Of course, we took our kids to Disney World!  It is, no doubt, one of the most popular vacation destinations in the United States.  Although they are now grown, we keep going back, over and over again.  Our friends and family that “just don’t understand” wonder why?

It makes sense to associate Disney World with children.  There’s the Castle, the Carousel, the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, the Princesses, the Seas with Nemo, the Dumbo ride, It’s a Small World, Journey Into Imagination, the Festival of the Lion King, and of course, Mickey Mouse!

What our friends don’t understand is that there is so much to see and do…for kids of all ages.  There’s a whole ‘nother world out there when you view it with mature eyes.  Even after more than 20 week long visits, we still haven’t seen it all and even if we had, we’d want to see it all over again!

It’s been said that those of us who have been going for many years are aging with Disney, thereby adjusting our expectations of a Disney trip.  How true.  No longer do we get up and rush to the parks unless we want to.  There’s no longer a need to ride everything on every trip.  We stroll leisurely and enjoy the scenery.  Our resort hotel is a beautiful haven and our backyard features an awesome pool.  Our dining choices are limitless and Disney offers a vast array of shows and entertainment that changes regularly, so there’s always something new.

So, we take our time and smell the roses, because we can… Oh, ROSES!  Did I mention that Epcot’s 20^th International Flower and Garden Festival is coming up March 6 through May 19?  Hmm…I think I “smell” another Disney Vacation!

 

Book your Disney World Vacation with Sheri Morris.  Sheri is a proud grandmother of 3 with a keen eye for detail.  She specializes in Disney Travel for Adults and works tirelessly to ensure that her guests have the best vacation experience ever! Contact her at (804) 405 5005 or email sheri@destinationsinflorida.com to book your stress-free Disney vacation.

Mickey Ears with IR Technology!

This has to be one of the coolest new things to come along at Disneyland in awhile. I am one of those geeky people who tend to buy a new pair of ears every time I visit a Disney Park.

I’m also what you’d call an early adopter of technology. This combination seems to have set me up to be unable to resist the temptation of the Mickey “Glow with the Show” Ears…

Not surprisingly I’ve already made plans that I will be purchasing a pair right after I get my Radiator Springs Racer FastPasses…

Just one more reason I can’t wait until April! My family and I will be sporting these at the World Of Color Show for sure.

Written by Daniel Mullarkey, DisneyDaniel — Daniel is a self-proclaimed Disney Geek, Disney Vacation Planner and a Disney Specialist! When he’s not adding to the plethora of Disney trivia in his head, you can find DisneyDaniel on his Facebook Page and/or follow him on Twitter!  Book your next vacation with Daniel at 425-420-8988 ordaniel@destinationsinflorida.com.

Rotational dining is one of the many experiences unique to Disney Cruise Line.  Each evening, you and your wait staff rotate to one of the 3 main dining restaurants.  Each of the restaurants on the Disney Dream has its own touch of Disney magic to make your dining experience special.  Royal Palace is an elegant restaurant designed for all of the princes and princesses onboard.  The room transforms before your eyes in Enchanted Garden as flowers bloom and the ceiling changes from a beautiful blue sky to a starry night in Versailles.  Animator’s Palate will bring out your inner child as you get a chance to ride the EAC with everyone’s favorite sea turtle, Crush.  On the 3-Night Bahamian Cruise you will eat at each of the restaurants.  On the 4-Night Bahamian Cruise you will repeat one of the restaurants but the regular menu will be replaced with a pirate themed menu in line with the Pirate Night activities.  Here are my picks for the best food the Disney Dream has to offer:

Royal Palace:  The Salmon Royale and the Prime Rib are both very good.  I tried to be adventurous the first time I went to Royal Palace by getting the Pomegranate Glazed Duck Breast.  It was a little too gamey for my taste.  If you decide to splurge for dessert then Royal Palace is the place to do it.

The Grand Marnier Soufflé and Strawberry Short Cake Sundae are both must haves.

Enchanted Garden:  The Caramelized Sea Scallops are heavenly.  The Roasted Pork Tenderloin is also good but it doesn’t hold a candle to the scallops.

Animator’s Palate:  One of my favorite dishes on the Disney Dream was the Black Truffle Pasta Purseittes.  You can order this as an appetizer or an entrée.  The Cookies & Cream Sundae is a very good ending to a great meal.

Pirate Night:  Every restaurant has the same menu on Pirate Night. Start your Pirate Night dinner with some Johnny Cake and Black Beard’s Jumbo Crab Cake.   Follow that with Jack Sparrow’s Barbecue Marinated Beef Short Ribs.  Make sure you save a little room for the late night buffet in Cabanas.

Written by Shante Carson — Shante is a Disney Cruise Expert with over eight cruises taken on the Disney Dream, Disney Wonder, and Disney Fantasy.  Ready to sail away with Captain Mickey?  Shante is ready to help you plan your magical Disney Cruise vacation. Book your next vacation with Shante at 252-917-0497 or shante@destinationsinflorida.com

Adventures by Disney is ready for you!

