As a Disney World travel agent, I tell my clients this all the time…and if you have followed The Affordable Mouse for a while, you have heard me say it here too….whether it’s where to stay, when to go, what to eat, or how to visit, you really need to made decisions based on what is best for YOUR family.With this in mind, I was interested in a discussion we had on our Facebook page last week about Early vs. Evening Extra Magic Hours. For those who are new to Disney World vacation planning, Extra Magic Hours are a perk that Disney provides to their resort property guests: different parks open 1 hour early or stay open up to 3 hours late every day, giving guests the chance to increase their value by having more park time.

It’s a great concept….in theory. In reality, it CAN backfire somewhat, as those extra hours do the obvious thing of drawing lots of extra resort guests to a given park, thereby making said park MORE crowded than it might otherwise be. And so discussions ensue all over the blogosphere about whether it is better to go to the morning hours, the evening hours, or avoid them altogether.

Judging by our Facebook discussion, as well as guidebooks and blog articles I have read, the consensus is that you should avoid the Extra Morning Hours like the plague, and embrace the Extra Evening Hours as a much better use of your time.

And this is great advice…………..sometimes………………..for some families.

For us, it is not. And here’s why.

1. If you find yourself traveling during busy seasons as we often must do, the parks with Evening Hours are still quite crowded, while during the Morning Hours the parks are quite empty for the first 30-40 minutes. Yes, by 11 or so, they become very crowded….but by then, my family has probably visited half of Magic Kingdom already and is ready for lunch and then a relaxing afternoon at the pool. We’re gone by the time it gets to that point.
2. If you find yourself traveling during the summer, I can promise you that it is a LOT cooler at 8 a.m. than at 11 p.m.
3. If you find that you have more energy first thing in the morning than at midnight, then you won’t get much benefit out of staying at the parks that late. It’s just not enjoyable when you’re exhausted. Trust me on this one: I know of whence I speak. And this goes double for those of you with little ones, unless they will fall asleep in their strollers and you can keep on going. For us, when our daughter was done, so were we.

Now clearly, for many (apparently most) of you, these things don’t apply. And for you, I definitely understand the appeal of Evening Hours. It is nice to have the luxury of sleeping in, arriving at the parks mid-day, and staying past midnight. Because sure, once you get past then, the crowds do drop significantly, and even between 9 and 11 p.m. the crowds tend to thin out, as families leave with little ones. So you can get a lot done during that time, and I get that.

But my point here is that, just because everyone says “avoid Early Extra Magic Hours”, don’t just dismiss it without thinking about your family’s situation and needs. Because for those of us who are not night owls, and want to get the most for our Disney park dollars, hitting the parks early, when it’s cool and we’re refreshed and energetic is by FAR the way to go.

Now….I would LOVE to hear more of your thoughts on this!

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!

1. We live about 25 minutes from our nearest airport and about 1.5 hours from the next closest.
2. The airport nearest our home is smaller, easier to get around in, and is more familiar.
3. We both prefer Southwest Airlines as we have had excellent service from them in the past; and Southwest not only flies to Orlando, but our closest airport happens to be one of its hubs.

Don’t think that convenience far outweighs cost in our travel plans, though. We are smart girls, so if there had been a large price difference on another airline or from the farther airport we would have definitely considered it seriously. It would have needed to be a great deal, though, and there were no such deals at our time of booking.

How did we choose our specific flight?

There were a few things we were looking for when we started researching our flight options: pricing, timing, and nonstop options.

Pricing

Pricing on flights today is much higher than it was a few years ago. There was not much variability in the cost of flights so we were able to go with our airline of choice.

Timing Options

Our timing requirements were to arrive as early as possible and leave as late as feasible. For us, we wanted to arrive in Orlando early to achieve maximum time in the park on our day of arrival; and leave as late as we could while giving us time at home to prepare before going back to work the next day.

Preferably Nonstop

With the flight costs being pretty uniform between nonstop and flights with stops, we opted for nonstop. This is simply because we prefer not to take off and land several times. To us, it is safer taking off once and landing only once.

