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Tips For Your Disney World Holiday Vacation
- Recognize that the heaviest times are from Wednesday through Saturday during the week of Thanksgiving and from about Christmas Eve through New Year's Day. If you can visit the Walt Disney World Resort during the first two weeks of December you have have the best of both worlds: lower crowds and all of the Disney Holiday Splendor.
- If we assume that you are planning to visit during one of these two busy times out of necessity, the key is to plan ahead (which you are doing by reading this post!) By getting to the theme parks at opening and avoiding the park with extra magic hours you give yourself the best chance to enjoy the most popular attractions during the first 2 - 3 hours that the park is open. Once you reach the noon to 4:00 pm range the parks will be VERY crowded.
- Make your Disney Dining reservations ahead of time. The most popular restaurants will not take walk-ins on the day you want to dine. You need to make reservations as far ahead of time as possible (up to 180 days prior. ) By having this taken care ahead of time you will greatly reduce stress. We cannot tell you how many tired, disappoint families we have seen that were unfortunately turned away from restaurants because they had no more openings.
- Plan to visit the various Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotels in the afternoon. This is a great way to see some of the best decorations at Disney World and have a fun activity that gets you away from the crowded theme parks. All of these Hotels have restaurants, so you could plan your lunches there as an option. Most highly recommended would be: Grand Floridian Resort, Wilderness Lodge, and Animal Kingdom Lodge if we could only pick 3.
- Take the time to explore the decorations at each of the Disney World Theme Parks. They all have amazing decorations that you should see. Each park is decorated uniquely to fit the "style" of the park.
- The Osborne Family Spectacle Of Dancing Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios is truly amazing and must be seen. Plan on seeing it early in your vacation, because you may decide you want to see it again before your vacation is over. Pictures and YouTube Videos do not do it justice. There is just an amazing feeling that you get strolling through the Streets Of America while the music is blaring and the lights are dancing in sync to the beat. MUST SEE!
- The Holidays Around The World at the World Showcase in Epcot is becoming more and more of a favorite each year. It is truly a different Epcot experience and is worth the couple of hours to catch as many of these presentations from each country represented. They each share part of their Holiday tradition, whether it is Christmas or a different celebration that is been handed down in their traditions.
- If you celebrate Christmas, then we strongly urge you to see the Candlelight Processional at Epcot. This is a special reading of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator accompanied by a wonderful chorus and a 50 piece orchestra. It takes place in the America Gardens Theatre 3 times each evening. Although it is free, you may be better off to buy one of the Dinner Packages that gives you guaranteed seating to a particular show. A memorable experience for the entire family.
- Bring warm clothes! This cannot be stressed enough. Although central Florida still may be warm during the day, it can get chilly during the evenings and you will wish you had those hats, gloves, sweatshirts or jackets with you. It is not uncommon for the weather to change while you are there, so don't risk it, just remember to pack a few warm items just in case.
- See the decorations and lights at night! The decorations take on a special feel at night, so make plans to see them all lit up. Cinderella Castle really shines and glimmers now that it is transformed into an LED light emblazoned Ice Castle. The effect is amazing.
Disney Dining Plan Guide For Families With Young Children
Disney Dining Plan Value
It is important to recognize that although there are over 100 different dining locations where you can use the Disney Dining Plan, not all of them provide a good value. It only makes sense to redeem your Disney Dining Plan credits at locations that maximize the enjoyment for your family and get the most for your dollar. This guide will help provide dining suggestions to help you meet both of these goals.
Variety Is The Spice Of Life
One of your goals during your Disney World Vacation should be to enjoy a wide variety of experiences, especially ones that you cannot achieve in your home town. At Disney World this would include Character Dining, themed restaurants, and enjoying different cuisines. There are a number of choices in each of these categories for your family to choose from. Fortunately almost all Disney Restaurants will have menu items that will please even the picky and/or unadventurous eaters.
