This video shows you a behind the scenes peak at the making of Pixar’s Day & Night short that will be premiering before Toy Story 3 that is in theaters on June 18th!
Ask a Disney Question: Renting DVC Points.
This question comes from Michael, who wants to know about renting Disney Vacation Club (DVC) points: “How does it work? When you rent points do you have to sign up for the DVC service? What other fees are there?”
David, renting points can save you a lot of money and it’s fairly easy, at least from the standpoint of the transaction itself. The most complicated issue is finding someone you trust to work with, but we’ll get to that later.
First, you don’t have to join DVC and there are no other fees. In fact, unlike other timeshare businesses where staying at their timeshare requires you to sit through a sales pitch, you’ll never be approached by Disney during your stay about joining DVC. Once you check in, Disney doesn’t treat you any differently than a regular DVC owner, so you’ll have access to Magical Express, the dining plan, Disney transportation, free parking and all the other benefits enjoyed by resort guests. You’ll even be greeted with a “welcome home” when you drive in the gate, something that may give you the warm fuzzies and make you think about buying DVC yourself.
Finding out how many points you need.
Familiarize yourself with the point charts before you start shopping around for a rental. You can find point charts and other important information about DVC over at Mouseowners, a website devoted to DVC. The point system is simple and basically works like this: You check the chart and see that a week in a one-bedroom standard view villa during adventure (low) season at the Villas at Animal Kingdom rents for 169 points. The same type of room in an extremely popular resort such as Bay Lake Towers goes for 201 points. At $10 a point, your entire transaction for Animal Kingdom would be $1690 (you don’t have to worry about taxes). Points are higher on Fridays and Saturdays and during busier times of the year.
In general, I’ve found that renting points can get you a one-bedroom at most resorts for about the same cost as renting a standard room in a moderate resort (without discounts). Depending on the discounts available at the time, you’ll sometimes find that renting a DVC unit through Disney is actually cheaper than renting through an owner, but you’ll need about a 40% discount for this to be the case. The benefit of renting the same unit through Disney is that they have a much more favorable cancellation policy and you know who you’re renting from.
Costs.
The cost per point is often in flux. DVC owners are smart. They know when Disney is offering discounts and they know when they need to adjust their prices. Prices are often higher farther out and at the better resorts during busier times of the year. Bay Lake Tower, as Disney’s newest DVC property, is more expensive than Saratoga Springs, for example, where you’ll almost always find availability. Boardwalk Villas during Food and Wine is nearly impossible to get, so expect to pay top price. And while it’s new and beautiful, the Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge almost always have availability, possibly due to it’s location. While $10 per point is standard across the board, some owners advertise as low as $7 and as high as $13 per point. Points brokers usually charge $13 per point, even for less desirable resorts. Brokers often advertise last-minute rentals for around $7.
Having said this, I’ll be blunt: I’m not going to pay $13 per point for any resort unless I go through a broker. From what I’ve seen, owners who advertise on the higher end, say $12 and $13 a point, are much less likely to close a deal unless it’s for a really desirable time of year. My advice to you? Don’t pay that much unless you’re going at Christmas and want to stay at BLT or at Villas at Wilderness Lodge. And then, if you’re paying that much, go through a broker and save yourself some hassle.
One last thing about costs. If you’re willing to gamble, you can rent a guaranteed reservation close to your arrival date. Here’s how this works. A DVC member makes a reservation with the intention of going. At some point his plans change, but he is at the point where if he cancels, he’ll lose his points. His best bet is to rent out his points at a lower rate to someone who can travel on the spur of the moment. I’ve seen guaranteed reservations for as low as $5 per point, although $6 is more common. This situation works well if you have some flexibility and are open to trying different resorts. If you do this, you may want to consider having a backup reservation in case you don’t find a last minute rental.
Next, you’ll rent points.
There are two ways to rent points. 1) Directly through a DVC owner, and 2) through a points broker.
DVC owners rent out points for any number of reasons, as you can imagine. The result is beneficial to owner and renter alike and the vast majority of transactions go very smoothly. I don’t advise renting through Craigslist or Ebay; there’s just too much risk of fraud. My experience with owners looking to rent is from two places, the DVC boards at Disboards and Mouseowners, which is a website that specifically caters to all things DVC. There are other places out there but these seem to be the most active boards and the moderators, particularly at Disboards, are pretty quick to put a stop to outright high jinks. If possible, rent from posters with a high post count or who are long-term members.