But what about travelers from all around the country and abroad who will be traveling to Orlando? What are some tips for finding good flights in their areas? Well, here are some tips that I hope may help you as well:

Research Pricing/Allow for Fees

Make a price-comparison chart for pricing on different airlines. Include all flights in which you are interested. Be sure to note differences in stopping vs. nonstop flights. Then rank the data in order of preference.

When doing a price comparison, be sure to remember that different airlines have different baggage allowances. On some airlines this can create fees so be sure to factor that in when you are doing your comparison.

Ignore the Boards

Sometimes message boards are useful, but sometimes they are just a haven for disgruntled, cranky people who want to spout off in the heat of the moment about one bad experience they had. My point is that the boards like TripAdvisor and Frommers are not always totally objective, so I really avoid reading those forums.

Just like any customer service industry, airlines do make mistakes, cannot please everyone all the time, and have from time-to-time ticked off a traveler or two. The best thing I can suggest is checking the sites below for specific information useful to you.

Check the Safety Record

You can check an airline’s safety record from reported incidents at Airsafe.com. They track air crashes and other safety-related incidents. They can tell you the rate of fatal events per million flights, and when the airline had its most recent incident.

You have to read this data with a discriminatory view, though, because you must remember that only one crash can result in devastating numbers so a record with one crash in the last 50 years may appear to be worse than 5 crashes in the same amount of time with fewer casualties.

Any Awards?

If airlines have received any awards, these can be found on Skytrax and Conde Nast. On these sites, you can find out about the airlines that service Orlando from your area.

Skytrax is very comprehensive, including ratings from 1-5 for everything from ease of reaching customer service reps to food quality. Skytrax’s list of traveler reviews is a forum you can ascertain valuable information from as well, as most of the information is provided by seasoned travelers.

Conde Nast has information and ratings on airlines but is less comprehensive than Skytrax.

Compare Seats

If you are trying to decide between two airlines in which the price, safety record and other information is running parallel or extremely close, you might want to check out seat information and choices. The comfort and location of your seat definitely plays a part in your travel experience.

On our airline of choice, there is no seat assignment. This can be bad as you have no choice ahead of time with the location of your seat but good because you can choose the seat you want once you see where others are seated. You can check out a huge amount of information on airline seating on Seatguru.

I hope these tips will help you when planning your next trip to Walt Disney World.

Which factors do you consider when choosing a flight? If you have any tips for our Affordable Mouse readers on airline travel, won’t you post your comment? We are happy to share your thoughts and ideas as well.

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.

Chip and Co. had some great information this week to share. First, we found out what happens if you have a late reservation at a Character Meal: Ask a Disney Question: How Late do Characters Stay at Meals? And then, some very helpful tips for those visiting Disney in a wheelchair:  Accessible Ride Vehicles at the Magic Kingdom

Destinations in Florida reviewed one of my personal favorite places to eat….and have a blast doing it…at Disney World: 50’s Prime Time Cafe at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney Dispatch had a great post that discussed a GREAT idea for a fun…and very affordable…Disney souvenir: Disney Pressed Coins

For a special treat, you might want to consider trying out this lovely idea from Disney Every Day: Details of our Afternoon Tea at the Grand Floridian’s Garden View Tea Room

Disney Guru always has super ways to save money at Disney World. Don’t miss this fun idea: FREE Wilderness Fun!!

I always love how Magical Mouse Schoolhouse blends the joy of Disney with the joy of learning. Epcot World Showcase: Mexico Pavilion is a great example!

And last, but certainly not least, WDW Fan Zone has some excellent suggestion on how making a Disney trip affordable for you: Disney For All Budgets

Have a magical weekend everyone!

Speaking of the Caribbean, when you place that word in the same sentence as “Disney”, you have just gained my full attention.  There’s just something about those 2 words spoken together that gets me all giddy.  First, there’s a chance you’re referring to my FAVE ride of all time, Pirates of the Caribbean.  Love the ride, can’t wait for the 4th movie to come out with the talented Mr. Depp.

