Disney Diva

Disney's Christmas Decorating

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:55:00 +0000

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.

Dining Reservations Can Be Made Earlier

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:29:00 +0000

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.

Disney 2010 Planners...Start Your Engines!

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:32:00 +0000

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

It's Not Official But It's Here!

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:05:00 +0000

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

Disney Plans to Expand

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:23:00 +0000

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

Holidays in Disney

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:18:00 +0000

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.

Disney Dining Reservations

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:20:00 +0000

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.

Do Your Homework

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:14:00 +0000

When you begin vacation planning and see all the opportunities for various places you can book your travel, be careful and do your homework. I've noticed that some places you can book online are promoting free transportation to Disney resorts when you stay on-site in Walt Disney World. While it might seem a nice inclusion, this is something offered free by Disney to anyone who books a Disney vacation. It's not a promotion, it's a service that has been in effect for quite some time. But you may have to book this service on your own if you don't already have your flights booked.
I've also seen "no booking fees" and "no cancellation fees" being promoted. Be especially careful of this because when you book an airline ticket, there are cancellation fees! The airlines charge from $150 and up to change a reservation plus the cost difference in the ticket you want to change to. Most airlines now charge for luggage also. Except for Southwest Airlines, all other carriers charge from $15 to $25 per checked bag. And you have to pay that price each way for your luggage. Some airlines have a discount for pre-paying for your luggage online prior to departure.
Another caution about booking airline tickets online is to make sure when you enter your name, it is exactly how it appears on your driver's license or passport. If not, you may not get on that flight.
New TSA security measures also require you to provide your birth date and gender. This is so that regular passengers don't get confused with those on the government's "Do Not Fly" list.
While the Internet is a great resource for vacation planning, I've had quite a few people recently come in and tell me that it was too confusing to book their travel online.

Disney's New Free Dining Promotion is Here

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:08:00 +0000

Disney's new free dining program for the fall is officially open to everyone. For those who book a vacation for 5 days or more, they can get a dining plan for free. You get a quick service meal plan if you stay at a value resort and you get the table service dining plan if you stay at a moderate or deluxe resort.
If you've never done the Disney Dining Plan you're in for a treat. Their restaurants have top chefs from around the world. I don't think there's any other destination that can give you the dining variety that Disney does.
This promotion runs Sept. 28th to Dec. 17th. If you already have a trip booked, contact your travel agent to have them change you to the free dining plan. If you've booked online you may not be able to make any changes. However, if you booked online through Disney and you are more than 45 days from departure, you might. If you're wondering about airfare prices, as long as your booking far enough ahead of time, the prices are pretty good. Southwest Airlines is having a good sale right now with $69 flights to Orlando. But don't delay if you're considering taking advantage of the free dining. They only allot a certain number of rooms at each resort for the promotion. And as word of free dining spreads, this will book up quickly. For your free no obligation quote e-mail me at spohns@libertytravel.com.

Another Free Dining Plan

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:15:00 +0000

Disney's newest promotion for Disney Visa cardholders is free dining when you book at least a 3-night stay from Sept. 27 to Dec. 17. Not a Disney Visa Cardholder? That's ok, because the offers traditionally open up to Disney Visa Cardholders first and then to everyone else about a week later.
Here's how the deal works:
If you book a value resort such as Pop Century or All-Star Movies (any value resort), you get the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan FREE! That includes two counter service meals, two snacks and a refillable mug for your resort. If you book a moderate or deluxe category resort, you get the Disney Dining Plan that includes one table service per day, one counter service per day and one snack per day.
This is a great value and a great opportunity to visit Disney during the more quiet months of the season (with the exception of Thanksgiving week).
The holiday season in Disney is not only less crowded, but the weather is cooler and the decorations for the holidays are amazing.
Don't delay taking advantage of this great opportunity. E-mail me at spohns@libertytravel.com for your free no obligation quote.

Another Great Disney Deal is Coming!

