WDW 2013: It's Official, We're Going!

We interupt the Disneyland 2012 recap to bring you this exciting (for me) tidbit on vacation plans for 2013!

Not that this was ever doubt, but it's finally *official* as I just (ok well I got busy doing other stuff so I didn't just get off the phone now) got off the phone. Even though dad hasn't put in for the time off yet, and we don't know some of the other details, I have us booked at the Art of Animation for October 2-12. Those dates will be played with, I'm sure, but it's nice to have a jumping off point.

I had another fantastic Cast Member help me book our vacation, and he gave me a heads up that he had a "good feeling" that we would be seeing some great discounts for when we would be travelling. I've seen others report when CMs give them the "insider info" and have it be wrong, so I'm not going to believe it till I see it/get it (I know that we may have to change resorts, too, to get them as AoA is not qualified currently for the discounts).

We'll be staying in the Cars themed Family Suite at the Art of Animation, with the Dining Plan and park hopper passes. We also have the Magical Express picking us up at the airport. Very excited!

2013 WDW Packages to be released Wednesday!

Apparently announced last week, July 11 is the official date for Walt Disney World 2013 packages to be released and available to travellers. This is one of the most anticipated days of the year for Disneyphiles as it means official planning may begin on the next Disney trip.

I will be travelling to Sacramento, California on Wednesday, but I have a feeling I know what I will be doing on my layover. I can at least get an accurate price out on our September trip - hopefully when they get closer to closing out this year they will offer free dining to make it even more manageable.

So if you're like me wanting to look at prices for next year, it's only a two day more wait!

Doing the Disney Math

Sometimes crunching numbers and breaking down costs
makes choosing to go on a Disney Vacation worth it!

Disneyland is still two months off, so what better way to kill time than to begin the pre-planning of the next Disney trip. My parents, myself, and the sibling are looking at going to Walt Disney World September of 2013. Mom has been apprehensive due to costs. This finally came to a head this weekend as she basically said a Disney trip would be impossible.

Considering the subject was Disney, and Walt himself was the master of making the impossible, possible, I jumped at the chance to prove her wrong. Crunching numbers is not normally my thing, but Disney Math - as we Disney-holics lovingly call it - is simple enough. Admittedly the total amount is a huge chunk of change, but once you begin to break down costs it's much more manageable.

Disney has not released the rates for next year - aside from their hotels. It's anyone's guess when we'll know the vacation package prices for 2013, but typically they release middle to late summer so folks have time to plan and budget. Basic budgetting, however, can begin well in advance of packages by using the current packages and rounding up. It may not be completely accurate - I round up to the nearest 50 or 00, which typically makes it far more expensive than it will be - but it gives you a figure to work with.

Attention to detail outside the Tusker
House in Disney's Anitmal Kingdom.

We're looking at going in September of next year. There are several reasons, the main one being my dad's 60th birthday will be September 15. He has been very vocal with his desire to go for his birthday over other options. Considering he's the bread winner, it's the least we can do for him. Another reason is that, in the past, September is the time Disney gives deep discounts like their free dining plan promotion. This is never promised, and should not be a deciding factor or even budgetted for, but it's good to keep in mind. When estimating I never budget with discounts in mind, I go for the full fare so I will not be disappointed or unprepared later on.

For our family of four we will need two rooms - to give the parentals some privacy. This bumps up the fees a bit, but not terribly so. For me Park Hopper is a must have for tickets. We also will have the Dining Plan. With four adults who do enjoy food, and want to be pampered once in a while, the Dining Plan works well as we can eat at places we would normally pass up because of costs. Tip is the only thing not included and that's just fine by us, we can take care of that. And, while not believing it will be available to us, we could get it for free should they offer another promotion (with the opening of the new Fantasyland, though, I don't see them offering deep discounts next fall).

Dad also chose Port Orleans Riverside as the resort he'd like to stay at. This makes me happy as I enjoy the moderate resorts over the values or even deluxe options. Again this adds a bit of expense, but if need be we *could* go down to a value, but with Disney Math you really don't need to. Little splurges are a good thing for a relaxing part of the vacation.

