Just a few days away!!

In just a few days I will be viewing the newest attractions, parades and changes first hand! I will be posting a lot of information soon!

Some pictures taken by Jenny.

 These are the pictures we have all been waiting for. This first one is Mickey's Fun Wheel located in California Adventure's Paradise Pier.

 This is Sully on the Monsters, Inc. ride located in California Adventure's Hollywood Backlot.

 This is Paradise Pier in California Adventure. This lagoon is where World of Color is shown at night. The roller coaster is California Screaming. You can also see the fun wheel on the right.

 These are the Toy Story Soldiers, during the Pixar Pals Parade that is shown in California Adventure.

Sign in the center area between the parks.

Character Greetings

Did you know you can spend time with the characters? They are often seen walking around the parks, and are in each character meal of course. You can get pictures, autographs and tell them how much you love them!

This photo was submitted by Jenny, who is there right now!

This was taken at California Adventure, in Condor Flats. Thanks, Jenny!!

New Expert and pictures

We have a new expert to help with the Walt Disney World information. Thanks, Steph!! We will also be getting new pictures taken over the next couple days from another reader who is at Disneyland right now. Can you say "Jenny makes us jealous (but we lover her anyway!)?" Thanks Jenny!!

Latest updates.

Hello readers! So some of the new things happening at Disneyland are all happening in the next few weeks.

The Ariel Undersea Adventures ride is nearly open. This will be a ride that makes you "Part of that world" as you sit in your clam shell and take in the sights and sounds of her world.

Goofy's Flight School opens soon as well. This is a roller coaster based on the classic "How To with Goofy" cartoons of the 1940's. This is being finished right now and should be open by late May 2011.

Star Tours  is being updated to have 4 new tours. The goal here is that every ride is unique. There are a lot of new things to discover on this ride, so strap in and be sure to keep your eyes open!

Cars Land is now pushed back to opening in mid 2012. Once it is open this newest land will be home to some of the best rides that are historically Disney, yet no longer anywhere else in the resort.

There is a new Princess to find and meet as well. This one I will not give away yet, however in June while I am there I will post hints as to who it is, and how to find her!

Disney World Update: Haunted Mansion.

Ok, so Haunted Mansion at Disneyworld has a new ending. From the point where you are warned to beware of hitch-hiking ghosts you will see all new effects. Check out this link (With full permission and courtesy of Inside The Magic, who created and owns all rights to the video)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxmSGxZPAdk&feature=player_embedded#at=32


If you are unable to view the link, I will tell you all about it, so from this point down is a spoiler!!!

The Grim Grinning Trio now has energy to do more than just sit on your lap. They will swap heads with you, shine flashlights at your head, give you their beards, turn your head into a balloon and more!! They are now the playful ghosts we would expect from Disney residents. Happy Haunting!!

Also, ITM has an article that you are invited to read located at http://www.insidethemagic.net/2011/04/first-look-new-haunted-mansion-animated-hitchhiking-ghost-mirror-scene-effects-materialize-at-walt-disney-world-playing-pranks-on-guests/

Birthday Celebrations.

With today being my birthday, I want to cover birthday celebrations at the Disneyland Park in California. There are many things that people do not know they can do to celebrate, spending little to no extra money.

Before you get in the park, go to the customer counter to the left of the main gates. Sometimes they will give dream fast passes and such. This is often not advertised, and they may not have any. 

First, be sure that you stop in at City Hall on main street. Tell the cast member that it is your birthday and you will receive a birthday pin, and a special phone call.

Second, if you have reservations anywhere be sure to tell them when you check in. You can also order a single serve cake in one of many Disney layouts. The cakes range from $15 - $30 depending on what you want. You can get special gifts in the cake display as well.

If you didn't get a cake at one of the restaurants you can swing by Carnation Cafe and check the wait times to make your own cake with the Mad Hatter.

No matter what you choose to do, if they know about it the Disney Cast will make sure your birthday is one to remember!!


Happy Birthday!

Park closed, then Bats Day.

Heads up foolish mortals.Disneyland park will close at 5pm on the 7th, but California Adventure will have extended hours. This year Disneyland's Bats Day will be held on May 8th. This can be frightening to children, so please plan your trip accordingly.

What is Bats Day? Well, it is the one day a year (aside from Halloween itself) that Gothics and all other subcultures are allowed in the park in the daily wear they choose. Often times this is vampireish, or other undead themes. There is a special Happy Haunts event that night for all in attendance.

