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Official Announcement: Leap Year 2012 Calls for ‘One More Disney Day’

By
Chip
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Official Announcement: Leap Year 2012 Calls for ‘One More Disney Day’

Disney Parks guests can get the most out of February 29 when Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California celebrate Leap Year by keeping a theme park on each coast open for 24 hours of nonstop memory-making fun.

For the first time ever, both the Magic Kingdom Park and Disneyland Park will stay open for 24 hours straight as part of a bi-coastal salute called “One More Disney Day.” From 6 a.m., February 29 to 6 a.m., March 1, 2012, local time, guests can fill the extra day of leap year with a marathon of Disney magic and fun.*

And for 60 days straight – from Jan. 1, 2012 to Feb. 29, 2012 – a daily winner will be chosen in the “Disney Parks One More Disney Day Sweepstakes” to receive a Disney Parks vacation.  One entrant each day will win a vacation for four to make memories at either Disneyland Resort in California or Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.**

For the past year, Disney Parks has invited guests to “let the memories begin,” noted Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

“We’re honored that so many guests have shared their Disney memories with us as part of ‘Let the Memories Begin’, and I’m pleased to announce that the campaign will continue throughout 2012,” Staggs said. “To celebrate, for the first time ever, the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Parks will remain open for 24 hours on Leap Day, so that our guests can take advantage of every minute of their extra day to make memories with friends and family.”

In addition to the extra time, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California will feature a special offer:

  • Guests get one more day and night of memory making, free when they buy a 3-night/3-day non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Co. room and ticket package at select Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort hotels.  The package offer is good for arrivals most nights Feb. 26 – March 10, 2012 and must be booked by Jan. 31, 2012. ***

In 2011, Disney Parks has encouraged families to “Let the Memories Begin,” with guests celebrating their only-at-Disney memories by sharing their vacation stories, photos and videos online at DisneyParks.com/memories.

Guests can find out more information about other Disneyland Resort offers and tickets at www.disneyland.com and other Walt Disney World Resort hotel and ticket offers at www.disneyworld.com. Guests can find out more information about “One More Disney Day” and get official rules for the “Disney Parks One More Disney Day Sweepstakes” at www.OneMoreDisneyDay.com.

 

*Select attractions, entertainment and services will be available for 24 hours. Subject to capacity restrictions.  Valid theme park admission required.

** NO PURCHASE/ TEXT MESSAGE NECESSARY.  Void where prohibited.  Open only to persons who are, as of Entry, legal residents of, and physically located within, the 50 U.S., D.C. or Canada (excluding Quebec) and who are not Minors.  Sweepstakes starts 12:01 AM (EST) on 1/1/12 and ends 11:59:59 PM (EST) on 2/29/12.  To enter, send on your cell phone the key word “DISNEYDAY” as an SMS text message to the SMS shortcode 347639 (Disney).  Msg. & data rates may apply. Or to enter for free and for Official Rules, visit Disney.com/memoriessweeps.  If entering via SMS you will receive a confirmation text in response to your entry.  LIMIT: ONE ENTRY ALLOWED PER PERSON/Cell/Address for each day.  Sponsor:  Disney Online 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521.

*** Number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited.  Room charge based on average per night rate of applicable room during stay.  Offer is valid for bookings from 1/1/12 through 1/31/12 for arrivals from 2/26/12 through 3/10/12.  One (1) consecutive night will be added to the hotel stay and one (1) day added to the tickets.  Offer applied once per package/reservation and excludes suites.  Disneyland® Resort multi-day tickets expire 13 days after first use or 3/23/12, whichever occurs first, Walt Disney World® tickets are for one theme park per day and must be used within 14 days of first use.  Each day of use of a ticket constitutes one full day of use. Advanced reservations required.  No group rates or other discounts apply.  Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Check for packages of other lengths of stay.  Walt Disney Travel Company CST: 1022229-50.  ©Disney

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Official Announcement: Leap Year 2012 Calls for ‘One More Disney Day’

Disney World Planning 101 – Don’t Forget the Tips

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
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Disney World Planning 101 - Don't Forget the Tips

While there is a consensus in some parts of the world (and unfortunately in some places in the United States) that tipping is optional there are some situations you should be prepared for and budget for in your planning.  First and foremost when dining.  Most of the college age students are interns and while working in the World does pay small wages, like waitstaff throughout the country the pay is low here as well.  I know not everyone is aware of this but because of tipping minimum wage laws don’t always apply to waitstaff which means that the waiters and waitresses you encounter may be counting on tips for their livelihood.  Don’t skimp, especially on Disney Dining Plan.