Mouseowners has a very liberal policy for posting. Just post what you’re looking for, say a one-bedroom at Bay Lake Towers with your dates, and an owner will usually respond. They don’t have a problem with you “bumping” up your thread if necessary. You may also want to search for owners renting out points. Once you meet an owner who has the points you need and the price works for you, ask for references and if that checks out, you’ll draw up a contract and pay. Most private owners take bank checks or Paypal (with the 3% fee tacked on).
Disboards is a little more strict, but they also have many more owners and renters. I’ve also noticed that the owners there tend to have higher post counts than they do on Mouseowners, something that allows you to “get to know” the owner before you consider renting from them. I always check out a poster’s previous posts before I rent from someone. It’s not a guarantee, but a poster who’s formed relationships with his fellow DVC owners is more likely to want to safeguard that reputation. On Disboards, you’ll only be able to respond to the post of an owner who advertises points for rent, rather than putting up a post requesting to rent points. It’s really not a big deal, it just requires a bit more searching. If your concerned about posting rules, read the FAQs at the top of the page.
Being able to rent out your own points is one of the advantages of owning DVC and Disney doesn’t put limits on owners renting their points; they can do so every year if they wish. Professional brokers however, fall into something of a gray area. Obviously, Disney isn’t in love with the idea of brokers selling points for a variety of reasons. Because of this, Disney recently limited the number of associates a member can have on his DVC membership to four, which means that only those four individuals can make reservations. Since brokers can’t make your reservation for you, they act as an intermediary between the renter and the owner. Once the initial negotiations between the broker and the renter are completed, the broker finds a prospective owner and the owner makes the reservation in the renter’s name. The broker herself has no contact with Disney. If you use a broker, your transaction is perfectly legitimate because the broker is something of an invisible partner in the whole process. It’s a good system, but you’ll pay for the privilege, about $3 more a point.
For some people, it’s worth it to pay a few dollars more per point not to have to search for an owner and deal with the little stuff. A broker transaction generally goes pretty smoothly and if it doesn’t, it benefits the broker to fix the situation. Be aware that Brokers often have the harshest cancellation policies (no refund, no transfer), so while you’ll ostensibly have more protection from unscrupulous owners by using a broker, that’s where the protection ends. If you cancel, you’re out the entire amount. Most brokers can put you in touch with someone who can offer trip insurance, however.
Regardless of how you rent, the owner will have to arrange Magical Express and sign you up for the Dining Plan. Shortly after the owner makes the reservation in your name, she’ll give you your reservation number and you’ll be able to verify your reservation on the DVC reservation website. Make sure you use the DVC reservation verification, not the regular resort verification which won’t recognize your reservation and potentially cause needless worry. You’ll also need to verify the resort check in date and the resort you’ll be staying at. When you go to make your advanced dining reservations online, you’ll want to add that reservation number under “My Disney Vacation” so that you can make your ADRs at the 180 + 10 mark.
The Process:
DVC owners can make reservations at their home resort at 11-months out. They can make reservations at all other DVC resorts at 7-months out. If you have your heart set on a specific resort, contact an owner of that resort prior to 11-months. This is particularly critical if you want to visit during the busier times of the year.
Once you find someone you want to rent from, you’ll discuss fees, cancellation policies and draw up a contract. You’ll also be doing your best to verify that your owner is trustworthy. Don’t be afraid to negotiate a lower rate than the owner advertised. If everything is agreeable, the owner will make a reservation in your name and verify with you that this happened (some owners will send a page snapshot, for example). In most cases, you’ll have 24-hours to send the entire amount due. Some owners ask for everything up front, by the way. In these cases, you’ll have to decide how much risk you’re willing to take.
Make sure that the owner puts everyone who’ll be staying in the unit on your reservation when he makes it. Since you can’t contact DVC member services directly, it can be difficult to add family members later. No less than two weeks before you arrive, have the owner make arrangements for Magical Express and the dining plan. You’ll pay for the dining plan when you check in, so no money needs to change hands between you and the owner at this point. Once you check in, the reservation is yours and you’ll be treated as if you made it yourself.
The Risks.
First, I just want to say that the vast majority of point rentals go very smoothly. I’ve only heard of a few transactions that went bad and I’m pretty involved in the DVC community. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen. One thorny issue that’s cropped up lately (admittedly, this is very rare) is how to deal with an owner who is in the process of bankruptcy when you’ve already renting points from him. If the court takes this asset, you’re pretty much out of luck. This is why knowing your owner is essential. Require references and check them out.
The benefit of going through a broker is that they know the owners they work with. Ideally, they’ve worked with these owners in the past. They’ve verified that they own DVC. They also pay the owner in installments, so there’s less chance that an owner could cancel your reservation at the last minute, leaving you without a place to stay and worse, taking your money in the process.