Some changes ready this spring.

Some of the changes to the Disneyland Resort in California will be ready this spring. These are some I will be reviewing while on my trip in June. I have listed them below and will give what details I have right now.

Disneyland Hotel Neverland Pool. This pool is getting a complete makeover. There will be 3 pools instead of one, and each will have a water slide. The slides will have a Monorail theme, and each will be unique.

Rapunzel. The Tangled Princess is joining the other Princess in greeting guests at the park. She can be found in Fantasyland, between Pinocchio and Village Haus.

Little Mermaid.This is a completely new ride. It will be in California Adventure, near the old gazebo that hosted the story of the west. Guests will sit in a clam shell and ride through the movie. This is similar to the Nemo submarines in the movie aspect.

Goofy's Fly School. This ride is replacing Mullhulland Madness in California Adventure. I am particularly excited about it, because I never cared for MM. It is being completely re-themed to be all about Goofy teaching flight. It should be a lot of fun when it is finished.

Do you have an idea for a change that should be made?

New Adventure for Me.

This year I will be going to the park in June. This will be the first time ever I have visited in June. We will be going early in the month, so attendance should be low, and weather should be nice. I will be posting updates on the changes happening at the parks and hotels. I will try to post daily updates and pictures when I can.

It costs more to buy gifts on site. Myth, or Real?

 
Good morning everyone. The question at hand today is if it is cheaper to buy trinkets off site, or on. Over the years I have heard many comments on how it is cheaper to buy things at a local store and take them to give as gifts to your travel members.

There are a few things to consider when planning your shopping for special trinkets. First, do you want generic merchandise, or do you want something that will be more unique and special to the trip? Remember the items purchased in the park or Downtown Disney will often have area specific embellishments.

Money consideration aspect: The items you will find on site cost the same, if not less than what you would buy and bring. Also, often times Walt Disney Travel gives discount coupons for stores that you may visit. So in short, it is a MYTH that it's less expensive off site.

Shareholder Meeting 2011

This year the Annual Shareholder Meeting was held in Salt Lake City, Utah and because I live here I was able to attend. The main items were the Board Seats, pay discussion and the usual status of the company report. It was an awesome meeting. There were only about 150 shareholders present, however you can be certain many attended via live feed.

As a field trip I took my son with me. He is 9 and very intelligent and business curious. When it came time to begin the question and answer phase of the meeting he stepped up to the mic. "My name is Deacon, and I am in third grade. Mr. Iger, can you explain to me why you are changing California Adventure.... the entrance??" This was met by applause and a stunned looking Bob Iger. "Deacon, that is a wonderful question. The main reason we are changing it is because it does not feel Disney enough. It is lacking the character and hospitality - I am not sure if you know that word. Hospitality. Do they teach that in third grade? I digress. It simply is not up to the spirit of Walt. I would like to personally invite you to come check the new entrance when it is completed."

Many of the audience asking questions seemed to be part of the same union, and they tried repeatedly to get Iger to give them free healthcare coverage and pay increases. One man voiced concerns over the appearance of some areas of the parks. He was concerned about paint chips, cob webs and other small things. Please note that if you are at a park and notice something that does not appear to belong, bring it to a cast members attention. Iger also made a point of reassuring Deacon that he would ensure the new entrance way was perfect, and stated he has an email address that Deacon can contact him at if there are more concerns with it.

However, one other person stood out. An older man took the mic and began telling the story of the very first stockholder meeting he attended. It just happened to be the very first public meeting the company ever held. He told about seeing Walt and Roy before the meeting and how excited they were about the 25 people who came. Because of this, Walt stated all shareholders present would receive free park tickets. This tradition died when Walt passed, yet Iger reinstated it today. This brought many applause and compliments.

This was an amazing meeting, and I am so glad I decided to go. There are many amazing things happening in the parks around the world, and we are excited to be reporting them, as they happen, to you. 

Bunny Happenings.

Both parks here in the US are preparing for Easter celebrations. If you visit now you may find some new decorations around the parks. Next month they will have the Egg Hunts going on. It is usually crowded, however if you go be on the lookout for the eggs. They often hold trinkets, however there are times guests will find Disney Dollars, food vouchers and all kids of wonderful prizes. Have fun and happy hunting!!

The Best Season?

I have been asked many times when the best time to visit Disneyland would be. Really, that depends on your personal flexibility with travel.

