So, You're Planning a Walt Disney World Vacation? (Part 1)

Where Dreams Come True

A BIT OF BACKGROUND


Over the past few months a handful of friends have asked for suggestions as they were getting ready to go on a vacation to Walt Disney World. I am far from a Disney World expert, but our family has made a couple of recent trips there with young kids and I wanted to share helpful hints with friends who were new to the Disney adventure. Tons of  information is already on the web about Walt Disney World vacations, but it can be really overwhelming to sort through. So, here is a bit of basic information and links to help you get prepared for a Walt Disney World vacation. Check out my future posts for information, hints and suggestions about what to do once you arrive!

 

BEFORE YOU GO!

Dining Reservations

Chef Mickey's Napkin Dance

Whether you’re on a Disney Dining Plan or not, book your character dining plans and sit-down meals as far in advance as you can. You can do much of this online, by phone talking with a Disney Dining Plan representative or via your travel agent. Many of the character meals are in high demand (for example Chef Mickey’s) and regular meal time reservations fill up quickly. Flexibility is the key in making these reservations. (If you need to schedule a late lunch/early dinner you can fill in the gap between meals by having a big breakfast with a mid-morning snack and plan for a really light dinner.) 


Vacation Calendar
As you are making your meal reservations, begin drafting a daily/week calendar that includes the reservations, important events, and general daily plans. This will help you see how much time you’ll have in the parks and relaxing at your resort. You can color code and highlight what’s really  important.Travel with a copy and take extras to share with other members of your party. Also, if you have a smartphone, you can add much of this information to your phone calendar. 

You don't always have to do what the calendar says, but it is a basic schedule to help you get the most  work from once you arrive. (For example, during our last trip we had at least 3 dinner reservations that we canceled since we were busy and opted for a quick-service meal instead. It is always better to cancel than to have a lengthy wait without a reservation. I had the Dining Plan phone number in my mobile phone and called as a courtesy to cancel reservations.)

Basic information to include for each day:  

• General blocks of time for park visits and special activities like biking, pool, boating etc. We planned ahead which parks were going to be in based on our sit-down breakfast, lunch and dinner reservations. 
• Meal reservation times, locations and reservation numbers 
• Tentative time frames for quick-service meals and locations, if you have some in mind. 
• Extra-magic park hours in AM and PM (We never stay ready late in the PM because our kids are still pretty young, but  the AM hours are good for getting on the popular rides without a long wait and for picking up Fast Passes for popular rides)  
• Times of park parades and firework shows 
• Arrival and departure times and airline flight numbers

Park Calendars – Park hours, entertainment schedule, Extra Magic Hours etc.

Walt Disney World provides detailed information about activities in each of the Parks. From the month calendar, click on the park hours information to get a daily schedules.

Magic Kingdom Calendar

Epcot Calendar

Hollywood Studios Calendar
Animal Kingdom Calendar

Disney PhotoPass
We got a PhotoPass with our AAA reservation packet and pre-registered it online (no charge for this). Once we started using it on vacation, we got an email with an offer to purchase the PhotoPass CD at a discounted price. You can also pre-purchase the Photo Pass CD, which may be even cheaper. Since we wanted to have family group shots and specialty shots, we bought the PhotoPass CD with the coupon that was emailed to us during the vacation. It was worth the price to have unlimited access to those photos. (Photos on the Disney PhotoPass website expire after a certain date.) After vacation, uploaded the images from the CD to my Flickr account and printed them through Flickr/Snapfish to share with relatives. I will definitely pre-purchase the CD for our next trip.

A colorful PhotoPass border

One of the fun aspects of using the PhotoPass site is that you can crop the PhotoPass shots and add fun borders to them. Also you can upload your own photos and do the same. With the PhotoPass, we had the photographer take several group shots and did some of the magic character shots (with Stitch, balloons, Tinkerbell, baby Simba etc.) Be sure to ask the photographer about the “magic” shots available. We found a photographer in the Animal Kingdom who did our Tinkerbell shot after I specifically asked her about that character.  Some of the photographers were able to also take a group shots with our personal camera.

When you get your PhotoPass, copy the number and save it on your phone or email it to yourself. This will give you access to your photos if you happen to lose that PhotoPass. If it gets lost, just get another PhotoPass

.

