormer is just my speed. And while the coaster itself is not going away, the theming (and the chickens) are. I love looking at all of the clever details in the mouse's houses. I love Minnie's painting of the view outside her window, and peeking in to Mickey's bedroom. And if you have young girls, the Toontown Hall of Fame is tops on the list of attractions. And while the notoriously icky Pete's Garage (aka Potty Training Central) won't be missed much, I will surely miss good ole Pete's Bumper Crop.

So...good bye old friend. While we are looking forward to what the future holds, you will be missed in this household.

Enjoy some scenes from a sweet little spot in the Magic Kingdom...

What you should REALLY do with your luggage tags...

2011-02-08T08:37:00.000-05:00

If you have purchased a room and ticket package as part of your Walt Disney World vacations, then one of the added perks that you will receive is a set of Disney World luggage tags. If you flip to one of the back pages in your travel documents Disney even provides you with a page of preprinted inserts. You can just fill out your personal information, slide it right in, and attach it to your suitcase, right? Wrong! There are trolls that roam the airport who are very interested in your home address, particularly if they happen to see you headed out of town.

Instead, head over to your local department store and buy a few luggage tags that are designed to obscure your address from plain view. It satisfies the airline's requirement that your bag be labeled, but it keeps your address from being proudly displayed to any bad guy that happens to wander by. It really is $2 well spent.

I know you are thinking, "But what about my cute little luggage tags? With the castle...and the balloons?" Well, I am certainly not going to suggest you let them go to waste! Instead of your home address, write down your name, the name of your resort, and your cell phone number and tuck it into the tag. Attach the tag to your stroller, your cooler, your park bag, or anything else you plan on bringing inside the park with you. Now if you drop or loose something, it has a fighting chance of being returned to you!

When you get home, you can recycle the tag for anything else that you want...gym bag, back pack, lunch box, whatever! Just be sure that if you let your child use it that you do not put their name out in plain view. (Somehow kids think that if a stranger knows their name, then they are not a stranger.)

My tag is still attached to my cooler and my camera bag. I take a little bit of Disney with me where ever I go...

Kringla Bakeri og Kafe - A Quick Service Standout

2011-01-31T08:45:00.000-05:00

On December 4th I woke my princesses up with an amazing surprise..."Ladies, we are going to Disney!" I gave them 20 minutes to dress and jump in the car so we could be off to the airport. Thanks to a quick flight that landed early (!) and an amazingly quick Magical Express and resort check in, I found myself standing in Epcot only 2 hours after my the wheels touched down in Orlando, leaving plenty of time for a counter service lunch. We headed off to the World Showcase and the Kringla Bakeri og Kafe in the Norway Pavilion.

This tiny little quick service gem is located on the left "corner", just as you turn to head into the back pavilion. It is a charming little building with a grass roof. A quick google search on the grass roofs of Norway, yielded a few fun facts. "Turf Roofs" as they are literally translated, are more than just green in color, they are quite "green" environmentally. They provide architectural stability, good insulation, are long lasting, and are not made of petroleum products. The grass actually is used to hold a layer of birch bark in place which is used to make the roof waterproof. (Bet you did not expect an architecture lesson in the middle of a dining review...but it is Epcot after all!)

Now back to the fun stuff... Due to it's small size, I would recommend you check out Kringla at off peak dining times. The interior of the restaurant is tiny - just a series of refrigerated cases from which you can make your selections with just enough room for you to snake through to the cashier. There is a small outdoor seating area behind the restaurant, where tables are at a premium. As you enter the cafe, you will head to the far right corner of the room, where a very small menu board hangs over the sandwich case.

We were taking advantage of the Disney Dining Plan this trip, so we were all set to jump into the Chef's Selection (which was a sandwich along with a side of soup, fruit, or salad). After checking out the case, the husband and I decided on a club sandwich. The sandwich was served panini style, so the ham, turkey, and bacon was warm and the melted cheese made it all stick together perfectly. The real standout was the delicious nutty,seedy, whole grain bread. Not usually my first choice of bread, so I am glad I was not given a choice, or I would have missed it's toasty deliciousness!

My youngest little sprite ordered the Ham, Cheese & Apple Sandwich. It was also served on the same delicious bread. Served warm and toasty, my young one dug right in. I finally talked her out of a bite and was pleasantly surprised at the flavor combination. The apples gave a sweet and cinnamony (is that even a word?) touch to the sandwich. Unexpectedly yummy!

My seven year old is a little foodie. She used to beg me to pack crab stuffed mushrooms for her preschool lunch when she was only three. I guess it should be no surprise that while we went for sandwiches she went for the Vegetable Torte with Goat Cheese, and of course Cauliflower Soup. While she thought the torte was fine, she did enjoy the other half of her sisters sandwich more. I actually agreed. I thought the texture was a bit rubbery. I thought it tasted fine - just fine, but I am not a huge goat cheese lover. If you are, you may have a different opinion. She did proclaim the Cauliflower soup the best thing she ate all day. I though it was good, but a bit heavy if Mission Space is your next stop. Yes, she is a bit of a weird kid, but I love her adventurous spirit and willingness to try new things!

Vegetable Torte with Goat Cheese
(Pictured with a Fruit Cup because
Cauliflower soup is not nearly as pretty!)

Since we were on the Dining Plan dessert was most definitely on the horizon. (And even if you are not on the dining plan, I would recommend dessert here! The dessert case was stocked full of Norwegian deliciousness. Since four desserts were included, four desserts we got! We put the desserts in the middle of the table and dove in. The famous School Bread was also suggested by the server and was hands down our favorite of the lot. Imagine custardy (I am making up words again) goodness in a sweet, but not too sweet bread topped with coconut. YUM! The Cloudberry Horn came in second, followed by the Chocolate Mousse Cake and the Fruity Whipped Cream concoction. Pear Almond Tart, I am not sure how you escaped my tray, but I am coming for you next time!

Case of Norwegian Deliciousness!

Cloudberry Horn & School Bread

Overall, the Kringla Bakeri og Kafe is a solid counter service dining option, and an absolute stand out if your are on the dining plan. This little spot is charming and elevates the simple sandwich into something more. The sandwiches are filling and when combined with a side item and dessert is more than enough for even the biggest eaters. The cast members are sweet and helpful (and exceedingly blonde!) It did take a bit longer than I would have expected to get through the line due to a small bottleneck in the drink section. But it really did not matter, as it almost helped with crowd control in the seating area.

At the end of the meal my husband summed it up nicely by saying "I know we have to try other places, and I do want to try other places... but if I had to eat every meal here, I would be fine with that. Just sayin'..."

Mornings with Mickey - My Favorite Disney Souvenir

2011-01-25T08:29:00.002-05:00

You have planned, saved, and waited patiently for your Disney World vacation. You finally make it to the parks and are having a great time. Eventually, the lure of the assorted merchandise locations will get the best of you and you will find yourself, mouth agape turning in circles in the Main Street Emporium, the World of Disney, or some other shop stocked full of every souvenir imaginable.

If you are like me, you become quickly overwhelmed with the sheer quantity of merchandise and dismayed by the hefty price tags. Fortunately, for me, I tend to really enjoy the merchandise at the low end of the scale. I am not one to wear a Disney themed shirt every day, nor to I decorate with Disney merchandise in my home, so that eliminates huge categories of items to peruse.

There are a few "standards" that always seem to make their way into my shopping basket....a photo album, a small photo frame, a magnet, a photo frame that is a magnet... I also grab a few fun postcards - not to send, but to tack up on the bulletin board in my office. Cheap and cheerful. A little something for my own little princesses and I can escape relatively unscathed.

Last month, something else caught my eye, and I promise you it has become a family favorite. It is a toast stamp. Yes, you did read that correctly...a toast stamp. A toast stamp is a piece of plastic with Mickey's cute little mug on it. You place your bread on a firm surface, line up your bread stamp on top of the bread and push firmly. Don't wiggle it, or your bread stamp will become a bread cutter. When you lift off the plastic stamp, you have left an impression of Mickey's face behind. At that point you can proceed with your sandwich making, or toast your bread to further highlight Mickey's features. My 4 year old has become the hit of her preschool class, and now I am officially the "best mommy ever"...unless of course, I forget. (But that is another story.)

The "stamp" and the pre-toasted bread.

By now, I bet you are thinking cute, but I am not going to pay a small fortune to "cuten" up a PB&J. Truth be told, that is exactly what I thought while I was standing in the store. But I checked the price tag anyway and was shocked to find that it was only $2.95! And it is dishwasher safe! It is the perfect little item to tuck away in your suitcase and bring back home with you. It is a great way to keep the memories and magic of your vacation alive. Starting your morning with Mickey will make you smile, and if you get the "best mommy in the whole world" award for the day, it's even better...

Happy, toasty, Mickey!

Fantasyland Expansion: Goodbye Snow White's Scary Adventures, Hello Seven Dwarf Mining Train!

2011-01-18T23:07:00.002-05:00

Hot off the presses! Disney has just released some more details about the Fantasyland Expansion. A few weeks ago the Disney announced that Februrary 11th would be Toontown's last day. We knew the day was coming early this year, but finally...official confirmation. The Barnstormer (in it's currrent form) will see the last of its guests over the coming weeks and we will all be saying goodbye, or if rumors are true, so long to Minnie & Mickey's House.

On the eve of the christening of the Disney Dream, Disney has released more details about the Fantasyland expansion. I think some of us Disney nerds may not be able to handle the excitement of it all!

First of all, if you would like to watch the christening of the Dream tune in here at 10:30 Mickey Time on January 19, 2011. And if you can stand the excitement of it all, read on to get the official news on the Fantasyland expansion.

From Disney Insider:
The largest expansion in Magic Kingdom® Park history is underway, a project that will nearly double the size of Fantasyland and deliver a new home for Ariel, new ways to interact with favorite Disney princesses, an exciting new family coaster, a double dose of Dumbo and more.

Scheduled to open in phases beginning in late 2012, the new Fantasyland will immerse you in Disney stories as never before. Among the highlights planned:

•Under the Sea: Journey of The Little Mermaid, a major, all-new attraction during which guests will travel with Ariel and her friends through their exciting adventures above and below the waves – all against a musical backdrop of songs from the classic film.

•The castle of the Beast, standing majestically upon a hill just across an old stone bridge from Ariel’s new home. The Be Our Guest Restaurant will feature a lavish dining experience in the elegant ballroom, gallery, and mysterious “West Wing” of the castle. With seating for 550, this magnificent facility will offer “great food fast” service by day and full table service dining in the evening. Nearby in Belle's Village, guests will find the rousing Gaston's Tavern and Bonjour! Village Gifts.

•Just outside the village is Belle’s cottage and Enchanted Tales with Belle. The adventure begins in Maurice’s workshop, where a magical mirror is the doorway to a captivating new kind of storytelling experience: Guests are transported to the Beast’s library to meet Belle and Lumiere, and share in a lively, interactive, re-telling of the "tale as old as time.”

But that’s just the beginning of what you will discover when the multi-phase project is completed. Here’s more of what’s in store:

•The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will take guests on a rollicking, musical ride into the mine “where a million diamonds shine.” The coaster will feature a first-of-its kind ride system with a train of ride vehicles that swing back and forth, responding to every twist and turn of the track. The journey will be accompanied by music from the classic Disney film and animated figures of Snow White and the Dwarfs.

•In Princess Fairytale Hall, Aurora, Cinderella and other Disney princesses, such as Tiana and Rapunzel, will greet guests in their new home, an elegant royal court on the site where Snow White’s Scary Adventures stands today.

• The sound of the calliope will lead guests to the brand new Storybook Circus and not one but two circling carousels of airborne pachyderms on Dumbo the Flying Elephant! Before taking to the skies on this Fantasyland favorite, guests can experience an array of fun-filled family games and interactive wonders for kids of all ages inside the Big Top.

•Next door in Storybook Circus, the classic Barnstormer gets a bright new look as well, featuring Goofy as The Great Goofini. It’s a twisting, turning roller coaster “flight” high above the circus fun.

So...what do you think???

Aloha! Welcome to Disney's Polynesian Resort - Part II: Tokelau

2011-01-18T08:31:00.002-05:00

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of my review of Disney's Polynesian Resort. In case you missed it, be sure to click here to catch up. Now for more specifics about the Tokelau building and my Garden View room...

After consulting the Tikiman Pages, I requested the Tokelau building. I chose this building for it's fairly central location, large rooms, and patio/balcony options. The room itself was clean, comfortable, and spacious - which was important since we were planning an full week of "family togetherness".

I also liked the general layout of the room. As you open the door you walk down a mini hallway with the bathroom on one side and a wall of storage on the other. The "storage wall" consisted of two closets, one with double rods and the other with a single rod, safe, and shelving unit. In between the closets was a mini fridge, with counter area and coffee station. It is nicely designed and very functional.

The main part of the room featured a desk area with a chair large mirror over it. This served as a nice make up/dressing area, freeing up the bathroom area for showers, saving and, you know, other stuff. Next to the table was a nicely sized dresser with 6 drawers. An HD television hung over the dresser, and a small, but useful shelf over that.