Mid January - Before Presidents day. The main reason this one is the best is low attendance. People are still recovering from holiday spending and unless this was part of the plan they are avoiding costs. The downside of this time of year is the shorter hours of the parks. Generally there are few rides shut down from about January 15th, so you have a low chance of not having your favorite ride available to you. The weather is generally nice, some light rain showers happen that eliminate any lines.


After Labor day to the day before Thanksgiving. This is a great time of year for low attendance as well. However, there are times that this time of year can be rough with hotter weather and with new shows being introduced. More rides are shut down at this point in preparation for the holidays, however with good planning you will find that you can still manage to see everything.

The main times to avoid are holidays, spring and summer breaks and within 4 months after a show debuts. The low attendance times are Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!

Midnight Breakfast Party.

Kind of off the topic, but still really fun is the event held at Disneyland for the 1400 third shift employees. They were honored last night by a Tron Themed breakfast in the DLH. This is an awesome way to show support to those who take care of the park at night, while we are sleeping preparing for the next long day playing in it!

Shout out to all third shifters!!

Kids Menu Concerns.

Today someone asked me if it could possibly be true that the only thing the kids can get on the children's menu is mac&cheese and chicken tenders. No, this is not the case. However the 3-9 age groups using the Walt Disney World meal plan are required to order from the children's menu when it is available. Disneyland still uses meal vouchers, so it does not really matter because it is the value of the voucher that counts.

Breakfast choices for kids include waffles, pancakes, fruit, cereals and other items. Lunches and dinners do offer tenders and mac&cheese, however that is not all they offer. They also offer pizza's, veggies, fruits, burgers, fries and all ranges of other things.


Have any of you readers ever used the children's meal plan and found it to be restricted to anything more than just the menu?

Chrome Issues.

Hi everyone. I recently learned about some issues with the blog and chrome so I will be tweaking the site. Can you all help give feedback? Tell me the browser and how the page looks. Thanks!

Where to Begin Your Saving.

Ok, so you are really wanting to take the trip, and you are not sure how to come up with the money. Where do you begin? Well, I have taken all of my favorite tips and combined them here for you.

Decide How Much to Save.

This is always the first and most crucial step. This can be broken down into several small steps, so that you do not feel overwhelmed or concerned that you have an inaccurate goal. Always do this on the highest end. If you have extra money in the savings that only gives you more to spend.

• Plan your party size. If you want to take 4 and are not sure that the 4th can go, plan it for 4 anyway.
• Decide which resort you want to visit. Because there is a price difference and overall difference in each, explore them both online.
• Decide when your top three goal dates are. Always plan out three, in the event it takes longer to save than you realize. You will also save decently if you go during off peak times. The park hours may be shorter, but your feet will thank you.
  
• Decide how long you want to visit the resorts.
  

Once you have completed these steps you are ready to start pulling prices. You save money by doing it online through Disney Travel versus paying an agent. Find the prices for all three dates and mark the highest plus spending money as your goal amount. Don't forget your meal plan.

Create A Hands Free Savings Account.

Most of the time this can be done with your existing bank. However if that would be an easy access account, consider a different bank to use. Look for one that pays interest as well. This account needs to be hands free so that you do not run over your attempt by dipping in to it. If you know you have to wait 5-7 days to get money out you will be less likely to play with it.

Check Your Mail.

We all get the spam mail days where we get piles of advertisements. Look through them and use the coupons that are for the things you normally buy. Keep your normal budget planned, but use the coupons, and look for sales in the store. Change to off name brands. This may only save pennies at a time, however those pennies add up. Put every penny that you did not spend in to your savings account. Forget it is there.

Turn Off Lights and Walk More.

Do nearly the same thing here that you do for the foods. Keep your normal amount in the budget and put every penny you saved on gas, power and heat into the savings account and forget it is there.

Get the Travelers to Help.

Tell everyone you are taking that you are looking at going, however in order to go you need them to help. They can help save money with you by turning off lights, getting cheap things at the store and putting aside frivolous charges.



Now that you have the basics, start saving!!

Understanding Hotels - Walt Disney World.

Choosing a hotel when planning a Disney World vacation can be overwhelming and a very daunting task. There are 25 resort hotels, and more being built. Every hotel has cafe's, stores and pools that are themed to the hotel.

There are 4 categories that can help you streamline what you are looking for.