After visiting the Disney World Website and plugging in our "wants" out came the cost: $6293.44. This is a huge number. Rounding up to $6500 makes one gasp even more. Again I always try to give myself a little buffer so when the real price comes out I'm not under-estimating, and it's always nice to feel like we're getting it cheaper.

Even though the cost seems steep, this is for four "adults" with the extras listed above. It basically comes to 1575 or 1625 (depending on how you round up) a person. Granted we haven't added in airfare, but even after that it's not a bad deal. Did I mention this is for a 10 night, 9 day trip. That's a huge bang for the buck. If I wanted to get really detailed I could go down to the day per person cost, but I'm not THAT crazy about Disney Math.

With this info in hand, it makes the Disney Budget seem much more doable. With just a little bit of game planning, saving for the trip becomes something that doesn't seem impossible. Once again, Walt Disney is making the impossible, possible (all the while making a killing).



Disney?!... AGAIN?!

Oh how every Disney Parks fanatic *loves* to hear the condescending tone when they have friends and family ask this question. We normally answer with an all too perky "Yes! Yes, I am!" or a sarcastic sigh with a short "mm, hmm." It's not like we're flying to the moon, or joining a convent - though you might argue for some Disney is their place of worship. It's amusing to think that people actually think we need to be reminded that there's "More than Disney."

We can all name people who go to Hawaii for just about every vacation, or Lake Tahoe, or Colorado to ski. Yet, while that does not get the "you're going again???" Disney always does. The answer is, simply, yes. The next series of questions and statements follow two themes "why" and expense.
So why is it that some folks and families are die hard disney park goers? The answer relies heavily on what you consider when you think vacation. Sure, expense is a big deal - there are several trips I would take over Disney if I had a bottomless budget to blow - but even before budgetting, what makes a vacation?

For many it's the family factor, what's the most family friendly vacation you can think of? If you asked my dad growing up it was camping in the woods. No distractions from neighbor kids, cable tv, or the original Nintendo. Camping is always considered cheap, but if you begin adding up the fuel it takes to get to the camp spot, the equipment, etc it adds up - the thing that makes it more affordable is how many times you can use the equipment.

Mom's idea of a vacation was wherever she could get away from the life drama that surrounds an everyday life, the housework, and be pampered. This could be a weekend with the ladies at the church or a week away with her sister. As long as she could laugh, and forget about the laundry dad was no doubt ruining while she was away, she was happy.

Me? Disney is my vacation destination of choice. I've converted my family - though they are content still with the cheaper options - by just showing them what I've found to get out of Disney. Yes, it can be crowded, and yes it can be expensive. Family meltdowns can, will and do happen. And, no, Disney is not for everyone.

There. I said it. Disney is not everyone's cup of tea.

Hawaii is not my idea of a good time. I don't swim, I don't like being too hot, and I don't do well with whatever is in the geological make up of volcanic rock (rare skin allergy). Yet so many suggest that if I just try it I'll love it. And maybe I will. But these same people balk at the idea of ever liking Disney. Fine. But don't judge my balking of your destination.

Disney is a place of nostalgia for me. I cannot remember a time where I didn't have disney movies playing constantly. My first movie in the theaters was Disney's Oliver & Company. My generation grew up during the rebirth of Disney's animated films. The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King are still considered some of the best films the company has EVER produced.
We also grew up with the CGI company of Pixar. The story of Andy's Toys, who concluded their Feature Length films two years ago with the Third film, was in many ways our story. We basically grew up with Andy and Molly. So who wouldn't want to visit the toys of Andy's room, or go to Ant Island and meet up with Flik and the other bugs all the while looking up at Rafiki's Tree of Life?

When Walt Disney dreamed of his theme parks - originally Disneyland, but he was unhappy with the layout and thus Disney World was born - he thought of a park that would never become stale. That everyone could come and enjoy and get something out of it. Nostalgia, all the while promoting the new - be it a new Disney film, or some new technology. A place where mom and dad can watch their children gaze in wonder at their surroundings, and where other adults can become children again.