Table Service Dining For Dinner
Although you may use your Table Service credits at any meal of the day, we would highly recommend that you use them for Dinner. The main reason is that during breakfast and lunch you typically will not receive full value for your dining credit. This means that you may actually be paying more than listed menu prices to eat at these restaurants. (The adult cost of Disney Dining Plan is $51.54 (including taxes) each day. You can figure the Table Service portion of that cost is around $32-$35. If you go to a $20 meal, you are trading in a credit you paid $35 for in exchange for a $20 meal.)
Disney World Character Dining
There are several great Disney Character Dining options that are recommended for Families using the Disney Dining Plan. Not only are they great fun, they are a great fiscal use of your Disney Dining Plan Table Service credits. (Prices shown are for comparison purposes if you do not have the Disney Dining Plan and are subject to change.)
- Chef Mickey's - This fun buffet at Disney's Contemporary Resort is where you can get a chance to interact with Mickey Mouse and his friends! At $40.46+tax for adult buffet it is also a great use of the DDP.
- Princess Storybook Character Dining At Akershus Royal Banquet Hall - This under appreciated Character Dining Experience in the Norway Pavilion of Epcot is a great way to meet all of the Disney Princesses (except Cinderella) and get your picture taken with each. Also a great value with Adult meals costing $46.85.
- Crystal Palace - Here is your chance to eat within the Magic Kingdom and enjoy a marvelous buffet and see Winnie The Pooh and the characters from the Hundred Acre Wood. Adult meal costs $40.99.
- Cinderella's Happily Ever After Dinner at 1900 Park Fare - Dining at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort is a wonderful experience and this is a great Character Meal as well. Meet all of the characters from Cinderella and enjoy a great buffet. Adult cost is $42.59
There are a few themed restaurants that are great to check out for the delicious food and the wonderfully dining experience that the entire family will enjoy.
- 'Ohana - This is a great restaurant to take the entire family. The Polynesian Resort is a great place to visit and you are made to feel at home in this friendly atmosphere. There is entertainment for the kids and the family style dining insures quick service and plenty of great tasting food. A must do for many families on each Disney World Vacation.
- Coral Reef - This unique Epcot restaurant actually shares a wall with the giant tank from the Living Seas attraction. This allows you to watch a vast array of sea life swim by while you dine. The atmosphere is a little more quiet and upscale, but the views are amazing. The restaurant has a full menu, but specializes in seafood and steak. Cap off your meal with The Chocolate Wave, which is one of our favorite Disney World desserts. Remember desserts are included in the Disney Dining Plan!
There are lots of different choices to experience cuisine that you may not always get in your home town. Here is your chance to try it. If you have any allergies or food restriction concerns, Disney is the best anywhere at making accommodations without a hassle.
- Boma - This buffet at Disney's Animal Kingdom allows you to enjoy the flavors of Africa. There is a wide variety of options and kid friendly choices as well. This restaurant has some of the most incredible soups to try on the buffet. Don't forget to try the famous Zebra Domes on the dessert bar. Adult meals cost $39.40.
- Biergarten - This fun buffet in Epcot Germany fits the bill for Themed Restaurant and Great Cuisine. Enjoy a vast German Buffet and be entertained with traditional German Music while you eat. There is even a chance to get up and polka if you are so inclined. Always a family favorite! Adult meals cost $39.40.
- Chefs de France - Be transported to Paris, France to enjoy a great meal in Epcot France. All of the waitstaff is from France and are the food is excellent. The restaurant has a little more upscale feel to it and you order off of a menu here.
- Restaurant Marrakesh - If you are feeling exotic you can try visiting Restaurant Marrakesh in Epcot Morocco. The meal includes authentic Moroccan music and a belly dancer! This is your chance to try Moroccan cuisine in a fun atmosphere.
