Many people are still under the asumption that Disney decorates the entire property on Thanksgiving night and you will wake up the next day and the all the decorations are up. While this is the way Disney used to decorate for Christmas, it's not the way they do it now. Like every other business, they've brought the Christmas season out earlier. In early November Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party begins and before that happens, all will be decorated. So if you're going to Disney over the Thanksgiving holiday, it will be decorated!
This time of year is truly my favorite time to be in Disney. The weather is near perfect with low humidity during the day and cooler temperatures at night. The crowds are smaller (except Thanksgiving week and Christmas week). Cinderella's Castle is dripping in lights and the Osbourne Family Lights Spectacular at Disney Studios is the most amazing display of Christmas lights set to music that I've ever seen. If that doesn't get you into the holiday spirit, nothing will!
Another Disney holiday tradition is the Gingerbread House at the Grand Floridian Resort. Inside the resort's lobby Disney creates this life size house where they then sell smaller replicas of the house and gingerbread shingles.
Don't forget to get a photopass card because there are many more photopass photographers out during the holidays just waiting to take your picture in front of an amazing holiday backdrop! And remember, the photopass card is free and you can get as many pictures taken as you wish. You can then view the pictures online and purchase the ones you want.

Beginning last week Disney went back to allowing guests to make dining reservations 180 days prior to departure. It had been just 90 days. And that's good news for those who like to plan ahead. Although the first day that change took place (Oct 27) was quite hectic. I talked to one person who told me she dialed for 4 hours just to get on hold. But she got the reservations she wanted.
It's not easy to try to figure out what park you'll be in on what day in order to plan dining but for popular choices such as Cinderella's Royal Table and LeCellier in Epcot, it's necessary.
If you like to book the restaurants that cost 2 table service credits, you may want to book the Deluxe Dining Plan which allows 2 table service meals per day.That way you have the additional credits needed to book Signature Restaurants like Hoop-De-Doo Review, Californial Grill, Jiko, and Artists Point. The cost is only about $25 more per person.
A lot depends on how your family eats. But with a choice of 3 different dining plans, there's one to fit just about everyone. And it does cost less than paying out of pocket for the same food.

Now that Disney has officially launched Buy 4 Nights Get 3 Nights Free promotion, it's time for anyone considering going in 2010 to start planning.
Whether it's this offer or a future offer you're hoping will return, you can book your vacation for the time of year you want to travel and still get the benefits of a special offer if it comes out and applies to your time of travel.
Planning is half the fun!
Some new changes coming up include the Disney Dining reservation system allowing guests to book dining reservations 180 days from departure rather than a mere 90. That change is expected to take effect Oct. 27th. And here's a hint I received from a very nice inside Disney connection. On the day you can begin making reservations, bookings online may be made starting at 6 a.m. If you call, they don't open till 7 a.m. So if there's a must-do restaurant on your list, get up early and book on the Disney website at www.waltdisneyworld.com. And don't forget....you will need your Disney confirmation number to make those reservations! Get that from your travel agent.
Another change is that the one table service Disney Dining Plan price for next year will cost more during peak seasons in Disney. If you travel Feb. 12, 2010 to April 10, 2010 or June 4, 2010 to Aug. 14, 2010, or Dec. 17, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2010, you'll pay $5 more per adult per day and $1 more per child per day for the dining plan. The deluxe dining plan price does not increase for peak seasons.
And anyone still considering booking during the current Buy 4 Get 3 Free (or Buy 5 Get 2 Free at a value resort), don't delay--there has been quite a surge in bookings since Disney began advertising this promotion on TV. This promo is good for travel through late March, but already I'm seeing the lower airfares getting gobbled up.
For more information on Disney e-mail me at spohns@libertytravel.com