We had two comfy queen sized beds, a day bed that easily converted to a comfortable twin size bed (no bar in your back!) a chaise type lounge, upholstered chair, and drum shaped table. (I cannot tell you how much the 4 year old enjoyed her "Congo Drum"). Outside on the balcony were an pair of chairs and a small table. I do wish that the "Congo Drum" table were more dining table height instead of coffee table height. Watching my girls hunched over in the chair while trying eat their cereal off the low table made me nervous.

With the dark browns, burnt orange tones,and dark blues the room felt rather dark. While the room itself showed minor wear and was quite clean, the dark colors left me feeling like there was a possibility that it could be "hiding" a lot. Of course, that is my hotel room neuroses talking.

The bathrooms were spacious and clean as well, but they are about due for a face lift. A corner of the wall paper was peeling up and the artwork was warped from constant moisture exposure and was beginning to peel. Both quite minor and very cosmetic. I must say that the back of the bathroom door was in very bad shape. The paint was peeling off the back in a pretty significant way. Again, this is just a cosmetic issue due to moisture, but I feel it should probably be addressed. For a room that goes for $385 in the value season and over $600 at peek times, I expect a little more. To be fair, I did not bring the issues to the attention of hotel management, as they truly were cosmetic in nature, and while it effected my overall impression of the resort, it did not effect my enjoyment of it.

We did have a minor issue that did effect our enjoyment of the room. There was a large wet spot right out side the bathroom door the night we checked in. Of course, I noticed it as I was unpacking the last of our stuff when I stepped into the bathroom and nearly broke by neck by slipping of the floor. (OK, that is a bit dramatic, but I slipped enough that my heart beat a little faster!) I pointed it out to bell services a few minutes later when they delivered our groceries. The very kind man apologized, said he would bring it to the attention of management and they would move us to a "much better room". I would normally light up at such a possibility but a) I had just finished unpacking, b) it was time for the kiddos to go to bed, and c) I was trying to ditch the rest of the family and head off to the Magic Kingdom to watch Wishes solo! I thanked him for the offer, but just asked that they just take care of the problem in the morning. When I returned later that evening I noticed several towels had been laid down and they brought in a fan to dry things out the next morning. Problem solved...or so I thought.

What I should have realized and what they certainly should have realized was that a puddle in that particular location was an indication of something else going on. On day 3 of our trip we return "home" to a funky smell. I finally figured out that the refrigerator was broken and the contents had spoiled. Unfortunately, my husband did not notice that he gave our children vaguely warm yogurt (eewww!!!) for breakfast that morning. Fortunately, no body got sick. While I think the staff should probably have known what that puddle meant, I must stay the issue was handled was appropriately. I called bell services and explained the problem. Within minutes, a new refrigerator was delivered, the spoiled food removed and I was sent to the lobby to explain what happened. The desk agent apologized for the problem and offered a $50 credit to the room for my trouble and the spoiled groceries. The carpets were cleaned the next morning as soon as we cleared out for the day. The mini fridge break down was certainly beyond their control, but it did cause me a bit of inconvenience. The $50 credit replaced the groceries with enough left over for me to get a few pins. While I would have preferred to spend that credit on some extra undies, I left happy.

As much as I did enjoy the Polynesian, there were a few other "misses" during our stay. We arrived prior to check in and our room was not yet ready, which was fine. We got our key anyway, checked our luggage with bell services and headed off to the parks with the promise that we would receive a text message telling us our room number. Unfortunately, the text was never sent and we had to stand in line again to find our our room assignment, then head over to bell services to ask that our stuff be sent up. Overall, that process could have been a little more smooth, but was just a minor bump.

I was also a little bothered by the cleanliness of the public areas in our longhouse. While the "Mousekeeping" staff did a great job with our room, and left a lot of wonderful towel creations for my little princesses, the seating area in front of the elevators and the elevator itself seemed a bit neglected. If someone read a newspaper while enjoying a soft drink in the common area at 1:00 and left their trash behind, it would not be cleaned up until the next morning. Yuck! At a place known for their service and attention to detail this just seemed a bit odd. A gum wrapper will not remain on Main Street USA for more than 2 minutes, yet a crumpled up newspaper and an empty soda can will sit around the resort for 20 hours? And the elevator was just plain old dirty. There was dirt and dust in the corners and a sticker stuck to the floor for the duration of our stay. Clearly, nobody has been assigned "ownership" of these areas, and it shows.

On a humorous note, I have never stayed in a hotel with attractive carpet in the hallways. Never. I am not sure why hotels feel compelled to have tacky carpet. Perhaps it is to urge people to leave the hallways and move along to their rooms? In any event, in this respect, the Polynesian does not disappoint...in fact, it may take things to a whole new level!

Finally, I must mention the staff. Other than the fridge snafu, we had very normal contact with the staff. I must say that I found everyone to be friendly and helpful. I was always greeted with a smile and an "Aloha!" from everyone we met - or even passed on the sidewalk. It is clear that the staff is dedicated and cares about their work. When I asked the husband to list some Polynesian "stand outs", the staff was one of the first things he mentioned.

Overall, we really enjoyed the Polynesian. While I cannot say that everything was absolutely perfect, I can say that our overall experience was wonderful. I pride myself on honest opinions, so if I have a "nitpicky" thought or if I thought something could have been better, I will certainly share it. However, I do want to be clear that sometimes I really am "nitpicking". I think the way a resort staff handles and unexpected problem or issue far out weighs whether or not there is peeling paint on the bathroom door. Based on that, I would happily stay at the Polynesian again, and feel comfortable recommending it. In fact, my husband fears we may have made a fatal error...Once you stay deluxe, especially on the monorail, it is going to be really hard to go back to anything else!

I would love to help you plan your next visit to the Polynesian or to any other resort! TMC Travel offers the same rates (and discounts) as if you booked through Disney directly, but with lots of extras. Please Email me if I can help!

Check out TMC Travel's You Tube Channel to view my Polynesian slide show. Double click on the video to open in a new window.

Aloha! Welcome to Disney's Polynesian Resort - Part I

2011-01-11T17:13:00.007-05:00

Last month we got to spend a 8 days and 7 nights at Disney's Polynesian Resort. I am a summer time, beach loving girl, so the Polynesian's themeing seemed like a perfect fit for my little beach babies and me (especially in the winter!) Of course, the husband came along too, but as long as he has a pillow and a clean room, he could care less where he stays.

As a general disclaimer, even though I am a blogger and a travel agent, I was flagged as neither during my stay. I booked my travel using a PIN code in my husband's name. I did not get any sort of industry discount nor did I flash a business card or anything else that would identify me. So this is 100% my experience as an average family visiting the Polynesian for a week....I was totally "incognito" (feel free to insert the Mission Impossible theme song here)

Of the several factors that I considered when choosing our hotel, I weighed transportation options the heaviest. Yup, with all of the more glamorous factors to consider, buses, boats, and monorail were on the forefront of my mind. I wanted to maximize my time in the parks, not waiting to get there. Also, my crew is still young enough that we have strollers and afternoon breaks to consider. That of course gave the edge to the monorail resorts. But which one? The Polynesian got the edge because not only is the Magic Kingdom just one stop (less than 10 minutes away), but you can actually stroll over to the TTC to get the Epcot monorail. From our longhouse it was only about a 5 minute walk, only about 2 minutes longer than the stroll over to the Great Ceremonial House to get on the Resort/Magic Kingdom monorail. Throw in boat service to Magic Kingdom for fun, and pretty frequent buses to the other parks the Polynesian has, hands down, the best transportation options on property.

The themeing at the Polynesian is great. The landscaping is lush and beautiful. There are also several water features inside and out that are not only lovely, but manage to drown out some of the noise of the outside world. Soft Hawaiian music is piped in through out the grounds. At Christmas time, be sure to listen out for the 12 Days of Christmas song Hawaiian style (Numbah One day of Christmas my Tutu gave to me...).

The beach at the Polynesian is a great spot to relax. I would have made more use of it, but the record lows in Orlando that week made the area slightly less desirable. The beach is along the Seven Seas Lagoon and is made of pristine white sand. You may think it was trucked in from some remote paradise location, but it was actually found when the Lagoon was dredged prior to the construction of the Magic Kingdom! There are lounge chairs and hammocks available to stretch out on...and did I mention that your view is of Cinderella Castle? In the evenings, you can relax and watch the Electrical Water Pageant float by. (And laying in a hammock while watching the Wishes fireworks show, listening to the piped in soundtrack is my own little slice of heaven!) On a side note, if you happen to be visiting during one of the hard ticketed parties at the Magic Kingdom like Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, or Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, I urge you to seek out the beach to watch the fireworks. Fireworks are not only shot from a location behind the castle, but from surrounding perimeter locations as well. While spectacular from Main Street, the perspective you get from watching at the beach at the Poly is AMAZING!

The Polynesian has two pools, a quiet pool and a feature pool. The quiet pool is your standard, garden variety, hole-in-the-ground type pool. You do not have to be quiet to enjoy the pool, but it tends to be quieter and less crowded than the feature pool. The feature pool is known as the Volcano Pool. The volcano itself houses a water slide. Part of the interior of the slide is lit so that it looks like molten lava. There are several lifeguards stationed at regular intervals around the perimeter of the pool, so it is as safe as can be for novice swimmers. Both pools are heated so they can be enjoyed year around. It was far to chilly for this girl to hit the pool, but there were several nights I walked by to see kids playing in the water with steam rising all around. The poor parents were bundled and wrapped in a blanket pool side, but the kids were happy.

There are several dining options at the Polynesian. Room service is an option at this hotel, which can be a nice choice for breakfast or at the end of a long day. My family did not put room service to the test, but judging from the frequency of empty trays left in the hallway, it seems like a popular option. The quick service location is Captain Cook's grill. We enjoyed a late dinner there one evening and a relaxed breakfast there on our departure day. I will write a full review at some point in the future, but right now, I will leave it at "The Tonga Toast is not to be missed!" The Kona Cafe is located on the 2nd floor of the Great Ceremonial House, near the monorail station. We did not get to experience Kona, but we will most certainly be putting it on our "to do " list. Also on the second floor is the famed 'Ohana. The entire family enjoyed the food, atmosphere, and entertainment. I will also be posting a review of this hard-to-book restaurant in the future. The only disappointment was that the children requested to eat there again during our stay, which was impossible, as it is such a popular spot. Finally, there is the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show. Located on the beach at Luau cove, this dining experince looks like a lot of fun.

There are also great little shops in the Grand Ceremonial House. Clever names abound including Samoa Snacks (say it out loud) and the Bou-tiki. I saw lots of wonderful things there and at Trader Jacks, but neither had what I went in looking for. First of all, nowhere at the Polynesian can you purchase milk in any size larger than a single serving container. Annoying. I also went in search of new underwear. Someone, who shall remain nameless forgot to pack her underwear. I am sure it had nothing to do with planning the entire vacation solo, struggling to keep the trip a surprise, and packing everything for everyone else all while staying under the 50lb weight limit for flying with a suitcase. Anyway I was unable to secure extra underwear for ~~myself~~ the poor lady who forgot hers. (It was not as bad as it sounds, I had tucked a pair into my carry on luggage along with a change of clothes. And thanks to static cling, I found another pair hitchhiking on one of my fleece shirts. The wear one, wash one, dry one each day was annoying, but I was glad I did not have to make alternate use of the hair dryer!)

As far as the decor of the resort goes, for me it was just ok. In general, I would say it has a very dark wood dated 1970's Hawaii feel. My husband described the Great Ceremonial house as almost "claustrophobic." Personally, I prefer the more modern "light and airy" tropical feel. However, in a weird sort of way, the "dated" feel kind of grew on me. I bet the people who had fond memories of the Polynesian as a child will instantly feel re-connected to the property. My husbands assessment made me laugh with its accuracy..."I feel like I am trapped in the Brady Bunch goes to Hawaii episode. Bobby, put down that tiki idol!"

You can read Part 2 of my review of the Polynesian here. In the mean time, I took a stab at trying to edit together a brief video of our stay. It is my first try at such an effort, so please be kind! Double click on the video to view entire screen.

While you are visiting out youtube channel feel free to check our Holiday Wishes video. It was spectacular! If you can hang in there past the first 45-55 seconds I recover from my tripod issues and everything is stable!

I would love to help you plan your next visit to the Polynesian or to any other resort! TMC Travel offers the same rates (and discounts) as if you booked through Disney directly, but with lots of extras. Please Email me if I can help!

This post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival. Head over there to see more great Disney-related posts and articles.

Back to life, back to reality... Not really, let's talk vacation planning!

2011-01-04T17:56:00.004-05:00

Now that the rush and madness of the holiday season is over, it is time to get down to some serious business...planning your next Disney Vacation!

We have had a post Christmas flurry of activity at TMC Travel - The Mouse Connection. Now that the New Year has been officially rung in, I guess everyone is ready to look forward to spring and summer vacation plans - or even a quick Florida get away to beat the winter doldrums!

