We just recently got back from a wonderful trip to Disney World. I just love that every time I am there, we learn new things!!! We stayed at Pop Century so this tip is for all of you Pop stayers out there. If you don’t stay at Pop but you know of a similar deal at your home resort please do share your findings in the comments section below.

When you are on the Disney Dining Plan and you order a quick service meal, you get 1 meal, 1 drink and 1 dessert of your choice. This usually consists of some sort of cake or ice cream bar. Did you know that at Pop they have a bakery section that serves up some wonderful made to order Sundaes? Did you know you can get one of those Sundaes instead of what is offered in the food court area? Well you can!!

When you check out simply tell the cast member that is checking you out that you are going to get your dessert later. He/She will stamp your receipt with a dessert time stamp good for 90 minutes. You can then enjoy your meal and head on over to the bakery, where you can order a Sundae with all of the fixings. It is sooooooooooo yummy!!! We did this almost every day!

*Tip I asked and was able to use my receipt past the 90 minute time slot. It never hurts to ask. :0)

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

Kelly, her husband, and three children live in the Chicagoland area. Kelly has been traveling to Walt Disney World since the age of two. She considers Walt Disney World to be her primary vacation destination. With 20 plus trips under her belt she still enjoys researching and learning new things about the most magical place on earth! Kelly began Disney Guru in August of 2010 with the vision of sharing fun vacation tips and magic with all fans of Disney World.

One of my favorite treats while at Walt Disney World are the absolutely incredible turkey legs. These delectable smoked legs can be a great snack for several people, but could also be a meal on the run. Since they are not fried, they are a little healthier than some fast food …..that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

We took a trip to Walt Disney World in 2002 with my youngest grandson who was 5 at the time. He was quite the little pill when it came to eating on that trip. Nothing seemed to be at his liking, until we came across the smoked turkey legs while in Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland one day. The smell of turkey legs smoking quickly got all of our attention. How that little guy managed to eat it all by himself is still a mystery! He ate several while we were there that week – I was beginning to think he’d turn into a drumstick himself.

These turkey legs come with wrapping around the handle of the leg, which makes you look a little barbaric, but hey – that’s half the fun. Be sure to get plenty of napkins and keep the wipes handy. The meat falls off the bone, but you will get messy.

The turkey legs are a signature snack and Disney sells over a million each year. Many people think these are not real due to their size, but they come from 40 to 50 pound turkeys, making their legs huge. These legs are injected with a salt water cure which helps with absorption and then are cooked in a smoker for about 6 hours. The salt water gives them the juiciness and slight salty taste mixed with a mild smokiness – making them pure enjoyment. After my first one, I had to ask how they create these over-the-top legs. Be sure and get your picture taken being a little primitive in Walt Disney World.

Turkey legs are available through-out Walt Disney World – just follow the succulent smell. The turkey legs are still under $10.00, but are more than enough to split making them a great value. Be sure and post your “barbaric” pictures on The Affordable Mouse Facebook page for everyone to enjoy.

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

Debbie and her husband live in Collegedale, TN where her youngest son is going to college. She is a huge Disney fan who dreams of someday retiring and working as a tour guide at Walt Disney World. She has enjoyed many trips to WDW with children, grandchildren and sometimes adults only. It is her ultimate goal to make sure everyone who visits WDW has the same magical time that she enjoys every time she visits.

As we near the end of this year, and look ahead to a brand new, shiny New Year, it’s also the perfect time to start thinking about planning that next Disney vacation. After all, is there any better New Year’s resolution than visiting one of the Disney parks, or maybe finally taking that long-dreamed-about Disney Cruise?

So with that in mind, I thought it was the perfect time to re-run portions of an article that I wrote last spring about taking those first steps towards making your Disney vacation dreams a reality. I hope you find it helpful! Happy New Year…..and happy planning!  

I always tell folks that there are 3 basic keys to making an affordable Disney vacation happen: planning, budgeting, and an open mind. With these three things guiding you, you can really take all the aspects of a Disney vacation and change each as needed until you have a vacation you can afford.