Take full advantage of the Disney Dining Plan during your Walt Disney World Resort Vacation. We would highly recommend trying restaurants in each of the categories for a great vacation. By following this advice you will not only experience some great restaurants with great food and entertainment, but you will also be getting the most benefit out of your Disney Dining Plan Option purchase.
If you would like personalized assistance in selecting restaurants for you family and making Dining Reservations contact Only WDWorld Travel (phone: 336-899-7943 or email: info@OnlyWDWorldTravel.com ). This advice and service is FREE for all customers who book a Disney World Vacation.
Disney World Rides: Expedition Everest Takes Roller Coaster Storytelling To New Heights
All Disney World attractions start with the storytelling. For Expedition Everest the Disney Imagineers turned to the legendary creature called the Yeti for inspiration. They travelled to Nepal and parts of Asia to collect stories and artifacts of the Yeti to use to create their own story that brings this legend to life.
Instead of just creating a roller coaster, Disney has created a story immersing the guests in a journey into the realm of the Yeti and let's them deal with the consequences of crossing his path.
The base camp town that you encounter is called Serka Zong. Here you will find shops, expedition outfitters, shrines to the Yeti, a Yeti Museum, the rail station for the Anandapur Rail Services. As you weave your way through the town, you will have the opportunity to see a wealth of detail. If you are able to move slowly take advantage of the extra time and look all around you to take it all in.
As you enter the buildings you encounter the offices of Himalayan Escapes, the touring outfit who puts together the Everest Expeditions.
You are reminded throughout that the locals believe that the Yeti is to be respected and is considered to be the guardian of Forbidden Mountain. The above sign is posted by the Village Council of Serka Zong.
As you make your way through Serka Zong you will see Yeti shrines and Yeti based artwork.
You can stock up on trekking gear at Tashi's Trek and Tongba Shop here in Serka Zong. They provide the finest in mountaineering equipments for all needs both new and used.
There is even a snack bar that offers Tea and Coffee in the shop.
The Yeti Museum
Within the Yeti Museum you can learn about the Yeti. This museum is "dedicated to the serious study of the scientific and cultural aspects of the mysterious creature known and revered throughout the Himalayas as the Yeti."
The museum shows artifacts detailing the communities rich history involving the legend of the Yeti.
On display you will find many examples of Yeti artwork.
There is also artifacts from a campsite that was discovered, but the campers who occupied it were never seen from again. Could they have been attacked by the Yeti?
Anandapur Rail Services
Now it is time for to board the ride itself. Himalayan Escapes - Tours & Expeditions has booked you on an Anandapur Rail Services Train through the Forbidden Mountain to the base of Mount Everest.
As the Disney Imagineers have told the story, this train will transport the trekkers through the Forbidden Mountain to the base of Mount Everest. The locals have warned them about the dangers of passing through Forbidden Mountain but Himalayan Escapes has ignored the warnings.
Passengers get to see some magnificent views as the train starts its ascent.
The Yeti idols dart the landscape and let the passengers know they are entering Forbidden Mountain, which is the home of the Yeti.
This is a great glimpse of the mountain that the train will soon be climbing.
The train passes through the this large Yeti shrine.
Don't close your eyes or you will miss the incredible details inside the shrine. The artwork is spectacular.
The first real thrill of the ride is the unexpected scene as you round the corner at the top of the mountain.
The track has been destroyed and you cannot go forward any more. This is quite an unsettling feeling the first time that you experience this ride.
The train starts racing backwards through the inside of the mountain. When you come to a stop you see the sight shown in the above picture where you see the shadow of the Yeti ripping apart the track. Then you start racing forward inside the mountain again.
For the big drop you race outside into the open for a brief moment. Then you will soon re-enter the mountain.
Shortly you will encounter the Yeti himself, although the current audio-animatronic Yeti is only a pale rendition of the original version. Structural stresses over time have led the Imagineers to keep the Yeti stationary instead of having the movement that was part of the original attraction. It is still impressive, but not near as good as it used to be.