While gratuity is included at some places on large bills or large groups ALWAYS CHECK YOUR CHECK! Make sure that even if you have a large party the gratuity was added and if you felt your service was exceptional add a bit more.  15%-20% is typical for a great sit down restaurant meal and should be added even if your family is on the Dining plan as tips have not been included in your plan price in a few years. Since I have never had anything but exceptional dining situation in Disney World I plan for roughly 20% on all meals to make sure we have enough money in our budget.

Also, don’t forget your mousekeeper! I was once talking to some Disney friends who asked how in the world my husband and I always end up getting approved for late checkout whether it be an hour or a half day and the question of tipping came up.  We always leave about $2 per person in a cute decorated “Thank you, Mousekeeping!” envelope when we head out for the day, and on our first or last day we usually leave a couple dollars more. We always leave chock full of toiletries and having used fresh towels daily.  I have always felt because we take care of our mousekeeper they are always taking extra special care of us.  We appreciate them and since we often don’t cross paths we like to show it to them with a tip!

Don’t forget the tips in your planning as Disney does everything a cut above and the staff deserve that little extra to say “Thanks!”

 

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Disney World Planning 101 - Don't Forget the Tips

Snowbirds: Disney Vacationing for Canadians

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

Snowbirds: Disney Vacationing for Canadians

If you don’t know already, I am Canadian. And although my country isn’t exactly The Great White North anymore due to weather pattern changes, it still does get cold enough in winter to make Florida look awfully good. And warm!

And to this ‘Snowbird’ it’s just a no-brainer to head to The Vacation Kingdom for that hot and sweaty two weeks of winter vacation time. But perhaps your dream vacation involves Disneyland.

Before my family’s first visit to Walt Disney World in 2005, however, we had some big decisions to make. Decisions that would apply regardless of your final destination:

  • What help was available to plan our vacation?
  • How would we travel from Canada to this U.S. destination?
  • How long would we stay?
  • Would we stay on-property or off-property?
  • Was there anything else we needed to know before making our final decision?

So many questions, but at the time, so few answers! So this article is intended to help my fellow Canadians, and perhaps by extension other foreigners, to plan their next Disney vacation. I’ll walk you through each of the above questions by giving you the solutions I found to create many successful visits.

What help is available to plan your vacation?

For my first visit, I used a Travel Agent. I would recommend this to anyone who is unfamiliar with travel or booking  procedures. For my wife and I, it took all of the worry out of the planning stage. We merely told our Agent what we wanted to do and when, and she did the rest. Today, there are many Official Disney Travel Agents (one is attached to this site) who are
experts at planning a magical visit with Mickey Mouse. We also used CAA (AAA) when we were members, and this too proved to be a fine planning resource.

You can also phone Disney directly and they will plan everything for you.

In my opinion, if you try to go it alone, you are likely to miss out on many things. The sheer amount of decisions needing to be made is staggering! So perhaps a final tip is to do as much research on the Disney destination of your choice as you can. I recommend buying Birnbaum’s Official Guide, or some similar publication, well in advance of your planned vacation.

How should you travel from Canada to the States?

For our first trip, to Walt Disney World, my wife and I flew. Any Canadian airport will fly you directly to the Orlando International Airport. However, at the time, we lived only 30 minutes from the Windsor/Detroit border, and so had friends drop us off at the Detroit Metro Airport. From there, it took only two hours of flying and very little time was wasted on the ground or in the air. We were able to minimize the time spent in Customs and endured lessened security checks, so keep this point in mind: The events of 911 have made travel between Canada and the U.S. more inconvenient for Canadians, so you will be subjected to more delays and stricter security measures if you leave for Florida or California from a Canadian Airport.
Thusly, I recommend that you travel by car across a land border, use Park and Fly, and fly from State to State to minimize this problem.

The other option of travel is to drive. I much prefer doing this, as you can stop along the way and enjoy more of what the U.S. has to offer in the way of attractions and sightseeing. But your distance from Florida or California will determine if this is feasible.