In fact, I like to think of it as putting the pieces of a puzzle together to create a beautiful picture. In this case that picture is your dream of a Disney vacation only with this puzzle there is no right way to put those pieces together! The only right way is the one that makes your dream a reality! Saving money on a Disney vacation is about choices and in some instances, trade-offs: if you want or need to spend more in one area, then work to reduce costs in another. Start with making a realistic budget, and then consider the following:

When Are You Going?

It may seem as if this goes without saying, but knowing when you can go has a huge effect on the cost of your vacation: some times of year are simply more expensive than others. Typically holidays and school vacations are the most expensive of all….so if you have any flexibility at all, try to schedule your trip during the cheaper times of year if you can.  If you can’t do that, then know that you will be moving other puzzle pieces around this one, in order to make it all work. But no worries, it will all work!

What Disney Deals Are Available?

When people ask me what is the cheapest way to plan their Disney vacation, I always tell them “it depends”. The thing about this Disney vacation puzzle that we’re putting together is, as I have already said, there is more than one way to put the puzzle together.

There are so many factors that go into planning a Disney vacation that you really need to be prepared to do some comparisons. So get out that trusty calculator, and once you have your budget and know when you will be traveling (or at least the general time of year or month) then start with looking at the promotions that Disney offers for that time. Get a quote. Add in one of the Disney Dining Plans if you think it might work for your family, and compare the costs with paying for your food out of pocket. And look at each of the Dining Plans too, because it may be that a different “level” of plan (Quick Service for example) might be more cost effective than another for your family.

Remember the 3 keys: planning, budgeting, and an open mind? This is where that open mind is crucial. You may “think” you know what will be least expensive, but until you actually run all the numbers, you can’t know for certain. And people are surprised about what is actually cheapest for them all the time!

How Will You Get There?

I always recommend trying to make a decision, at least a tentative one, about your transportation as soon as possible. You don’t necessarily have to book your travel, but having a pretty solid idea of how you are going to get to Disney World….and how much it will cost….is important to know at the beginning, preferably before you book your accommodations or package. This way, you can play with the puzzle pieces a bit more, if necessary until you make them fit with your budget.

Another benefit of doing this early: start watching for ways to save money at the beginning. If you are flying, figure out what your likely carriers are and get on their promotional email list, and/or become Facebook or Twitter fans. Many discounts are given out this way that the general public never knows about. Giving yourself enough time on this part will allow you to jump on a promotion when it becomes available.

Don’t Forget the Tickets

Most people who are not getting a package, try to save money on their Disney park tickets, and it is possible to save a little on the actual cost, by using an authorized Disney ticket broker….but it won’t be a huge savings. What may save you more money is having an “open mind” (again!) about the type of ticket that you buy: maybe you save by not getting a Park Hopper, or the Water Parks Fun and More option. Or perhaps you will benefit from a package promotion where “Kids Play Free”, so that you are saving on your ticket costs that way.

This puzzle piece has a little flexibility…but not much. Whatever you do, as we discussed before, never buy tickets from eBay or Craigslist: tickets that have been partially used are non-transferrable, and you can’t be sure that there are really ANY days on the tickets at all until you get to the gate. Which is too late to do anything about it.

And Then There’s Food

This is a puzzle piece that you can move around a LOT, as there are many ways that you can save money on your Disney dining. Dining plan options, bringing food with you, eating off-site, cooking/eating in (a benefit of having a condo or house with a kitchen!) are just a few ways that you can potentially make your trip more affordable.

So as you can see, with planning, that trusty budget and an open mind, you really have all kinds of ways that you can shift and adjust the puzzle pieces of your vacation until you create your Disney dream.

As Walt Disney himself, was fond of saying: “If you can dream it, you can do it!”