Yo Ho, Yo Ho….well, you know the rest.

Then there’s the possibility you are referring to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort (CB) - my favorite place in all the “World” to stay.  It is a vacation inside of a vacation.  The rooms are nice – the property….even nicer.  At 200 sprawling acres, with a 45 acre lake, it is the largest resort in all of Walt Disney World.  It is so spread out, you will, at times, feel you are there all alone, and who doesn’t want that?!!?!?!?

The shops are fantastic, the food court is wonderful, the rooms are great, and some have recently been upgraded to feature a “pirates theme”, including pirate ship beds.  Behind the shops/food court is a large patio, complete with umbrella tables and chairs, overlooking the lake.  There are also various spots around the lake complete with sand and hammock for some quiet relaxation time, or water craft rentals for some time out on the water.

Now what makes Caribbean Beach (CB) better than a value resort (VR)?  Well, I’ve stayed in both, so I will give you the MOST VALUABLE differences, in my humble opinion…..

CB – covered pavilion with benches to sit on, ceiling fans & drink machines while you wait.  Each section of the resort has it’s own bus stop, so no walking forever to one centralized locale.  At the parks, you’re closer to the front of the bus stations, which equals less walking, which equals less of a chance that you will snap and someone will be seriously injured after they’ve complained they didn’t get to ride Space Mountain that 5th time that you promised them.

2) ROOMS:

VR – The basics.  Two beds, a bathroom, a small table & chairs, smaller room, and Mickey soap.  And it can be a long walk to the front of the resort to get to the pools, food courts, and to catch the bus.

CB – Stretch out roomy.  Two beds, a bathroom with TWO sinks (what guy traveling with chicks isn’t happy about that?) a decent sized table with chairs, a refrigerator, a TV armoire with additional storage underneath, lush tropical landscapes, and again, closely located bus stops just a stone’s throw from your front door.  You can stop trying to pronouce ”armoire” now.

3)  POOLS:

VR – Usually two of them, often full to capacity (thanks to all those “special rates”) & often loud.

CB – Big & roomy with water slides.  Beautifully built and much quieter than VR.  At your request, you can be far enough away that you can’t hear the noise from the pool.

This is, by far, the quietest resort in which we’ve ever stayed.   Even the lobby is better in CB.  Everything’s better there.  We decided to “venture out” and stay at Coronado Springs last time.  We realized quickly we were spoiled to CB, spent most of the time comparing and feeling that, for us, CS could not stand up to CB…..

If you can spring for the upgrade from value (usually around $30 per night extra), this resort is worth it’s weight in gold – or should I say, golden silence.  There’s not too much relaxing to be had inside the parks.  Isn’t it worth it to have that quiet tropical feel in the evening?  Yo Ho, Yo Ho……a quiet time for me!

DeAnna, along with her husband and teen-age son, lives in Wiggins, Mississippi, and has a passion for all things Disney. She is always eager to share the knowledge she has gained from her many trips to Walt Disney World, and has helped numerous people in their vacation planning to realize it’s not an unattainable dream.  Her must-dos on every trip are Pirates of the Caribbean, Rockin’ Roller Coaster & a stolen moment of quiet with her “Boyz” (as she affectionately calls them) having a pastry from Boulangerie in Epcot World Showcase’s France. Disney is so much a part of her life, that she & her husband were married in front of Cinderella’s Castle, and she says it doesn’t get any more magical than that………

Our friend Brenda is on her way to Florida for a Thanksgiving trip to Walt Disney World. She left a few thoughts with us before she left….

