Happy New Year to all of you! I wish you good health, happiness and many trips to Disney in 2009!
There are some changes in Disney's reservation system for 2009. Beginning early in the year you will be able to check in to your Disney Resort via the Internet. This was created to help move along check in lines at resorts much faster. There have been times when I've arrived at my resort and waited in a long line to check in. If you check in online, they have all your information in the system and when you arrive they just have to print your room key/park passes. You still must have photo ID when you arrive at your resort. There will be a separate check in line in your resort lobby for those who have already checked in online. You may check in online up to 10 days before your arrival date. During this process you may also give the credit card number you plan to use for purchases on your room key.
Another new change in 2009 is the advance dining reservation system. Previously, you could book your table service dining 180 days before you arrive. Disney has now narrowed that window to 90 days with the exception of Cinderella's Royal Table, Chef Mickey's and Victoria and Albert's, all of which can still be reserved at the 180 day mark. The ability to make dining reservations online will also be launched this year.
With Disney's new promotion "What Will You Celebrate" there will be changes made to all of the park parades. It was recently reported that the Mickey float was not in the Magic Kingdom Parade because it is undergoing changes for the new parade.
And if you want to ring in the New Year watching some great Disney shows, tune in to the Travel Channel tonight beginning at 8 p.m. to see the Disney Cruise Line, followed at 9 p.m. with Disney on a Dime. At 10 p.m. is Walt Disney World Resort: Behind the Scenes and at 11 p.m. is Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown.

Disney has begun advertising it's newest promotion for 2009 - What Will You Celebrate?
The other day I get an e-mail from Disney with that question in the subject line.
I open the e-mail and it tells me to click on the link which then takes me to what appears to be a TV news page with a live streaming video. The video shows Disney rides and parades but with my name plastered everywhere. It's a great promotion and at the end of the video I had the opportunity to send it to friends. And in true Disney magic, when they viewed the video their names were plastered everywhere. It's a little hard to describe but if anyone wants it sent to them just e-mail me your name and e-mail address (to disneydiva1@gmail.com) and I'll forward it.
My 2009 trip is already booked but if it wasn't, this video would definitely give me food for thought. Disney is one of the best places to celebrate something. I don't think any other destination makes as much fuss as they do.
My husband and I honeymooned in Disney almost 5 years ago. We bought the Mickey and Minnie Bride and Groom Ears and wore them around the parks for just a few days. While nothing ever set in stone as far as getting Disney perks on your honeymoon (birthday, anniversary or any other celebration), we sure got our fair share.
The first day we arrived in the Magic Kingdom, a cast member approached us and asked if we'd made dinner plans yet. We said no and she told us to go to the Castle to make a reservation and they would fit us in. Well, they did and when we arrived for dinner the table was decorated in confetti, our food order was pushed ahead of everyone else's and we received gift boxed champagne flutes with Cinderella's Royal Table on them from the cast members at the Castle. But that wasn't the only surprise we had. We got moved ahead in ride lines, serenaded at put in the front row of the Beauty and the Beast pre-show and given a music CD from the group. We were also brought a surprise dessert at the Coral Reef. It just made the trip that much more special.
If you are celebrating while in Disney, stop at guest services in any park and pick up your free button. It will be well worth it - especially for children!

I decided to take a closer look at my Disney vacation packaged that I booked with the buy 4 get 3 free deal from Disney after a comment to my last blog entry where Amy posted a comment saying she didn't get free dining with her package and was told it's not part of the buy 4 get 3 free promotion. And she's right!
The day I called to make my reservation was the first day the announcement was made and I do remember the cast member who made my reservation was just learning of the promotion as he navigated me through the reservation process. He offered dining with my package and I asked if that too was part of the buy 4 get 3 free promotion. He said it was and continued booking my package. When I got my reservation confirmation and my 10 pages of documents that went along with it, I was a bit surprised that the price wasn't broken down but I didn't think much about it.
Last week I called Disney reservations and asked if the dining plan was part of the deal and they confirmed it wasn't. After learning that, I decided to change my reservation to the quick service dining package which is less expensive and doesn't include table service dining. Because Disney's Dining Reservation system is being changed, most restaurant reservations after March 2009, cannot be made right now. With all the people waiting to make their dining reservations and no clear date when that will occur (though it's rumored to be Dec. 21), I believe there will be a lot of chaos when the flood gates finally open.
Since I've already done table service dining twice, I want to try the quick service plan. And just know that if you book quick service dining, you're not limited to hamburgers and hot dogs every day for a week either. We usually eat at the food courts at the resorts and in the parks and have had great meals including salads, wraps, and hot meals such as stuffed turkey with gravy, spaghetti and roast chicken!

I'm going to repeat some news I announced on this blog last month in case anyone missed it who may be considering a Disney trip in 2009.
If you were on the fence about going, or even if you have a trip planned, check with your travel agent about Disney's buy 4 nights get 3 night free promotion.
This promotion ends December 20th so you don't have a lot of time left.
The deal is that if you book 4 nights of Disney resort accommodations, you'll get 3 nights free! Same goes with park tickets and any of the dining plans.
I took advantage of this offer to book Disney's Beach Club resort. I'll show you how much I saved:

Disney's Beach Club Resort - 7 nights at regular rate of $380/night $2660.00
resort tax at 12% 332.50
8 day Park hopper w/Waterparks tix for 2 adults 705.00
Table service dining plan at $39.99 per person, per night 559.86
___________
Total cost for trip excluding transportation to Disney World $4257.36

Total cost that I'm paying with the Buy 4 Get 3 FREE promotion: $2851.48

I'm saving over $1,400!
Your package will cost much less if you book a value or moderate resort.
You can basically book this package on a layaway plan. The package requires just a $200 deposit and you don't have to make final payment until 45 days before your arrival. You can make as many payments in between there as you would like. However, if you book airfare also, that total cost will have to be paid up front.
Don't forget...this promotion ends December 20th and you must travel before June 27.
If you book and calculate your savings, e-mail me your total savings (disneydiva1@gmail.com) and we'll put together a grand total savings that I'll post later on this blog.

The Gingerbread House at the Grand Floridian is another must-see if you're in Disney during the holidays. If you're not staying at the Grand Floridian or don't know how to get there, you can go by boat from the magic kingdom or take a bus from any of the other theme parks.
This amazing 16-foot-tall life size gingerbread house is made with 800 pounds of flour, 600 pounds of powdered sugar, 1050 pounds of honey, 140 pints of egg whites and 180 pounds of apricot glaze.


The Victorian-style house sets in the lobby of the Grand Floridian and serves as a candy shop throughout the holiday season where you can buy ginger candy, replicas of the gingerbread house and gingerbread shingles.