Walt wanted a place where everyone could go and just be. Become part of a story. Forget life realities and remember what's really important. Friends, family, yourself. I've been to the parks on my own, with my best friend, with my high school concert band, with different sets of my family. Each time memories were made. That joy is remembered long after the trip is over.

Yes, this same achievement happens everywhere, but for me - and many others - Disney is the happy place. Yes, there are other places that are cheaper, yes there are other places less crowded, but think of it this way: Perhaps the real reason we need the vacation is to get away from people that think like the naysayers. The "unbelievers"... as Peter Pan might say - the one's who went and grew up. The types that don't get Disney and never will are just one of the many reasons I run to get away at Disney. Disney is not negative. Good conquers evil. True love conquers all.

Everyone lives Happily Ever After.

I'll be going back to Disneyland - Walt's First Park - in just 99 days... and I cannot wait.

Favorite Disney Park planning resources - Part 2

Click here for Part 1.

Dumbo Ride, Disneyland 2011

So you've gotten the hang of it by now, you're ready to take the next step and book your trip. This is where it gets tricky. You have your Passporter to write plans down in (use pencil!), but wait! Don't just rush and pick those dates that look the less crowded. Did you make sure you're getting the most bang for your buck? Switch dates sometimes means less money and more fun for you and your fellow travellers - and they aren't during busy seasons!

This is where MouseSavers.com comes in. It's a travel agency site (that's been trained and approved by The Mouse), but it's also so much more than that. It actually keeps travellers and potential travellers up-to-date with all of the latest and greatest promotions. If you're not going through a travel agent this is where you have to be pro-active.

Disney doesn't just automatically put you into whatever promotion that might come out after you book - you do. As long as you're more than 45 days out you're not penalized for making travel changes to your package. This is how two years ago we ended up with FREE DINING for most of our stay, and three years ago (this month actually) we ended up with a moderate resort for the same price as a value! INSANE! And these are DISNEY promotions! Once you book, watch for the deals. If one becomes available call down to Disney. The guy on the other end of the phone will help you get into the promotion if they can. You may have to break up your reservations into two seperate - but linked - packages, but it is SO WORTH IT! (again this is if you book an entire package through Disney.)

Now, you're booked to go, so what are you going to do when you get there. You want to be spontaneous, but there are so many options - especially for Walt Disney World - to fill up your time. Where do you begin? Well, aside from the great reviews in your Passporter, try these on for size (and remember these are more for park destinations!).

My next stop is either purchasing The Unofficial Guide to *your destination here* it's a book that comes out every year and is even more critical than Passporter. They often get a bad wrap for being anti-Disney. They aren't, they are just more of a "worst case scenario" as far as prices and crowd count. They take a very critical look about Disney but are Disney enthusiasts themselves.

Another great feature with the Unofficial Guides it that they have a partner website, TouringPlans.com. This is a paid site, but what's really cool is that if you purchase one of the guide books you can get your subscription at a discounted rate! They are also completely mobile with a great phone app (yes, I am a subscriber, and yes I play with their app even when I'm not anywhere near the parks!). The two best features are their crowd calculators, which gives you an idea of how crowded any day of the year will be, and their wait times. The wait times are accurate and update more often than the Disney waittimes (and are probably even a little more accurate than Disney).

Once you've got an idea of where you're going to be and when, it's time to decide where you're going to eat. This is especially important for Walt Disney World as you want to book your dining reservations as soon as you're able to (180 days if you're staying on property for WDW, 60 days if you're going to Disneyland - on property or off). The best place for that is AllEars.net. They have the menus for every eatery - sit down, counter, and snack! - and they keep them as up to date as possible. There are sections for reviews (though if you want current reviews, ask on PassporterBoards.com), and it also gives you the prices.

• Quick Tip: The one thing you have to do is BUDGET, and I always round up by at least five dollars per. Figure in tip, and tax, and so it's always better to budget more and save than budget less and come up short towards the end of your trip. The money that you don't end up spending on food you can put towards more souvenier's or, like I do, the next Disney trip!