Tis the day before Disney World
I’m checking my list   
Have to get through one more work day
To complete the tasks I’ve missed

Our bags are packed and ready
Now what else to do?  
Here are a few things that today
I need to make sure get done too

I’ve watered the plants and picked up the meds
I’ve cleaned up the house except making our beds
I paid all the bills that soon will be due
Canceled the paper and held the mail too

I’ve checked all the tires and changed the oil
Cleaned out the fridge so nothing will spoil
I took out the trash and gassed up the car
Stopped at the bank, or we wouldn’t get far

I printed the maps and programmed the GPS
Won’t sleep much tonight as I’m sure you could guess
Now tomorrow there will only be a few things to do
Before we’re in bed at 8 and then up at 2

We’ll load some stuff and put the rest by the door
Charge all the phones, ipods and more
Grab my Disney notebook or how could I make it
Everything’s in it, no way I could fake it

Grab the pillows and blankets and each tech device
Then check the stove, I always check twice
Set the thermostat to save on our bill
Now grab my coffee and take my pill

Load up final things and set the alarm code
We are out of the driveway and in Disney mode!

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.

When we took our first trip, our youngest was six. Our kids have not always behaved at Disney World. When they were young they may have gotten tired or hungry or cranky. I am saying they may have because I truly cannot remember any negatives about our trips. One thing I know for sure is that the relationship you build with your child on your vacation is something he or she will remember much more than any rides or characters.

I see families struggling sometimes on their vacations and I try so hard not to butt into their business. I want to hug them and tell them to hang in there; that they are creating little memory stores that will seep out through the years. I want to assure them that those memories will be invaluable in their lives and in the lives of their children. Since I really do hate to pry, I decided to write this blog today for all of them, and for each of you — to encourage you and give you support.

When your children look back on your Disney vacation, they will reflect on your time together.  They will remember how happy you all were. Your son will remember having more fun with you than ever before.  Your daughter will remember when she was Daddy’s little princess, even if only for a day.  Looking back and reminiscing over the years about the trip should be full of wonderful memories. No mom or dad who has taken the time, trouble and expense of taking their child to Disney World would ever want their child to remember the trip by saying, “remember that time you yelled at me in front of the castle because…”

Your child might indeed get tired or hungry or cranky and, although I am not an advocate for letting a child run wild no matter where he or she is, I would like to encourage you to keep love in the forefront of your trip. I wish for you to know that more than anything else it is the family bond that makes it magical.

My husband was raised in a family that never went on vacations. In contrast, I am from a family that went on a summer vacation every year (we even went to Disneyland when I was eight). For the past ten years, we have spent every family vacation in Orlando and I think both of our past histories play a large part in our unwavering commitment to taking these trips. We go every year because, to us, our family time is precious.

My youngest son is now seventeen and this year he will be graduating from high school and then starting college. My oldest is now twenty-five and just bought a home of  his own. I absolutely LOVE my family and when we are all in that one resort room and sharing space, time, hugs, laughter and memories that will last a lifetime, I am the happiest ever. On vacation, we are not bound to technology and, believe it or not, none of my three kids has ever complained about having to wait to text their friends once we are back at our room having down time. Our Disney time is family time and they know how much it means to their dad and me to spend quality time with our children who we love dearly.

All of my family is in love with Disney World. Our family vacations are priceless and I cherish these moments with them. At any time during one of our trips, you can find me daydreaming, thinking to myself that THIS is surely what a happy life is all about. For me, Disney is family!

Below I have listed some tips that I have learned throughout the years. I am hoping they will be helpful to you in make your vacation the best possible. For parents of very young children, you might find Lisa Battista’s new book, Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers, helpful in planning your vacation for the maximum enjoyment of both parent and child. There are many other Disney-related travel books available as well – from couples to honeymoons to traveling with teens and young adults; one would surely be right for you.

Brenda’s Tips

Before the trip

1.     Make a realistic itinerary.  Make up a fun daily schedule with input from everyone, including children who are old enough to express their ideas.  Make a “Must Do” and “Can’t Do” list. The Must Do list should consist of everyone’s favorite rides and things to which each person is looking forward. The Can’t Do list should include ride rehabs and closings, as well as any parks that will be closed during your visit. This will save you from hassles later. Also, be sure to fit in some relaxing down-time too.