I would love you help you plan your next vacation to Disney or even a Disney Cruise. (I must admit that I spent the weekend drooling over the new Disney Dream - whose maiden voyage sets sail this month!) We offer the same rates and prices that you find on Disney's own website. We also offer free gifts and lots of little extras to help make your trip even better. Best of all, our services are free! There is no fee (hidden or otherwise) for us to help you plan you next Disney vacation.

So where do you start? If you have a flexible schedule, I always say "Start with the discounts!" To that end, Disney has just announed even more great discounts, including a Kids Stay and Play Free Deal for many dates through October1st. Be sure to check them out, and give me a call or send me an email at ginger@tmctravelonline.com if I can help!

Walt Disney World Discounts

February 2011 - April 2011 – Late Winter Offer - Save up to 30% on resort hotel

Valid for select nights 2/17/11 - 4/16/11. Must book from 1/1/10- 2/13/11

Save up to 30% off the non-discounted price when booking a room at Walt Disney World for stays most nights 2/17/11 - 4/16/11.

Save 15% on Select Disney Value Resorts and Animal Kingdom Lodge
Save 20% on Select Disney Moderate Resorts and Polynesian Resort
Save 25% on Select Disney Deluxe Resorts
Save 30% on Select Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

Discounted rate is available most nights 2/17/11 - 4/16/11. All discounts are subject to availability, certain restrictions apply; including a minimum length of stay requirement for Friday or Saturday arrivals.The room inventory for this offer is limited. This offer excludes suites and 3-bedroom villas.

April 2011 - October 2011 – Winter/Spring Offer - Save up to 30% on resort hotel

Valid for select nights 4/28/11 - 10/1/11. Must book from 1/1/10- 3/27/2011

Save up to 40% off the non-discounted price when booking a room at Walt Disney World for stays select 4/28/11 – 10/1/11.

For stays most nights April 28 – June 14, 2011:

Save 15% on rooms at Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
Save 20% on rooms at select Disney Value Resorts (excluding Disney's All-Star Movies Resort)
Save 20%on rooms at Disney's Port Orleans Resort-French Quarter
Save 25% on rooms at select Disney Moderate Resorts (excluding Disney's Port Orleans Resort-French Quarter), Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge & Disney's Polynesian Resort
Save 30% on rooms at select Disney Deluxe Resorts (excluding Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge & Disney's Polynesian Resort)
Save 35% on rooms at select Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

For stays most nights Aug. 14 – Oct. 1, 2011:

Save 20% on rooms at Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
Save 25% on rooms at select Disney Value Resorts (excluding Disney's All-Star Movies Resort) & Disney's Port Orleans Resort-French Quarter
Save 30% on rooms at select Disney Moderate Resorts (excluding Disney's Port Orleans Resort-French Quarter), Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge & Disney's Polynesian Resort
Save 35% on rooms at select Disney Deluxe Resorts (excluding Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge & Disney's Polynesian Resort)
Save 40% on rooms at select Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

All discounts are subject to availability, certain restrictions apply; including a minimum length of stay requirement for Friday or Saturday arrivals. The room inventory for this offer is limited.

Kids Stay and Play Free

Purchase a 4-night, 4-day Magic Your Way Package that includes room and park tickets, kids age 3-9 stay free and get a free 4-day park ticket!

Valid for stays most nights 2/17/11-4/16/11. Must book by 2/13/11.
Valid for stays most nights 4/28/11-6/14/11. Must book by 3/27/11.
Valid for stays most nights 8/14/11-10/1/11. Must book by 3/27/11.

All discounts are subject to availability, certain restrictions apply; including a 3 night minimum length of stay requirement. Free ticket is for admission to one park per day, but may be upgraded to a Park Hopper for a fee. The room inventory for this offer is limited.

Military Room Only Discount - October 2010 - October 2011

Valid for most nights 10/1/10 - 10/1/11 for Guests presenting a valid military ID when checking in at select Walt Disney World resorts.

Select Disney Value Resorts: 30% off
Select Disney Moderate Resorts and Cabins: 35% off
Select Disney Deluxe Resorts: 40% off

Discounted rate is available most nights excluding 11/24-11/26/10, 12/26-12/31/10, and 4/17-4/20 All discounts are subject to availability, certain restrictions apply. The room inventory for this offer may be limited.

Merry Christmas from TMC Travel and The Mouse Connection!

2010-12-25T00:04:00.000-05:00

So it is Christmas day. If you celebrate Christmas and are reading this blog either your family has driven you crazy, or you really should think about entering a twelve step program for Disney addicts. Either way the ladies at TMC Travel - Teri, Tracey, Lori and myself would like to wish you (and the family that has possibly driven you crazy) a very Merry Christmas!

Thanks for reading my labor of love.

May all of the joy and blessings of the holiday season be yours now and into the new year.

Ginger

I'm ba-aack! Notes on the exhaustion and irritability factors.

2010-12-16T18:52:00.000-05:00

Well, actually I have been back for a few days now. I must finally face the facts. I am getting older. Disney World is exhausting.

We had a WONDERFUL time at Disney World, (in spite of the cold temperatures). We were at Disney for a full week and I even managed to wear out my 4 year old - you know the one...the little one with the boundless energy.

We started every morning with "Rope Drop" as our goal. About half the time, we missed it by a few minutes, but I was ok with that given the low crowds. Most days we took an afternoon break, but there were a few that we just "pushed" through". While it sounded like a good idea at the time, there was an irritability factor that was impossible to deny come sunset...and I am not talking about the children! We also "paid the price" the next day. I was so looking forward to really "digging into" Animal Kingdom this trip, but I was kind of too tired to really enjoy it. I must remember to follow my own advice - afternoon breaks are important, very important!

I managed to get the kiddos and the husband into bed at a reasonable hour most nights. I am an inveterate night owl and going to bed at 9 or 10 o'clock sounds like torture to me. I foolishly headed back out into the parks by myself. It was fun - a lot of fun....no strollers to wrangle, no agenda to follow, and no body's wish list to consider. Such freedom! Of course, the freedom came with a price - I did not get to bed until after 2 am most days and with a 6:45-7:15 am wake up call there was not much time for sleep. I would have been ok for a few days, but it was a grueling pace to keep for a week.

Every trip, it is not difficult to pick out the children that have been pushed to far and reached the "melt down" point. They are easiest to spot in the afternoons due to a missed nap, or after dinner as they are begging to be put to bed. This trip, however, I noticed more than a few couples had reached the breaking point. I witnessed marital spat after spat. It is quite possible that I may have even participated in one. Fortunately, the better rested spouse of mine was able to pull back and give me some perspective. I HATE bickering, and we were headed down that path. I am thankful for the even temper of the wonderful man I married, and the gentle reminder that I was about to turn us into one of "those couples". His advice is best here..."It's Disney World, and we can have a big argument about nothing because we are tired, or we can just get over it, be thankful that we are here. Let's fix this now and enjoy the rest of our day." Nicely said, husband.

And that is all from me for now. It has taken me several days of going to bed before 11:00 - something I have not done since Jr High - and even a few afternoon naps to muster the energy to even get this quick post done. I hope to return to a more regular schedule soon. Now, if only those Christmas Cards would address themselves!

Busy Times Ahead - Prepare for Park Closures due to Capacity

2010-12-09T21:53:00.000-05:00

Not a Disney Crowd,
but you get the idea!

If you are traveling to Walt Disney World during peak times, particularly over Christmas and Spring Breaks be prepared for the parks to close due to capacity.
Disney World closes in stages based on crowd conditions. On busy days, you can expect the parks, particularly Magic Kingdom to close in stages as follows:

Stage 1 - Parking lot closures. You can only access the parks if you use Disney Transportation.
Stage 2 - Ticket booths closures. No new tickets will be sold, but previously issued tickets can be used.
Stage 3 - Things start getting serious! Only Disney resort guests can enter the park or those guests with an Annual Pass.
Stage 4 - Really serious! The park is closed to new guests.

Turnstile counters are used to monitor traffic in the park, so Disney knows exactly how many people have entered each day. You can expect the staged closures to increase through the late morning and early afternoon. The park will also re-open in stages as crowd levels drop. It should be noted that each stage kicks in based on a specific head count, so once the park closes, the total head count has to fall below a certain number before it will re-open. Do not expect to be allowed in the moment you see a family the same size as yours exit.

So what does this mean to you?

BEWARE OF DINING RESERVATIONS! If a park is closed and you have a dining reservation you will not get in! No matter how much you beg...even if you have proof of your reservation. Having to come up with alternate meal plans is no fun - being charged a no show fee because you failed to show up for you lunch reservation at Cinderella's Royal Table is really not fun. If you have a dining reservations in a park that may close due to capacity, get there early and do not leave.
CONSIDER PARK HOPPING! If you leave a park for a mid day break and it closes in your absence, you will not be able to re-enter. If you only have a base ticket, then you are out of luck! If you have a park hopper you can atleast cruise over to another park.
GET THERE EARLY! You won't get kicked out if you are already inside, so get there early and stay put!
BE SMART! - The Magic Kingdom will likely close first, so if you are park hopping make that your first stop. Animal Kingdom is the least likely to close, so let that be your stand by or afternoon park.

I'm going to Disney World!

2010-12-03T23:47:00.001-05:00

I am off to Disney World in just a few hours! And the coolest part?...My kids STILL don't know! Our plan is to wake them up feed them breakfast and the spring the news. It is my Dad's birthday (Happy Birthday, Papa Bear!) and I am going to give the girls a little something as well...some personalized mouse ears for the trip they think they are taking in February!

Then the big news... One will open a present saying that we will be staying at the Polynesian and the other ( my new little reader) will get to open the note announcing that we are leaving today!

ETD for airport...30 minutes after we spring the news!

I am so excited for them (and for me!). I am looking forward to getting lots more tips and tricks to share as well as lots of dining reviews. So stay tuned!!!

Tips on Tipping at Disney World

2010-12-02T08:16:00.000-05:00

As we were going over our "pre-trip" checklist, my husband asked a great question... "How much cash to I need to have on hand, specifically for tips?" Instead of answering him like a normal human being, I ran off to my computer to blog all of the ins and outs of tipping at Disney World. (Don't worry, I will send him the link when I am done.)

Tipping is a very personal and touchy subject for a lot of people. What you choose to do is your decision, but if you are unsure of what is customary, read on! These are general guidelines, but you should let service be your guide. As former waitress who only got paid a wage of $2 per hour, I can testifiy that a dollar here or there can make a huge difference. Even though my darling husband never had to work for tips, he is still a generous tipper - and it is one of the many reasons that I love him! So be sure to budget for some hard working folks that make your trip great!

Luggage Handlers

Airport - If you check you bags with a skycap, you should tip at least $2 for the first bag and $1 for each additional bag.
Bell Services - It is not customary to tip bell services when you arrive at Disney World, as you luggage is frequently delivered in your absence. If you request Bell Services to collect your bags prior to your departure, the $2/$1 rule listed above applies. If you are an over-packer (and you know who you are!) and your bag feels as if it has been stuffed with rocks, be generous.

Transportation

Magic Express or Shuttle Service - A few dollars for an enjoyable ride is a nice thank you. If your driver helps stow and remove your luggage from under the bus, consider them luggage handlers and tip $2 for the first bag and $1 for each additional bag.
Taxi Service - You should tip atleast 15% for satisfactory service. Again, luggage handling rules apply if they help load your bags.
Town Car / Limo Service - 20% of total bill. If you purchased a round trip fare, divide the fare in half and tip 20% on each leg.
Valet Service - $1-2 per car, but I tend to be more generous if it is raining or if there is some running involved.
Disney Bus Drivers (Parks) - No tip necessary.

Lodging

Housekeeping (or "Mousekeeping")

For the general daily cleaning, consider leaving $2-5, more if you are a large family sharing a villa (and leaving a messy kitchen).
For special requests $1-2 per item, including forgotten items and turn down service.
Consider tipping your attendant daily, as your room may be serviced by different people during your stay. Also, make sure the tip is clearly marked, tucked inside the "Room cleaned by " card, or left under a pillow.

Concierge - $5-10 per visit

Dining

Table Service Restaurants - 15-20%. If you are a large party and gratuity has been added, feel free to leave something extra for superior service.
Buffet Restaurants - 10-15%
Counter Service Restaurants - No tip required.
Bartenders - $1-2 per drink
Room Service - 15% of total bill

The Fun Stuff

Spa Treatments - 15-20%
Main Street Barbershop - 15-20%
Bippity Boppity Boutique - Tipping is appreciated

Keep in Mind...