Disney is once again offering Buy 4 Nights Get 3 Nights FREE! This has not been officially announced but it is available for most nights beginning Nov. 1st thru March 27th.
This is a great opportunity to try moderate and deluxe resorts if you haven't yet tried them.
For the value resorts, you can buy 5 nights and get 2 nights free.
I took advantage of this promotion last year and stayed at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club, a resort I would never pay full price rates for. But the promotion was a great way for me to try a resort I wanted at a discounted price.
And if you are considering a value resort, check the difference with another night free at the moderate resort. The price difference is small and I would always recommend staying at a moderate instead of a value if the price difference is small.
Moderate resorts have a spa located near the main pool. And that's a great place to soak tired Disney legs! Moderates also have more elaborately themed pools and food courts.
If you're considering a Disney trip in 2010, you will save significantly if you book to travel and take advantage of this promotion.
Just remember that Disney only allows a certain number of rooms at each resort for this promotion so you have to book early!
For more information e-mail me at spohns@libertytravel.com

Can you ever get too much of a good thing? I don't think so and neither does Disney.
According to a recent article in the Orlando Sentinel, Disney is planning to expand and double the size of Fantasyland making it the largest expansion in the theme park's history!
The plans include an expansion of the Dumbo ride, a new Little Mermaid ride, which will take passengers through Ariel's underwater world.
There will be much focus on princesses in the new expansion with areas that will be created specifically for interaction with Disney pricesses and other Disney characters.
A Beast's Castle will be built and include a 3-room themed restaurant.
Disney announced the plans over the weekend during it's D-23 Conference in California. Disney officials would not divulge the cost of the expansion but it will be completed in in two phases, the first of which will be completed in 2012 with the remaining opening in 2013.
To read the full story in the Orlando Sentinel visit: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/orl-bk-new-fantasyland-disney-world-magic-kingdom,0,7274675.story

For some reason, as soon as summer is over I begin thinking about the holiday season. This time is one of the best times to go visit Walt Disney World (with the exception of Thanksgiving week and the week between Christmas and new year).
Schools are back in session so the parks are less crowded, the summer humidity begins to fade and nobody decorates for any holiday like Disney does. Making it even more irrisistable is the free dining promotion Disney is offering for those traveling Sept. 27 through Dec. 17th. Disney has never extended free dining like this before! It's like getting the all inclusive free.
If you're going to be in Disney during the holidays - and by that I mean Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas - you'll want to consider one of Disney's special events such as Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. These events take place on specified nights after the Magic Kingdom closes around 7 p.m. It does cost an extra admission price but I believe it's worth it.
In 2007, I went to the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party in the Magic Kingdom. It was not crowded (they limit the amout of tickets they sell for this event). There were special parades and performances, they made it snow on Main Streetand they served free cider, hot cocoa and cookies throughout the park. It was very festive. Even the stores have special merchandise that they sell only during the party.
I definitely recommend spending time during the holidays seeing some of the amazing decorating Disney does.
One of my favorites is the Gingerbread House in the lobby of the Grand Floridian resort (pictured above). This amazing life-size structure is made completely of gingerbread and icing. It's been featured on the Travel Channel and is a must-see if you're in Disney during the holidays. You can even purchase miniature replicas of the ginger bread house to take home (though that might be challenging to take on a plane!).
Like everyone else, Disney no longer waits till after Thanksgiving to put up their Christmas decorations.
Disney uses 150 tractor trailer loads of decorations for Christmas throughout the property and usually begins putting them up in early November. You can be certain the Magic Kingdom will be decorated by November 10th, the first night of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

It's rumored that Disney is going to go back to allowing guests to make dining reservations 180 days prior to their arrival. It's currently 90 days. This is good except for those booking last minute trips. And there is a pretty big trend going on right now where people are booking just a few months out.
There are so many restaurant choices in Disney that you really have to research them and check out their menus. http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/restaurants
Some reservations are difficult to get even at 180 days out. LeCellier, Yachtsman Steakhouse, dining with the princesses in the castle and Victoria and Alberts are just a few.
If you've booked your trip and are making dining reservations either online or via the phone, make sure you have your Disney vacation reservation number because they will need this to book your dining.