If you will be driving to Florida, I recommend picking up a copy of Along Interstate I75 by Dave Hunter. He and his wife have made hundreds of road trips along this route and have included every, and I mean every, possible point of interest along this highway! Plan an extra day or two to stop and enjoy the culture and friendly people of each State you cross.

How long should you stay?

Up front, you should know that you have no hope of covering all of Walt Disney World in a month, let alone a week or less. So don’t worry about figuring out how many days you’ll need to cover everything. It ain’t gonna happen! So pick the number of days you will need to wind down and relax, but not so many that you will miss home and your regular routine. Remember:
Next year will bring another vacation!

Should you stay on-property or off-property?

If you are going to fly, staying on-property makes the best sense. Disney’s Magical Express will pick you up at the airport and drop you off when it’s time to leave. You just sit back and let them do the driving! Disney will even pick up your luggage at the airport and place it in your room upon arriving at your resort. Now how convenient is that? If you are planning to drive, then either option is feasible. But keep in mind that parking fees at Walt Disney World (and presumably Disneyland) can add up quickly, but can be avoided if you park at your on-property resort and use Disney transportation.

Staying off-property makes sense if you intend to visit several other Orlando or Anaheim attractions, such as Universal Studios,
Knott’s Berry Farms, or Legoland. Choosing a spot at a central location to all of your intended destinations just makes more sense time wise and financially.

What else do you need to know before making your final vacation plans?

Plan ahead. Keep your eye on the exchange rate between the Canadian and U.S. dollars. One year you may find things at par, while another year can see Canadians losing over 25 cents on the dollar! This can severely impact your spending power on vacation. So if possible, watch the fluctuating rates, and buy your American currency when values are closest to par.

Research, on sites like Chip and Company, all of the current and upcoming discounts and promotions being offered by Disney. Again, if you’re not into spending hours on the Internet, letting your Travel Agent do the work may be best.

Be aware of attraction refurbishments and closing schedules as well as Park renovations and expansions. For example, visiting Disney’s California Adventure at this time would be disappointing as they are still finishing off many of the key improvements to this Park, and will be well into 2012. Walt Disney World also has many such closures, but most notably, the recent changes to Fantasyland may impact your enjoyment of the Magic Kingdom, especially if you have young children.

My last tip is the simplest and perhaps most enjoyable: Talk to your Disney friends! They may just be the best resources you have about the Parks and how to make the most of a Disney vacation.

So now I hope you’re ready to plan that big Disney vacation. Just remember what Charles Muntz always said: “Adventure is out there!” But maybe I could add that even more adventure is out there if you plan well.

I’ll see you at the Parks!

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Disney Gives New Life to the Snow Queen as Frozen

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

Disney Gives New Life to the Snow Queen as Frozen

Slash Film is reporting that Walt Disney Animation has added a new movie to their Holiday slate. Frozen, formerly titled The Snow Queen, was announced today through the Hollywood trades. There was some confusion with the announcement since some trades thought it was the title of a new film about dinosaurs that Pixar is developing since Frozen has been given the date that was originally given to the Pixar film.

The movie will be an adaptation of the orginial Hans Christian Anderson story. The original story is about two children, Gerda and Kay, who are neighbors and friends. One day Kay is hurt by the fragments of a mirror and his put under the spell of the Snow Queen and taken to her palace. It is up to Gerda to save him.

It is being reported that the film will not be done in traditional hand-drawn animation and will be in 3D. The project had been put on hold several times, most recently in 2010. I think the story will work great as a Disney animated film and I am looking forward to hearing more about the project.

Frozen is set to be released in theaters November 27th, 2013.

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Schedule for Art of Animation Resort Opening.

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

Schedule for Art of Animation Resort Opening.

It won’t be long before you can stay in the highly-anticipated Art of Animation Resort at Walt Disney World. Located in the proposed Golden Years section at the Pop Century Resort, the Art of Animation Resort will feature suites that sleep up to six and rooms that sleep up to four.  The resort is scheduled to open in sections:

  • Nemo Suites: Opening May 31, 2012.
  • Cars suites:  August 31, 3012.
  • The Lion King Suites:  September 30, 2012.
  • The Little Mermaid rooms:  December.

This resort is a welcome addition, especially for larger families and groups who need the extra space. I can’t wait to stay there!  We’ll keep you posted if these dates change.

Chris writes here and at Everything Walt Disney World.  Mention this article and receive a free Disney gift card when you book a new Disney vacation.  You can email her at [email protected].