Most owners have a no-refund policy due to the difficulty of cancelling DVC reservations, although you may be able to transfer your reservation, depending on the owner. Make sure you read and understand every element of your contract. If being able to cancel your reservation is important to you, you may try to negotiate something with the owner, for example, transferring your reservation to another renter for a small penalty. Cancellation is the biggest risk of renting points.
If you rent points from an individual, here are a few things to remember:
- Get references from past renters!
- Verify with the Florida Comptroller’s Office that this person is a DVC owner. Scams are unusual, but it can happen.
- Most DVC websites have blank contracts that you can use as a guideline.
- Ensure that you fully understand the owner’s cancellation policy.
- Be wary of owners who advertise points on a website where they have only a few posts or post only occasionally. While it’s not 100% guaranteed, posters with high post counts usually have a reputation they want to protect. You can check out their prior posts and get a feel for who you’re dealing with by clicking the information under their user name.
- Consider buying trip insurance.
- Do not rent from an owner on Craigslist or Ebay. While there are undoubtedly legitimate deals, the potential for being scammed is too high.
- Use credit cards, PayPal, or bank check. Don’t use Western Union.
Good sources for those thinking of renting from DVC:
Disboards DVC Board. Fast moving, very active board.
Mouseowners. Lots of information for renters, including contract examples and floorplans of every style of DVC unit.
DVC by Request. Probably the most well-known points broker out there. Tons of good recommendations. The owner is active on both Mouseowners and the Disboards. Check out his last-minute specials newsletter for really good deals if your travel dates are flexible.
Animal Kingdom Lodge Fan Site. Great site for checking out AKL and the villas.
AllEars. Photos of all DVC resorts, inside and out.
Contemporary Resort fan site, including pages on Bay Lake Towers, Disney’s newest DVC resort right next to the Magic Kingdom.’
I also like The DVC Life, a blog devoted to all things DVC.
I hope this helps. Thanks for reading and for your question.
Have a Disney question? We have answers! Write us at Chip and Co. We answer every question.
Main Street Electrical Parade returns to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
The fan-favorite Main Street Electrical Parade has returned to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. More importantly, it is now being performed nightly on Main Street USA! This video shows its first public performance on June 5, 2010 after returning to Orlando as part of Disney’s Summer Nightastic promotion.
Interview with Marvel’s Todd Nauck!
Hi Everyone,
I had the wonderful chance to sit down and talk with Marvel’s Todd Nauck at HeroesCon about all the things he has been working on lately as well as insight into his views! For those of you who may not know who Todd Nauck is, he has done great art work for the Amazing Spiderman comic book at Marvel. He has also done tremendous work at DC with titles such as Young Justice and Image creating a popular comic Wildguard.
His most popular recent work was the Spiderman / Barack Obama team-up included in both pre-inauguration 5 page clip and Amazing Spiderman #583. Amazing Spiderman #583 proved to be so popular, there are currently FIVE different production runs of just that one comic book. Here you will find our interview of Todd Nauck in two parts. Please be sure to check out the interview and pictures! Be sure to stop by and show Todd some love at his website!
Interview Part 1
Interview Part 2
While I was there, I got my Spiderman #583 signed as well as a Spiderman sketch comission from Todd! I will update later with some clips from the signature and sketch session, but for now here are pics of the finished results! Awesome in every way.
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MAJOR Change in Disney’s ADR System: 190 Days Out?
This is huge, so if you’re making your advanced dining reservations anytime soon, please be aware of this. You probably know that anyone can make his advanced dining reservations 180 days from the date he wants to dine. If you’re a resort guest, you can make your reservations at 180 days to the date of your resort check-in plus10 days. This extra ten days gives resort guests a bit of edge when making ADRs and is a huge perk of staying on-site. I’m going to Disney on December 4th which means that tomorrow, June 7th, is the date and I can make my reservations for my entire stay, which is eight days on Disney property. I was getting a bit nervous about availability so I decided to go on Disboards and check out the latest news.
It turns out that people have been making their ADRs 190 days out rather than 180 and have been doing this since at least May 28th. No one knows if this is a glitch in the system or some change Disney is implementing. This is only for resort guests and it’s only for that one day, so it’s not 190 + 10, just a simple 190 days out. The only drawback is that you have to call each day to get your ADRs. Of course, the other drawback is that most people don’t know it’s going on, which is creating some frustration among Disney fans.