The Value category is the least expensive of the group. These are also the highest "fun" themed. There are 4 hotels in this category, with another being built. The themes are movies, sports, pop culture, music and coming soon is animation. These are remarkably more associated with Disneyland in that they are fun and exciting to all age groups. If you are going with a large party you need to check with the hotel of choice, as some in this category can not handle large bookings, if you all want to be on the same floor, hall, etc.

The Moderate category is slightly more costly. There are 5 hotels in this category that are location themed. There is a camping cabin hotel, beach hotels, french quarter and more. These are more thrilling to older guests who are wanting to be immersed in a location versus a storyline. This category does well with large group bookings.

The Deluxe category is significantly more than value, and even more than some moderate hotels. These are also location themed. They are also closer to the parks than the others.

The Deluxe Villa category is the most expensive, however the benefits may just make your dream vacation a reality. One of the hotels in this category overlooks the Savannah of the Animal Kingdom Park and you could wake up to animals right off your balcony.

Overall, know what price range you are willing to be in, and focus on those hotels. Doing that will reduce your anxiety over your choice.

Understanding Hotels - Disneyland.

At the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim there are 3 resort hotels. They are, per Disney norm, themed and each has it's own benefits and drawbacks. With a room at any of these hotels you can use your room key as your key to the Magic, which means you do not need to carry your credit cards, cash or checks unless you prefer to. There is also package delivery services, so that you do not need to carry your bags with you through the parks. Also, with a resort stay you can enjoy a private entrance. By having this entrance you will not experience long lines to get in, and you can get back to your hotel quickly, should you need or want to.

Paradise Pier Hotel is the cheaper of the three resort hotels. It is a fun California Surf themed hotel. This hotel has a rooftop pool that makes viewing the nighttime fireworks shows perfect. They even pipe in the music so that you do not miss anything in the show. The rooms are spacious and the views are awesome, no matter which side you are facing. The hotel is home to the Aloha Cafe and Grill, which hosts Surf's Up with Mickey and the Aloha Breakfast with Lilo and Stitch. There is a bar for the adults, an arcade for the kids, and it is within walking distance of all the park entrances. The drawback here is it is a little further away from any entrances, which can be rough on sore, tired feet.

Disneyland Hotel is the original resort hotel, however there are now three towers. This is the mid-range hotel, as far as pricing goes. It is classically themed, and each tower has a unique theme of it's own. In the main lobby there are many pictures of the famous who have come to play, and many of Walt himself. The interior decor has not changed much from the opening. This hotel houses Goofy's Kitchen, a buffet with real character. The pool here is Neverland themed, and recently underwent some renovations. The rooms are spacious, and themed to the tower that houses it. For example, the Dreams tower has a wall length headboard that features an LED softly lit fireworks display. the views are either of the resort, the park or the pool. All are spectacular. There is an arcade, bars, and the renovations include outdoor attractions as well. You still have access to the private entrance, however you are only steps away from Downtown Disney Monorail Station. The drawback here is that the Downtown Disney nightlife is right outside most of the windows, and the noises do carry.

The Grand Californian is aptly named. It is a very grand hotel, that fits a wooded resort theme. The lobby houses a very large spectacular fireplace, and everything is wood cabin accented. The hotel is also surrounded by trees, further adding to the cabin feel. With it being a woodlands theme, there is no one who is better to have a character breakfast with than Chip and Dale. the Storytellers Cafe is a story of its own. The rooms here are in keeping with the theme, and some even offer bunk beds. The views here are of Paradise Pier in California Adventure, Downtown Disney or of Paradise Pier Hotel. The pool is a classic lagoon type pool, surrounded by trees. There are many attractions inside the hotel, similar to the other hotels. This hotel also houses the resort private entrance. The downside here is that the foot traffic to the private entrance can be hectic at open and close.

All in all, these hotels are very worth it.

Understanding Hotels Overview.

With all the hotel options available when taking a Disney vacation it is vital to understand the best choices for you and your travel party. Because there are so many details to each resort, I have split this in to 3 different posts. This one will be a general overview, and there will be one for Disneyland and one for Walt Disney World.

When you travel, especially on such a magical vacation, you want to make sure that you chose a hotel that fits the needs of you and your entire travel party. By taking this extra step you can ensure that everyone will have an exciting magical stay.

First, consider your party size. If you are having a reunion where everyone will pay for themselves you just all need to decide on the hotel together. However, if one person is paying for everyone you want to be sure the hotel you chose can accommodate your party size.

Consider any character meal plans as well, and the location of the out of park attractions you want to visit.