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The top 5 ways to make the most of your WDW vacation

By
Catie
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The top 5 ways to make the most of your WDW vacation

My last vacation to Walt Disney World didn’t exactly go as planned – I was sick the whole time, and it made it really difficult to enjoy myself. We did the best we could to have fun, and I realized there are some ways to make the most out of even a less than ideal vacation:

1. Take a lot of pictures: Make sure you are capturing the good moments, and making memories while you have the chance (for me, there were definitely times where I was feeling better, so we made sure to take a lot of pictures during those times). If you’re the type of photographer who always puts their thumb over the lens, or your photos always come out blurry – leave it to the pros, and utilize Disney’s PhotoPass service – you can read more about that here
2.    SLOW DOWN: Don’t try and rush through the parks or let yourself be distracted by whatever else might be going on in your life, just remember to slow down and take a look around you, you’re in the most magical place in the world, and you paid good money to be there, and you should get the most out of it, so make sure you take the time to soak it in, and enjoy all that is surrounding you
3.    Be Prepared: No one wants to get sick or get hurt on vacation or to have anything else bad happen, I know I sure didn’t, so make sure you have prepared yourself for the possibility that you might not be at your best while you’re away – for me this meant packing a bunch of different over the counter medications, making sure my cell phone was charged at all times, having my ID/credit cards/insurance information on me at all times, and overall just being aware of where things were within and outside the Resort, just in case there was any type of emergency (you can always do some research online before your trip too, it never hurts to know where the nearest doctor/pharmacy/auto repair shop/grocery store is when you’re going on vacation, chances are good you won’t need any of those places, but just in case, you should know where they are and how you can get to them in a hurry if necessary
4.    Let Disney Help You:  The Cast Members at WDW really do want you and your family to have an amazing time at Walt Disney World, and they will go out of their way to make sure that happens. They helped us out by reimbursing us for a $60 cab fare back to the Resort from the emergency room. When I was leaving the hospital and had the receptionist there call us a cab, she told us to make sure we stopped at our hotel concierge upon our return to Disney and got the fare reimbursed. I asked her why they would do that and she said “Because it’s Disney”. So anything you need, just ask them. If they can’t give it to you, they can find someone who can
5.    Don’t beat yourself up: If something happens that affects your vacation in a negative way, chances are good you will be stressed out. Don’t let that stress spiral into something that will ruin your whole trip, and more importantly don’t blame yourself for ‘ruining your trip’. In most cases, its no ones fault, things happen, and we just have to cope the best we can. Remember what you love about Disney, and try and make as many special memories as you can during your trip, and always remember – there WILL be other vacations, and other chances to enjoy Walt Disney World to the fullest!

Disney Cruise Line Cancels Mexican Riviera Cruises

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
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Disney Cruise Line Cancels Mexican Riviera Cruises

Passengers on the Disney Wonder for the Mexican Riviera cruises December 9, 16, 23, 30 (2012) have been cancelled. Passengers have been offered the option to re-book a cruise for one of the different itineraries on the other ships or accept a full refund.

That begs the question, “why?”. On the heels of the big “New Years” announcement…what else is Disney hiding? The official news from Disney Cruise Line is that there is no news, and when they are prepared to disclose the reasons for the cancellations they will do a press release. That’s far to boring for us here at Chip and Co. so we rounded up some rumors and speculation all on our own.

The Wonder recently had a dry dock and planning another dry dock during the busy holiday season doesn’t seem likely.

Has some monster conglomerate rented out the ship for those cruises? That would be one heck of a private holiday party!!! Again…to me, this doesn’t seem likely.

Is the Wonder going to surprise us and head in a different direction on these sail dates? If so, why tell the December cruisers that they can get a refund or rebook on a different ship if an alternate itinerary will be available for those sail dates? If there is going to be a new itinerary for the Wonder during those December sailings…where will they be? Hawaii would be a logical explanation since they have already added an additional Hawaii itinerary since they first made the announcement. That would be 2 Hawaii cruises since they are 14 or 15-nights. Could DCL be headed back to the Mediterranean? Maybe a little International sail and celebrate is in order for the holiday season?

The possibilities are endless but the fact of the matter is, until Disney Cruise Line wants to tell us what’s going on, we may never know. There is no doubt that Disney Cruise Line will have more flexibility than ever with four ships in the water and I’m sure there are surprises on the horizon!