2.     Research ride rules. Be sure to find out ride rules ahead of time. You wouldn’t want your son to look forward to driving his own car at the Indy Speedway only to find out he is not tall enough and must ride with you instead.  Knowing this ahead of time will help you deter any pouting as well as keep you from having a heartbroken child to console.

3.     Decide how long is too long.  I have seen adults arguing loudly over whether or not to wait for a ride. Once I witnessed a lady get in line for a 40-minute wait, just to have her husband complain the whole time about making him wait 40 minutes when they could have been doing something else. Couples should decide ahead of time how long they are both willing to wait before seeking a fast pass or waiting in line. Then, stick to it. This will curtail having an argument in the park.

4.     Give teens room. If you have teenagers, allow them some time to have fun separate from you and then plan to meet back up for meal time. They love you but they need their own space.  Remember when you were their age?

5.     Decide on the ground rules. Decide and discuss as a family the ground rules for the trip. Your spouse and/or children will appreciate the fact that you love them dearly and want to have fun with them. Tell them that you are taking this vacation because you want everyone to be happy and have a trip they will always remember. Everyone should commit!

6.     Set a realistic budget. Include all your expenses in the budget and stick to it. Let them know that the money you will save by eating breakfast in the room or sandwiches for one meal a day will afford you the opportunity to spend another day in the parks. If you have young children, I am sure you know that everything in every souvenir shop looks good to them. Here is a good rule to follow: tell your children they can buy whatever they want with their own money, but they cannot ask you for more. If they want to make a collection jar at home to save their money before the trip they can. If they don’t, they can choose not to. The day you leave, give each child a set amount (I usually give them $20 each) in addition to what they have saved. Tell them that if they spend it the first day, that is all they will get. If they choose to spend it the last day, that is their choice as well. But they cannot ask for anything else except what you gave them already.

During the trip

1.     No work on vacation. Vacation literally means “a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation.” Your family will truly appreciate your willingness to focus on your relationship with them during this trip. If you absolutely must be available to your job, tell your employer that you will not be available during the daytime but you will check for messages at the end of each day.

2.     Go over the ground rules. No arguing, no name-calling, no yelling – whatever your family needs are, everyone needs to make a pact.  If someone starts to argue or act in a way that will keep others from having fun, remind them that they are breaking the rules. Make it important to them to be part of the family and tell them how much you love them and want to spend this happy time together.

3.     APOLOGIZE. This is the most important tip I can give you. In the course of everyday life at home, arguments happen. Good or bad, they do become a habit. If you accidentally start to argue or yell, a-p-o-l-o-g-i-z-e. Tell your loved one that you are sorry for expressing your feelings so strongly and assure them that they are more important to you than any silly argument.

4.     Be flexible. Be flexible enough in your schedule to change it if needed. If your family has been looking forward to riding Rock N Rollercoaster and it is closed during your Tuesday visit, maneuver your activities for another day in order to go back and ride it then.

5.     Give in a little. It’s a vacation so if you normally have to argue every night during dinner about ‘eating your vegetables’, maybe you could let it go for this short period of time. One of the rules my kids have always loved is that while we are on vacation, and only then, if they choose to eat their dessert first they can. After the first few times of enjoying the pleasure, they decided to eat their food first so they would have the dessert to look forward to at the end of the meal. If they want to switch it up, though, they can at any time – but only on vacation.

6.     Stick to the budget. If you gave your child(ren) a certain amount of money on the day you left (see #6 above), stick to that amount. That way you will not be asked for a million things each day of your visit. As I stated before, if they spend it the first day, that is their choice. If they choose to spend it the last day, that is their choice as well. You might remind them that they cannot ask for anything else except what you gave them already.

7.     Share lots of hugs and kisses, and make many special memories together. This needs no further explanation. Have a wonderful time!

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.

The Disney Driven Life always provides an interesting Disney perspective. This week they started a series on the many senses of the Magic Kingdom: WALT DISNEY PICTURES PRESENTS: CINDERELLA CASTLE

The folks over at Studios Central provided some helpful information if you are planning on catching a meal at Hollywood Studios with their Free Dining Guide to Hollywood Studio.