I was able to make all my ADRs (and yes, I felt a twinge of Catholic guilt getting in early) except Cinderella’s Royal Table and Fantasmic, neither of which would come up, which makes me think this is intentional. There wasn’t any availability the entire week for Le Cellier dinner, although I could get a lunch seating every day. Earlier dinner seatings for Boma were full every night but I could get in at around 6:45. Chef Mickey’s was available for breakfast every day of my stay. I got into California Grill and 1900 Park Fare easily as well. This makes me wonder if Disney isn’t holding back bookings at their most popular restaurants until the 180 mark. I’ll be up bright and early tomorrow morning to find out and I’ll update then.
Here’s theDisboards thread if you want to read more.
Disney Week in Review – May 30th – June 6th
Welcome to Chip and Company! Thanks for stopping by and checking us out. I hope you had a great week this past week. If you are not following us on Facebook you are missing out on half the fun.
We have trivia, sweepstakes, conversations, questions and much more that takes place only on our Facebook page.
Here is the info just in case.
Chip and Company Facebook Page
Disney Confidential with Anonymouse – Home of Disney Gossip
Disney Food Confession – Share with us your Disney Food Photos
Here is a list of articles that you may have missed this past week:
I think the most exciting news of the week is our writers Jon & Anne’ ventured to Charlotte, NC for HeroesCon! They had an opportunity to interview Marvel artists Todd Nauck & Tim Townsend!
- Here is the Interview with Todd Nauck!
- Here is the Interview with Tim Townsend (Coming Soon)
We have some of the best writers on the planet and if you missed their Disney Views this past week let me catch you up!
- Disney Vacation Checklist: Tips for Saving Money and Time at Disney World
- Ten Tips for Staying Cool at Disney World This Summer
- Ten Small Ways to Save Big for your Walt Disney World Vacation
- Disney Confidential — DVC Rumors, Idol’s Lee DeWyze, Le Cellier changes and More
- Disney’s Prince of Persia Sands of Time Movie Review
- Disney in Retail – Toy Story 3 Explosion!
- You CAN do the Disney Parks with an infant!
Not sure if many people know this but our partner Chris is a lawyer and she has been very busy studying to pass the NC Bar so as you can tell she hasn’t been writing much the past few months. She still finds the time to answer all your Disney Questions. Here are a few she answered this past week.
- Ask a Disney Question: Is Disney Discontinuing Refillable Mugs?
- Ask a Disney Question: Epcot Wine Walk.
- Ask a Disney Question: What does Disney do for birthdays?
- Ask a Disney Question: Does the Swan Resort participate in the dining plan?
- Ask a Disney Question: Best Parade Viewing Locations.
Here is a recap of the top Disney News from this past week!
- The 44th Annual CMA Awards to be Broadcast Live on Nov 10th on ABC
- Local Disney Stores Celebrate Toy Story 3 With Saturday Activities in June
- Disney Employee Caught Stealing From Guests
- Adidas Present a Toy Story 3 Dream Room Makeover Sweepstakes
- Miley Cyrus – Can’t Be Tamed FULL ALBUM – SAMPLER!
- Disney Marathon Finishers Get New Medal and Complimentary Day at Disney on ‘Marathon Monday’
- Disney Orders 4th Season Of “Wizards Of Waverly Place” And Film Sequel
- A World of Ways to Enjoy Disneyland’s ‘World of Color’
- eTicketMap Brings your Disney Vacation Planning Experience to the Web
- Disneyworld Character Changes June 2010
Finally here is the best in Disney Food from this past week!
- Disney’s ‘World of Color’ Picnic Meal Choices
- Top Eats: Quick Service Dining in the Magic Kingdom.
- Countdown to Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
- Disneyland’s ‘World of Color’ now offering Dining Packages
- Top Eats – Magic Kingdom Casual Dining Restaurants
- Walt Disney World Tables in Wonderland Membership Discount
Again that you so much for visiting the website. Coming up this next week we will be having a Toy Story 3 Giveaway on Facebook and Jon was able to get us a special autographed comic to giveaway as well. Stay Tuned!!!
Thank you for making us apart of your day and have a great week!
>>Chip
Chip & Co’s Big Day @ HeroesCon
Today Jon and Anne` from Chip & Co visited HeroesCon in Charlotte, NC to check out all the great things that are happening in the world of Marvel and Disney comics. The next few days we will be posting all the great things we saw and the awesome people we met! To start with we have interviews with Todd Nauck and Tim Townsend being posted shortly!
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Disneyland Mickey’s Waterworks Parade
This is a very cool video of Mickey’s Waterworks Parade at Hong Kong Disneyland. Mickey’s WaterWorks is the summertime parade at Hong Kong Disneyland.