Incredible Storytelling For Incredible Attraction
The Expedition Everest attraction is certainly one of the best that Disney World has to offer. Although the ride in itself would be thrilling, the story that they have wrapped around it, make it a truly memorable experience that you want to visit again and again.
Disney World Vacation Top 6 Time Saving Tips
Disney World Vacation Top 6 Time Saving Tips
6. If you have a car drive yourself to all parks except the Magic Kingdom – Although the free Disney World Transportation is wonderful, it can be slow at times. If you are lucky enough to have a car, you can save time by driving yourself from your resort on days that you visit Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom. If you are visiting the Magic Kingdom, the fastest way to get from your Disney World Resort Hotel to the Magic Kingdom is to take the Disney transportation. This is because the Disney transportation delivers you right to the gate of the Magic Kingdom, where the parking lot is for the Ticket & Transportation Center and you still have to catch either a ferry or monorail to get to the front gate.
5. Make Dining Reservations ahead of time (up to 180 days) – Don’t get caught waiting in long lines or be forced to eat at your 3rd or 4th choice of restaurant during your vacation. Make reservations ahead of time at your desired restaurants with Disney’s easy on-line Dining Reservation system. This will reduce wait time and prevent you wasting time searching for a restaurant that has available space for your hungry family.
4. Visit The Park That Had Extra Magic Hours LAST NIGHT – One useful trick is to find out which park had Extra Magic Hours the night before and head to that park for opening the next morning. Rarely do the crowds that flock to evening Extra magic Hours return to the same park the next morning. This results in smaller initial crowds and shorter lines, making it easier for your family to enjoy the most popular rides and attractions.
3. Use a Touring Plan – Whether you use a Touring Plan from a website like http://www.touringplans.com/ (recommended) or you devise your own, it is a very good idea to have a plan for each day you are visiting the Disney World Theme Parks (Here are some FREE example Touring Plans from Only WDWorld: Disney's Hollywood Studios Touring Plan, Epcot Touring Plan, Disney's Animal Kingdom Touring Plan.) The touring plan will help guide you to the most popular rides and attractions in a manner that is most efficient and will reduce the time you spend waiting in lines.
2. Use Disney’s FastPass System – The FastPass system is totally FREE and is a necessary part of any touring plan or strategy to avoid spending your day stuck waiting in long lines. Disney World’s most popular attractions all have kiosks whether you insert your park entrance ticket and receive a special FastPass that entitles you to return to a special short line for that attraction at a specific time later in the day.
1. Arrive At Park Opening – The single most important strategy for minimizing wait times at Disney World includes arriving at Park Opening. Each day the first two hours are the least crowded and the time when you can get the most done. Even if that means that you leave the park in the early afternoon to go back to your resort to take a nap, you need to make every effort to arrive at park opening. All Disney World tickets include free re-entry to the same park later in the day.
Less Waiting = Less Stress!
Take advantage of the Disney World Vacation Top 6 Time Saving Tips and you will be able to successfully reduce your time spent in lines and increase your time enjoying the magical Disney World rides and attractions. You will also be amazed at how much your stress level will go down, when you avoid standing in the long lines.
Disney World Hotels: Choosing The Right One For Your Vacation
Disney World Resort Hotels
The Walt Disney World Resort never settles for plain and ordinary. No matter which of their 27 Resorts you choose to stay at, you are getting much more than your typical Hotel Room. Each hotel is uniquely themed and landscaped to make your stay memorable and special.
In order to meet a variety of budget needs, Disney has created 4 different tiers of hotels including: Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villa (the Disney Vacation Club Resorts).
Choosing the one that's right for your family depends upon factors such as: # of people, desired room size, desired room amenities, how much time you will be spending at the Resort Hotel, & budget. As your needs change for each vacation you may very well find yourself staying in different resorts and tiers. Because they are so varied in their architecture, theming, and landscaping, they help create totally different Disney World experiences to enjoy.