Some employees are not permitted to take tips. If you tip is politely declined, consider taking note of the Cast Member's name and writing a note to the manager praising their service. Hopefully, their "tip" will come in the form of a nice raise. In fact, I would recommend a nice note for great service whether or not a tip is accepted. The management staff does take the time to publicly acknowledge employees who recieve such notes. If you happen to see a manager near by, grab them and let them know, they will be happy to hear it!
You should tip on the pre-tax amount of your bill, prior to any gift certificates or vouchers being applied.
At restaurants, tip your server based on their performance. If the kitchen is slow, or your food is not good, do not take it out on your server. If your server is attentive, polite and keeps your drink glass filled on a hot day, take care of him/her regardless of the food quality or speed.
Plan ahead! The husband is in charge of keeping small bills on hand to take care of our tips. We also set aside envelopes for tips so we do not fumble around at the last minute. Tipping our Mousekeeper, Bell Services and our Magical Express Bus Driver is a given. I stuff and pre-label envelopes for each tip. I provide my children with lots of stickers and allow them to "decorate" the envelopes as they see fit. It is a perfect time waster on the plane!

I hope this helps answer some of the murky questions about tipping at Disney. Now if you will excuse me, I have an email to send to my husband!

Magical Express: One of the best Disney deals around!

2010-11-30T10:53:00.000-05:00

I live just far enough away from Disney World to make driving a chore. We like to save up our credit card points and cash them in for airline tickets as often as we can. For others like me, who like to arrive via the friendly skies, Disney has a great option for their resort guests - The Magical Express. Essentially, the Magical Express is a shuttle service from the main Orlando airport (MCO) to your resort hotel at Disney World.

So what makes the Magical Express magical? Well for starters, you do not need to go to baggage claim upon arrival. You simply deplane and follow the Magical Express signs. Once you are checked in you hop on a bus to your resort - and leave the baggage claim to Disney! They will collect your baggage for you and deliver it to your hotel a few hours later. Genius!

So what else makes the Magical Express magical? If baggage handling and delivery is not enough of a perk for you, how about the cost - it is FREE! There is no charge for Disney to collect you (and your luggage) from the airport and take you to your Disney resort. They will also take you (and your luggage) back to the airport at the end of your stay at no charge. In fact, for certain airlines, you can check in from your resort and have your boarding passes printed and ready to go!

When you pack your luggage at home, be sure to pack a small carry on bag of items that you will need upon arrival as well as any medication and other important stuff. If you are arriving from the frozen tundra and are hoping to start your Disney day poolside, be sure to stick a bathing suit and sunscreen in your bag! Also, if you are arriving later in the evening, you may want to make sure you have your toothbrush, sleep wear and fresh clothes available for the next morning...just in case.

A few other need to know items:

You must make a reservation for this service. I like to collect this from my clients at final payment time to make sure that there is plenty of time to get luggage tags ordered.
The time it takes to get from the airport to Disney can vary greatly based on the number of bodies being moved! You can expect to arrive at your resort anywhere from 75 minutes to 3 hours from the time your plane lands, with the average commute time being 2 hours. You can expedite the process by making sure your tags are properly attached to your bag and that you bring the voucher included in your booklet with you.
If you arrive after 10 pm or before 5 am, you will need to collect your own bags.
You luggage may not arrive to your room for 3 hours, so plan accordingly!
You will be notified of the time that the Magical Express will be returning to ~~drag you away~~ pick you up from your resort. The pick up time is usually about 3 hours prior to your departure, 4 hours for international flights.
If you are scheduled to depart prior to 8am, you will need to check in a the airport.
Sorry, but unless Fido and Fluffy are service animals, they cannot board the Magical Express.
Although it is rare, mistakes happen! Be sure to confirm you flight information and resort against your pre-printed baggage tags. If one of your bags does not arrive, contact bell services and let them know of the problem.
Planners beware! Don't make the mistake of over-scheduling your arrival day. Scheduling a coveted reservation or pre-purchasing tickets for an event is inviting trouble. Instead head straight to your favorite counter service spot, lounge by the pool, check out your resort, or knock of some of the less popular attractions on your to do list.
Finally, the Magical Express drivers are usually friendly and helpful. If you are pleased with their service or if they help you with your carry on bags it would be nice to acknowledge their efforts with a few dollars. At departure, it is also customary to tip bell services if they collect your bags from your room.
For anything else you wanted to know about Magical Express, check out this great post from Everything Walt Disney World

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the teaser video...you are almost home!

Characters: Let the Hunt Begin!

2010-11-24T08:31:00.000-05:00

I am counting down the final days to my next visit to the world (the kids STILL don't know!) and realized it is time to do a little character recon. Part of the fun of the trip is magically stumbling upon your favorite characters as you wander through the park. For some, the character hunt is a full time obsession! My crew falls under the minorly obsessed. I know that meeting Belle would be on my oldest daughter's must do list (if only she knew she was going) ;) Tiana and Minnie are must meets for my youngest princess.

There is a lot to know about meeting the characters. You may remember my previous posts on that topic, if you missed it or need a quick refresher here it is!
Meeting the Big Cheese: The Basics
Meeting the Big Cheese: Autographs

So now you know all about meeting the characters, the big question is where can you find your favorite friend? Believe it or not, character meet and greets change on a monthly basis. And while you tend to find certain characters in the same area (Let's face it, Buzz is not going to be hanging out by Big Thunder Mountain!), Disney does change things up a bit to keep it fresh.

There is a great Disney Blogger out there, who devotes her time to keeping up with this information. You can find her at Unofficial Disney Character Hunting Guide. There is a wonderful checklist of the characters for each park and where to find them. In addtion, you can check out the attire for the characters in each park in case you want to find them looking extra spiffy!

If you are planning on a attending a hard ticket event like the Halloween or Christmas Party be sure to scope out the "guest list" in advance. Mickey and Minnie...work on those smiles because I think you are going to be included on our Christmas card this year!

NEW DISNEY WORLD DISCOUNTS ANNOUNCED!

2010-11-22T21:39:00.000-05:00

Disney has just announced some nice room discounts to get you through the spring! Let TMC Travel - The Mouse Connection help you book your next magical vacation. Just follow the link or click on the banner ad above for more information. Remember, in addition to lots of great advice and helpful tip cards, TMC Travel offers a free gift with every 4 or more night stay!

January - April 2011 - Save up to 35%

Valid for select nights 2/6/11 - 4/16/11, must book by 12/31/10

Save up to 35% off the non-discounted price when booking a room at Walt Disney World for stays most nights 2/6/11 - 4/16/11.
Save 20% on Select Disney Value Resorts and Animal Kingdom Lodge
Save 25% on Select Disney Moderate Resorts and Polynesian Resort
Save 35% on Select Disney Deluxe Resorts and Select Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

Discounted rate is available most nights 2/6/11 - 4/16/11. All discounts are subject to availability, certain restrictions apply; including a minimum length of stay requirement for Friday or Saturday arrivals. The room inventory for this offer is limited. This offer excludes suites and 3-bedroom villas.

February - April 2011 - Save up to 30%

Valid for select nights 2/17/11 - 4/16/11. Must book from 1/1/10- 2/13/11

Save up to 30% off the non-discounted price when booking a room at Walt Disney World for stays most nights 2/17/11 - 4/16/11.
Save 15% on Select Disney Value Resorts and Animal Kingdom Lodge
Save 20% on Select Disney Moderate Resorts and Polynesian Resort
Save 25% on Select Disney Deluxe Resorts
Save 30% on Select Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

Discounted rate is available most nights 2/17/11 - 4/16/11. All discounts are subject to availability, certain restrictions apply; including a minimum length of stay requirement for Friday or Saturday arrivals. The room inventory for this offer is limited. This offer excludes suites and 3-bedroom villas.

Military Room Only Discount October 2010 - October 2011

Valid for most nights 10/1/10 - 10/1/11 for Guests presenting a valid military ID when checking in at select Walt Disney World resorts.

Select Disney Value Resorts 30% off
Select Disney Moderate Resorts and Cabins 35% off
Select Disney Deluxe Resorts 40% off

Don't Forget...there are still a few weeks remaining on the super popular Free Dining Offer!

October 2010 – September 2011
Free Dining Offer!
Valid for select nights 10/01/10 – 09/29/11, must book by 12/20/10

Book a Walt Disney World vacation package that includes a 4-night/5-day stay at a Walt Disney World resort and a 5-day Magic Your Way base ticket, and receive the dining plan for free.

Book a Disney Value Resort and get the Quick Service Dining free!
Book a Disney Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villas Resort and get the Regular Dining free!

Free dining available most nights 11/27 – 12/2/10, 12/10 – 12/21/10, 1/1 – 1/5/11, 1/9 – 1/13/11, 1/21 – 2/3/11, 2/11 – 2/17/11, 2/25 – 3/3/11, 5/27 – 6/2/11, 8/19 – 9/29/11. All discounts are subject to availability, certain restrictions apply. The room inventory for this offer is limited.

Please give me a call if I can help you take advantage of one of these great deals! Thus concludes the self promotion part of this blog...but hey, a girl's gotta support her Disney habit however she can, right? ;)

Know Before You Go....Closures, Rehabs, and Refurbs

2010-11-18T14:03:00.000-05:00

No matter what you call it, the result is the same. You favorite attraction may be out of commission for your trip. The only thing worse than finding out that you "must do" is undergoing a face lift before you leave home is finding out when head over to get in line. If you have young children and said attraction is "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" then you may have a pint sized mutiny on your hands.

I highly recommend that you take a few minutes before you leave to read up on exactly which attractions may be closed during your stay. And notice that I said "may". It is not unheard of for a refurbishment to take longer than expected, so be sure to check out what may be scheduled to re-open just prior to your visit. The good news is that you are more likely to luck out and find an attraction is open earlier than expected. Sometimes Disney has a "soft open" after a major refurbishment (or before a major launch) to iron out any wrinkles before an official opening day. These soft openings may be sporadic and only last for a few hours at the time, so if you see a favorite open unexpectedly, hop in line..don't double back later, as you may be out of luck.

While there are no absolute rules set in stone, there are some closures that you can predict...most of them water related. Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park typically closes for it's annual spiff up in November and re-opens in early January. As soon as Typhoon Lagoon re-opens, it is usually Blizzard Beach's turn. Splash Mountain is often off line in January as is Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom. And it is likely no surprise that most work done to resort pools is done during the winter months.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break are super busy times at Disney World. Disney seems to really try to have as much open as possible during these times. And while I am a total "value season" kinda girl, the downside is that you are more likely to find ride closures and buildings behind beautifully painted scrims. For our upcoming trip, I may have found the perfect balance...the little pocket of value season between Thanksgiving and Christmas...a low crowd time nestled in between major holidays. Too much going on around the parks and too little time to bring too much offline!

So now you know...before you go, be sure to check for closure, rehabs and refurbs. I really like to head over to Stitch Kingdom for the latest. They also have a great feature that will email you if a closure is announced that may affect your trip. For warned is for armed!

Netflix Fun - The Mickey Mouse Club

2010-11-16T09:14:00.000-05:00

Recently, I spent some time on Netflix building up my queue for the kiddos. As I was looking for some Disney fare, I came across the Mickey Mouse Club. They of course had the "Justin, Britney and Christina" series, but I was most drawn to the "old school" club from the 50's. As a child of the 80's (or 70's if you are foolish enough to believe my driver's license) I remember tuning in to watch these old black and white gems. I remember I would frequently crawl up into my Dad's lap and watch. During the commercials he would tell stories about watching the Mickey Mouse Club when he was a child. Apparently, the show made quite an impression, because even though my Dad has never been to Disney World, he has sported a Mickey Mouse watch off an on for as long as I can remember.

I was really excited to see the red Netflix envelope appear in my mailbox, because it had been YEARS since I had last seen the show. As soon as the girls got home from school, I grabbed us a snack and popped it in. In spite of the lack of color, the low production value, and the old fashioned feel of the show, my kids were enchanted. I guess some things really are timeless!

And what is it with the theme song? When I hear the first few bars on the bus to the Magic Kingdom, I always get excited. All it takes is hearing the song once, and it will stay in your had for days...and not in a bad way like an 80's pop song. My girls also sing it all the time. One will spontaneously shout Mickey Mouse! and the other will reply with Donald Duck! It makes me smile every time.

The DVD is a collection of five half hour episodes. The episodes are spread over several years, but there is an episode for everyday of the week. Personally, I think the title is a bit of a misnomer - I would not say it is "The Best of" - but it is still a lot of fun to watch.

So head over to Netflix and add The Best of the Mickey Mouse Club to your Netflix queue. If you would like to add it to your Christmas shopping list, you can find it for less than $12 at Amazon. In the mean time, enjoy the theme song:

Hope you enjoyed a Mickey Mouse blast from the past, but now it time to say goodbye to all our company. M-I-C See you real soon! K-E-Y Why? Because we like you! M--O--U--S----E. (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

A Dozen Great Uses for a Ziplock Bag at Disney World

2010-11-11T08:57:00.000-05:00

As I was reviewing some recent posts, I noticed something odd....I seem to have a growing addiction to Ziploc bags. If you look in my pantry, I have them in all sizes. No joke - I love me some Ziploc!