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:56:00 +0000

For anyone thinking of taking a trip to Disney this fall, there's a great new offer in the works that will give you extra incentive. While I'm not yet at liberty to reveal the details of the offer, I will just say that it's delicious and is even tempting me to take a long weekend trip before the holidays (and I was just there 2 months ago!).
It's still unknown if Disney will again offer the same buy 4 get 3 nights free that they offered last November. Disney doesn't usually overlap offers and this new offer is good for travel through Dec. 17th.
I will be able to blog about the details of the offer within the next week so please check back in!

Layaway is Making a Comeback

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:29:00 +0000

Remember layaway? It disappeared from most stores when the economy was chugging along at full steam ahead. But since that all came to a grinding halt, I noticed that layaway is making a comeback in some stores. I've seen it so far at a mattress store and a jewelry store. While they weren't advertising it, the option came up once the salespeople saw I might be interested in something.
The same option goes for some travel agencies (though not all). Did you know you could essentially lay away your vacation? The requirements are different at each agency. Where I work, you need to pay airfare in full and a deposit is required for each person traveling in the party. You then have until 35 days prior to your departure to finish paying for your vacation. So if you wanted to plan Disney for next April, you could book now and make payments each month until your final payment date. This is a great option for families who want to plan ahead for next year. And you don't have to worry about a good Disney promotion happening after you book. You can change your booking (at no charge) to take advantage of whatever promotion comes up. You just can't change airline tickets without paying hefty penalties.
So if you plan ahead you can save a lot of money because layaway doesn't charge interest!

If Possible Book Early

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 10:46:00 +0000

When you're planning to take a Walt Disney World vacation book your trip early (if possible) so you'll have the best selection of resorts and lots of time to plan.
It's said that half the fun is in the planning and I agree, especially when it comes to Disney. If you're planning to include in your vacation one of the 4 Disney Dining Plans, it may take some time and research to decide what restaurants you want to make reservations for. And you can make those reservations 90 days from your departure date. If you go during free dining (this year it's Aug. 16 - Oct. 3 and you must be booked for the free dining program) it's especially important to plan ahead because the most popular restaurants book up fast. It's also good to have a time range for your table service meal times so you have the needed flexibility to get reservations where you want. When special deals are released for Disney, people act on them quickly. Last November when the buy 4 nights get 3 nights free promotion began, many people (including myself) took the opportunity for a great deal. For me, it allowed me to stay at a deluxe resort while paying about the same as I would for a week in a moderate resort. In addition to dining reservations, you may want to plan other activities while you're in Disney. Golf, parasailing and behind-the-scenes tours are also available. If you're planning a special event like a Grand Gathering (family reunion) or a wedding in Disney, you might want to start a year (or even two) ahead of time. It's also good to familiarize yourself with the parks and depending on what time of year you visit, plan for afternoon breaks for small children, especially in the summer with the hot Florida sun. In fall, winter and spring, the parks close earlier than the summer so you may want to plan other activities for the evenings.
Give yourself time and do your research before you go because you definitely need a game plan when you're vacationing in Disney.

Don't Miss Out On Photopass!

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:46:00 +0000

Don't miss the opportunity to take advantage of Photopass when you're visiting Walt Disney World. There are a couple ways to take advantage. Disney's photopass photographers are in every park and can almost always be found in front of backdrops like Cinderella's Castle. You can have them take your picture and they will give you a photopass card with a bar code on and an access code on the back. You can then use that card to get photos taken by any photopass photographer (including the ones at character meet and greets) in any park during your stay. They will scan your card and add each photo. When you go home, you can go to the website provided on the card and entere the number on the back to access your photos. You only pay for the pictures you want printed and sent to you. So there's no cost to you unless you want to buy photos.
Another way to take advantage of photopass is to buy the photopass CD for $99 and have a private photo shoot with the photographer and your family. This service is available at the deluxe resorts. You'll get the CD with all the pictures and the rights to all of those pictures. We had 66 pictures on our CD. All were great photos taken inside and outside the Beach Club Resort. We also received as a part of the package of two 8X10 photos and three 5X7's that they printed for us there. We chose the photos we wanted. This is a great way to get some nice professional family photos taken in Disney for an affordable price.
But don't forget YOUR camera too. There's still a lot of things for you to take pictures of.