There are also Good Neighbor hotels at each location. These are not park owned and therefore they do not have the same benefits. They often cost a little less, and are generally very decent hotels. When staying at these hotels you do not get Extra Magic hours, access to any of the resort pools, or some of the gift shops in the hotels. You also can not use your room key as your payment card like you can with resort keys.


Now, on with the show!

Resort Stay Benefits.

I was recently asked if staying in one of the resort hotels would be worth the extra money. I have to say it is absolutely worth the minimal extra you will pay. I have listed the benefits for both Disneyland and WDW below.

Disneyland -

Price increase is $200 - $800 for a 4 night stay. There are 3 hotels to chose from, each with it's own benefits and themes. (See my post called Understanding Hotels.)

Benefit on the park side is that you get both the early morning admission and the Morning Madness admission. Early Morning lets you get in the park about an hour or 2 before the rest of the general public, even though you only get Fantasyland access. The biggest benefit is being able to actually get on Matterhorn and Nemo without waiting in line the whole day.

Private entrance option let's you go right in through a hidden entrance that only resort guests can use.


WDW -

Price increase is $0 - $500 for a 4 night stay. There are 10 hotels to choose from. Again, please refer to the Understanding Hotels post.

With WDW you also get extended hours. The extra magic hours here change constantly from before opening to after close, and the parks change too. Having the shorter lines and extra time makes the prices reasonable too.

So, in short - Yes, it is very worth it.

Disneyland Dining

If this is your first trip, or you are an old pro, there are places to eat that you don't want to miss. I will go over the top 10 of the must-do's and cover all ages and tastes. Today I am only covering the Disneyland Resort ones. The price, atmosphere and flavor rating legend are located at the bottom.

10. Troubadour's Tavern. This is a fairly new addition. It is located by the Princess Fantasy Faire, on the outskirts of Fantasyland in the main park. It is mostly medieval foods like roasted turkey legs, sausages and the like, however they have vegetarian and kid friendly choices as well. There are chances that you will meet the royalty while you eat here. You will be sitting in a small eating area under trees that is often crowded on warmer days. Price $, Atmosphere 5, Flavor 4.

9. Boudin's on the Wharf. This is a San Francisco style diner located in The Wharf area of Paradise Pier in California Adventure. They serve fresh sourdough and chowder meals. There are also children friendly foods, and a wide selection. You have a choice of inside or outside seating, and the outside seating has a lagoon view. Price $$, Atmosphere 8, Flavor 9.

8. Pizza Port. This is a standard pizza place located in Tomorrowland next to the entrance to Space Mountain. It is cafeteria style and there are many options. For those that are momentarily less than enthused by the thought of pizza there are salads and various pasta dishes. There is inside and outside seating here as well. Price $, Atmosphere 6, Flavor 7.

7. Blue Ribbon Bakery. This is a classic bakery located on Main Street. This is one of the original eateries in the park. While this is a primarily morning location, due to the fresh muffins, doughnuts and cinnamon rolls they also have a large variety of evening sweets as well. There is very little seating here, however if you go out the door or in to the ice cream parlor you may find seating there. This is a great place, if you get there early enough, to sit and watch the morning marching band. Price $$, Atmosphere 9, Flavor 8.

6. Riverbelle Terrace. This is a classic eatery in the park as well, located just inside New Orleans Square near the Pirates of the Caribbean entrance. They have menus for all times of the day, and there is a large amount of seating inside and out. If you sit on the front patio there is a wonderful view of the Rivers of America. It is a fun thing to sit there during breakfast while the park is quiet and muse over how Walt must have felt when he realized his dream was becoming an unbeatable icon. Price $$, Atmosphere 9, Flavor 9.

5. Golden Horseshoe. It is located inside Frontierland, along the rivers of America adjacent to the shooting expo. This is a later day cafe that serves finger foods like chicken strips, fries and onion strips. There is an afternoon stage show inside (which is the only time you can access the cafe inside), and there are times that you will catch one of the classic Wild West shows outside. Price $, Atmosphere 10, Flavor 9.

4. Round Up Bar-be-que. This is a fairly new addition located in Frontierland next to the petting zoo. This is a family style BBQ "With all the Fixin's" and there are fully interactive stage shows while you eat. You need reservations here, however during the week the wait time without them is minimal. The seating is all outside, at classic picnic tables with large umbrellas. It is also an all you care to eat place, and if they bring a pail of food that you can't finish they let you take the leftovers. Price $$, Atmosphere 10, Flavor 10.