As the title suggests, Mickey’s WaterWorks is a splashy parade created to refresh and bring watery fun to guests from all walks of life. The parade showcases how Mickey Mouse and more than 30 other Disney characters keep Hong Kong Disneyland’s landscape looking so beautiful and lush.
However, guests viewing the parade must be aware that water is everywhere, except for the Dry Areas of the route located by signs along the route.
2010 Magic Your Way Platinum Package
For the ultimate vacation, this package offers deluxe accommodations at a select Disney Deluxe or Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts and all the features of the Disney Premium Package plus: pre-arrival planning services, a dazzling fireworks cruise, reserved seating at Fantasmic!, a select spa treatment, turndown service and more!
The Magic Your Way Platinum Package includes all of these fantastic benefits, services and activities:
Personalized Pre-Arrival Itinerary Planning
Itinerary Planners help you plan your vacation by arranging all your package activities, including dining reservations, golf tee times, Cirque du Soleil show tickets and theme park tours to help you get most from your Walt Disney World vacation.
Accommodations
Choose from one of 2 categories of Walt Disney World Resort hotels:
- Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts – Relax in comfortable accommodations with home-like amenities.
- Disney Deluxe Resorts – Experience the ultimate in Disney luxury, style and service.
Customizable Magic Your Way Theme Park Ticket
First, choose the number of days (from 1 to 10) of your ticket, which provides admission to one of the 4 Disney theme parks each day. The more days you add to your ticket, the less you pay per day! All tickets and options must be used within 14 days of first use and exclude activities and events separately priced.
Next, purchase these options to add more fun and flexibility to your ticket:
Park Hopper Option
Add the Park Hopper Option to come and go as you please through all 4 Walt Disney World theme parks on the same day for each day of your ticket.
Water Park Fun & More Option
The Water Park Fun & More Option offers a certain number of visits based on the length of your ticket. For each visit, you can choose one of the following:
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park
- Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park
- DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive theme park
- ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
- Green fees for a round of golf at Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course, a 9-hole walking course. Reservations for tee times are required and subject to availability.
Water parks subject to seasonal and weather closures, and are also subject to closure for rehabilitation. Age restrictions may apply for access to certain facilities.
No Expiration Option
With the No Expiration Option, your unused theme park days and Water Park Fun & More Option visits never expire. (Without this option, tickets must be used within 14 days of first use.)
Commemorative Luggage Tag
Each Guest on the Magic Your Way Vacation Package receives one souvenir Disney keepsake luggage tag.
Walt Disney Travel Company Package Benefits
When you purchase any Magic Your Way package, you receive the following Magical Extras:
- Preferred Fireworks Viewing
Enjoy preferred fireworks viewing for Wishes at Magic Kingdom theme park and IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot theme park. (Only valid with Magic Your Way Premium and Platinum packages. Valid theme park admission required. One viewing per theme park; advance reservations and voucher required; subject to availability; certain block-out dates apply.) - Walt Disney World Marina Discounts
Adds 30 minutes of watercraft fun when you rent a watercraft for 60 minutes. Valid for Sea Raycers by Sea Ray, Boston Whaler 170 Montauk and Pontoon boat rentals at participating Walt Disney World marina locations. (One voucher per room. Applicable for up to 5 Guests. Not valid all dates and restrictions apply.) - Disney’s Miniature Golf Experience
Valid for one round of Miniature Golf per room at either Disney’s Fantasia Gardens or Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Courses. - Planet Hollywood $15 USD Meal Voucher and Souvenir Keepsake
Valid for $15 USD worth of food and non-alcoholic beverages and a souvenir merchandise keepsake at Planet Hollywood Downtown Disney West Side. (Not valid with any other offers or discounts. One voucher per room. One keepsake per room. Voucher required for keepsake.) ) - Arcade Game Card
Valid for 100 game play points in arcades located in Disney Resort hotels. (One card per room.) - Niki Bryan Spa Discount
15% off the regular price of any body treatment or water therapy at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa or Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. (Massage, facial and hand and foot treatments excluded. Age restrictions apply.) - Bass Fishing Discount
10% off the regular price of Guided Bass Fishing Excursions and Bass Nitro Fishing Excursions at select Walt Disney World marinas. Excursions include fishing equipment, rod, reel, shiners, artificial bait, non-alcoholic beverages and a 1-year membership to B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society). - Sammy Duvall’s Water Sports Discount
10% off the regular price of all activities including parasailing, water skiing, wakeboarding and tubing trips at Sammy Duvall’s Water Sports Center located at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. (Subject to availability; restrictions apply.)
Platinum Package Dining
With your Disney Platinum Plan, for each night of your package, each Guest in your party (ages 3 and up) receives:
3 Meals
Choose from select Walt Disney World Resort table-service or quick-service restaurants for all 3 of your meals.