Free Dining

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:41:00 +0000

Disney's free dining offer begins August 16th and runs through October 1. If you're taking advantage of this time to visit, make sure you make advanced reservations for the restaurants for your table service meals. You can make those reservations 90 days from your arrival day by calling 407-WDW-DINE. You may also want to have a time range in mind so if the time you wanted isn't available, you can check a little earlier or later. You can also schedule your table service meal at lunch if you choose.
Also, let them know if you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or anything else you may be celebrating.
We had this nice happy anniversary dessert brought to us after our dinner at the California Grill. Disney goes over and above this year when you are celebrating because their promotion for the year is "What Will You Celebrate?"
Some restaurants will require a credit card to hold the reservation and they have a cancelation policy that charges your credit card if you don't show or cancel within the time period required. This is currently done at some of the more popular restaurants so that people don't double book reservations and not show up for one.
I would always recommend trying the table service dining plan at least once. It's a lot of food but it's a great way to experience some really fine dining.

Beach Club Review

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:49:00 +0000

On my most recent Disney trip I stayed at the Beach Club for the first time. This resort is in the deluxe category and is located just outside of Epcot.
The resort has a New England style beach theme that gives it a tranquil feel.
The 576 guest rooms are weaved into what I felt was a maze once inside the resort. It probably took a few days just to memorize how many lefts and right to take to get back to the room. But in true Disney fashion, there were signs showing which rooms were down each hallway so one could never really get lost. We were on the first floor in room 1522. And I don't think it's a coincidence that our room number had our wedding anniversary date in it (5/22) since it was what we were celebrating. Disney does things like that. Most of the rooms at the Beach Club have been recently refurbished. They have flat screen HD TV's on the wall, new carpet and posturepedic pillow top mattresses that were so comfortable that I'm going out to buy one! And conveniently, they have a brochure in your room that lists the bedding and linen type if you want to purchase it.
I love how close this resort was to Epcot. Our room was on the side of the resort closest to that park and we had a 5 minute walk from our room. The main pool which is shared with the Beach Club's sister resort, The Yacht Club, has a sand bottom, lazy river and sand dunes in the children's pool area. This main pool kind of winds around and morphs into the different pool categories. To get into this pool area you must show your room key and get a wristband. Because of it's popularity, they don't want pool hoppers. Closer to our room was another "quiet" pool and a hot tub.
The food court at this resort was small, as are most deluxe resort food courts in Disney. It combines with a small gift shop. The gift shop was a little disappointing. I thought it should be bigger and have more Beach Club merchandise.
Overall, this resort has moved to the top of my favorites list. I love how close it is to the boardwalk area, Jellyrolls and the ESPN Club. That's a great area to spend an evening outside the parks.
I would definitely recommend requesting a room that's not on the first floor. I found it too noisy late at night. But that's a downside to staying on the first floor in any resort.

Choosing Flights

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:06:00 +0000

When you're choosing your return flight from Disney and you are using Magical Express - Disney's free transportation to and from the airport - keep in mind that Magical Express will pick you up at your resort approximately 3 hours before your departure time. It sounds rather early but the bus also picks up from more than one resort. It's usually picking up from 3 or 4 resorts.
Last week while in Disney we were picked up by Magical Express at 4:10 p.m. for a 7:15 p.m. flight. But the bus also picked up at the Yacht Club, Disney's Boardwalk Inn and the Caribbean Beach Resort. We arrived at the airport just before 5:30 p.m.
It's a great way to save on car rental if you're not planning to leave Disney property.
We always take one of the last flights out for the day so we can spend that last day enjoying some last-minute park time. That has its advantages and disadvantages.
It's nice to have a good part of your last day in the parks, but our flight was delayed for 2 hours because of thunderstorms here in PA. It made for a long day when we landed just before midnight!
Check back later this week for my review of Disney's Beach Club Resort!