I was going to do a top ten list in honor of David Letterman, but I could not stop at 10. So...here are a dozen great uses for a Ziploc bag at Disney World:

Autographs - Keep you pen and book together and dry. As soon as you get in line, grab your autograph bag and you are all set!
Daily Plans - Soggy touring plans, tip cards, and dining confirmation numbers do you no good!
Bringing in Snacks - It is more economical to keep a big of pretzels or other snack and put them into snack size bags to bring into the parks. (Diet tip - I do this at home to help me keep my portion sizes reasonable!)
Dividing Up Snacks - Bought a box of popcorn on Main Street? Avoid arguments and grubby little kid hands in the box by using the extra baggies that you were smart enough to store in your park bag to break the big box into individual servings.
Avoid Dripping Toiletries - At some point in your life you have probably had shampoo, sunscreen, or something even worse ooze out of its container during travel. If you put everything in a bag first, then any mess as a result of spillage will be minimized. Of course, if you are flying remember that all gels and liquids must be of appropriate size and sent through security in a 1 quart Ziploc bag.
A Mini Diaper Bag - I used to fill a gallon size bag with a few diapers, a change pad, and some travel wipes. Everything stayed dry and together. If a change was necessary, I could pull out only the essentials and head off in search of a changing table.
Packing Kid Clothes - You may remember this from a post awhile back. I pack one one Ziploc bag of clothes per child per day. I grab a bag, toss it to the appropriate child, and they have clean undies, socks, outfit and accessories ready to put on all by themselves.
Wet Poncho Storage - I want my poncho off asap. I loosely fold it (ok...wad it up) and put it in a Ziploc as soon as it stops raining. When I get back to the hotel, I pull it back out, make sure it fully air dries and then properly refold it.
Electronics Storage - Surprise rain storm or scheduled water ride? Tuck your cameras and cell phone safely in a bag to make sure they stay dry.
Bathing Suit Storage - If you spend the day at a water park, you can store your suit in a bag for the ride home. This is also a good idea if you go for one last swim at your hotel on departure day.
Mug Storage - Did you enjoy your morning coffee in your Refillable Resort Mug? If so, bring an extra bag for it. When you are done drop it in the bag, seal it up, and toss it in your park bag. That last drop of coffee will stay in the bag instead of all over your stuff!
Remote Control Germ Control - I once saw one of those germaphobe Dateline shows where they discovered that the remote control was the dirtiest thing in a hotel room....constantly handled by unwashed hands and never cleaned by housekeeping. The expert interviewed said the first thing they do in a hotel is Ziploc the remote control. It still works, and the you avoid contact with everyone who has used it before you. I am not sure that even I will go that far, but after watching that show, I do always at least give the phone, remote, and bathroom door handles a quick wipe with a Clorox wipe!

So with one simple box of plastic, you can stay organized, keep things dry, contain wet things, manage snack time, and control germs. These little see through gems will also help save you time as you go through security in the parks. If a security guard can check your bag with a quick glance instead of opening every little pocket of opaque bag, then you will be that much closer to getting that first fast pass of the day!

Anyone else love the bag? Share your favorite use in our comments section!

Going to Disney: How to Tell the Kids

2010-11-09T13:40:00.000-05:00

If you have caught even one Disney commercial in the past month since the "Let the Memories Begin" campaign started you have without a doubt watched a cute kid react to the news: "You are going to Disney!" Some react with disbelief and with others scream so loudly, you can only hope the poor parents had ear plugs handy to prevent permanent hearing damage.

Whether you tell them a year, a month, or an hour in advance...it is so much fun to make the announcement. Here are some of the fun ways to break the news:

A Gift for Special Occasion - Make the news part of a birthday or holiday gift, or to celebrate something special. You can just announce it, or wrap in up in a nice box or card
Slide it into a Normal Conversation - As you are discussing day to day things, try sliding that news in with a mundane list of things to do. You can actually watch their little wheels turn as they try to process such big news in an insignificant conversation.
Drop the Bomb - Be loud, be proud! Of course, this is more fun if you are waking them up in the morning! A friend of mine picked her child up from school early and had the elementary school principal page the child to the office "...please come to the office. You mom is here to take you to Disney World."
Make it a Game - If you are one of those creative types, think of a puzzle or game that they will need to work out. The classics are all good - Word Searches, Scrambles, Cross Words - make them "earn" their trip!
Scavenger Hunt - Again, this is for the creative among us...leave clues around the house that lead to the Disney Treasure.
Don't Tell Them - Just wait...they will eventually figure it out!

We are Disney World bound in just a few weeks. I am in the final countdown and planning phase...and my little princesses still don't know. I have sufficiently thrown them off the trail. At this point they are convinced that their trip is still months away. In fact, this weekend, the seven year old asked me to wrap up the name of our hotel and give it to her for Christmas! Instead, I will be wrapping up their personalized, pre-ordered Mickey Ears with a note for each of them to be opened the day we leave. It will also be my Dad's birthday and I will tell them I got them a little something as well. Big Sister will get her ears first with the news that we will be staying at the Polynesian (her first choice). The 4 year old, who is most proud of her early reading skills will get the note that says "We are going to Disney today!" I am DYING to watch their reaction. My money is on tears of joy from Big Sister and squeals of delight from the tidbit.

No matter how you tell them, be sure to have the video camera rolling. Who knows, your little darling may end up on a Disney commercial or on the side of Cinderella Castle!

Let the Memories Begin!!!!

Going To Disney: When to tell the kids

2010-11-05T12:32:00.000-04:00

A trip to Disney World is a major trip in the life of any child lucky enough to go. As a parent, one of the fun things is deciding when to tell your kids about the trip. There are a few schools of thought on the topic...

Right Away
Many parents prefer the "right away" method. Some families prepare a year or more in advance. It is fun to let you kids know way ahead of time so that they can have input into the planning process. They can interview friends, vote on the resort, check out menus, read up on the attractions, and start the countdown. While all of that can be fun - especially for an older child - the wait can seem positively endless! And if you think "how much longer" can drive you crazy in the car, try counting down for months!

Getting Close
Lots of parents prefer the "getting close" method. Mom and Dad can get the resort and dining booked and then wait until a holiday or special occasion to spill the beans. Sometimes letting the kids know a month or even a week in advance is perfect. That gives the kids enough time to get excited and make some plans without having too much time to drive the rest of the famliy crazy. If you are taking your child out of school for a few days, it also helps if they can get a head start on the work they will miss.

The Surprise
A few parents manage to pull off the "surprise". I know kids who thought they were off to visit Grandma up until the minute they rolled under the official Disney World welcome sign! The look of shock and delight is most definately picture worthy and the surprise is always great fun. Of course that does have a bit of a trade off, as the planning,counting down, and anticipation are all part of the fun.

The Hybrid
My family goes the "hybrid" route. Our kids know we are going, but they just don't know when. For our family this works out perfectly. We are able to openly discuss out trip and make plans for resort, dining, and parks. We avoid the calendar obsessing that my girls are famous for. I often joke that in our house we operate on a "Need to know basis, and my children don't need to know!"

For our last trip, we woke the children up and told them to get dressed because we were hopping on a plane and would be at Disney by lunch time. My daughter was still having trouble with her "R's" and kept asking, "Aww you seaweous?" After assuring her that, in fact, we were serious, her little face just lit up. One of my favorite memories. Ever. In fact the girls, enjoyed the hybrid approach so much they told me that they want to do it again. They asked for us to surprise them on the actual day of the trip.

My oldest is a pretty smart cookie and likes to think that she doesn't miss a trick, so I have been playing into her cute little hands. Our trip is in December, but at least once a week I will "slip" and say something about "When we go to Disney in Feb---I mean whenever we go to Disney..." Now she is convinced that she is one step ahead of me because I have accidentally let it slip that our trip is in February! Mwaaa-haaaa-haaa! (or insert your other favorite evil laugh here.)

What works for your family? Have you tried multiple approaches? Let me know in the comments section!

Diary of a Park Bag

2010-11-03T13:22:00.000-04:00

If you have ever been on a Disney fan board, you have inevitably read at least one thread about park bags. What style, size and brand to bring are endless discussed. You can also find post after post about what people put in their park bags.

Since I am about 30 days away from our next trip to Disney World, I have already pulled out my park bag and reviewed its contents. While everything was all spread out I decided to arrange it neatly and snap a photo to share with you guys. Of course, I did all of this when my darling husband was not home, lest he decide to have me committed.

First of all, let me explain the strategy that works for our family... My kids are young enough that we still make use of a stroller. We really use it more as a pack mule that as a stroller. My kids could probably do the parks on foot, but whining really annoys this mama! As a result, I like to make judicious use of a stroller when I know a lot of walking will be involved, or on particularly long days. Because of the pack mule option, we pack 2 bags and perhaps a small cooler. One bag contains "the valuables" and is kept with us at all times. The husband and I take turns carrying it. In it you will find both of cameras (video and still), a cell phone, and anything else that would ruin our vacation if we lost. The other bag contains the "extras" that make our life easier in the park. Nothing in that bag is "mission critical", so I am ok with assuming the risk of leaving it in the stroller. Are you shocked? Well, don't be. people leave things in strollers all the time! Most people never have any problems leaving their things behind. That being said...DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING VALUABLE IN A STROLLER. If it will ruin your vacation, or even your day, keep it with you! My general criteria: If it will take more than 10 minutes and $3 to replace any item then don't leave it behind!

As for what kind of bags to use...I bring a plain old standard issue backpack. I think I got it at Walmart for $10. It is not a fancy hikers day pack, it does not contain a camel back, it is just a simple backpack. My husband - the primary valuables carrier uses his old college back pack. Surprisingly, it has not yet dry rotted.

Drum roll please....here is a list of what I actually carry in my bag:

Rain Gear - Heavy Duty Ponchos, Ziplok bags to store them in when we are done, and a chammy cloth (nice for wiping down a stroller or wet bench!)
"The Drug Store" - Ibuprofen, Dramamine, Tums, Lip Balm, Contact Lens drops, tissues, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, a stain remover pen and ear plugs for my princesses who are not fans of loud noises.

The First Aid Kit - I bought a little pre-fab kit and supplemented with some extras. I have band aids of all sizes, a new Neosporin Spray that is the size and shape of a credit card, tweezers, nail clippers, safety pins, moleskin for blisters, alcohol wipes, insect repellent, and insect bite relief. Probably overkill, but it all fit in the little white box, so I don't care!
Kid Stuff - Glow Sticks, colored blinking "flashlights", perhaps a snack or something to keep them occupied if the lines are long.
Miscellaneous - Disposable Ponchos for water rides (we toss them or pass them along when we are done), extra zip top bags, Autograph books, and some spare change for penny press machines and fountains.
"Back in the Day" items included an extra diaper or two, some wipes, and perhaps a change of clothes...Loved having toddlers, but I don't really miss the extra stuff that comes along with them!
And of course...I always have my daily itinerary, dining information, and the World at a Glance Card, Disney Fun Fact Cards, and tip cards provided exclusively by TMC Travel. (Yes, that is a shameless plug!)

So, there you have it...all of the stuff that I schlep around with me! If you do not have a stroller pack mule, I would suggest a locker or streamlining a bit. How about you? What essential did I not mention that you must have?

Got kids? Get Glow Sticks!

2010-10-28T10:16:00.000-04:00

A great money saving tip when you are headed off to Disney World is to stock up on glow sticks!

Glow sticks are great for evenings in the parks. I always tuck several into my park bag each day before we take off. As we are waiting for the evening parade or fireworks shows I pull them out as a nice distraction. I am not sure what it is about those little plastic tubes that enchants my children, but I am happy to take advantage of it!

The glow sticks are super easy to use, just bend the plastic until you hear a snap and give it a shake. The gel inside gives off a nice glow that lasts several hours.

Besides being fun, the glow sticks provide many useful purposes!

Have your child sport a glow stick necklace or bracelet through the evening, which helps you keep an eye on them in the dark.
Attach one to your stroller to help in stand out in the herd.
Attach one to your spouse or their park bag. It make it easy to follow the leader during the post fireworks / parade surge.
It may save you money. A few glow items from home keep my kids occupied and less likely to beg for the light up toys all around.
Depending on how long your glow stick lasts, you may even have a nice little night light when you get back to your hotel.

There are several cool glow products out there, so check out your local dollar store or party store. Unlike the old fashioned 4 inch tube glow stick that I used to BEG for at Halloween as a child, there are so many different items out there. While of course you can find the old fashioned tube, there are now bracelets and necklaces with connectors to help you make your own design. There are also some cool masks and balls. My little princesses are most excited by the glow stick fairy wands topped with stars and butterflies!

And while you are stocking up for your trip, buy a few extra if it is in the budget. We like to share with whatever kids are sitting around us. (We always ask Mom and Dad first!) It isgreat fun to watch a child's face light up when given an unexpected and inexpensive treat!

Food Allergies, Disney World, and You

2010-10-19T07:37:00.001-04:00

It seems like more and more families I know are dealing with food allergies these days. I am not talking about the old fashion "belly aches" that my brother got if he ate something with oats in it, but serious, potentially fatal food allergies. Families dealing with food allergies live in a constant state of high alert....every label must be read, every snack checked, and every meal carefully prepared to avoid cross contamination with a potential allergen.