Each adult table-service meal includes:
- 1 appetizer, 1 entrée and 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only)
- 1 juice (breakfast only)
- 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage
Or
- 1 full buffet
Each child table-service meal includes:
- 1 appetizer, 1 entrée and 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only)
- 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage
Or
- 1 full buffet
Each quick-service meal includes:
- 1 entrée
- 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only)
- 1 juice (breakfast only)
- 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage
2 Snacks
Examples of snacks are:
- 1 frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle, fruit bar, popcorn scoop (single-serving box), single-serving bag of snacks, single piece of whole fruit, 20-oz. bottle of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or Dasani water, 22-oz. fountain soft drink, 12-oz. coffee, hot chocolate or hot tea, single-serving prepackaged milk or juice
Children ages 3-9 must order from a Children’s Menu where available.
1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug Per Person
The Disney Platinum Plan also includes a refillable Resort drink mug. Bring your Resort mug to any quick-service restaurant at your Disney Resort hotel and refill it as often as you like!
Dining Reservations
For reservations, call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463. (Guests under age 18 must have parent or guardian permission to call.) Many of our table-service restaurants are quite popular and book quickly. Some may have limited or no availability when you call. We strongly suggest you make dining reservations in advance for the best options. Reservations are accepted at most Walt Disney World table-service restaurants, Signature Restaurants, Character Dining locations and Dinner Shows up to 180 days prior to arrival. Guests participating in a Grand Gathering Experience may reserve 180 days in advance.
An accepted major credit card is required to guarantee reservations at certain locations. Reservations must be cancelled at least 48 hours (6 days for Grand Gathering Experiences) before the scheduled seating or a cancellation charge may be incurred (charge varies by location)
Special Dining Experiences
You can also enjoy special dining experiences that your family will remember for a lifetime, such as:
- Character Dining Experiences
Or
- Signature Dining Experiences (excluding Victoria & Albert’s)
Or
- Private In-Room Dining at select Disney Deluxe Resorts and Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts
Or
- Disney Dinner Shows
Or
- Grand Gathering Experiences (see below)
Disney Wine and Dine Plan
Add the Disney Wine and Dine Plan to a Magic Your Way package that includes table-service dining and save up to 20% on wine.* This Plan includes one wine entitlement per night, per room. Redeem one or 2 entitlements (as indicated on the select location’s designated wine list) for one bottle of wine. All wines on private in-room dining menus require 2 entitlements.
*Savings based on redeeming one entitlement for one bottle of wine at select restaurant locations.
Gratuity not included. Locations and designated wine list are subject to change. Wines are subject to availability. Must purchase this Plan for each night of your package stay.
Florida law permits the sale of alcohol products to persons 21 years of age or older only. Disney participates in Florida’s Responsible Vendor program and servers will verify age by requesting appropriate identification. Sale of this Plan is conditioned on your representation that you are 21 or older and purposed sale to a person under age 21 is deemed void and payment will be refunded.
Unlimited Use of Select Recreation
Enjoy unlimited use of select recreational activities including Disney’s 4 18-hole championship golf courses (greens fees, electric cart, range balls, rental golf shoes and rental golf clubs included), water sports, guided fishing excursions, horseback riding and more!
Some restrictions apply and advance reservations may be required.
Magical Evening Events
Enjoy 2 spectacular entertainment events under the stars:
- Reserved seating for one Fantasmic! show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. Performed Mondays and Thursdays only; schedule is subject to change without notice; one seating per person; certain restrictions apply and valid theme park admission is required.
- A spectacular fireworks cruise to view IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot theme park OR Wishes Nighttime Spectacular at Magic Kingdom theme park. (One cruise per reservation. Advance reservations are required and subject to availability.)
Your Itinerary Planner can assist with required advance reservations.
Spa Treatment
A selection of luxurious skin therapies and relaxing body treatments are available to help melt away tensions. One treatment per Guest; age restrictions apply. Your Disney Itinerary Planner can assist with required advance reservations.
Admission to the Cirque du Soleil Show La Nouba
Live it up at the spellbinding Cirque du Soleil show La Nouba. It’s a must-see for anyone who wants an evening of truly spectacular entertainment.
One admission per person. Reservations are required and may be made up to 180 days in advance. Theatre is dark Sundays and Mondays and certain other days during the year. Call (407) 939-7600 for more information or to make reservations. (If you are under 18 years of age, you must have your parent or guardian’s permission to dial this number.)