Photographer locations

PhotoPass Help

More hints from All Ears website/newsletter  

Also, you can make reservations to have professional photos taken at your resort. We saw the marketing materials for this and thought that it was a cool idea.

Mobile Phone Apps

If you use Verizon, you can use Disney Mobile Magic to get character meet & greet times, attraction wait times, dining information etc. There is a cost for the app. You can also access Disney's mobile website if you have another carrier. 

Online Check-in

If you are staying at a Disney Resort, you can check-in online before you leave home and have your reservation packet waiting for you when you arrive.

Let the Magic Begin!

Disney Magic Express 

If you are flying to Orlando and are staying at Disney Resort, the Disney Magic Express Transportation service is a nice perk. Once you get off of the plane, all you have to worry about is your carry-on bags.  If you aren’t planning on traveling outside of the Disney Parks during your visit, you can leave your child’s car seat at home. (Car seats must be stowed on the Magic Express bus.)  Also, on the way home, the airline/luggage check-in at your resort makes departure time a breeze.

Looking toward the horizon on the first day of Spring

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Originally uploaded by amongthepines

March 20, 2010 -- We left 70 degree temps and touched down in snow & sleet that Saturday in March. Normally that type of weather would put a damper on a visit. However, we still had plenty to be excited about since we were in the Windy City to celebrate a very special woman's (my grandmother's) 95th birthday. Thankfully, the precipitation passed overnight and we only had to contend with the wind and cold on Sunday, the day of the party. The gathering was a success and we enjoyed reconnecting with family & friends in celebration of a life so well lived. Seeing the continuous smile on my grandmother's face on Sunday afternoon was heartwarming. Her strong, loving, hardworking and generous personality was in full bloom. Although the weather outside didn't feel like it was early spring, I sensed that many of us who were at the celebration were touched in a special way. I returned home inspired, rejuvenated and ready to welcome the new season.

"Chicago, Chicago--that toddlin' town..."

IMG_9178
Originally uploaded by amongthepines

A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to make a short trip to Chicago in my home state of Illinois. The Lake, Michigan Avenue, the Art Institute, deep dish pizza, the Blues, the buildings etc. What a great city!

My Magnolia

magnolia crop
Originally uploaded by amongthepines

I haven't a flower garden, but I have two magnolia trees and they are a lovely sight in bloom. Their flowers are cause for pause, appreciation and reflection. Ah, refreshing beauty.

Senseless...

Reflective Windows - A View of Old East from Old Well in the Heart of Campus
Originally uploaded by amongthepines

It was shaping up as a warm and beautiful early spring day, but a dark cloud now hangs over the campus and town. During the lunch hour we found out the identity of the young woman who was murdered and was found lying in a residential street early Wednesday morning. She was the student body president who was a model university representative with a promising future. Why did this happen? We don’t know yet (there are currently no suspects), but, really, even an answer wouldn't make the situation better.

May her spirit find peace.

So Cool!

On the spur of the moment this evening I emailed a handful of friends and family members to let them know that my husband's band was about to be featured on a community radio station show. I shared the link to the streaming web cast just in case anyone was online. While I listened, I was surprised to get emails from a handful of folks from Illinois, Indiana, Connecticut, Baltimore and the DC area who had actually tuned in! What a great reminder of the coolness of the Internet and its usefulness in quickly facilitating meaningful connections between people. It was so refreshing to get those quick and appreciative responses rather than junk email!

N'awlins Darlin'

During this week of Mardi Gras, I pay tribute to the great city of New Orleans and share photos taken on my first trip to the Crescent City more than two decades ago.

I've never been to the city for Mardi Gras or Jazzfest, but during my few visits I have appreciated the sounds of the Preservation Hall jazz band, passed Congo Park where jazz began, downed a Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's, visited the sanctuary of St. Louis Cathedral to catch a wisp of family history, walked along Bourbon Street at night, admired the live oak trees in Audubon Park, seen "touchdown Jesus" at Loyola, savored Shrimp Po Boys, strolled through the French Market, and inhaled beignets covered in powered sugar at Cafe du Monde. Ah, what fun memories!


More than two years after Katrina, we are still reminded by news stories that the city has yet to get fully back on its feet. But, despite the struggle, the people who are there and who are returning keep moving forward. One day I hope to enjoy New Orleans again in person and reacquaint my senses with its rich sights, smells, sounds and tastes.



Photos: Break Dancers in Jackson Square & Paddlewheel on Mississippi River