Adventures by Disney is an amazing way to see the world.  They offer incredible vacations to North America, South and Central America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia.

You’ll become an active participant in your vacation, not just a tourist.  On your Adventure by Disney, you will meet local and learn from them, like Tai Chi form a local master.  Get inside access to places you could never get on your own, enjoy reserved entry and access to Michelangelo’s David and the famed Duomo, stay a night in Dromoland Castle, dine among the works of art in the Louvre Museum or cuddle husky puppies that are training for the Iditarod race.

On top of the one-in-a-lifetime experiences you’ll have with Adventures by Disney, you’ll have a worry-free adventure.  From meet and greets at the airport, to transportation within the trip, to luggage services, to dining and unique hotels there is nothing for you to worry about.

You will have 2 Adventure Guides with you at all times during your Adventure by Disney.  They will take care of everything for you, sharing their knowledge and insights along the way.

Book your Adventure by Disney with Diana!

Written by Diana Edgar — Diana is an Adventures by Disney Expert on United States trips and around the world.  Are you ready for that once-in-a-lifetime vacation?  Diana is ready to help you plan your magical Disney vacation. Book your next vacation with Diana at diana@destinationsinflorida.com.

Experience Wishes, Magic Kingdom’s nightly fireworks display, with a perfect unobstructed view, while comfortably sitting in a chair with plenty of room to move and walk around. A perfect view, comfortable seating, what could possibly make this any better? How about enjoying an all you can eat dessert buffet as well. The Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party is one of Magic Kingdom’s best kept secrets! The dessert party is not widely advertised. People mostly hear about it through word of mouth. Reservations are hard to come by, as this is not a regularly scheduled event. It tends to just pop up on the calendar. The Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party ranges in price of $15-$35.99, and does require payment at the time of booking.

Reservations for Wishes sometimes only open up 60-90 days in advance. As your travel agent I am happy to make these reservations for you. If I am unable to make a reservation right away, I will personally check every day leading up to your vacation to see if anything becomes available. If I am unable to get you a reservation I can suggest getting over to the terrace around the time the dessert party begins to see if there is any empty space available. Just remember there is never a guarantee that you will be able to just walk up and get in.

 Now here is a look at what you might find at the dessert party, just keep in mind that the dessert list is subject to change

Chocolate Truffle

Cup Cakes

Pistachio Crème Brulee

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry

Glazed Donut Holes

Brownie

Cookie

Cheesecake

Fruit Tarts

Fresh Fruit

Cannoli

Mango Shots

Raspberry Lemonade

Lemonade

Ice Tea

Chocolate Milk

Milk

Water

Hot Chocolate

Hot Tea

Coffee

The Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party is truly a hidden treasure at Magic Kingdom! It is a memorable and enjoyable way to experience the biggest and most dazzling fireworks display Magic Kingdom as to offer! It is definitely a Disney must do!

Written by Meghan Blair, the “Disney Foodie” — As a Florida Resident, Meghan combines her love of Disney and her love of food! She will give you the best restaurant and dining tips and suggestions to make your meals, just as magical as the rest of your vacation! Book your next vacation with Meghan at 954-328-7090 or meghan@destinationsinflorida.com.

At Disney World anyone can make their Princess dreams come true at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is a beauty salon where young Guests are magically transformed into little princesses and knights at 2 locations: World of Disney Store in Downtown Disney Area and Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom theme park.

Take a look at this young princess’ transformation with our video from Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique:

It’s hard not to feel perfectly pampered in this charming little boutique at Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom that’s owned by Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother and operated by Fairy Godmothers-in-training. Please note, all Guests must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or older.

Princess Packages Guests ages 3 to 12 can choose from 3 hair styles—Fairytale Princess, Disney Diva and Pop Princess—as well as multiple hair styles, nail color, make-up and a total package including Disney Princess costume and photographs. The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom offers 3 unique packages:
* Coach Package includes hairstyling and shimmering makeup—starting at $49.95 USD plus tax.
* Crown Package includes hairstyling, shimmering makeup and nails—starting at $54.95 USD plus tax
* Castle Package includes the Crown Package plus the Imaging Package (one 6″ x 8″ and four 4″ x 6″ photos in a princess-themed photo holder) and complete costume of your choice with accessories—starting at $189.95 USD plus tax.

The optional Imaging Package includes one 6″ x 8″ and four 4″ x 6″ photos in a princess-themed photo holder.
The World of Disney Store location offers a wide variety of beautiful accessories — including ponytail hairpieces and tiaras.

The Knight Package
Guests ages 3 to 12 can also select The Knight Package, which includes hair styling as well as a mighty sword and shield for $14.95 plus tax.

Cinderella Castle is the fairy tale castle at the center of two Disney theme parks: the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort, and Tokyo Disneyland at the Tokyo Disney Resort. Both Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland castles serve as worldwide recognized icons and the flagship attraction for their respective theme parks.

 

Go behind the scenes at the Walt Disney World at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and see what it takes to bring movies to life!
Studio Backlot Tour is a 35-minute, behind-the-scenes guided walk and tram ride showcasing the art of special effects in movies at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park at Walt Disney World.