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

Tucked away in a little corner of Liberty Square located inside the magical walls of Disney’s Magic Kingdom, is a quaint counter service location known for ambiance and seafood. Columbia Harbour House (CHH) is a wonderful counter service location, especially for those that are on the Disney Dining Plan. You will find an array of meal options from chicken to seafood. On the whole most of the food is fried but not to fear it does not lose its flavorful taste.

For my family CHH is a must do dining location every single time we travel to Walt Disney World. But the big draw for me this past trip (October 2011) was the fact that CHH has revamped their menu including some wonderful new options that I was very excited to try!

Before I begin I would like to make mention that this dining location gets very busy and the line can often go out of the building. Do not fear! Disney has their act together, they pass out a picture menu while you wait in line to speed up the order process. There are also cast members along the way to answer any dining questions you may have. We were outside of the building and it only took 9 minutes to get to the order podium

The first order of business for me was to try the all new Lobster Roll. I was so very excited about this addition to the menu. Both my husband and I ordered it and here is what we thought.

• Me: I thought that it was pretty good but could use a bit more seasoning. I was able to tell that it was fish but I did not taste any lobster. I felt like it was a salad made with the imitation crab meat you get in the package. I would probably opt not to order it again. I will say that the roll was very soft and fresh but that in my opinion it would have been better suited by a crunchy roll such as a French roll.
• Dan: He did not like it at all! He said it tasted like coleslaw and I can totally see what he was getting at. In addition, he did not feel like it was enough food for him.

My daughter loves salmon! So naturally when she saw that she was able to get the all new salmon meal at a quick service, she was all over it. I will say that I was very impressed with the size of the meal and thought that it offered a very nice array of items, especially if you are on the Disney Dining Plan. Here is what Lexis thought about the salmon:

• She said that it was way too sweet and lost the salmon taste. The consistency was a bit dry and she said she most-likely would not order it again. She did like the broccoli and said that the couscous was good.

I would like to point out that I sampled the salmon and thought that it was pretty darn good! It is season with white balsamic vinaigrette which is not indicated on the menu, if it were then Lexis would not have ordered it as she is not a fan of white balsamic vinaigrette. I would for sure order this meal the next time I go to CHH.

CHH is well known for their famous warm apple crisp which is made from scratch in the restaurant.  If you are an apple crisp fan you will not want to skip the dessert…it is yummy!! You can even opt to make a midday stop at CHH and pick it up as a snack item at $3.50 you can pay out of pocket or use your Disney Dining Plan snack credit for it.

Restaurant Quick Tips:

• For a unique view of Liberty square, take your food upstairs. They have a condiment bar and ample amounts of seating available. It is just adorable upstairs and the colonial theme is continued throughout this area.
• In order to avoid crowds arrive between 11:00 and 11:30 AM for lunch and 4:00 and 5:00 PM for dinner.
• Be sure to take a look around, the décor is reflective to its time period and is quite enjoyable.

All in all, I would highly recommend that you check out CHH on your next visit to Magic Kingdom for a unique step away from the traditional burger and fries counter service meals.

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

Kelly, her husband, and three children live in the Chicagoland area. Kelly has been traveling to Walt Disney World since the age of two. She considers Walt Disney World to be her primary vacation destination. With 20 plus trips under her belt she still enjoys researching and learning new things about the most magical place on earth! Kelly began Disney Guru in August of 2010 with the vision of sharing fun vacation tips and magic with all fans of Disney World.

Quick Service Plan

The Quick Service plan includes two Quick-Service Meals and two Snack credits per person, per night of your package stay for everyone in the party ages 3 and over. The plan also includes one Resort refillable drink mug per person, per package.

Flexibility

The Quick Service plan is very flexible. It literally provides the flexibility to eat whenever you get hungry with no planning and no reservations required. It makes everything easy and keeps you from being bound to a schedule.

Offerings

The only offerings with the Quick Service plan are the counter service and snack offerings at the resorts and parks. You cannot use your QS credits for other types of dining experiences.

Trip Expenses

There is no out-of-pocket expense required during your trip if you are on the QS plan. So, if you want to have a trip where you have paid in full and require no additional cash, this plan is for you, as it does not require any type of gratuity whatsoever.

