Tuesday Tip-Wake-Up Calls at Walt Disney World Resorts

For a much more fun start to your day when staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, request a wake-up call instead of using an alarm clock or your cell phone.  When the call comes, it will be a Disney character on the other end of the line!

Miscellaneous Walt Disney World Tips & Tricks Part 2-Money-Saving Tips

Continuing on with some more miscellaneous Walt Disney World Tips & Tricks...this time, some money-saving tips:

-Want to save a day on your park tickets?  If you’re going to WDW during the Fall or Holiday seasons, consider attending either Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.  Tickets for the parties run between $60-$70 depending on the date of the party and whether you are a Passholder or DVC member.  A single-day ticket for the theme parks runs $89 plus tax.  Save one of the days on your park passes by using one of the parties to visit the Magic Kingdom instead.  Cast members usually start letting party-goers enter the park at 4pm (even though the parties technically don’t begin until 7pm), then the parties last until midnight.  So you have 8 hours of time in the park, plus some fantastic extras...during the Halloween party you get to trick-or-treat throughout the park, during the Christmas party you get free cookies and hot cocoa...plus at both parties, you’ll see characters out that are not normally seen in the parks-like all seven dwarfs at once and together!  Both parties have special fireworks shows and parades.  The Boo To You Halloween parade can only be seen at the party and is a real treat!  Check out my post about Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party for more information.

-In Epcot and thirsty?  Want some free soda?  Head over to Club Cool (to the right of the fountain as you head toward World Showcase).  Here you can try Coca-Cola products from different countries around the world-as much as you want and all for free!

-Save money on your counter service meal by ordering the entree without the side.  For example, at Pizza Planet in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, when you order a personal pizza, it comes with a side salad.  You can tell them you don’t want the salad and your meal will be cheaper.  Same thing with bags of chips (and sometimes fries) with many of the sandwiches.

-You can ask for a cup of ice water at any counter service or snack location and they will give it to you for free.  Don’t like the taste of the water?  Bring along a container of Mio water flavoring or individual packets of Crystal Light to add to the water.  Much cheaper than getting a bottle of soda and healthier as well.

-If you are an Annual Passholder, you get many discounts as a perk.  One of the great discounts is 15% off the tours they offer.  A great way to save some $$$ if you were wanting to try out one of those behind-the-scenes tours!

-To help you get the most out of your meals (especially if you are on the Disney Dining Plan), try keeping small breakfast snacks in your hotel room like breakfast bars/granola bars so you can eat something light before starting your day in the park.  You could also use a snack credit for breakfast if you’re on the dining plan by getting something like a cinnamon roll (they’re pretty big!).   Then have a late breakfast/early lunch around 10:30-11:00 to fill yourselves up (a buffet meal works good for this since you can go back for more).  Then have your regular dinner in the evening.  This way, you’re only paying for 2 full meals instead of 3 each day and can still feel full throughout the day.  Don't forget-all WDW resorts now have small refrigerators/beverage coolers in the rooms!

-Whenever possible, travel to WDW in the off-season for lower hotel prices.  Avoid crowded periods such as Summer vacation, Spring Break, holiday weekends and the week between Christmas and New Years.  You can also check out my blog post on The Best Times of the Year for a Walt Disney World Visit.  And while staying off-property will most likely be cheaper, there are many perks when you stay on-property that make it a better deal, such as free parking at the theme parks if you have a car and Disney’s free Magical Express bus service to and from the Orlando airport if you flew in.  For a more in-depth look at the advantages to staying on-property, take a look at my blog post on Staying on Disney property vs staying off property.

-Don’t assume booking a family suite will automatically be cheaper than two individual rooms.  Many times you can get two regular rooms for less than the cost of a family suite.  You can request connecting rooms-whenever possible WDW will try to honor those requests...be sure your travel agent logs that request when booking your trip.

I hope some of these tips help you save money on your WDW trip!  Need help planning and booking your next trip?  Give me a shout, I can help you plan and book your Disney vacation for the best price and I'll continually monitor your reservation for any new discounts that come out.  

What tips and tricks do you use to save money on your Walt Disney World vacation?  Have you ever tried any of those listed here?

Transportation while at Walt Disney World

So your trip’s finally here and you’re ready to enjoy the theme parks, Downtown Disney, water parks and more.  You’re all checked in to your hotel, whether on or off Disney property.  How are you going to get to all of those places from your hotel?  The answer will be very different depending on where you are staying and how you got to the Walt Disney World Resort in the first place.  This post looks at how to get around after you’ve arrived and checked in to your hotel.