If you are a family dealing with food allergies from mild to severe, I have GREAT news for you! Disney cares! A LOT!!

As a travel agent, I have worked with many families dealing with food allergies, so I thought a first hand call was in order so I could let my clients know what to expect. I am happy to report that I got some great information!

First Steps
First of all, if you are headed to Disney and have food allergies, your first call (after me of course! ;)) should be to the Disney dietary request hotline at 407.824.5967. When I called I was instructed to leave a message and someone would contact me within 2-3 business days. To my surprise, my call was returned within an hour or two.

I spoke with a fantastic and knowledgeable cast member who patiently answered every question I could think of. She told me that she was giving me generalized information, as I was not calling with a specific allergy. If you call with a specific allergy or allergies, you get specific information...go figure!

There is no guarantee that your allergy can be accommodated, but you can be sure Disney is used to dealing with the major offenders (gluten or wheat, shellfish, soy, lactose or milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish or eggs). Every effort will be made to make sure your visit is a safe one. Disney also clearly points out (as families dealing with food allergies know) "it is ultimately always up the Guest to use his or her individual discretion to make an informed choice regarding whether to order any particular items, since the Walt Disney Company cannot guarantee that allergens may not have been introduced during another stage of the food chain process—or even inadvertently—by us."

It is all about the details!
After you make contact with the Special Dietary Requests office, they will complete a form detailing the type and severity of your allergies. A copy will be send to your resort hotel, as well as all of the restaurants where you are planning to eat. (This is where planning ahead with your ADR's really pays off!) This form will be sent directly to the chef ahead of time to make sure that he is aware of your allergies and his kitchen is stocked appropriately.

At this time, the Special Dietary Request office will give you some great "need to know" information. For example, if you have a serious shrimp allergy, dining at Columbia Harbor house would be a serious risk for you. They can also make recommendations of various Counter Service locations through out the park that can most easily accommodate you. For the record, every restaurant will try to accommodate you, but if you are "winging" things or just prefer the path of least resistance, knowing where you can be easily accommodated is certainly handy.

When you make your reservations, you should also note your allergies on the standard form provided. This information goes to the hostesses and waitstaff to make sure they are properly alerted. This does seem a bit redundant, but it is worth doing to make sure everything is a safe as it can be.

When you Arrive
Table Service Restaurants - When you give your name to the hostess, he or she will likely immediately acknowledge your allergies. If not, be sure to mention it! The hostess will alert your sever and the chef. Expect the chef to come to your table to discuss your allergies and any accommodations that need to be made. The chef will advise you as to what is safe to eat from the menu, or will offer to prepare you something to your liking. How cool is that?
Buffet Restaurants - Expect all of the same as you would from a menu service restaurant, but with a twist. If you have a less severe allergy, the chef will walk down the buffet with you and let you know what is safe to eat. If you have severe allergies, the risk of cross contamination is too high on a buffet, so the chef will as what you would like and he or she will specially prepare it for you. Again, how cool is that?
Counter/Quick Service Restaurants - Alert the cashier of your allergies and a chef will be sent out to speak with you. The chef will let you know what is safe for you and will see that it is safely prepared. Again, all locations will accommodate you, but you may find it easiest to stick to the restaurants that can accommodate most allergies.

It's my party!
Planning a celebration? Need a cake? Not a problem! Call the cake hotline at least a week in advance, preferably longer, and let them know your needs. You will have a safe cake waiting to celebrate your special day!

Plan ahead
Please plan on contacting the Special Dietary Request a minimum of two weeks in advance. Some meals (such as vegan meals, low protein meals, and kosher meals) are prepared at an off site location and shipped in. Adequate notice is requires to make sure your meals are where they need to be. Also, restaurants and resorts will actually stock their kitchens based on your needs. Soy milk can be easily found around the property, but Disney will happily stock Lactaid for you if you need it. All you have to do is let them know. (I know! How cool is that?!)

As I concluded my conversation with the great lady at Special Dietary Requests, I asked what else I needed to know. She repeated that every guest is given specific information based on their specific needs...so I have the feeling that I only scratched the surface. She also indicated that Disney regularly reviews and changes their policies to better serve their guests, so even if you are a Disney pro, you need to check in each visit to make sure your needs are considered.

She also referred me to the official Disney web page on the topic. Click here for more information.

So...happy (safe!) eating!

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This post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival. Head over there to see more great Disney-related posts and articles.

RSS Feeds, The Orange Wave Icon, and You.

2010-10-14T07:56:00.000-04:00

This is not so much a Disney post as it is a PSA. If you spend any time on the web, you have probably noticed the ubiquitous orange wave icon on every website that you visit. If you have paid any attention to it at all, you know that that little orange thingy stands for RSS Feed. For most people, that is where their knowledge ends. But it is only since I have started blogging that I have learned how cool the RSS Feed really is!

What exactly is an RSS Feed?
RSS stands for many versions of the same thing, but the easiest acronym is "Real Simple Syndication". Which means it is really a very easy way for you to create a customized "news" site for what every you wish to be informed about! If you are an information junkie, follow lots of blogs, or just like to keep things clean and organized then it is time for you to harness the power of an RSS feed.

So how does it work?
Basically myself and other bloggers submit our articles in a simple text file format to a special feed server, who in turn pushes it out to whoever subscribes to our site. The information is instantly available to you...whenever you want it. It is not going to clog up your email, or endlessly harass you. If you want to get your favorite newsy updates on what ever you enjoy, you simply go to your Feed Reader and ...Viola!

Why should I subscribe?
It is really cool. Don't take my word for it...give it a go! It takes only a few minutes to set up and saves a ton of time later on.

Fast Info - Posts from you favorite bloggers and news sources update your feed automatically as soon as the post is made.
Customizable - You choose exactly what you want to see. As my husband would say "All killer, no filler!"
No Checking and Re-checking For Updates -If it is not in your feed, it is just not there.
No Oversights - I run down my favorite list of sites every morning, but occasionally I forget to hit a site. Not with a Feed Reeder!
No Bookmarks - With the growing list of users on the family computer, our bookmarks are getting out of control. My Feed Reader eliminates the need entirely.
No Buried or Lost Posts - My feed reader shows all unread posts for the blogs I follow. So if I get a little slack, it will be waiting for me when I return.
Easy to Prioritize and Organize - You can organize your feeds into nice little categories of your own choosing. I have my "Must Reads", "Disney Favorites" (which is quite small because they are usually in my must reads!) "News", "Family Blogs", and "Other".

How to I read a feed?
The first step is to select a feed reader. This is a webpage that you will go to to read your feed. I already have a Google account, so I just decided to go with the Google Reader. You can Google "Google Reader" for more information on getting it set up. There are plenty of feed readers out there, so do some looking and find one that works for you.

How do I subscribe?
If any blogs you follow have a Google Follow button or that Orange Wave icon, you simply click it. Follow the screen prompts to make sure you get subscribed properly. When you open your Feed Reader you can categorize your feeds in any way you choose.

Anything else?
Yup! If you have a smart phone, look for a feed reader so you can stay in touch on the go. I love to check for overnight updates before I crawl out of bed in the morning. One button on my phone launches my reader and I am plugged in to my favorite content. Warning - Use of a feed reader in this manner may make you late for work, school, or what ever else you should be doing!

Sailing the WONDERful Seas with Disney! - Part II

2010-10-12T08:27:00.000-04:00

I hope you enjoying reading about Lori Potter's cruise experience on the Disney Wonder as much as I am. I think I must get a trip on the books for next year! In case you need to catch up, you can read Part I of Lori's cruise experience here.

Kids Clubs
One thing that we really loved about doing a Disney cruise was the option to have the kids go the kids only area. They have it broken down into 4 areas: Teens, Out & About (especially for 10 - 13 year olds), Oceaneer Club/Lab and the Flounders Reef Nursery. My girls were all eligible for the Oceaneer Club/Lab. I think at one time the club was for ages 3 - 7 and the Lab for 7 - 12 but now either area is for all ages, 3 & potty trained and up. The Club is full of toys, games, a giant pirate ship, Disney movies, places for art and some computers. The Lab has games, tons of computers, a "kitchen" for cooking school and places for art and crafts. They have around 50 cast members that work in the kids club. When you check your children in they are scanned in with the wristband, given a squirt of Mickey soap and directed to the bathroom to wash their hands. They have scheduled activities in the areas as well as free play and the scheduled activities cover a variety of themes. My 7 year old loved the lab. She wanted to spend a lot of time there..in fact the last night we told her no, she had to come to dinner with the family! My younger girls liked it but they didn't beg to go there like the older one. The staff was very good about paging us if any of the kids wanted to leave. The staff was always extremely friendly and kind and the security system was great. Also, the last afternoon the kids put on a really cute show! My toddler was eligible for the Flounders Reef Nursery. It is for kids under 3 and is an additional charge of $6/hr, which, in my opinion, is a bargain! You can pre-book your time in the nursery (up to 10 hours on a 4 night) which I did. What I didn't count on was my toddler having extreme separation anxiety and hating the nursery! We usually don't have any issues with him but he was not at all happy about that nursery. The nursery seemed very nice, Disney shows playing and lots of Disney toys. They had an area in the back with cribs. It was sort of small but the cast members in there were extremely friendly and loving. And it always seemed to be the same people in there. They were very good about giving us updates on how my son was doing and when he clearly was too upset to stay in there they called us to get him which I really appreciated.

Ports
Our ports were Nassau and Disney's Castaway Cay. We didn't do much in Nassau - with our child to adult ratio and factoring in their ages we didn't think the money was worth it. We ended up walking around some but it got hot and the kids got whiney so we spent much of the day on the ship which was great. Castaway Cay is Disney's own island and we were completely blown away by it. We all loved, loved it and it topped everyone's list as one of our favorite things of the cruise. They have a separate beach areas for families, adults and teens. They also have lounge chairs for everyone as well as strollers and wagons available for use. There is a splash pad, a water playground and plenty of sports activities to keep everyone busy! There are two restaurants that bring a bbq to the beach for lunch! There also have a few bars and food is plentiful on the island. There are also a couple merchandise shops (it is Disney after all). They also bring the kids club to the beach, a separate area from the water, so the kids can play with their new friends while you lounge on the beach. The weather was beautiful the day we were there and again it was fabulous!

Time of Year to Sail
I can't say that I would necessarily recommend September, the peak of hurricane season as the best time to sail. The weather was great for us but, the seas were very, very rocky the first night due to a hurricane far off to the east. One of my children (along with many, many others) got seasick the first night. After that it was much better but in general, the ocean was rougher (or so we heard) then usual. The best thing about September is that the rates are low since it is hurricane season but if you get seasick you may consider another time of year!

Dress
I had read that dress for dinner is "cruise casual" and one night is an optional dress up evening. Cruise casual means no shorts or bathing suits. I packed pants for my husband and son and dresses/skirts. for the girls and I. What we found was a little bit of everything. There were certainly more people dressed up than others and plenty of people in shorts. I liked dressing up for dinner, my family..not so much but we did it anyway!

Characters
There are many, many opportunities to see Disney friends on the cruise! Each day in the Navigator they print the character appearances and there are many every day. We also happened upon a couple characters running through the lobby or hanging out on deck! Even if the appearance is supposed to be only 15 minutes they are very flexible about it and seem to do their best to give everyone waiting a photo opp! On the last night of the cruise the characters put on a very special program "Til We Meet Again" giving everyone one last opportunity to hug a character you may have missed. That was another highlight!

Debarkation Day
Sadly debarkation starts very, very early on the final morning. You set your luggage out the night before and you are given a time to go to breakfast based on your dining rotation (the late dinner seating gets a later breakfast time) Breakfast is with your servers so it's a nice chance to say goodbye to them and the other friends you made during dining. Did I mention it's early? Technically you are supposed to take all your things with your to breakfast but I hadn't planned that very well and had too much stuff so we left that in the room during breakfast and walked back down to get it before departing. Upon debarking you find your luggage (it's tagged with a color/character) and go through customs. We found the process to be very quick and easy. Sadly we were at our car by 8:30am. I just wished we could have stayed on board longer!

We definitely hope to another Disney cruise. They are unveiling a two new ships, the Dream and the Fantasy, in 2011. Both ships will be far bigger than the Wonder and Magic and with many new features - have you seen the pictures of the Aquaduck...the water coaster?? It looks amazing!! Can't wait to go again..in fact, my husband and I want to take a Disney cruise without the kids next year...shhh...don't tell them!

Thanks again to my ~~old~~ long time friend Lori Potter for her insights on the cruise experience. (We have been friends since middle school, which makes us long time friends - we are not, I repeat, NOT old!)

Sailing the WONDERful Seas with Disney! - Part I

2010-10-08T10:46:00.000-04:00

For the first time on The Mouse Connection, we are welcoming a guest blogger, Lori Potter. Lori and her family just went on their first Disney Cruise and she kindly agreed to share her thoughts on her trip with us. She is a mom to four kids, so she got to experience the ship through many different eyes. I hope this helps you get a feel for the cruise experience, but Lori did warn that she doesn't want you to know every single thing that will happen. In her words, "Some of it needs to be magical!"