Plus Dining Plan

The Plus Dining plan includes one table-service meal, one quick-service meal and one snack per person, per night of your package stay.

Flexibility

The snack and quick service portions of this plan are completely flexible. For the table service meals, advance dining reservations are encouraged and, in my opinion, necessary. This is especially true if you travel during the busiest weeks at Disney. You will need to have reservations if you have favorite restaurants or if you want to have character meals with your family. This means that if you are trying to get in a couple more rides, or you are at a park and your reservations are outside that park, you will need to leave to get to the location of your dining reservation. Also, in order to check in for your reservation, your entire party must be there. Sometimes having to be at a certain place at a certain time is fine, but other times you might wish your schedule was a little more flexible.

Offerings

Aside from nice, sit-down type breakfasts, lunches and dinners, buffet meals are also offered. We are a family of big appetites, and my boys love buffets, so Plus Dining has worked well for us.

If you are interested in having character meals for your family, you can plan those with the Plus Dining plan. Families with young children tend to enjoy character meals. For families with teens, many enjoy the experience of dinner shows. In that case, if you are willing to use 2 dining credits each for the experience, you may take advantage of this option offered with Plus Dining.

If you are interested in staying in and ordering pizza so that you can just chill at the resort, and you are willing to use two table service credits, you can use that option on Plus Dining.

Trip Expenses

In most cases, plus dining requires gratuity. For some special character dining, such as Cinderella’s Royal Table, as well as for in-room pizza delivery, gratuity is included; but that is the exception to the rule with this plan. When preparing your budget, be sure to include gratuity for each table service meal with Plus Dining.

As you can see, the type of trip you are planning really dictates the dining plan you should choose. Things to consider are: how many days you will be visiting, the number of adults and children in your party, the ages of the kids, out of pocket costs required, and whether you are a family who enjoys sitting down for long meals or just want to have a quicker dining experience.

For our recent trip, Susan and I chose the Quick Service plan for several reasons. First, there were only two of us (both adults) and our goals were to attend special events and ride all our favorite rides. We were burning the candle at both ends, as normally we have a 10-day park hopper and this trip we only had 3-day park hoppers. We also did not want to have to be anywhere at any certain time except for special engagements we had planned. For this particular trip, then, the QS plan was perfect.

For trips with my family, we typically enjoy the Plus Dining plan. One reason is that we usually take longer trips and concentrate on all our favorites, giving us a more relaxed park schedule. Another reason, as I mentioned, is the character buffet meals we enjoy. You can, of course, upgrade the plus dining plan to be more flexible and even to include a bottle of wine each night, but for today I just wanted to address the differences in these basic plans.

Which plan will be right for your upcoming trip? You might like to know that, beginning in 2012, Disney has decided that every dining plan will include a refillable mug for your resort.

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

And so starts a conversation that I have had many times with folks who are planning their first Disney vacation. The puzzled look I usually get in return, as they try to figure out why on earth any sane person would make dining reservations months in advance, always makes me chuckle….because at this point, I don’t have the heart to tell them there have been times that I have gotten up at 6 a.m. for 4 straight days trying to book our dining reservations. Yes, Disney does make us do things like this sometimes.

But I completely understand why someone who is not Disney-obsessed would think it odd to be planning where to eat on a vacation that would not be happening for months. But it got me to thinking too, that even among those who do visit Disney World regularly the question of whether to book Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) is a common discussion on Disney blogs, forums, podcasts, and guides.

So should you or shouldn’t you? Many folks like to be “spontaneous” on vacation, and the idea of trying to decide what park you want to visit and where/when to eat at this park 6 months ahead of time just makes their head hurt. I do understand that, because really, how can you know what you are going to be in the mood to eat that far in advance? For many, planning dinners 6 months before takes the “fun” out of it.

However, I am clearly in the “you should” camp, so let me explain why I think it is important for planning to take precedence over spontaneity.