Richard Petty Ride-Along Experience
You can feel all the thrills of stock-car racing as you ride shotgun in a 2-seater driven by a professional instructor to simulate a qualifying run.
One Richard Petty Ride-Along Experience per Platinum Package. Guests can be as young as 14; proof of age required.
Portrait session and print package from Disney’s PhotoPass Professional Portraits service
Enjoy one session with a Disney’s Photopass Portrait Photographer producing dozens of beautiful, professionally composed photos, and your choice of one print package.
The Disney PhotoPass CD received separately as part of the Disney Platinum Plan does not include images taken during the portrait session. Disney’s PhotoPass Professional Portrait CD is not included, but may be purchased for $49.95 USD at the time of the sitting. Advance reservations for the portrait session are required and may be made by calling (407) 934-4004. (If you are under 18 years of age, you must have your parent or guardian’s permission to dial this number.)
Unlimited Admission to Select Disney Tours
Select tours include:
Magic Kingdom Park Tours
- Disney’s Family Magic Tour
- Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom
- Disney’s “The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains”
- Mickey’s Magical Milestones
Epcot Tours
- Behind the Seeds (a special greenhouse tour)
- Around the World at Epcot Tour
- Simply Segway Experience at Epcot Tour
- The UnDISCOVERed Future World
- Gardens of the World
- Epcot Seas Aqua Tour
- Disney’s Dolphins in Depth Tour
- Epcot DiveQuest Tour
- Backstage Magic
- Yuletide Fantasy (seasonal)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park Tours
- Disney’s Backstage Safari Tour
- Disney’s Wild by Design Tour
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
- Disney’s Wilderness Back Trail Adventure
Restrictions apply and tours are subject to availability and schedule. Theme park admission is required for theme park tours.
Unlimited Admission to Select Children’s Activity Centers
For parents who need a night out, kids (ages 4-12) get admission to Children’s Activity Centers at select Disney Resorts such as the Never Land Club at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, where they can enjoy games and activities in a supervised setting. Dinner is included.
Also available is one-on-one in-room child care provided by Kids Night Out Inc. The caregivers provide individual attention to your child right in the comfort of your Disney Resort room.
Certain restrictions apply. Hours vary by location.
Disney PhotoPass CD
With Disney’s PhotoPass service, your family’s magical Walt Disney World Resort vacation memories are captured by a professional photographer throughout the 4 theme parks. The first photographer gives you a PhotoPass card to take with you and present to your next PhotoPass photographer so that you can log all your vacation photos on your account. After your vacation, claim your photos online by following the instructions on the back of the card. One Photo CD per reservation.
Admission to Grand Gathering Experiences
If your party has 8 or more, you can join other Grand Gathering parties to enjoy some very special meals known as Grand Gathering Experiences! Trade your meals for the following:
- International Dinner and IllumiNations Dessert Reception – Enjoy a sumptuous dinner buffet including storytelling for the kids, followed by VIP viewing of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot theme park.
- Safari Celebration Dinner Take a VIP journey across the rolling savannah. Then enjoy a family style, African-influenced feast and entertainment from Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.
- Good Morning Character Breakfast – Begin your Magic Kingdom day with a unique Disney Character Breakfast filled with surprises!
Gratuities are included. At least 8 persons in your party must attend the same experience. Each experience is operated on select days of the week. Experiences are subject to change and cancellation. Reservations for Grand Gathering experiences are required and can be made 3 to 180 days in advance. Experiences may be canceled by Guest up to 6 days prior to experience date without charge for the experience. Valid theme park ticket required.
What’s Not Included Your Disney Platinum Plan?
- Gratuity , except for pizza delivery, Private In-Room Dining, Dinner Shows and Cinderella’s Royal Table.
- Merchandise or photo-imaging products that may be offered at Character Dining experiences, except at Cinderella’s Royal Table and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.
Enjoy Disney Resort Hotel Benefits
As a Guest at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, indulge in a variety of Disney Resort hotel benefits that can make your vacation more relaxing and carefree.
Certain benefits below are also available to Guests staying at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel and select Downtown Disney Resort Area hotels.
Complimentary Airport Pickup and Return
Disney’s Magical Express Service picks you up at Orlando International Airport and takes you to your Disney Resort hotel. In addition, the service lets you bypass baggage claim and have your bags delivered to your Disney Resort hotel room.
Relax on Resort-Wide Transportation
Disney does the driving for you with its ComplimentaryTransportation. convenient monorail, ferry boats and motor coaches travel between Disney Resort hotels, theme parks, water parks, the Downtown Disney area and other recreation spots throughout Walt Disney World Resort.