3. Taste Pilot's Grill. This is a burger place located in California Adventure right next to the entrance to Soarin'. There are many kinds of burger and fries combination, and even create it yourself options. They have kids meals and a vegetarian selection here that would knock even the pickiest eaters socks off. There is inside and outside seating. The decor is an old hangar and there is not much of a view in this area. Price $$$, Atmosphere 7, Flavor 10.

2. Goofy's Kitchen. This is a Character Meal location inside the Disneyland Hotel. It is an all you care to eat buffet that has a very wide variety of foods, including PB&J Pizza. The counters are short enough that kids as young as 4 can often see the food and chose what they want to eat. The characters come around and spend some time with each table, and you never know who you will see other than Goofy and Pluto. Be sure you have your autograph book ready when you get here, you will need it. If you forget to bring it the characters will sign the table cloth and let you keep it. Price $$$$, Atmosphere 9, Flavor 9.

1. Blue Bayou. This is a very unique place to eat - and an absolute must-do. The entrance is located next to Pieces of Eight, and the exit of the Pirates ride in New Orleans Square. The reason this is an absolute must-do is because the seating itself is *INSIDE* (yes, inside) the Pirates ride. When you walk up for your reservation time and checked in you are taken to a large back patio located on the Bayou at night (no matter what time you arrived you will eat at night, even if it is high noon). There is the sound of crickets and you can see fireflies and shooting stars. While this is the single most expensive restaurant in the park, the food is more than worth the cost. If you have the dining plan I spoke of earlier, you can use it here. They have southern foods like gumbo, jambalaya and other creole dishes for adults, and there is a special children's menu as well. You have to have reservations here, and you can request waterside dining. Price: $$$$, Atmosphere 10, Flavor 10.


Price Legend:
$ - Reasonable snack price.
$$ - Reasonable regular meal price
$$$ - Medium range meal price
$$$$ - High end meal price.

Atmosphere legend:
1-5 - Missed the mark there, Mickey
6-8 - I can tell what it should be....
9 - Only missing a few minor details to immerse me
10 - Spot on and we are now IN the design.

Flavor:
1-4 - Kind of bland, but alright.
5-9 - Very tasty
10 - Makes your mouth water to even think about.

Plan for the Most.

When you are planning your Disney vacation, whether it is a cruise or one of the parks it is always best to plan for the most expensive possibility. For example of you think there could be up to 5 going, but as few as 2 you will want to budget for 5. If you think you may stay 5 days, but as few as 3 budget for 5. In doing this you will find that you are fully prepared to pay the highest, and if it turns out that you are only actually paying for the smaller amount you now have additional spending money in the budget for all those wonderful trinkets you want to bring home.

Meal Plan or wing it?

One question I am often asked is if the meal plans that are offered directly from Disney Travel Company are worth the money. The answer is a resounding yes.

Let's say your vacation party consists of 2 adults, 2 children. You know that your family generally eats breakfast and dinner and some snacks in between. You are going to be on vacation for 4 days, and you know that you want as much character time as you can get. Here are your food options:

1. Go to the nearest grocery store and buy food for your hotel room.
- Upside; You have snacks and things that you want to have

- Downside; You have to leave the park and go back to the hotel when you get hungry.

2. Purchase your snacks out of pocket as you want them.
- Upside; You can get just drinks, or pretzels, etc.

- Downside; You have to be cost conscious at all times and know far in advance what your food budget will need to be. You will need to keep your receipts and do the math every night when you get back to the hotel.

3. Purchase a food plan with your vacation plan.
- Upside; You get significant discounts on your food. You get priority seating at all reservation required meals. You get at least one character meal with your plan, ensuring one on one time with your favorites. You have access to all food carts, restaurants and kiosks inside the parks. You get snacks as well as meals. You save an average of $480 on a 4 day 4 person vacation.

- Downside; You have to make sure you keep your reservation times.



So, having said the basics - are there any questions about the food packages?

Welcome to Magic Pennies!

A dream is a wish your heart makes. You can make the wish come true! Did you know that you could afford a Disney vacation? Many people think this is out of their reach, and I am out to prove that a few simple changes to your plans and budget will lead to your dream.

This blog is dedicated to ways to save pennies for and on a Disney vacation. There are many insider tips I will share with you that will make those pennies magically stretch into your ultimate Disney dream vacation.

Sit back, have fun and prepare to play!