What do you think is going to happen with the Disney Wonder during those four December dates?

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Disney’s 2012 Promotion – One more Disney Day

By
Chip
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Disney's 2012 Promotion - One more Disney Day

Disney Parks Has a Rockin’ New Year’s Secret

On December 31, 2011, tune in to Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest on ABC or Univision Television Feliz 2012 hosted by Don Francisco live from Disneyland Park for a special announcement. Check your local listings for exact air times.

Disney Parks will be celebrating like never before!

Here is news drop on the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade:

Here is the teaser Disney Released online a few days ago

For more information check out this site.

Disney Parks One More Disney Day.

Speculation on the internet is that both the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Disneyland will remain open all night on February 28 and continue operating through Leap Day, February 29.

So unless you will be at Walt Disney World on those days the news is probably not going to interest you. What would really be cool is for the entire 2012 year the park stays open 24-7. That would be AWESOME!

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Disney's 2012 Promotion - One more Disney Day

Best Thing I Love about Disney is Dining in Casual Clothes

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

Best Thing I Love about Disney is Dining in Casual Clothes
Casual Fridays are a staple of the American workplace. It’s a time when the workforce can look forward to the upcoming weekend by taking advantage of a relaxed but still professional dress code.

This same principle can be applied to Disney dining and it’s one of the things I love about Disney. At Walt Disney World, you can experience unique and high-quality dining while dressed more casually than you could at home. Since many people eat at table-service restaurants while touring the theme parks, most diners will be dressed in comfortable clothes and footwear. T-shirts, shorts, and sneakers are not out of the norm. I don’t mind dressing up but my husband is more comfortable in casual clothes and balks at the idea of a shirt and tie for dinner. At Disney, he has the best of the both worlds – great dining in casual but appropriate clothes.

If you frequent any Disney forums, you’ll happen upon a thread when people complain about guests being inappropriately dressed in Disney restaurants. These complaints are usually about diners in Disney’s signature restaurants. Signature restaurants do have a “business casual” dress code that is less relaxed than at other Disney table-service restaurants. The following signature restaurant dress code guidelines are from the Disney website.

“Men: Khakis, slacks, jeans, dress shorts, collared shirts. Sport coats are optional.
Ladies: Capris, skirts, dresses, jeans, dress shorts.
Not permitted in dining room: Tank tops, swimwear, hats for gentleman, cut offs, or torn clothing. While T-shirts are now allowed, the policy remains that T-shirts with offensive language or graphics are not acceptable.“

Just like going to work in a nice pair of jeans can be more fun on Fridays, the food at Disney just seems to taste better to my family when we’re dressed in nice shorts and sneakers.

Lisa M. Battista is the author of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers When she’s not chasing after her little ones, you can most likely find her at the beach or in the kitchen trying her hand at a new recipe. You can follow her on Twitter @DisneyExplorer or become a fan of Beyond the Attractions on Facebook.

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Best Thing I Love about Disney is Dining in Casual Clothes

Disney World Quick Tip – Pack Less Clothes

By
Chip
-

Disney World Quick Tip - Pack Less Clothes

One thing we like to do when packing for Walt Disney World is pack less clothes… Before you tell me that is not possible or how 2 suitcases are a minimum in your household here me out.

What my family and I like to do is pack enough clothes for 4-5 days tops. Then since most times we stay at a resort that has a washer or dryer in the room about half way through the vacation we do a load of laundry and then wear the same outfits all over again. It gives me a chance to bust out the Chip and Company t-shirts twice on our vacation!

Disney World Quick Tip - Pack Less Clothes

Back in the good old days this meant packing detergent, fabric softener, and dryer sheets. Not any more.. Purex 3 and 1 sheets (as seen above) is a life & packing saver. Not only is the detergent, fabric softener, and anti static sheet all combined together if you layer them with your clothes it makes your whole suitcase smell brilliant when you get to your home away from home.

So Chip what do we do if you don’t have access to a washer or dryer? Well all of the Walt Disney World resorts have access to a laundry facility. They have coin-operated laundry rooms including washers and dryer in a central location usually by the pool. They run about $2.00 per load for the wash and $2.00 for the dryer. All laundry rooms do have access to soap and dryer sheets but are no where near as nice smelling as the Purex brand.