Go behind the scenes for a backstage look at how the magic of movies is made at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Begin your guided tour with a short walk to a special outdoor viewing area and discover how battles and storms at sea are created with the help of water tanks and pyrotechnics. Lucky Guests chosen beforehand will get the unique opportunity to participate in the Harbor Attack, creating battle scenes at sea.

After the brief show, embark on a jaunt through a prop warehouse where you just may notice a few familiar items made famous movies. Then, board an open-air, 200-seat tram and embark on a tour of the backlot, where lifelike sets seen in familiar television shows and movies mingle with delightful topiaries, production bungalows and vehicles used in Disney movies.

Wind your way past soundstages, peek inside the Disney’s Hollywood Studios camera and snap a picture of the props and lighting departments. Toward the end of your eye-opening ride, prepare to face nature’s fury during a detour through Catastrophe Canyon, where an earthquake, a flash flood and explosions and crashes are sure to delight everyone in the family.

After the tour, visit the American Film Institute Showcase where Guests of all ages can view costumes, props and sets from recent and classic movies and television shows.

Here’s a video from Disney’s Hollywood Studios Back lot tour:

Hi!! My name is Tracey DeMarco; I am the Hotel How-to Gal!!  I will guide you through the interesting and often frustrating waters of deciding which Disney Hotel is best for your family vacation.  It is not an easy task with 26 resorts in 4 different categories.  The first thing you need to do is figure which category is best for your family.

The 4 categories, which you might already know; but do you know which resort falls into which category:

Deluxe:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Polynesian Resort
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Moderate:

• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter

Value:

• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (brand new resort open 2012)
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Disney Vacation Club Villas:

• Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas
• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

Deluxe resorts are the closest to the various parks, like the Grand Floridian is right next to the Magic Kingdom.  The Beach Club is walking distance to Epcot and so forth.  Next comes the moderate level, which is not a far distance from the Parks but does require transportation instead of walking.  Buses are provided at all resorts.  The value resorts are the furthest from the parks and can take up to 30 minutes to get to each park if you use the bus system.

All resorts have their own special décor that can appeal to everyone.  Once you have decided on a category the next step is decided what you want to see while you are here.  From the Polynesian Islands to the New Orleans flair I can tell you that you will be happy no matter where you stay.

My families favorite resort it Wilderness Lodge.  Wilderness Lodge is close to Magic Kingdom (all you have to do is hop on a boat to get there) but it is not on the monorail system.  We like this because we feel it is not so crowded on the transportation to all the parks.  We love the Pacific Northwest décor and Whispering Canyon Café is not to be missed.

As we go through all of the special places that we can stay at Disney I will give tips and little known facts to help you decide and enjoy all that Disney’s resorts have to offer.

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 Want to take the thinking out of your Disney Vacation Planning? Let us do the work for YOU! Contact us today for your FREE no-obligation quote.   Click here to see why everyone is booking their Disney vacation with Hotel How-to Gal. Planning is when the magic begins!

 

Ever since many young girls can remember, they have been dreaming about their very own happily ever after. They dream about their Prince Charming and riding off into the sunset to his castle. These princesses often can’t imagine anywhere more magical or romantic to begin their happily ever after than the happiest place on Earth. Whether you are planning your engagement, wedding, honeymoon, or vow renewal, Disney has something for you! As a past Disney bride and honeymooner, I can tell you first-hand how wonderful, magical, and special these events can be with a little Disney magic!

 

Disney’s Fairytale Weddings help make these dreams come true for brides and grooms every day. Whether your dream is a magical fairytale, an internationally inspired affair, or an outdoor gathering, Disney has options for everyone. Disney can make these dreams come true for the most intimate gatherings or the most extravagant celebrations. Best of all, there are options for every budget. You have four options for these celebrations- Disney World in Florida, Disneyland in California, Disney Cruise Line, and Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa in Hawaii. You could even choose a combination of these locations. For example, you could have a Disney World wedding followed by a Disney Cruise Line honeymoon at the destinations of your choice. Honeymooners have another great option too, which is an Adventures by Disney vacation where you can see exciting places all over the world with a guided tour!  Every event is unique and can be customized to fit the desires and personalities of each couple!

 

Written by Siera Duiser, “Disney BridalEars” — Siera has grown up loving all things Disney!  She even had her very own Disney Fairytale Wedding in 2011. Now Siera enjoys Disney World with her own family.  Siera specializes in Disney weddings, honeymoons, and traveling with younger children.  Book your next vacation with Siera at siera@destinationsinflorida.com.

This week, Kristin from Couponing to Disney, offers her favorite tip for a Disney World vacation.

Cast Members are there to help you. If you have a question, concern or just want some insider tips, be sure to strike up a conversation with a Cast Member. I also suggest that you verify your parade or fireworks watching spot with the nearest Cast Member that you see. You don’t want to pick a spot that doesn’t have a good view or a spot where they will make you move from.

Stay tuned next week for another Disney World tip from the queen of couponing to Disney!