I must warn you, however, that this site will get you hungry. Just the thought of all of these amazing foods is enough to get my mouth watering. There is nothing like Disney Dining. If you're going to Disney World all I can say is GET THE DINING PLAN (this requires you stay on property). It is so worth it. We were able to eat at places we never could afford without it. AllEars - and, really passporter - have a great way of explaning the program and how to best use it. That in and of itself is another blog entirely. Ha ha!

Speaking of mouth watering, a great site for reviews on the food experiences at Disney is the Disney Food Blog. Whenever I have a hard time deciding where to eat, or if I'm not quite sure about a newer establishment I go to see if it's been reviewed (and it normally has) by this team of Disney Foodies. This is one of the few websites I follow year round, even when I'm not planning a trip! But, again, it will make you hungry. I've warned you, so don't come crying to me that your tummy is growling... or that your keyboard is wet because you drool.

So there it is. These are the "secrets" I use to plan my trip when I go. Nothing fancy, and it is a bit of work, but it's your hard earned money going to a well deserved vacation. There are others sites I've reccomended to friends that aren't on here. Typically those links that you've been given by me were links I was given by friends that I trust. UndercoverTourist.com is a great way to get discounted tickets - or so I've heard. I've never used them as I prefer to just do everything through Disney when I go to Disney World. Disneyland seems to be cheapest if I buy directly from Disneyland.com, so, again, I don't need to go through a third party to get the best rate. And really MouseSavers is all I need to make sure I'm getting the best deal with Disney or with an outside company.

So enjoy, don't let it over whelm you. I typically spend nine months planning a disney world trip before going. And it took over a year to plan my first one. It does get easier, especially when you use these free (or nearly free) resources. You can log onto them at anytime. And, when all else fails, you can use a travel agent (USE A DISNEY SPECIALIST) and if you want names, I can point you in that direction as well (rememeber I don't use them, but I trust them and bug them all the time with my own questions ha ha!)

Favorite Disney Park planning resources - Part 1



"Elliot" in the Main Street
Electrical Parade - Nov. 2010

Every year it seems family and friends ask me for help on their Disney trips, and I really do not mind. However, if they -or you- are like me, planning makes it all the more fun. So instead of having me do all of the work I typically start out by pointing them in the direction of some free - or nearly so - resources that will help in the planning.

Not sure how many actually use the resources, but I assure you that they are a must use. They will give you a better perspective of what you can accomplish no matter what time you go. I cannot imagine doing a Disney trip without at least a bare minimum of planning - especially a Disney WORLD (you know, that park in Florida) trip. Disney is more than just a theme park, it's an interactive entertainment experience. From the time you enter a parking lot you are already immersed into the experience, and it just grows as you walk up to the entrance and make your way into the parks.

So, how do I keep from having a major headache, and a family or friend away from the mega meltdown I've witnessed? I'll be honest, I've been there - twice - even after the planning. I guess what I'm saying is, plan for the inevitable. Families and friends irritate each other. Add in the crowds and something "going wrong" or not meeting up to expectations and it'll happen. Especially in the heat. So, nothing is fool proof, not even the plans that some of these sites give.

First, and this is a no brainer, go to DisneyParks.com. There are tools that are helpful to your trip planning. I hit these sites first to do a number of things. The first stop is ordering the FREE (see, they do give SOME things for NOTHING) vacation planning DVD. These change every year or so and give you a look on the top attractions, coming additions to the parks, and a great overview. Mind you, this is a biased outlook where every bit of magic is available to all. If you're travelling with kids - or family - this is a great resource because it builds the excitement AND gives you a great jumping off point to discuss what each member of the travel party's must dos are.

Once you have the dvd ordered, go to the specific destination/vacation you want to plan. DisneyParks is only the jumping off point. Disney Cruiseline, Adventures by Disney, Disney's Aulani Resort (Hawaii), as well as each park destination are represented on this site. You can price a vacation package, bone up on the options, see what promotions they are offering (discounts!), and if you're headed for a park you can look up the schedules for the park(s) to being planning your daily itinerary.

Once you've decided where you're going, and you've gotten that free planning video, now it's time to get a more unbiased assessment of your trip. There are tons of sites for Disney World (you know, that park in Florida) but not as many for Disney's other destinations. Most are footnotes to a Disney World site. That's fine, Disney World is - by far - the biggest of all their destinations. Just be aware when you click on a link as to what it refers to. All of the parks have things in common other than a Disney name and the characters.