View Purchases on One Bill
Your Key to the World Card can act as your hotel room key, theme park ticket and charge card good all over Walt Disney World Resort. As you dine and shop, just charge meals, goods and services directly to your room! At the end of your vacation, view your vacation purchases on one consolidated statement.
Extra Time in the Theme Parks
The Extra Magic Hours benefit means that every day one of the theme parks either opens an hour early or stays open up to three hours after regular park closing so that you can enjoy select attractions when the weather may be cooler. Just present your Key to the World Card to select Disney Cast Members to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours benefit. (Valid theme park ticket required.)
Your Purchases Delivered to Your Resort
Shop at select Disney stores throughout Walt Disney World Resort and have your purchases delivered right to your resort so you can be free to play without lugging around packages, nor have to interrupt your day to return to the hotel to drop them off.
Hollywood Studios Star Wars Weekends – Week 2 in Review
The “Force” continued to run strong during week two of Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the appearances of some special celebrities. Tom Kane (voice of Yoda, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”) and Matthew Wood (Voice of General Grievous) impressed us on stage with amazing character voice work. And Lorne Peterson (Chief Model Maker, Star Wars Saga) met with fans and signed autographs. Oh, and of course, there were more amazing costumes and body art. Here’s a look at the highlights:
“Impossible to see the future is” but here’s a peek at what’s to come during Star Wars Weekends:
Weekend 3 (June 4 – 6)
- Ray Park (“Darth Maul”)
- Billy Dee Williams (“Lando Calrissian”)
- Dave Filoni (Supervising Director of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”)
Weekend 4 (June 11 – 13)
- Ray Park (“Darth Maul”)
- Peter Mayhew (“Chewbacca”)
- James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Plo Koon in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”)
Source and Photo Disney Parks Blog
Disney’s ‘World of Color’ Picnic Meal Choices
A delicious video from the Disney Parks Blog:
Wow! The world premiere for “World of Color” is less than one week away. I can certainly feel the excitement here at Team Disney Anaheim. I know all of you are getting excited, too, and you want to make sure you get a great seat to the show. Earlier this week Heather shared a lot of tips about how to try to secure a spot for the show, and I thought you might like to see this video for an up close look at the four delicious picnic meals!
Just remember, the Picnic meals will be available for purchase online beginning June 11, but this date is still subject to change.
What do You Remember Best at the Disneyland Resort Between 1986 and 1990?
This continuing series comes to us from the Disney Parks Blog:
The countdown to the 55th anniversary continues! Today we’re looking back to 1986 through 1990.
I spoke with my colleague and longtime publicist John McClintock, who celebrated his 23rd anniversary with the Disneyland Resort just last month, and asked him what he remembers best during these years. John recalls, “Star Tours had just opened when I arrived in Disneyland Public Relations. Work was just getting under way on Splash Mountain. So we had this one-of-a-kind Tomorrowland space adventure and we were working on this flume ride, not only the first in a Disney theme park but with an enormous cast of characters, the longest steepest drop and the most elaborate show of any flume ride anywhere. It wasn’t hard, even for the new kid on the block, to get excited about what we were publicizing.”
For those who may not have visited Disneyland park at this time or those who might not remember, here’s an overview of this half decade.
1990 – Disneyland park celebrated its 35th anniversary with “Disneyland Big” and a new parade called Party Gras that featured a parade float that towered 37 feet. The Dream Machine, located in Central Plaza, gave some fortunate guests an opportunity to try their luck to win one of many prizes that included Walt Disney Home Videos, a Mickey Mouse plush or even a new car.
1989 – Splash Mountain debuts and is the fastest, tallest and steepest flume attraction at its time! Disneyland park welcomed its 300 millionth Guest with a new marquee in 1989. The new marquee featured a digital board with changing messages and fiber optics that helped the name Disneyland sparkle at night. “Blast to the Past” returned with Chubby Checker and 2,248 guests breaking the record for most people doing the twist in one location. In the winter, the “One Man’s Dream” show premiered at Videopolis.
1988 – The celebration of 60 years with Mickey Mouse started with a visit to Disneyland park by Earforce One, a 100-foot hot air balloon. In November, five thousand children from North America and parts of Asia were treated to a day at Disneyland park to celebrate. The ’50s were also celebrated in Disneyland Blast to the Past, and the Main Street Hop filled the street with cast members dressed in poodle skirts and saddle shoes. In 1988, Disneyland park set the record for the most people hula hooping at the same time in one location – 1,527 people gathered in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle to break the record. Also in this year, Disney purchased the Disneyland Hotel from the Wrather Company, and Bear Country’s name was changed to Critter Country in preparation for Splash Mountain.
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