When my family bought into the DVC we were "given" a Disney cruise as an incentive, a 5 day/4 night on the Wonder. We were thrilled to say the least as we'd done a cruise for our honeymoon and always wanted to do another one, add a Disney twist and it seemed like a perfect combination. The list of available dates was somewhat limited but we settled on a week in September since my older two kids were due to be out of school. We have a large family, 2 adults, 4 kids (ages 7 - 2) so we had to book 2 rooms (one drawback, in my opinion, is that they literally don't have space for a family of 6). We used our DVC points to book our 2nd room - and we were set! The anticipation of the trip was exciting and I literally spent hours and hours reading forums and blogs to make the most of our trip. All in all we had a WONDERful time. Probably one of our best vacations ever. I can't say enough good things about Disney Cruise Lines. It's clear that service is the top priority. I also loved the family feel. There is no gambling on the Wonder (with the exception of Bingo) and though there were many adults traveling without children a majority had kids. I loved that you could have a nice dinner in the dining room and not feel bad if your kids got loud or got up from their seat. I loved that they had activities for every age group and how organized the entire staff was. And though the boat was full it only seemed really crowded at the Pirates In the Caribbean party. But of course every passenger wants to see fireworks! Here are a few tips/things we learned about sailing with Disney.

Embarkation Day
My advice is to get to the port early. They officially open at 10am and that's when we got there. You leave your luggage (they send you luggage tags preprinted with your room number) with a porter and get in line to go into the terminal. You will need to keep a day bag with you with things like sunscreen and bathing suits as your luggage may not arrive in your rooms until late afternoon. We walked right into the terminal and got immediately checked in. You are assigned a boarding number (we got group 2) and the lower your number the earlier you will get to board - of course Disney does it all very organized! You can then check the kids into the kids club - they get wristbands and parents get a pager. That just saves you time once you get on the ship. The wait time goes very quickly - some special friends come out to greet passengers and that certainly helped the time go by! Official boarding time is 1pm but as soon as they get the ship turned over they will begin boarding however, you don't have access to your room until 1:30. Once you get boarded you are directed to one of the restaurants for a fabulous buffet lunch! We were lucky enough to see some special friends at lunch too! The mandatory muster drill is at 4pm and the stateroom hosts do an awesome job of ensuring you have the right life jackets for the people in your room. The muster drill is painless and pretty quick and immediately after you should help up to Deck 9 for the Sail Away Party.

Staterooms
We opted for Deluxe Oceanview Staterooms on Deck 2. Deluxe means you have a split bath - meaning there is a tub and sink in one room and a toilet and sink in another. I thought the room was nice. I remembered from our previous cruise (not Disney) how tiny the rooms are but it was not bad at all. We had a queen size bed and the sofa turned into a single bed. We also had a bunk bed recessed into the ceiling which the stateroom host set up for us each evening at turndown. He even added a special touch putting princess sheets on the beds! My girls loved it! The closet was large enough to store our luggage and really space was not at all an issue. The stateroom service was fabulous and towel animals adorned our beds each night at turndown as did some yummy chocolate!

Dining
I thought the food was great. Always plenty of choices on the menu. And there was a special kids menu/activity sheet each evening. For breakfast and lunch there was always a couple buffets and an ala carte option. For dinner you are assigned an time (main or late) and you are on a dining rotation as there are 3 dining rooms. One night is Pirate Night and there is a special menu which is the same in all the restaurants, that evening. You are also assigned a table number which remains the same and servers who follow you to the different dining rooms. Our family being somewhat large had a table all to ourselves but we did dine around the same families each night so we did get to meet some great folks. They do have pizza open late and on Pirate Night there is a late buffet. Room service is available 24 hours a day and they do have a beverage station where you can get sodas, milk and water all the time. The Wonder has an adult only restaurant, Palo that is available for brunch and dinner for an additional charge. I hear it's fabulous but we did not do it this time. Maybe next time! One interesting note about dining is that there is a cast member stationed outside each and every restaurant handing out sanitizing wipes before you enter any dining room. They are all about the hand washing!

Activities & Entertainment
Each day the cruise staff prints a Navigator which is your guide to all that is going on for the day. The guide is full of great information - about shopping, the evening entertainment, dining options and a full schedule of the daily activities. The activities are broken down by theme - Special, Characters, Entertainment, Family, Adult, Kids. They have activities from 9am until 2am (or something like that!). There is literally something for everyone! The evening entertainment was great - we saw 3 Broadway style shows and Toy Store 3 in 3-D. Disney Cruise Line boasts they are the only cruise line that can show first run movies since they own them! There were several showing throughout our cruise. One highlight is Pirate Night. They have special character appearances with the characters in pirate attire and they encourage all the passengers to dress up too (we didn't but plenty of people did). There is a big party on the deck complete with fireworks and a special buffet.

I hope you enjoyed Part I of Lori's post. Check back in a few days for Part II. And on a personal note, thank you Lori for taking the time to share this with us!

Meeting the Big Cheese - Autographs

2010-10-05T08:02:00.001-04:00

So, if you have read the basics about meeting the characters, you have probably already figured out that getting character autographs is a big deal! And why not? It is a (nearly) free souvenir!

Autograph seeking also give younger children a purpose when meeting their favorite friend. For the little guys, approaching a character with armed with a pen, book, and the goal of an autograph is equal part distraction and duty. Somehow, if they have a job to do, it all seems a little less overwhelming! Hopefully, once the ice has been broken, your little guy or gal will really enjoy the face time.

The traditional tool for the autograph hound is an official Disney Autograph Book. My family prefers the slightly less traditional unlined index card. I buy a spiral bound pack of ruled index cards and flip them over. (If anyone out there can find a 4x6 pack of spiral bout unruled cards... Let me know!) I use one of the index cards to create a new "cover" on the back, to remind the kids to open the book with the unruled side facing up. Be sure to buy a pack for each child and label them accordingly. We don't need to discuss the forgery that occurred in the bathroom of our resort when I figured one autograph for the family would be good enough.

I like having the characters sign on index cards because I always buy a mini 4x6 photo album for each child to commemorate our trip. I put the index card on one side and a photo of them with the character on the other side. Any extra space gets filled with some of our favorite photos. This is especially nice if you child is not reading yet, they know exactly what the name says because the picture is right beside it. I can hear the wheels turning already for you crafty scrapbookers out there...the possibilities are endless for you! One day I may join your ranks if I ever get the creative juices flowing.

Any good autograph seeker worth their salt should also have a good pen. I am a Sharpie girl myself. I buy the biggest fattest one that I can find for our furry friends. Mickey's big gloved hand and Goofy's paw have a hard time grasping smaller pens. I always remove the cap and hand it to them carefully to avoid getting ink on them. I also carry a nice retractable Sharpie pen as well. It is not as fat, so it is nice for the princesses and anyone else with opposable thumbs. It is also handy not having to keep up with the cap. Now if Sharpie would get on the ball and make a big fat retractable pen, then things would be perfect!

I keep all of my autograph "supplies" (two books and two pens) in a zip top bag tucked safely in my park bag. Not only does it keep everything together nice an neatly, but it insures things will stay nice and dry. Nothing would be more disappointing to my girls to end up with soggy signatures after a surprise rain storm or extra soaking on Splash Mountain.

Finally, you don't need to limit yourself to autograph books or index cards. Have the characters sign a hat, a pillowcase, a poster, a book, or a t-shirt. What could be cooler than enjoying reading Cinderella before bed from a book signed by Cinderella herself! The characters will be happy to sign anything you like (within reason!) as long as it is not an article of clothing that is actually being worn, or an object that contains another company's logo.

I hope getting some autographs from your favorite characters ends up being time well spent. And let's keep that whole forgery thing between us, 'kay?

This post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival. Head over there to see more great Disney-related posts and articles.

Meeting the Big Cheese - The Basics

2010-09-30T08:18:00.000-04:00

Dancing With Goofy

It is mandatory. Children or not. You simply must meet Mickey. Ok, that may be a little dramatic, but for my crew, no trip to Disney would be complete without meeting lots of characters. I thought I would share a few tips to help you get the most out of your character experience.

Be Prepared
As the family in front of you greets the character, that is your cue to get yourself ready:

Have your stroller or other gear ready to move.
Have autograph books (or whatever else is being signed) open to an empty page.
Un-cap your pen, so it is ready for action.
Find your PhotoPass card....Yes, it is there...somewhere!
Take your camera out of the case and turn it on.
"Fluff" your kids. You want to remember the experience, not the crusty nose!

Watch the Time
When it finally is your turn, take your time to enjoy the experience. I am a bit guilty of rushing my kids through, often to the point that they characters themselves are trying to get us stick around a bit longer. Yes, there are other people waiting, but if your child wants to take a moment to make sure Donald is ok after flying into the wall at Mickey's Philharmagic, let him! If he feels the need to lauch into his life story, then it is time to move him along. I always try to be mindful of the crowd, but getting an autograph, a picture, and taking a moment to tell Tigger that he is your favorite is ok!

Snuggling Pooh

Play Along
Ask Belle if she has a suggestion for your next book club. Call Captain Hook a codfish. Let the gentleman in the group kiss Minnie's hand for a cute reaction. Ask about their movie, or their friends. You can have a wonderful impromtu conversation that is somehow completely real and total fantasy at the same time.

Be Nice
Not to sound like Miss Manners, but I am amazed at how many people forget their manners when they are on vacation. It can be hot, which can make folks very irritable. Pleases and thank-yous go along way. Remember, no matter how hot you may be, under all of his fur, Pooh is MUCH hotter!

Be Gentle
(No matter how much your little guy thinks Hook deserves a kick in the shins!) I was shocked that I had to remind my otherwise staid husband of this on our last trip. He was so excited to see Tigger that he gave him a big bear hug. Even with his giant head, my hubby was a good bit bigger than his orange friend.

Be Patient
Sometimes your favorite character might be called away for a moment. Snow White may need to slip away to check on the dwarfs, or Pooh may have a rumbly in his tummy for some honey. While it really stinks if you are the next person in line, understand that everyone needs a little break. You can ask the attendant when they will return.

Be Creative
When you are taking your photo think of a creative pose. Drink some tea with Alice or try out your best snarl for Lady Tremaine. One of my favorite pictures is of Snow White and my reluctant husband. My then 4 year old daughter "assigned" Snow White to be her dad's favorite princess (we were all required to have one and they had to be different.) When Snow White approached our table my little darling loudly announced "Snow White, you are my Daddy's FAVORITE!" Seeing the blush creep up his neck, Snow White proclaimed in the breathiest of voices, that she "Simply MUST have a picture with this prince!" She made him stand up and do the "Prince Pose" while she sidled up along side him. I smile everytime I see that picture. I would share it with you, but I fear the repercussions.

Just Ask
If you would like to have a separate picture with each child, or if you want to do something a little different, ask the attendant. They will accomodate you if they can. Also, if you are not sure where to find your favorite pal ask an attendant. They should be able to find the information for you.

I hope you enjoy meeting your favorite characters. Be sure to blow Mickey a kiss from me...and tell Snow White that she can borrow my Prince anytime!

The Whole Gang

Let the Memories Begin

2010-09-23T15:13:00.000-04:00

The next chapter in Disney history was announced today...a new campaign called "Let the Memories Begin". In 2011 Disney will honor memory making by featuring family vacation photos for the whole world to see. Disney is asking that you send your most precious vacation videos and snapshot so they can share them with the world. On select nights images taken throughout the day and images sent in will be projected on Cinderella castle in Disney World and it's a small world in Disneyland. This night time spectacular will be accompanied by a new original song titled "Let the Memories Begin". This campaign will also include more traditional outlets such as web, print and tv ads.

So what do you think? Do you like the idea that your can be a star in a Disney commercial? Or be part of the "show"? Or does the idea of looking at someone else's vacation photos sound like torture? I am a little on the fence with this one. Perhaps a spectacular execution of this idea will when me over. I guess time will tell!

Update: Check out the projection test and see what you think!(Right now I think I am sticking with "neat", but it is not as cool as "Year of a Million Dreams" or even "What will you celebrate?"

If you want to get in on the act dind your favorite photo or video clip, describe it, and submit it to:

DisneyParks.com/Memories
Facebook.com/WaltDisneyWorld
Facebook.com/Disneyland
Youtube.com/DisneyMemories
Myspace.com/DisneyParks

It's all about the feet! Part 2

2010-09-16T08:16:00.000-04:00

In my last post, I discussed my search for the best athletic shoes. Ever. If you would like to catch up on click here.

Most people I know stay in the parks as long as their feet or children allow. Hopefully, some of these quick tips that will help insure you feet outlast your kids so you can have maximum park enjoyment. While this is certainly not one of my more glamorous posts, it is one of my most imminently practical.