Resourceful Mommy shared some New Disney Favorites

Thrifty and Thriving offered some great ideas for an affordable Disney vacation in Disney on a Budget: Few Money Saving Tips for Inside the Parks

Always one of my favorites each week, The Disney Food Blog introduced me to a dessert I have not personally tried, but have heard a lot about: “You Won’t Believe This Snack!”: Carrot Cake Cookie (This is definitely going on my “Food To Do” list.   )

Over at Chip and Co this week, I especially enjoyed these two great posts: Chris gave us This Mom’s Disney Rules. (this is brilliant by the way, be sure to read it!), and Ken, a new writer there is starting an informative series: Oldies But Goodies – Seniors At Walt Disney World

And finally, I was clearly thinking food this week on my posts at Chip and Co. with 4 Quick Tips for Saving Money on Food at Disney World and Food and Wine Festival Strategies for Saving Money and Your Waistline.

And there you go! Hope you have a magical weekend!

The BIG News is that Disney has extended their FREE Dining promotion on select dates through December 21. You can see the details below.

Expedia.com is running a special Disney sale that you should check out. And be sure to also check out the great sales at DisneyStore.com,   Hotels.com, and Travelocity for some great ways to save money.

DisneyStore.com Savings and Promotions

FREE Shipping on your entire shipment when you buy any Disney Parks Item at DisneyStore.com with Promo Code: PARKSFREE.

And their Twice Upon a Year Sale has been extended!! Don’t miss the chance to Save up to 50% on over 400 items!

Don’t forget: Buying Disney items at home BEFORE your Disney trip is a great way to save money.

And you can now save $50 when you become a Disney Rewards Visa Cardmember at DisneyStore.com

Expedia.com Special Promotions

Expedia is running a Disney Spotlight where you can find great deals for your vacation, including resorts from $89! – Expires 8/7/10

This is a great way to add some money to your vacation: Get a $50 prepaid MasterCard® card with a 3+ night stay at participating hotels! – Expires 7/27/10

In addition, you will want to check out the Expedia Summer Vacation Sale: New Deals & the Lowest hotel prices of the season! – Expires 7/27/10

Plus, they have a sweet Orlando Package Deal: Hotels from $53; Flight + 4 Nights from $319 – Expires 7/21/10

Travelocity Special Promotions

Travelocity has a great promotion that is still valid.

Orlando Makes Me Smile! $50 off a 3+ night GoodBuy hotel booking to Orlando, Use PROMOCODE: SMILE50. Ends 7/31/10.

Hotels.com Special Promotions

Summer Sale – Save up to 40% on hotels. Plus book 4+ nights at select hotels and get a free Flip™ camcorder! Use code FLIP5 at checkout.

Walt Disney World Savings and Promotions

• Book a Disney Vacation Package and Get FREE Dining!  NEW DATES ADDED!!: Travel August 15 – October 7,  October 22-October 28, November 12-18, November 27 – December 2, and December 10-21.  Stay at a Value Resort and receive Free Quick Service Dining Plan. Receive Free Basic Dining when you stay at a Moderate or Deluxe Resort. Minimum 3 night stay, with 2 day ticket.  You must book by August 14. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.

• Stay through August 14, 2010 Get a 15%-30% discount off regular room rates. You should know that some blackout dates do apply and that not all rates are available at all resorts. You must book by 8/14. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.

• Stay August 15, 2010 through Oct. 2, 2010 Get a 30%-40% discount off regular room rates. You should know that some blackout dates do apply and that not all rates are available at all resorts. You must book by 10/2. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.

• “Kids Stay and Play for Free“: This special offer has been extended and is now valid for stays most nights May 2 – Oct. 2, 2010. Purchase a 4 night/5 day Magic Your Way vacation package (room and theme park tickets) and a child (age 3-9) stays in the room and gets a 5 day park pass for Free. This is basically providing free tickets for one child of this age…or two if there are two adults in the room…which can be a substantial savings! To receive the package deal, you must book by August 14, 2010. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.