One of the things I swear by is my fake-leather bound Passporter Guide - especially when I am headed to Disney World (you know, that park in Florida). Not only is it probably the most uptodate and comprehensive - in English you can understand and full of technicolor goodness - book on the market. This is NOT a Disney authorized guide. It is a well researched book and a new edition comes out every year (for that park in florida, the other parks don't need to be updated as often).

Even if you don't purchase the book, join their message boards. It's free for everyone to use and you can learn so much. This is my main haunt online for Disney information. News is broken here before many news outlets report on happenings at the park. It also links to other great resources. There are Disney expert travel agents as well as folks that live near, work in, or visit the parks regularly. It's a bank of knowledge that is friendly, and open. People don't mind answering the same question over and over again (and believe me that does happen, so don't feel bad if you're a "repeat offender" ha ha).

The board is well organized by parks, and even has sections for travelling to other parks/attractions in the general area (for example: the Walt Disney World section also has a board for Universal Studios Orlando and Sea World). Again, people are friendly, and it can easily become addicting. Once your trip is over be sure to stay on the board and share your experience in the trip report section. Impart wisdom to others. It's a great community - and if you do join stop by and say "Hi!" I'm Tonichelle on there.

Part 2 to come soon!

Character Interaction

Donald Duck is #1, now and always.

I've been asked numerous times in the last year or so how I've been able to create some of the character interactions that are in the pictures from my various Disney trips. I don't feel I am an expert of the subject, but with several trips coming up with the Disney Inexperienced I wanted to create a blog that might help when it comes to making sure magic is created. By no means do I think anyone should just follow this as a play by play. Part of the fun of Disney is just letting the magic happen, and by making your own.

First and foremost, invest in the Disney Photopass service. For Walt Disney World there is a dicounted price if you purchase the disk before you travel. Don't purchase it too far in advance, though. I normally purchase it a couple of weeks before our trip so that it does not expire before I can see the photos. Even better, if you decide there aren't enough photos you want you can get a refund. Disneyland does not offer a preorder special - in fact, you can't preorder it at all - but it is considerably cheaper to purchase (presumably because there are two parks, not four + 2 water parks). This is helpful because you can have the photopass photographers take as many photos as you'd like and you can look at them online - ALL FOR FREE - before deciding to purchase and you aren't the one holding the camera! You can also have them take a few for you on your own camera, but note that some photopass photogs are just as amatuer as the people they are taking pics for and may not take the best photos with your camera. For more information and tips on photopass I recommend the Stitch Kingdom guide.

Once you've figured out the Photopass system - use it. It's so much easier to interact and capture the moments when you're in the moment and the photopass guys are there to make it happen, but don't be disappointed if you don't see a photorapher with the character you are meeting. Each character has a "friend" or "handler" who deals with the organization of the lines and will be more than willing to snap a photo or two. If you are like me and have a DSLR camera - make sure to have it in full point and shoot mode, and have the camera zoomed out as much as possible - trust me, most Cast Members really don't know much about cameras and feel overwhelmed when they look at my rig. Always make sure to ask for them to take multiple photos and to feel free to snap the interactions as well as the posed cheesey smile. Photopass photographers are supposed to already know to do this, but it never hurts to give them permission to do so.

It's ALWAYS Erin's fault!

Before heading to the parks - familiarize yourself with the characters that you're most likely to see. Knowing some of the characters cartoons/stories/personality traits really helps with the interraction. For example: Chip and Dale are friends & "roomies" and were first introduced as annoyances for both Donald Duck and Pluto. One of the most famous cartoons is "Pluto's Christmas Tree" where Chip and Dale live in the tree that Pluto and Mickey choose to chop down to decorate for Christmas. Subsequently the chipmunks create havoc in the tree and tease Pluto ultimately resulting in the tree and decor being destroyed and Mickey Mouse to freak out and call Pluto a bad dog (and dumb mutt). For the picture above, we started out talking to our "favorites". I prefer Chip - who is the brains, and Erin prefers Dale (the goofball). Christmas was already going on in Disney's parks, so I quickly turned the conversation to Christmas Trees and I asked Chip if he was getting along this year with Pluto. He mimed (the classic fur characters do not speak, though the technology may start changing soon with that - at least for Mickey Mouse) that he promised that he was. So I brought up the fact that it wasn't very nice that they played such a mean trick on Pluto (he laughed at that) and I said he should try to be nicer. Chip then pointed at Dale suggesting that DALE was to blame, and that Chip was innocent (he mimed a halo), Dale then pointed at ME suggesting *I* was the trouble maker and then I said "no, I'm the good one, Erin is naughty" so then we all pointed at Erin and the photo is made.