If you decided to make the drive from home in your own car (or a rental), you certainly could just drive from your hotel to wherever you’d like to go.  This is the route we personally go, even if we stay on Disney property as it really is the fastest way to get where you are going.  You also don’t have to be on anyone else’s timetable for drop off/pick up.  Having your own car also lets you explore other places in the Orlando area and can be a time and money saver over taking a taxi, bus or hiring a car service.  If you are staying on Disney property there’s a bonus-you get a parking pass that lets you park at any of the four Disney theme parks for free.  Considering that parking costs $14 per day, that’s a nice savings.

What if you’re not staying on Disney property and don’t have your own car?  Many hotels in the Orlando/Kissimmee area offer shuttles-usually free-to Disney’s four theme parks as well as Universal Studios and Sea World.  These usually run on a set schedule and can vary from one drop off in the morning/one pick up in the evening to every hour.  If you use your hotel’s shuttle make sure you check the schedule beforehand and just be sure of one thing-don’t miss the last one at the end of the night or you’ll be forking over some of your vacation money for a taxi to get back to your room.  Which is also another option when staying off property-you can take a taxi to and from the parks and other places you’d like to go.  While taking taxis can be a bit more costly, you do have a lot more freedom in your schedule to go where you want when you want.  Another option is the local bus service.  In Orlando, that is the Lynx bus system.  The Walt Disney World Resort is currently accessible through Links 50, 56 and 111; Universal Studios is on Links 21, 37 and 40.  Check out the Lynx website for schedules, maps and a trip planner.

If you are staying on Disney property, you have many different options available to you.  Of course if you have your own car, you can drive everywhere and it will be the fastest way to get to and from most places on Disney property (depending on what resort you are staying at).  You can also take a taxi, though again it is an added expense.  Another option is the Disney bus system which is complimentary for guests staying at a Disney resort.  Every Disney hotel has bus service to all four theme parks, both water parks and Downtown Disney.  Most of the time you shouldn’t have to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus.  It is advisable if you are going to use the bus system to build some extra time into your schedule to account for any delays, especially if you are trying to be on time for a dining reservation.  Some resorts, like the three All-Star Resorts, sometimes share bus lines so you may have extra stops to wait until you reach your resort.

If you are staying at Disney’s Port Orleans (French Quarter or Riverside), Old Key West or Saratoga Springs Resorts, these offer ferryboat service to and from the Downtown Disney area.  Even if you did drive a car, I’d recommend taking the boat at least once for a relaxing, scenic ride-especially since sometimes the parking at Downtown Disney can get a little crazy, particularly on the weekends and during peak seasons.  At Downtown Disney, there is also a boat that will take you from the far end of the West Side (near the House of Blues) to the heart of the Marketplace side and back again.

If you are staying at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan or Dolphin, boats are available to and from both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Epcot is also within walking distance from these resorts.  Hollywood Studios is as well, though the walk is a bit farther...but it is along a waterway and can be a nice way to de-stress after some time in the park if your feet aren’t too tired.

Staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground?  Water launches are available to and from the Magic Kingdom from these resorts.  The last way to travel by boat in Walt Disney World is from the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) to/from the Magic Kingdom using the ferryboats.  

Disney also has a monorail system with three separate lines.  The first is the Resort Monorail line which travels around the Seven Seas Lagoon stopping at the Grand Floridian Resort, Polynesian Resort, Transportation and Ticket Center, Contemporary Resort and the Magic Kingdom theme park.  If you’re lucky enough to be staying at one of these Deluxe resorts on the monorail line, it makes getting to and from the park easy and quick (great for those mid-afternoon breaks for a relaxed lunch back at the resort or at the hotel pool!).  You could also walk from the Contemporary (and Bay Lake Tower) to and from the Magic Kingdom, and quite often it may even be faster than taking the monorail.

The second monorail line is the Express line which only goes between the Transportation and Ticket Center and the Magic Kingdom around the loop that encircles the Seven Seas Lagoon.  If you are driving in to the Magic Kingdom, once you park you can take either the Resort line or the Express line, though the Express of course will be much faster.  While Disney usually tells you it will take the same amount of time to get from the TTC to the Magic Kingdom whether you take the ferryboat or the monorail, the Express monorail is normally faster.

The third monorail line offers round-trip service from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Epcot.  If you are planning to visit both Magic Kingdom and Epcot the same day, you could park your vehicle at either theme park and use the monorail to go between the two.  If you are staying at the Grand Floridian, Polynesian or Contemporary Resorts, you could take the Resort monorail to the TTC (or walk to the TTC if you’re close enough), then switch to the Epcot line.