• Military Discount of up to 40% on select Disney Resort rooms, for stays most nights through Sept. 30, 2010. You must book through July 31, 2010. In addition, active or retired members of the military can get a 4 day park ticket for $99. For more information visit the Military Special Offer page on disneyworld.com.

In fact, for many restaurants, making them on the very earliest day possible can mean the difference between eating dinner where you want at a time that you would actually want to eat dinner….vs. eating dinner at like, 10 p.m….if you even get in at all.

The official earliest day you can make ADRs is 180 days before you check in (if a Disney resort guest).

You already know we are going over New Years, so clearly I had the 180 date highlighted on my calendar: July 3. I would be ready.

Except that we couldn’t decide where we wanted to eat. I brought it up every couple of days, and each time I did, I ended up with different answers!! Seriously folks, we need to get our act together here, July 3 will be here before we know it.

We agreed early on that our first two nights we would eat in Epcot. We will arrive on Dec. 30 which is the last day of the Candlelight Processional, and that is a must. Disney will be offering Candlelight Processional packages, where you reserve dinner at a particular restaurant, and you get priority seating for the Candlelight Processional. It’s very worth it to do this, especially since you can use the Disney Dining Plan for your CP meal….so it’s just a matter of choosing where you want to eat in Epcot.

However, since those packages had not yet been released, I still wanted to book an ADR for that night, in Epcot “just in case”. (Moms make their families always prepare for “just in case”. We really can’t help ourselves you know, it just happens.)

Our second night will be New Years Eve, and we’ll be celebrating in Epcot. On NYE, once you get to the park of your choice, you don’t leave. So we’ll be eating there as well.

It was decided that our 3^rd night will be spent at Magic Kingdom, and then on our last night we will visit Hollywood Studios.

And as of June 16, that is about as far as we had gotten.

Choosing where to eat at Disney World is serious business in our family and negotiations can get intense. DH rarely has a strong opinion (unless it is about staying in Animal Kingdom Villas lol) but DD and I do have differing tastes and ideas. One of my big things is that on this trip, I really wanted to try some places we had NOT eaten before. Meanwhile, DD is bringing a friend and she had some places that she specifically wanted him to experience. Seems he also had a few opinions about where he did and didn’t want to eat.

Soooo, let’s see what we have here:

Me: Some new places, specifically Ohana (yes we have NOT eaten here yet! I know, shocking), and Sanaa, and hopefully the new Mexican restaurant Hacienda de San Angel (once they start taking ADRs there). Pretty much every place in World Showcase was fine too.

DD: California Grill one night with friend only (date night for us!! ), Mexican is good, Ohana is not. Not sure about Sanaa. No Norway or Germany or England or Morocco. Interested in sushi in Japan. Nothing in Hollywood Studios or Magic Kingdom….  Alrighty then.

DF: Wanted to eat Mexican and eat sushi at some point. And keep DD happy. (Smart young man I would say….)

DH: As long as we weren’t staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, he was happy.

The thing is, we had a couple of weeks before I could book our ADRs on July 3, at exactly 180 days out from our arrival date…so I figured we had plenty of time to hash things out and get it all figured out.

And then I found out that people were (maybe accidentally, maybe on purpose?) able to book their ADRs at 190 days out if they did it online.

Whoa Nellie that’s in a couple of days! Fun time is over people, we have some decisions to make.

So let the negotiations begin!

With some shady backroom deals and dubious trading (“I’ll give you one Mexico for an extra ride on Soarin’….”), lots of talks, research on the web (thank you Disney Food Blog and Chip and Co.!), and multiple spreadsheet revisions…..this is what we managed to come up with:

Night One: book at San Angel Inn for now (you know, “just in case”) until the Candlelight Processional packages are released and/or Hacienda de Saint Angel opens for booking.

• Fulfils Mexican requirement and if Hacienda, some place new.

New Year’s Eve: Chefs de France.