1. Booking your ADRs in advance will save you time…and time is money. If you start trying to decide where you want to eat dinner at World Showcase one night at 6, and walk up to your restaurant of choice, only to be turned away because they are full…and then repeat this process several times before you find an available spot, you may very well have spent several hours of valuable vacation time trying to find a place for dinner. Time that could have been spend on a ride or attraction.
2. Booking ADRs may just flat out save you money. If you are traveling during a Free Dining period at Disney World, you will find that most places are booked well in advance, so you run the risk of not being able to eat dinner at any of the table service restaurants if you do not do the same. Free Dining is clearly not a good value if you can’t use it. This holds true, to be honest, for paying for the Dining Plan during any high traffic season: if you can’t find a place to eat dinner, then your Dining Plan table service credits are pretty worthless.
3. While planning so far in advance seems to take the fun out it, in our experience, it is actually the opposite. Researching the restaurants and discussing our choices adds fun to Disney vacation planning and gives everyone something to look forward to. Even little ones get into the act, especially if there is a special meal (Princess meal anyone?) that they really want to attend.
4. Which leads me to my last reason for booking ADRs: Who wants to deal with the disappointment of really wanting to do something and not being able to? Taking the time to make your reservation to dine with Cinderella…and then seeing your child’s face light up during the meal…is worth it. Really for any age though, we all have preferences and hopes of what we want to see, do…and yes eat at Disney World. For many dining experiences, and at many times of the year, the only way to insure that it happens is to reserve it far in advance.

Now, can you go to Disney World without making ADRs and have fine dining experiences? Sure you can. People change their minds, reservations open up, and some places are just frankly not as popular as others. Heck, we’ve even changed our ressies during Christmas week, the busiest week of the year! So yes, you CAN wait…but really, why take the chance if you don’t have to?:)

So should you or shouldn’t you? You know where I stand. What have been your experiences in booking ADRs? Have you visited without doing so? How did it work out?

We are pleased to be part of the 32nd Edition of the Disney Blog Carnival. Be sure to stop by there for a visit to find more great Disney information!

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

50s Prime Time Café – Disney’s Hollywood Studios (food pictured)

The food here was quite good. We were served traditional Thanksgiving fare of turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and carrots, cranberry sauce and rolls. After dinner, we chose our dessert from a view-finder which was fun for the kids. The dinner also included a non-alcoholic drink. The only down-side was that when my DH looked at the plate, he said “this is it?” This was the reason for the reservation at the all-you-can-eat buffet the following year.

Hollywood & Vine – Disney’s Hollywood Studios (twice)

In addition to the regular buffet, we enjoyed carved turkey breast, cornbread stuffing, roasted seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce, rolls and other food choices. I found the Thanksgiving dinner here to be quite good; in fact, it was much better than the normal buffet on any given day. The dinner also includes a non-alcoholic drink. For dessert, we enjoyed a variety of treats including a delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake. We all ate until we were stuffed!

Thanksgiving at the Fort, Fort Wilderness Campground (at the home of Mickey’s Backyard Barbecue). This dinner was served as an all-you-care-to-eat buffet and you are seated in backyard barbecue style (with long tables seating many guests at one time). It includes soup, salads, cornbread, turkey breast, Honey-mustard-glazed Ham, mashed potatoes, candied yams, green bean casserole, squash, corn bread stuffing, country turkey gravy, and cranberry sauce. This dinner also included iced tea, lemonade, coffee, beer and wine. For dessert we had Pumpkin Pie and ice cream novelties.

The best part about this experience is the live entertainment, character greetings and dancing with Mickey.

The Wave – Disney’s Contemporary Resort

This was a delicious traditional Thanksgiving meal. The best part of having Thanksgiving at The Wave was that we were a party of 11 and we were staying at the Contemporary so it was extremely convenient. Above all, the service was exceptional. Our waitress was so attentive, fun and kind that we wanted to take her to the park with us after dinner. Oh, and the Pumpkin Crème Brulee was super delicious.