All three lines of the monorail system are free, regardless if you are staying on or off Disney property.  All complimentary Disney transportation is available from one hour before theme park opening times up to one hour after those parks close.  Buses to and from the Downtown Disney area continue to run until 2am.

As you can see, there are lots of options.  I personally always recommend staying on property as I find that it is much more convenient whether or not you have a car while there thanks to the multiple transportation options that Disney offers-all included in the cost of your stay.  That’s not to say staying off property is not a viable option-it certainly is and once you have arrived on property those boats and monorails will move you around as well.  If you are staying on property and are not sure of the best way to get from one place to another, check with the concierge desk in the lobby-they’ll be happy to help you map out a route.  

How do you like to get around while at WDW?

If you’d like a quote for your own magical Walt Disney World vacation, check out my Facebook page or website for a free, no obligation quote.  My services are always free, plus I can assist with WDW itinerary planning at no extra cost.

Disney World ticket prices going up June 3, 2012

In case you haven't seen it yet, ticket prices for Disney World will be going up Sunday June 3, 2012.  To see the full list at Disney's site, click here.  At least parking didn't go up.  As usual, the more days you get on your pass, the less it will cost per day.  Disney also listed resort pricing...remember, these are rack rates-always check Disney's site or your travel agent for any discounts that might be out there (Florida Resident, Annual Passholder, military, etc).  You can almost always find a discount out there or the free dining promotion.

At least the Florida Resident Annual Pass is still quite affordable, especially since residents can do the monthly payment plan.  **cheer**

Staying on Disney property vs staying off property

Up until about 15 years ago (give or take a few years), any time I went to Disney World I would stay off property, usually at a major chain hotel. This was mainly due to the fact that I was traveling with my parents or other adults who were paying for the trip so I didn’t have a choice. Back then, staying at a hotel on Disney property was not something our family (or most of my friends’ families) could consider...or maybe they didn’t know about what was available on property back then, I really don't know.

Once I was out on my own, my DH (boyfriend back then) and I decided for some reason or another to stay on property at one of the Disney All Star Resorts...I think it was Sports but I honestly don’t remember. Since that trip, we never wanted to stay off property again. So for those who want to know the pros and cons of on property vs off property, here we go.......

Probably the biggest pro about staying off property is cost--since the lowest rack rate for a Disney resort is about $84 a night at a Value Resort (All Star Sports/Music/Movies or Pop Century for a minimum of at least $5 more per night), of course you can find many nice, clean hotels off property for a lot less. Even comparing Moderate and Deluxe Disney on-property resorts to their counterparts off property will turn up the same thing. And for some people this is the make-or-break for their trip-after all, if you can’t afford the room, you won’t be able to do the trip (at least not in a fiscally responsible manner). Heck, you can find rooms as cheap as $30 a night, though I can’t vouch for the comfort level of those places. On average, you’re probably looking at about $45-$60 a night for something close to what you’d find on Disney property if you’re willing to shop around and want to stay relatively close to the Disney main gate.

You can even find hotels that offer lots of extra amenities like mini-fridges, coffee makers, continental breakfasts, fancy pools, gyms, activities and such for the same or maybe even less than a Disney Value Resort. Several area hotels also offer shuttles to and from the theme parks at no extra cost which can be a great money saver if you flew in and didn’t rent a car. If you do have a car, you can always drive in to the parks each day...it honestly isn’t too far of a drive, though it will take longer (in most cases) than if you stay on property. BUT-to park at the Disney theme parks costs $14 per day unless you have an Annual Pass to the Disney Parks (a full Annual Pass, not a Seasonal Pass), so you need to factor in that extra cost per day. And what if you want to take a break during the day to rest in your room or at your hotel pool? Now you have a longer drive (usually) to get back to your hotel; if you’re using the hotel shuttles (if provided), you have to plan around the shuttle schedule which may not be convenient for you-especially if you need an unplanned break for whatever reason.

Now, if you are staying on property the biggest drawback again is-cost. Yes, you will pay more per night for a comparable room on Disney property. And no, there is no continental breakfast waiting for you in the lobby-you have to pay for your meals on your own. BUT-Disney has finally installed mini-fridges all the way down thru the Value resorts at no extra cost. Coffee makers come in the Moderate and Deluxe level Disney resorts. And from all recent reports from many guests, Wi-Fi Internet access now appears to be complimentary at all Disney resorts...at least for the time being. We’ll see if it lasts *fingers crossed*

A huge plus for lots of people when staying on property is Disney transportation. First off, if you are flying in and staying at a Disney resort, Disney’s Magical Express is a complimentary service they offer of roundtrip transportation for you and your baggage between the airport and your Disney hotel. Need to get to one of the theme parks? When you stay at a Disney on-property resort, they continually have busses running to all four theme parks, the water parks and Downtown Disney from the hotels. Most of the time the wait is pretty short, though sometimes some Disney hotel locations could see a wait of up to 15-20 minutes depending on how busy it is, what time of year and if other “special events” are going on. So whether you fly or drive, you can leave the driving up to them. If you do want to use your own car, parking is free at all of the theme parks when you stay at an Disney on-property hotel (remember that $14/day cost if you're not on property?).