Disney's Value Resorts
The most budget minded class of is a series of resorts grouped under the Value moniker. Here you will find:
- Disney's All-Star Sports Resort
- Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
- Disney's All-Star Music Resort
- Disney's Pop Century Resort
- Disney's Art Of Animation Resort
In the Value Resorts the rooms are most like a "typical" hotel room with the added Disney Styling touches. The theming for each resort is carried through to the room and can be seen in the bedspreads, carpeting, artwork and often the furniture as well.
Where Disney differentiates themselves is the the landscaping, styling of the grounds, themed swimming pools, and the massive food court that is available. Also no matter which level of Disney Resort you choose you have full access to all of the same Disney amenities for Disney Resort Guests:
- Free Parking at Hotel and Theme Parks
- Free Transportation throughout Disney World
- Free Transportation to and from Orlando International Airport (MCO) through Disney's Magical Express Service
- Special "Extra Magic Hours" which allow Disney Resort Guests special extra hours either before regular opening or after regular closing in the Disney Theme Parks.
Disney's Moderate Resorts
The moderate resorts provide extra room and amenities in the rooms as well as the resorts themselves start to have the feel of "Resorts" with lavish landscaping, feature pools with slides, and Table Service Restaurants in addition to food courts. Here you will find:
- Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter
- Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
- Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
- The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort
The Moderate Resorts are a nice transition from the Value for Families that are looking to spend a little more time during their vacation relaxing at their Resort. The main themed pool areas all include water slides and more interactive play areas for the children. The grounds of the Resorts are more spread out and invoke a relaxing feel to them. They also make you feel that it is less crowded even when they are full to capacity.
Each also has a Table Service Restaurant and a Lounge area for more formal dining than the Food Court without leaving the resort grounds. They also have a variety of water based activities such as boat rental and fishing opportunities.
Disney's Deluxe Resorts
The Deluxe Resorts at Disney World take styling to the next level by creating some of the most memorable Resorts in the country. Each is unique with its styling features ranging from Disney's Wilderness Lodge that transports you to America's Northwest in a resort based upon the great National Park Lodges to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge that recreates the feeling of spending your vacation in Africa complete with its own private Savannah with animals that can be viewed from your room's balcony. Then there is also flagship resort The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa that has all of the top of the line amenities that you may be looking for. Here is the complete listing:
- 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
Each also offers wonderful dining choices and several house Disney's Signature Restaurants for the ultimate dining experiences. You truly do not need to even enter the theme parks in order to have a magical vacation when you are staying at one of these resorts.
Disney's Deluxe Villas
The last of the Resort groups is called Disney's Deluxe Villas. These are all actually considered to be Disney Vacation Club Resorts, but Disney owns a percentage of the rooms in each and offers them as options for Disney Park Guests that are not Disney Vacation Club Members. These have many of the amenities of Disney's Deluxe Resorts, but the rooms are set up much differently. They come in Studio, One-Bedroom, Two-Bedroom, and Grand Villa- Three Bedroom styles.
Here are your Disney's Deluxe Villa choices:
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
- Disney's Beach Club Villas
- Disney's BoardWalk Villas
- Disney's Old Key West Resort
- Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
- The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
The rooms have apartment or condo "home-like" feels to them. They make great places for families to stay when they are staying for close to a full week. There is more room to spread out and the One Bedroom and larger Villas come with full kitchens and washer/dryers as part of the rooms.
Each resort also has outdoor activities like basketball and tennis as well as themed pools with slides to enjoy.
Make Your Disney Resort Choice
The great thing about choosing a Disney World Resort is that there are no "bad" ones. Finding the one that is right for you depends upon your family and what you are looking to do during your vacation.
If you still can't make up your mind then contact a Travel Agent that specializes in Disney Travel like Only WDWorld Travel. They love talking about Disney World and have a wealth of first hand experience staying and visiting each of the resorts.