Quick Service at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Several years ago we were on a super-budget trip with no big plans for Thanksgiving dinner. My kids and I all enjoyed Coney Islands (chili cheese dogs) from Toluca Legs Turkey Co while my hubby had a giant turkey leg. He teased us all day about not having turkey on Thanksgiving but, what can I say, we love conies! Besides, to me the importance of Thanksgiving is more about sharing it with the family I love than what is on the menu.

Wherever you will be spending Thanksgiving this year, I hope it will be a wonderful time with family and friends, as well as some good food and great dessert – giving thanks!

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

But the truth is that not everyone will be able to take advantage of this promotion. For some, their travel dates are not part of the promotion and they may not be able to move their trip.

And for others, frankly, they may save more money using a different discount or promotion.

“What’s that you say? There are ways that I can save on a Disney vacation other than Free Dining?”

Yes there are.

While Free Dining is probably the most popular promotion that Disney offers, they do also periodically run room-only offers that at times, can be a great savings. They are not always offered, and the percentage off will typically vary on the different resort levels, with the greatest percentage off usually being on the Deluxe, then Moderate, and the lowest discount on the Value resorts. Still, depending on your family’s eating habits, comparing Free Dining to what you would save on a Room-Only promotion can be worth it to at least check.

Room-only discounts can be hit or miss though, with the discount offered at times being tremendous, and at other times, “meh”. You have to do the math to really see how it works for you.

Then there are the elusive Pin Codes. Brenda wrote a fantastic article for us a while back explaining how Pin Codes work….and a number of ways to increase your chances of “getting one”.  Should you be fortunate enough to receive a Pin Code, be sure to read the details carefully: they usually have to be used by a certain date….and it would really be a shame to get a great offer and not be able to take advantage of it because you missed the date! As with Room-Only discounts, sometimes the offer is fantastic, and other times not so much. Yes, you will want your calculator again to do the comparisons.

Does comparing all these offers cause your eyes to glaze over? It can get confusing and overwhelming trying to see what will be best for you! After all, not everyone is a spreadsheet kind of person. But the good news is, YOU don’t have to be: that’s a big part of what a Disney World travel agent can do for you! Part of what we do to help our clients is to compare all available offers to see what will save them the most money…and then to continually monitor for them when new offers come out, to see if we can save them more money!

My clients don’t have to ask me to do this for them….I do it automatically.

So whether you use a travel agent to help you, or you are doing it yourself, just know that, if Free Dining doesn’t work for you, no worries: you can still save money on your Disney vacation!

Want help planning your Disney vacation? Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make it all simple…and save you time and money too!

Favorite Disney Travel Planning Tips (this is before you travel)

Plan * Plan * Plan!   These are some things that should be planned out several months in advance.

• Decide what time of year is best.  Do you have school schedules to work around or will you have the flexibility to travel in the value season (Yes, even Disney has some off season or value season).
• How long do you feel comfortable being away?  This depends on commitments at home such as those left behind, pets and the biggie – MONEY!  Would it be practical to spend 10 days, if you will worry about cost constantly?  Or would a 4-5 day trip work better and free up your budget to enjoy it more that Disney has to offer?
• Next start reading and surfing the web.  There are many valuable forums and priceless information online – check out the Disney Vacation Planning Worksheets available right here at The Affordable Mouse – they are easy to use and covers all aspects of your trip.  Start a folder with important information to keep with you at all times.  This could be an online folder or if your old school – a folder to carry with you.

Favorite Tips for Choosing Where to Stay

Don’t get lost in “hotel-land” and on-site / off-site; start with the basics to narrow the list.