• We all like this one, and DD told DF that he “will” like it too.

Night Three: We will have our “date nights” on this night. DD and DF will be eating at California Grill where they will eat sushi to their heart’s delight. DH and I will be finally eating at Ohana.

• Cali Grill and sushi for DD/DF? Check.

• Ohana/someplace new for me? Check.

Last Night: Back to Epcot for dinner at Coral Reef, then on to Hollywood Studios for the evening.

• Not sure who exactly this one is for, other than we are all happy about it, so it’s all good.

We got it all figured out and agreed upon on the evening of June 22. My date to try booking at the new 190 days out was June 23, at 6 a.m.

And I was ready.

Hopefully we would get all the restaurants we worked so hard to agree on…

……..To be continued…….

One thing I do want to mention at the start is that not all of these things are free or even necessarily inexpensive. But I mention them because one or more may very well appeal to you or your family, and it may be worth a trade-off with something else instead. Planning an affordable Disney vacation is very much about choices: you choose what is most important to you and your family, and make up for it in other areas.

OK? Here we go then, my list of favorite things to do outside of the parks…

1. Downtown Disney: Can you imagine an entire area that is pretty much devoted to just eating and shopping? Disney sure has lol! This is a great way to spend an afternoon, evening, or even an entire day if you like. There are lots of great restaurants, many of which participate in the Disney Dining plan so that is nice. There are even more stores….and so this is my caveat to keep this affordable: go with the amount of money you are willing to spend…or willing for your kids to spend. Leave the credit cards back at your room. The enormous World of Disney store is my personal place to buy souvenirs, as they have most of the things you will find in the parks…plus a lot more. (Note that they don’t have EVERYTHING, so if you come across something in your travels that you *must* have, especially if it is unique, you should probably not assume it will be at World of Disney, and just get it when you see it instead.) Now there are a few things that are at Downtown Disney that are not shopping or eating related though. Which brings me to…
2. Disney Quest: think video games on Disney Imagineer-induced steroids. If you have teens…especially boys….they will love spending a day here. The admission here is less than a day at the parks, and depending on how you structured your Disney Magic Your Way tickets, you may have the option to visit here without paying extra. While it’s not my personal cup of tea, DH and DD loved it when they visited….although DH ended up with a headache at the end of the day, so if you are not fond of loud noises, then bring the Tylenol with you.
3. Did you know that miniature golf is an option at Disney World? In fact, you have two choices: Fantasia Gardens and  Winter Summerland. Cost for each is $12 per adult and $10 per child ages 3-9.
4. To cope with Florida’s heat, think water parks. If you are visiting during the summer months, you may very well want to take a day to visit Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach, Disney’s two fantastic…and very popular….water parks. Both are separate admission, unless you have the “Water Parks and More” option on your tickets. With slides, lazy rivers, and giant pools among other things, each park is guaranteed to cool you off in the most fun way possible. You should note though: the available chairs at each water park do get “taken” relatively early in the day, so if you want to go and just camp out in a chair while your family is on the go, plan to get there when they open.
5. Fishing and boating: Yup Disney has these too! With the lakes, lagoons, and canals that are in or near each of the parks and many of the resorts, you will find lots of options for spending time on the water if you like. Whether it is renting a small boat at one of the resorts, or reserving a fishing excursion on Bay Lake, if you want water fun, Disney has it. You can check this out for more information for information on speed boats, or this for information on fishing.
6. Rent a bike, four-wheel surrey, or carriage! Several resorts offer this option and some, like the Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness, have the picturesque trails to go with them.  Learn more here.

There’s your quick overview of a few more ways to get the most out of your Disney visit. You can check out this page for the full list of all the “other things” Disney World has to offer. While I could easily write an in-depth post about each of these, (and I may at some point!) this will at least give you an idea of what else you can do to have fun at Disney World. Affordable Disney vacations are all about getting value and there are a number of ways that you can add value to your visit without adding significantly to your cost. The bottom line is this: you don’t have to go to the parks every day to have fun at Disney World!