Wear Good Shoes - If you read the previous post, you know I am giddy over my latest shoe purchase (and the label says neither Louboutin or Jimmy Choo). Well fitting comfortable shoes are a must. Put your fashion sense aside and focus on what really feels good on your feet. I know that many swear by Crocs or Fit Flops, but my finicky feet need more support for longer distances. I may slip on my sandals for dinner at the resort and Wishes, but for my commando mornings I need a big bulky not so cute sneaker.
Break in Your Shoes - Don't wait until the last minute to purchase your park kicks. Wear them for increasing time and distances to make sure they fit perfectly and do not cause any hot spots.
Leave Your Old Sneaks Behind - A shoe can be too "broken in"...which is a nice way of saying old. The support structure in sneakers wears down after about 500 miles of use. Try buying your shoes 2-3 months before your trip to make sure they are "just right"
Alternate Shoes - Try to bring a second pair of shoes and wear them on alternating days or switching at your mid day break. You will be especially glad to have a back up pair should you be soaked by an afternoon shower.
Be Prepared - If you follow the advice about, wearing good shoes, you will never need it... but in case someone else in your party doesn't, be sure to bring some bandages, moleskin and an anti-blister stick (such as BodyGlide). Addressing a hot spot before it turns into a full fledged blister will save your vacation!
Wear Good Socks - If you can read a newspaper through the threadbare heel of your socks, it is time to get a new pair. Avoid 100% cotton socks, as they hold moisture close to your skin which is not only feels icky, but will cause blisters. Look for a moisture-wicking synthetic blend (such as Cool Max) for maximum comfort.
Practice Makes Perfect - Start a daily walking routine. It will help not only break in your shoes, but your body. Walk until you can do several miles comfortably. Plus, it is just plain old good for you.
Skip the Pedicure - Yes, you heard me! By all means get those toes polished, but do not let the technician take a pumice to your callouses. Callouses are natures own blister protection. Instead, save your pedi for when you get home...a little vacation from your vacation is a good thing.
Have a Nice Soak - I am not so much a bath girl (particularly in a hotel!) but I have no problems filling up the tub, sitting on the edge and soaking my feet. The husband and I take turns going out at night after the children are in bed. One night he goes, the next night is my turn. On my night in, I will grab a book and soak my tootsies while my girls fall asleep. Once they are down for the count, I can quietly watch tv while I rub some Bert's Bees Peppermint Foot Lotion on my feet and put them up.

There you have it... my best tips to help your feet keep up with the rest of you. (And I REALLY am sorry about that whole pedicure thing!)

It's all about the feet! - Part 1

2010-09-14T08:14:00.000-04:00

It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe. --Robert W. Service

I am sure that quote rings true for many folks who set off for their Disney vacation in a pair of ill fitting shoes!

I have never had the best feet in the world. Last year, I injured the ball of my foot and I still have lingering pain if I "overdo" things, or shop too many miles in my flip flops. Knowing that I am a few months away from a week long trip to the world, I decided it was time that I heeded my Doc's advice and get a really good pair of athletic shoes.

I headed off to the local runners specialty store and I was AMAZED at what I found! I was greeted by Emily, a great lady who more than knew her stuff...

She watched me walk in my shoes to analyze my gait as well as examining the wear pattern of the shoes I wore into the store. (From this she determined that one foot slightly over-pronates)
She examined my foot. (Apparently, the ball of my foot is a little wide, but my heel is quite narrow. ...who knew!)
She actually measured my foot. (I felt like a child a Stride Rite, when she pulled out that metal thingy-ma-bob!)
She asked questions about my foot injury, examined my custom orthotics, and asked what I would be using the shoes for.

She disappeared behind that famous shoe store curtain and came back with loads of boxes. Notice what did not happen? She did not ask me which shoe that I liked or wanted to try on. That is not how they work - you get the shoe that fits YOUR FOOT not the one that fits your fashion sensibility...a total change from every other shoe store that I have been in. As I tried on the first pair, she told me exactly why she thought it would be a good match for my foot. Once I had them on she watched me walk around the store and then put me on a tread mill with a video camera aimed at my feet. I was able to watch my feet walk on the monitor in front of me. How cool is that?!?

We repeated the process with close to a dozen other shoes. This lady was not going to let me leave until I had the perfect pair. She experimented with different ways to tie the shoe as well as small adhesive pads in the tongue to help keep my heel from slipping. After almost an hour we settled on the best pair, which, of course, the first one she put on my foot! (Amazing that she knew which shoe would be the best, but still had me go through the process of trying on the others.)

I know you are all thinking that I must have ended up with a pair of shoes that cost a small fortune. Well, truth be told, I did spend a little more than usual on these shoes than I normally do. But I also got a shoe with better construction, better materials, and better support than their less expensive cousins at your regular shoe store. I was still out the door for less than $95 and I have to say they are the best shoes that I have ever had. My feet feel good, my knees feel good and I know that I will be able to tackle a full day at Epcot with out the "dogs barking". I was so excited, I am sending my husband over to find his perfect pair of shoes.

Check back later this week for another post about taking care of your feet at Disney World. In the mean time hit the yellow pages and find a specialty shoe store. If you are any where near the Triad in NC, I highly recommend Off'n Running.

It's all about the feet - Part 2

The Early Bird Gets the Mouse

2010-09-09T08:21:00.000-04:00

The most important tip that I pass on to all of my clients is the importance of being at the park prior to opening. Any Disney veteran knows it is rope drop or bust!

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may remember that I am not so much a morning person...(especially if I am on vacation!). So if I tell you that I never miss rope drop, you know I am serious about arriving early!

I originally planned this to be a pithy little column. After all, how much space does it take to tell you to set your alarm, even if you are on vacation? But the more I thought about it, I thought it might be best to illustrate my point with some hard numbers.

I consulted touringplans.com to find an "average" day (a 5 of 10 on the crowd calendar). I chose 10 attractions in Magic Kingdom and the Lines application (also by touringplans.com) to get an average wait time for those attractions. The morning I chose happened to have early Extra Magic Hours. (On a side note: touringplans.com and the Lines app are both great. I highly recommend you finish up here and go check them out. And yes - the subscription is totally worth it!)

The first hour the park was open, the combined wait for the 10 selected attractions was only 24 minutes. The second hour, the wait jumped to 56 total minutes. That extra hour in bed comes with the cost of almost twice the wait! For you extra relaxed park goers who sleep in, eat a late brunch and then head off to play around noon may want to rethink your plans. The same 10 attractions have a combined average wait time of over 163 minutes! Almost seven times longer than the early birds had.

I know many of you have picked up on the fallacy of my illustration...you cannot do 10 attractions in an hour..and the wait time incrementally increases as you go! Of, course you are correct. I am not suggesting that this is any sort of a feasible touring plan. This is just a quick snapshot of the numbers to prove that wait times stack up during the day. So get there early, people!

To make sure you arrive on time (and by on time I mean 30 minutes prior to park opening):

Be sure to set your alarm clock. (duh!)
Schedule a wake up call..it serves as a great back up. Let you kids answer the phone to enjoy a great character moment.
Allow 45 minutes to an hour for transportation. Mornings are a busy time for Disney transportation, and that first bus might be full!
Once you arrive, allow 15 minutes to get through security.
If you are staying off property allow plenty of time for traffic, parking, taking a tram to the TTC, getting tickets if necessary, and then taking the monorail or ferry to the Magic Kingdom.

Since we have already covered the fact that I am not a morning person, I can confess that once I am safely through security I pull out my morning granola bar and wait for the train to pull into the station. I take a moment to review my touring plan (I'm coming, Dumbo!) and get ready for a great day. And you know what?....I don't miss my nice cozy bed one bit!

Quick Tip: Packing for the Kids

2010-09-07T08:02:00.000-04:00

I am a mom to a pair of fashionista princesses. From the hair accessories on the tops of their pretty little heads, to the shoes covering their pretty little toes...getting dressed in our house is a big deal. Needless to say, when it comes to packing their clothes for a trip it is a short trip to crazy town for this poor mama.

On our last trip to Disney World, I tried a new "system" for packing...the Ziplock bag. Each little princesses' outfit (including shirt, shorts, socks, undies, and the required hair bow) was carefully rolled and tucked into a zip top bag. I labeled each bag with the appropriate daughter's name and the day it was to be worn. I pressed out all of the extra air and tossed it into the suitcase. I combined pajamas into one bag and swimsuits into another. One extra bag held additional clean socks and undies.

When we arrived, unpacking the girls' clothes was a piece of cake. I grabbed an armful of baggies and dropped them in the drawer...done! The best part was in the morning when I was trying to get myself ready and out the door, my husband was able to locate the "Monday" outfit for each kid and toss it their way. Everything was already nicely consolidated and coordinated. There was no questioning if Shirt A matched Shorts B, or which bow would be just "perfect". They were dressed in record time and without complaint. By the time they were dressed, I was ready to brush their hair and pop in the bow. No fuss, no muss!

I hope my "fancy" luggage tip comes in handy for your next trip...Disney or othewise. If I were a few sizes smaller, I think I would even go Ziplock myself!

To hop or not to hop...that is the question.

2010-08-31T08:25:00.000-04:00

As a travel agent, one question that I am asked over and over concerns park hopping. Should I? Shouldn't I? Is it worth it? The simple truth is there is no one size fits all answer. The current price of the park hopping option is $54 per ticket, regardless of the number of days. For the average family of 4, that adds over $200 to the vacation budget. That is enough money in my book that it is worth taking a few minutes to figure out if it is a good decision for your family. When the inevitable question comes up, I try to lay out some pros and cons and give some general advice based on my clients specific situation, and then leave it in their hands. So...here goes...

Reasons to Hop...

Length of Stay - For me, this is the most compelling reason to hop (or not). If I am not going to have at least 4-4.5 days in the parks, I want to hop! I must have 1.5-2 days at Magic Kingdom, 1 day at Epcot, and at least a half day taste of Animal Kingdom and the Studios. If I only have a few days to hit the highlights, then park hop I must!
Dining Flexibility - If you are a family that enjoys dining in the World Showcase, then a Hopper is also a good choice for you. Enjoy your morning and afternoon in one park and head over to Epcot in the evenings for dinner!
Crowd Avoidance - I love touringplans.com...their advice on the best and worst parks is like the gospel to me. Have you ever noticed that they always list Studios as a park to avoid on Fantasmic nights? That is because the park is generally more crowded on Fantasmic nights (see, they really do know what they are doing)! If you have a Park Hopper option, you can go to the recommended park during the day and slip in just for Fantasmic. Perfect!
Night Owls - If you like to prowl the parks at night, using your Park Hopper to take advantage of the Evening Extra Magic Hours is a great plan. It is also nice to hop after a day spent at Animal Kingdom. The park usually closes between 5-6 pm, leaving plenty of time for dinner and Illuminations at Epcot.
Weather and other reasons to "call an audible" - If the day you planned to wander through the trails at Animal Kingdom ends up being rained out, you can always cruise over to a more rain friendly park. Also, if you are simply ready to move on, you can.

Reasons not to hop...

Cost - It is expensive. If you have the vacation time, consider taking that extra $200 (for the average family of 4) and extending your stay by a day or two. If I need to keep my trip on a tight budget, the hopper is the first to go.
Increased Travel Time - Park hopping costs more than money. It costs time as well. Be sure to budget in additional travel time, should you choose to hop.
Time to Explore - Yes, you can hit the highlights of a park and move on, but if you have the time...take it! Take the time to explore all of the wonderful details the Imagineers have left for you. "All commando, all the time" gets the job done, but you will certainly miss all of the magical little touches that make Disney World so special.
Time to Rest - So what if Animal Kingdom closes before you are drop dead tired? Why not take the rest of the afternoon and hang out by the pool? Or check out another resort at dinner?

Non-Factors (for me!)

Children - Conventional wisdom is to save your money on the hopper if you have young children. I am a firm believer on an afternoon break from the parks, so for us it is just as easy to go to a new park as opposed to going back from whence we came. Now if you are staying off property and are going to "push through" until you have to go...then I would recommend you just stay put and enjoy.
Cost per day - Many make the argument that a Park Hopper is much more affordable on a per day basis for a longer stay. And that it absolutely true! However, if I have a longer stay, I am much less likely to hop as I am happy to move at a more leisurely pace and explore it all. I also tend to build in more rest breaks, pool days and resort dining.
Early Extra Magic Hours - There are plenty of folks who like to hit the Extra Magic Hours every morning and then leave as the park opens to the masses. Once you consider the extra travel time, at peak hours, I wonder if it is worth it? Of course, my attitude could be because I am SO not a morning person. I am still a big believer in arriving before the park opens, but I time things out so that I can stay in bed until the last possible moment, and still manage to get coffee, dressed, and to the park before rope drop (in that order!)

I hope this helps you figure out if the Park Hopper option is right for your family. While the hopper does provide the maximum in flexibility, it is not with out cost - monetary and otherwise! As a travel agent, I am more than happy to boost my commission check from Disney by selling a Park Hopper to every client. As a good travel agent, I am much more concerned about making sure that my clients get the best value from their vacation dollars - whether that means Park Hopping or not. Finally, when in doubt...wait. You can always add the Park Hopping option to your ticket once you are there.

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