• To us the most import factor is money. The value hotels on-site are our favorite; they are less expensive, eliminate parking fees and are more convenient. Off-site hotels can be less expensive, but is it worth it after adding the cost for parking fees and extra time getting to the parks?  Where you stay will also depend on if you are able to drive or fly.  Flying to WDW and then staying off-site could prove to be pricey.  Off-site hotel shuttles do not follow the same time-frames as Disney Transportation, so add to your travel time from hotel to park and back.  Be sure to check the hotels to confirm if they do have shuttles and their schedules.
• What is the age group involved?  While the Value hotels can accommodate 4 people comfortably, if you have 5 people over the ages of 12, this isn’t a good option.  There are a limited amount of family suites available for larger groups, but be sure and check early.  We have found adjoining rooms work well most of the time.
• Is this a special occasion trip – would it be a special treat to stay at a moderate or deluxe hotel?  If springing for a more expensive hotel, do you plan to spend less time in the parks and more time around the hotel pool?  If you are only at the hotel from mid-night to 7 each morning – is this worth it?  I prefer a moderate if I will be at WDW a little longer and not going to the parks every day.

Favorite Touring Tips & Strategies

I have a stack of books that I have kept year after year.  And each one has notes written everywhere though-out the book.  These are invaluable to me for sharing with others.  Just this week I sat down and used an older book for my son’s girlfriend.  They are making their first trip as adults to The Food and Wine Festival this year.  Are you jealous?  I am!

• Get everyone involved making a list of their favorite rides / things to do – keeping the list down to the top 5 in each park.  This gives you a loose agenda and will keep you from wasting time.  There is nothing worse than waking up in the morning and saying “what-do-you-want-to-do-today” and get an “I-don’t-know – doesn’t-matter-to-me” response!
• Fast Pass!   These are a life saver – grab them first thing upon arriving at the park for the most popular ride.  The fast pass will give you an hour window of when to return.  This allows time for rides or shows in between, thus accomplishing more than the ole’ “Let’s start here and work our way around trap”.  Fast Pass entrances move much quicker then the queue line.  If it is your first time on a ride, skip the fast pass – you will miss the great queue areas!  Save the fast pass for your 2^nd time around!
• Plan on splitting your days into early morning and then evenings.  It allows for a break during the hottest part of the day to rest, chill out at Downtown Disney or take a cooling dip in the hotel pool.  The parks tend to crowd up during the middle of the day also.

Favorite Disney Dining Tips

Disney has so many options, from their quick service to their sit down meals.  We generally plan for one nice sit-down meal during each trip.  A great tool available online is Magical Meals, the affordable Disney Dining Guide.

• Everyone in the party is allowed to have some input on where to eat.  Children’s menus are available at all locations, so no one gets left out.   Advance Dining Reservations for sit-down meals can be made 180 days out.  Another good reason to plan ahead.
• If you’ve saved enough on the travel and hotel – think about a character meal.  There is something available for everyone whether you are a pirate or princesses.  Don’t worry – age doesn’t count here.  Our favorite is the Crystal Palace for Pooh, Tigger and Piglet.
• We have found a decent breakfast works best for us and then plan on an early dinner.  Two meals are the norm for us – we drink plenty of water but don’t eat a lot.  Eating dinner early gives more options, since the nicer restaurants fill up quickly during the normal dinner time.

Favorite Tips for Saving Money

I haven’t found anyone out there that doesn’t enjoy saving money when at WDW.  It is my goal to show everyone that Disney can be affordable; you just have to do your homework.

• Purchase passes based on how long you stay.  Don’t buy more of a pass then you will really need.  Decide if the park hopper is better or one park per day.  The park hopper will cost more, but if you like the idea of doing everything, then moving on then the one-park per day choice is better.
• Carry water with you – bottles are easily refillable. Water fountains are everywhere.  For those who do not like the taste of Florida water – try the flavor packets.  These are easy to carry, change the taste and eliminate the “I’m thirsty” all day.  Cokes don’t hydrate like water does, especially in the hot Florida sun.
• Start a souvenir savings.  When my son was just 7, he collected over $150 in change before we left. He never asked me for money, knowing he could spend his on whatever he wanted!   Even as adults, we set aside money for souvenirs.  Orlando has several outlets that have Character (Disney) outlets, where you could find some real treasures.

Don’t be afraid to start conversations about Disney whether online or running errands.  Some of my best conversations started while standing in line at a store.