Beverages in Disney

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Sun, 10 May 2009 11:18:00 +0000

Like many people, coffee is a very important start to my day. But the coffee I've found at the Disney resorts, leave a lot to be desired. I've tried adding extra sugar, cream, and even hot chocolate to make it taste better but it doesn't work.
Since going without morning coffee is not an option, I now take my own.
I believe all the Disney resorts have coffee makers in the rooms. They are your traditional coffee makers with a basket that holds a filter. I bring my own coffee and filters. I believe some of the coffee makers have the basket with the built in filters but I bring my own just in case.
And while on the subject of beverages in Disney, I would always recommend buying the refillable mugs offered at each resort. For about $12, you can fill them up at the food court as much as you choose during your stay. They can be filled with soda, iced tea, hot chocolate and there are usually some fruit punch or lemonade choices. The mugs also make a great souvenir.
As May begins the very warm season in Disney with temperatures this week well into the 90's, staying hydrated is a necessity.

Give Yourself Enough Time

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 10:34:00 +0000

When planning your Disney vacation, give yourself enough time to see everything you wanted to see. You can spend an entire week staying at a Disney Resort and still not see everything in all 4 parks. It's said in one of the guidebooks that to see everything there is to see, you'd have to stay a month.
I always plan for at least a day in each park. And if you're planning to go to one or both waterparks, you'll need most of a day in each. Downtown Disney won't take up a whole day and is a great place to spend an evening.
Also keep in mind that if you're doing any of the Disney Dining Plans that include table service restaurants, you'll have to allow for about an hour and a half for your table service meal. If you're going to a dinner show or a character meal, plan for a little longer.
Summer is a busy season in Disney and it also gets very hot in the middle of the day. I always plan a pool break after lunch during this time of year and then head back to a park late afternoon. This is especially helpful in giving kids a much needed break from the heat and everyone returns to the parks feeling refreshed.
Also remember that there are other activities that take place in the parks or at the resorts that you may need to allow time for. Bikes and horse-drawn carriage rides are offered at some of the resorts. Small boats called Sea Racers can be rented by the half hour and are available at several resorts. There are arcades at most resorts and some vacation packages now include a 30-minute arcade card.
Whether you like to vacation at a fast pace or a slow one, you can keep yourself very busy in Disney if you're there a week. And if you don't see everything you wanted to, it's always a great excuse to go back!

Don't Be Surprised!

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:11:00 +0000

Those of you (like me) who have an upcoming Disney trip planned should not be surprised when you arrive and it appears that Disney is immune to the recession and struggling economy. Several friends have recently returned from Walt Disney World and told me that it was crowded! Now you expect higher crowds during the holidays but I've heard it's crowded now and it was crowded back in February when there usually are no crowds. It would appear that many people took advantage of Disney's generous buy 4 get 3 nights free offer.
I've found the best way to deal with crowded parks is to have a game plan in place. What has always worked for me is getting up early, getting to the park at opening (or shortly after), getting on my favorite rides in the morning before those who sleep in arrive at the parks. After lunch, we go back to our resort and take a pool break for a couple hours during the worst heat of the day. By late afternoon we're refreshed and ready to head back to the parks for the evening.

Think Spring!

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:16:00 +0000

Let's forget about what that groundhog said last week and start thinking about spring!
Disney's Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival runs from March 18th to May 31, 2009. And don't worry if you're arriving near the end of the festival. Every bloom looks as beautiful on the last day as it does on the first.
During the festival Epcot comes alive with special flower gardens, topiaries, special gardening events and shows. You'll be amazed at what is done with the topiaries that can be found all around Epcot.
My first visit to the International Flower and Garden Festival was in May 2004 and I'm returning to see it again in 99 short days.
This year's theme is called Cinderellabration. Epcot's entrance will have topiaries of Cinderella, Prince Charming, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
This year there will be more than 70 topiaries and millions of blooms throughout Epcot during the festival.
If you plan to go during this time make sure to see what Flower Power concerts may be going on during your time there. There are ladybug and butterfly releases that both kids and adults will enjoy. You can meet and talk to master horticulturists and you can even buy gardening tools and other items to take home with you.
I will post my pictures from the festival in 2004 in the next day or two so check back soon~