Familiarizing yourself with the Characters also helps the children recognize them in the parks which may help with the anxiety of meeting them. Some children have no problems going up to the characters right off the bat. Others are super shy or even terrified of them. It should be up to the child, and not the adult, to decide if the child will meet any of the characters. Some things that help are if the child sees some of the adults in the group getting silly and having fun with the characters. One of the best places for this comfortable spontaneous interaction is through a character meal. The characters each visit the tables at least once, and if you spend enough time and it's not too crowded (go at an off time during the day, or during the off season) you can get them to return to your table several times. The shy members of your group will have a better chance of seeing the characters up close and at their leisure. We used this method and got great results with my neice in Feb. This is a great way to start your trip as it gets the kiddos ready to meet the characters while touring the parks, and it's overall less overwhelming.

Haille scratches Pluto's nose. That's Disney Magic.

This is where you can teach the kids how to interact and have conversation with the non speaking characters. For example: The easiest is probably Pluto. How would you treat your family pet? Scratch his ears or his nose and watch for a reaction. Chances are you will have a very happy puppy and kiddo. This was the trick that broke the ice for my neice and she spent the rest of the night dancing with Goofy, playing tricks on the rest of us with Dale and chatting about shoes with Minnie Mouse. Who knew she'd come out of her shell just because she scratched Pluto's ears?! The meals are expensive, but you're getting an interactive experience and the memories really do become priceless. It's one of the vivid memories Haille has (the only other one is the Snake on the Indiana Jones ride, and that's not a positive memory for her). Try to get in at least one Character meal with your child(ren) and put it towards the front of your trip. I assure you it will help you judge how the rest of the trip will go. (Also, encourage your child to tell Pluto that s/he's going to scratch his ears so that the character is prepared to interact. They may not see your little one and therefore will not know it's happening.)

The final big tip I can give is - research and figure out who, when and where the characters will be out. If you're like I am, you'll plan your day around rides and characters. Be flexible, most characters come out several times a day. If you can't make one meet up, or the line is too long, try again a little later. Ask a cast member if any special "non scheduled" characters will be out and about. This is normally how princes, secondary characters, and villians are found. If a character is getting set to take a break - don't leave the line. Minnie only needs about five minutes to check on her apple pie that she has baking in the back. Some people in line will leave when she does, so your wait time will be less if you just stick it out. So be paitent and know when and where to be. And don't feel bad meeting the same characters more than once. Each interaction will most likely be different and so much fun!

The main ingredient to a positive and magical interaction is you. The Characters feed off of what you bring to the meeting. If you're all business you'll most likely only get the standard picture. If you don't seem willing to play games, they won't push the issue for fear of offending or wasting your time. If you're just into collecting character pictures, then please move right along, but if you're into the fun photos and memories that last far longer than your trip then take a risk, look a little silly and have fun! Happy snapping!

Want more tips/tricks/ideas? Let me know in a comment or email! I'd be happy to point you towards the magic.

ETA: Thank you to Jennifer F. for correcting some misinformation on the chipmunks. See, I still need to learn things too!

BIKING to Disney World?

And you thought Erin and my road trip from Seattle down I-5 and across I-40 is a crazy idea. What about this could that's biking to Walt Disney World? What a fantastic idea! I think that should be the next way Erin and I make the trip (could you imagine us doing that? I think we really would kill each other).

Follow their blog, it's an amazing one (I think, anyway). http://melanddebbie.blogspot.com/