But busses aren’t the only way to get around...if you’re staying at certain Deluxe resorts, you can take a boat to some of the theme parks instead. Plus some of the Moderate resorts and Disney Vacation Club (DVC) locations have boats to/from Downtown Disney. Then of course there’s always the monorail. If you stay at the Contemporary, Polynesian or Grand Floridian (all Deluxe resorts) you can just hop on the monorail to get to the Magic Kingdom...or switch monorails at the Transportation and Ticket Center and go all the way to Epcot. Pretty convenient, right? Some hotels are also within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom (like the Contemporary or Grand Floridian) or Epcot (like Boardwalk Inn, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan and Dolphin). You could even walk to Hollywood Studios from the Epcot area hotels I just mentioned, though it is a bit of a longer walk-but it’s along a waterway and has a decent amount of shade.

Since being on property means you’re right in the middle of everything, it is pretty quick and easy to just pop back to the hotel for an afternoon nap or swim to avoid the heat of most Florida days (or just to relax to recharge for a night of storming the parks again!).

Remember the fancy pools I mentioned as a perk of some off-property hotels? Disney’s got that...some even have water slides. Even the pools at the Value resorts are pretty cool with interesting shapes (like the bowling pin one at Pop Century) and water features.

Several of the Disney resorts (mostly Deluxe or DVC plus Coronado Springs) have spas as well as fitness centers with workout machines and free weights. If you are staying at one of those hotels you can use the fitness center for free; if you’re staying at one of the other Disney resorts there is a per-day charge. Of course the spa treatments have a charge (let’s not get crazy thinking Disney is going to offer free massages, okay?).

You can also watch Disney movies by the main pools for free at many of the on-property hotels, including the Value resorts. They’ll also have other things going on by the main pool like games for the kids.

If you’re staying for more than a couple of days, you may want to purchase a refillable mug--you can use it at your hotel for the length of your stay for one set price (around $15 right now) for soda, coffee, tea (hot or cold), hot cocoa, lemonade and fruit punch. While you can only use it at the hotel you are staying in and not at the parks or other Disney hotels, this could be a real money saver, especially if you drink a lot of those type of beverages.

Planning to do some shopping in the parks or at Downtown Disney? Your purchases can be delivered to your hotel so you don’t have to lug them around the parks all day--and the service is FREE!

Finally, the theming at the Disney hotels is fantastic. The Value resorts have huge figures (we’re talking over 3 stories tall!) depicting the different themes for the hotels-like humongous bowling pins, Rubik’s cubes, cell phones and 8-track tapes at Pop Century; footballs, basketballs, tennis rackets, etc at Sports, bongos, musical instruments, speakers, etc at Music and enormous characters (again, many stories tall) from the different Disney films at Movies. The Moderate and Deluxe resorts are a bit more laid back, but beautifully themed based on things like the beach, tropical paradise, American Southwest, Frontier America, Victorian era and many more. All of the Disney resorts come with those fantastic Disney cast members who go out of their way to make sure you have a magical vacation.

Plus...you’re staying IN Walt Disney World-right in the center of the magic.

Now, you can have a fantastic time regardless of whether you stay on property or off...it’s really a matter of what is most important to you AND what you can afford to do. If staying on property means you couldn’t afford to go at all, you may want to opt for something off-property so you can still take your trip...you’re still going to have a great time-it is Disney World after all!

As for me, I’ve been bitten by the on-property bug and, with the exception of a trip where I stayed with friends who have an off-property timeshare in Orlando, I haven’t stayed off-property since my first on-property trip. I love being right in the middle of everything Disney and keeping the magic going even after I’ve left the parks for the day. Granted, to go as often as I like to go I usually stay at a Value resort but to me it is still a better pick FOR ME than off-property. While I would consider off-property if it was a choice between that and not going at all, on-property is always my preference. Yes, I’m a Disney hotel snob LOL.

Where do you prefer to stay, on or off? Any reasons other than what I outlined here? For the record, my favorite Value resort is Pop Century and Moderate is Coronado Springs. I haven’t had the pleasure of staying at a Deluxe or DVC property yet...but even if I never get to one of them that’s okay...just being in Disney World at all is fine for me!