It's A Small World...Until You Walk It

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:03:00 +0000

I don't know if you can ever be totally prepared for the amount of walking you will do spending a week in Disney World. My family was curious a couple years ago and wanted to know how much walking we did on our trip. So my daughters brought along a pedometer and tracked how many miles we walked. At the end of the first day we all guessed, but nobody was anywhere close to the actual 14 miles we had walked that day. In the days that followed we walked in the range of 11 to 14 miles a day.
One thing we've learned over the years is that it's necessary to get your Disney legs prepared for all that walking. Because even if you walk at a slow pace, you're walking so much more than you would at home.
So if you have a trip coming up, it's a good idea to start walking and get your legs and feet ready. And don't forget to check first with your doctor if you have any medical issues!
Since several trips we planned previously were surprise trips for our daughters, we'd use our walking time to plot out the details of how we'd surprise them.
Good supportive footwear is another necessity for all the walking in Disney. I've taken many summer trips and hate to wear sneakers but good supportive sandals can be found at some shoe stores and specialty footwear stores. I've found that having a few pair of good supportive sandals or sneakers to alternate through the week works best for me. I do take a pair of flip flops for trips to the pool and water parks but I don't wear shoes without a back to the parks.
Blisters are almost inevitable so you may want to pick up Band Aid Blister Block or Body Glide. Both look like a stick of deoderand and can be rubbed on your feet to prevent you from getting blisters. If you do get a blister, Band Aid makes a nice blister pad that works real well.

The Best Ride in Disney?

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:07:00 +0000

Who wouldn't want to ride in a hot air balloon over Walt Disney World on a beautiful day?
That's just what the Birkett family of Scottsdale, Arizona got to do on Wednesday.
According to the Associated Press, the family won the prize as a part of the 2008 Disney Dream Giveaway.
While the rest of us won't be able to take a balloon ride over Disney like this one, there will be a balloon ride coming to Downtown Disney.
Characters in Flight is what Disney is calling it's tethered balloon ride that will take guests 300 feet in the air. Construction is now underway in Downtown Disney for this attraction and is expected to open in Spring.

Buy 4 get 3 free promotion extended

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:39:00 +0000

Disney's Buy 4 get 3 Free promotion that was set to expire today has been extended till March 29th. This is the third time Disney has extended the promotion for those who are looking to book a Disney trip in the first half of 2009.
The deal is a good one if you're planning to go. You get 7 nights at a Disney resort for the price of 4. And you get an 8-day park pass for the price of 5.
The deal is good for most nights from March 1-9, March 17 - April 4th and April 19th - June 27th.
You can get details about the promotion on Disney's website at www.waltdisneyworld.com.
It will be interesting to see if Disney extends the deal into the usually busy summer months.

Disney Offers Buyouts

disneydiva1@gmail.com (Disney Diva) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:03:00 +0000

Disney offered buyouts to more than 600 executives this week as the economic downturn hits even the Happiest Place On Earth. It's not surprising as most major companies are making some sort of cutbacks.
But Disney gets a pat on the back for this move because instead of reducing the workers who directly provide the service Disney is so famous for giving, this company decided to cut the fat at the top. Some changes have been made in the parks such as the Fantasmic show in Disney Studios being changed to 2 days a week rather than every night however, you won't be waiting in extra long lines to check into your hotel, enter the park or get something to eat because of the cuts. This company knows the value of what they provide for their guests and they don't want to compromise it.
Last year it appeared Disney was immune to the recession because they reported an overall increase in revenue early in the year, but it appears they began feeling the pinch in the fourth quarter.
In an effort to get bookings up for the first half of 2009, Disney launched it's buy four nights get three free promotion. Though it's been somewhat of a success, I don't think they hit the numbers they wanted to. The deadline to book was originally Dec. 20th and has been extended to Jan. 24th. Though it's not confirmed, I've heard rumors they may extend it again.
The Disey executives have until Feb. 6th to decide to take the buyout and if not enough do, Disney will have layoffs.