Tip – I do not suggest bring detergent or fabric softener on a plane with you. Who knows what the TSA or the extreme altitudes will do with that package of liquid Tide.

So what we like to do is run a load of laundry and head off to the pool. About 1/2 way through your swim session pop out, run back to the laundry room and move your clothes over to the dryer. By the time you done they are dry, fresh and toasty warm for your venture back to the parks for fireworks or a late dinner.

Well I hope this Disney World Quick Tip will help you save some space on your next vacation. Remember more room = more souvenirs you can bring back home with you.

 

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Disney World Quick Tip - Pack Less Clothes

Disney Confidential – XPass is coming sooner than you think

By
Anonymouse
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Disney Confidential - XPass is coming sooner than you think

Here there guys and gals Anonymouse here. I hope everyone had a great holidays!

Today’s Disney Gossip is something we have talked about before here on Chip and Co. While I am not a fan because going to Walt Disney World is something we have to save up for and can only manage to get to our home away from home once a year, those with deep pockets are going to like the news.

It seems Disney is getting ready to roll out XPass in 2012. What is XPass you might ask?

For a hefty ransom Disney will offer WDW Guests the opportunity to pre-book an entire vacation’s worth of rides on the Resort’s most popular attractions as well as guaranteeing these high-end customers a primo reserved viewing spot for theme park parades and/or nighttime extravaganzas like “Illuminations” and  “Fantasmic!”

So depending on how deep your pockets are and how much of a Chip Planning Nerd you are, you could plan out your whole vacation from behind your computer screen before you even step foot in the parks. If I only knew someone who did that now….

If you want to read more about this head over to Jim Hill Media. Now I am not 100% certain this is a real article as JHM likes to pull peoples legs. Although we have been known to share information about upcoming things at Walt Disney World. For example the Fast Pass for Fast Pass.

While I am not to crazy about this option I want to hear what you think. Let me know in the comment box below.

Anywho that is all the Disney Gossip I have right now. For my past Gossip articles be sure to check them out here.

Got any good rumors?  Please email me at [email protected] or on my Facebook Page

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Planning Your Visit Day By Day

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

Planning Your Visit Day By Day

When we, as Oldies, visit Walt Disney World we approach it a little bit differently from our younger friends. For example, after getting up at 4:00 AM and catching an early flight we then spend a good portion of the day getting to our happy place. After a long day of travel and getting to our resort hotel, I don’t know about the rest of my Senior friends but I’m ready to rest for a bit. For that reason our arrival day is always an easy one. We generally get checked in and have dinner after which we walk the resort. Occasionally, if we are staying at Port Orleans, we will take the boat to Downtown Disney and then take it right back again. It’s a great way to unwind so you can get to bed and sleep well to be ready for your first day. Many of our younger friends head for a park or go to one of the entertainment areas for some clubbing, not us!!!

In talking to other Oldies we have found that most of them spend 7-9 days on site not counting travel days. This calls for pre-planning your day to day park visits before you arrive. Pre-planning your park visits also allows you to make Advance Dining Reservations (ADR’s) based on where you will be each day (that’s a lot better than planning your park days based on which ADR’s you have). I always use one of the subscription websites that produce charts indicating what crowds will be like each day in each park for planning purposes. Both Touring Plans.com and Tour Guide Mike do a good job of this but my preference is and has been Tour Guide Mike. The accuracy at that sight is always spot on and I rely heavily on their recommendations.

Just a few quick hints, make sure you allow enough park time in your favorite park. Ours is Epcot and on a 9 day visit we spend at least 2 1/2 to 3 days there. We then divide the majority of the rest of the visit between the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios with just a short half day visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom for our favorite attractions. The most important thing that we Oldies can do is to plan a rest day somewhere towards the middle of your stay. On this day you can sleep in, spend a bit of time by the pool, visit some other resorts (to plan for future visits), play some golf, do some shopping, etc. You should just do something that gets you away from the pace and intensity of the parks. As much as we all love the theme parks, they can be exhausting. Please don’t ignore this, it will make your entire visit much more fun!!!

This is nothing more than a few suggestions to make sure you get the most out of your visit without exhausting yourself and perhaps endangering your health. Nothing is worth making yourself sick trying to enjoy yourself too much. As always, enjoy your visit to Walt Disney World!!

Ken

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Planning Your Visit Day By Day
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