Want help planning your Disney vacation? Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make it all simple…and save you time and money too!

Debbie and her husband live in Collegedale, TN where her youngest son is going to college. She is a huge Disney fan who dreams of someday retiring and working as a tour guide at Walt Disney World. She has enjoyed many trips to WDW with children, grandchildren and sometimes adults only. It is her ultimate goal to make sure everyone who visits WDW has the same magical time that she enjoys every time she visits.

Brenda’s Bucket List of Disney Foods

1. Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli – California Grill (Contemporary Resort)

This is described on the menu as goat cheese-filled ravioli with sun dried tomatoes, pesto, shiitake mushrooms and basil. Have we ever spoken about my fetish with goat cheese? If not, let me just tell you that I will eat anything with goat cheese on it. It is a pungent flavor, not middle of the road, you either hate it or love it and I LOVE it!

2. Kitchen Sink Sundae – Beaches and Cream (Beach Club Resort)

This is described as a monstrous dessert filled with multiple scoops of ice cream, Oreo cookies, candy bars, cake, bananas, cherries, brownies, all of the toppings in the house, and an entire can of whipped cream. This dessert is to be shared and my friend, Susan, and I will be making our best attempt at this delectable devil in September.

3.  Margherita Pizza – Via Napoli (Epcot)

Being that my grandmother was from Italy, it is a natural desire of mine to savor this wood-fired pizza with fresh San Marzano tomatoes, handmade mozzarella and lots and lots of basil. Molto delizioso!

4.  Tonga Toast – Kona Cafe (Polynesian Resort)

I read constantly about how much people love this breakfast; in fact some say it is the quintessential Disney breakfast. Banana stuffed sourdough bread, rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with Strawberry Compote and your choice of ham, bacon, or sausage. I will have bacon, what the heck?

5.  Cinnamon Rolls –  Main Street Bakery (Magic Kingdom Park)

A review in the Disney Food Blog calls these “sticky, cinnamon-y, warm, heavenly goodness on a plate.” That sounds good enough for me. I have also gathered that they are huge. Sounds like the perfect breakfast before tackling some famous mountains!

6.  Dole Whip – Aloha Isle (Magic Kingdom) or Captain Cook’s (Polynesian Resort)

Please don’t slap me. NO, I have not tried one yet. You have to understand that I am a chocoholic so my snack time always involves chocolate. This year I will forego one of my choco-treats and will indulge in what many say is their all-time favorite Disney snack. I will report back on this time-honored tradition of soft-serve frozen deliciousness when I return in October.

Now, in addition to these favorite foods I have yet to try, there are two WDW events centered around food that I will also be trying for the first time this year:  the Epcot Food & Wine Festival and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Epcot Food & Wine Festival: This year’s theme is “Passport to a World of Flavors,” and the new World Showcase marketplace booths are expected to include Portugal, the Caribbean Islands, and Hawaii!

I have gone through the list of expected dishes and will share with you my choices from the various booths:

Australia – Grilled Lamb Chop with Potato-Goat Cheese Salad and Shiraz Reduction
Belgium – Guylian Belgian Chocolate Seashell Truffles
Desserts & Champagne – White Chocolate Macadamia Mousse with Dark Chocolate Pearls AND Tres Leches Verrine
France – Crème Brulée au Chocolate au Lait
Ireland – Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Bailey’s Irish Cream Ganache
Italy – Cappellini con Gamberi Piccanti (Cappellini Pasta with Spicy Shrimp) AND Ravioli Di Formaggio All’Emiliana AND Cannolo Al Cioccolato

This is just to name of few of what I have my taste buds set for. As you can tell, Walt didn’t have the only sweet tooth!

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party: The theme for Halloween fun is CANDY – need I say more?

How about joining me on these food firsts? Do you have some special insight, tip or food memory you would like to share? If so, comment below. I would love to hear all about it.

Want help planning your Disney vacation? Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make it all simple…and save you time and money too!

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.