I want money, lots and lots of money!

Good Morning and Happy Friday! Today's post was spurred by something I started typing up on Facebook and it just got too long. I thought this topic deserved it's own post!

The most common thing I hear when it comes to cruising with Disney is the price. It is a known fact that they are priced higher than other cruise lines but as I've said before, you get what you pay for!!  Let's talk about a few ways to afford a Disney Cruise!

Disney Visa Cardholders
While this isn't a HUGE savings, if you book your Disney Cruise with your Disney Visa, you are entitled to a $50 on board credit!! Couple that with the offer I have and you could have some serious spending money once on board!!

Canadian Resident Discount
Often there is availability for Canadian residents to get a discount using code CAN. Again, this discount is not available on ALL sailings or on ALL room types but if you have a bit of flexibility this might be a great deal for you!!

Florida resident and Military discounts
I lump these two together because while they are available, they are often few and far between.  Florida resident can snag great last minute rates for cruises out of Florida.  Over at Mousemisers they keep up to date with what is currently available. For instance there are several September cruises for just $115 per person, per night! What a steal!!

While Military personnel can also get a great rate, they often sell fast and aren't as abundant as the military rate that Walt Disney World offers. Again, Mousemisers does a great job posting availability.  This week there was a great rate at just $115 per person, per night on 3 and 4 night cruises!!

Booking your Cruise while on board a Disney Cruise
So you are sailing with Disney and have just fallen in love (like everyone else!).  If you book another cruise while on board you can not only get a discount on the cruise, but there is only a 10% deposit required instead of 20% and you can often score a nice on board credit. Don't forget to mention your Travel Agent when booking (ME!!) so that you can continue to take advantage of more on board credits!

Disney Cruise Line Promotions
With the popularity of the Disney Cruise Line in recent years we are seeing less and less promotions offered by Disney. However they do exist and again, if you have some flexibility in your schedule you can get a great deal. In the past we've seen Kids Sail Free (both to Mexico and Alaska) and currently Disney is offering 25% of the Halloween Sailing out of Galveston (come join me!).  Keep your eyes peeled on my Facebook page for announcements.

Guarantee Rooms
Disney currently offers two types of Guarantee rooms and it can be a bit tricky to distinguish the difference.

GTY rooms
Guarantee rooms are offered when Disney sells a specific number of cabins in each category.   With GTY rooms you will not be able to select your stateroom but the nice thing is you are guaranteed at least that category or higher! Sometimes you'll receive a pretty nice upgrade and you don't have to pay any more. Many people like to select inside rooms in hopes of getting upgraded to an oceanview or verandah. Disney is smart and knows that the less expensive rooms sell better last minute so it's advantageous to move you up and keep the cheaper stateroom open!

Selecting "Accept Guarantee" guarantees the ship, sailing date and rate. A Category 11C stateroom will be assigned by the time documents are received. Selecting "Accept Guarantee" does not guarantee the stateroom will be on a particular deck or, for multiple staterooms, that the staterooms will be located near each other.


IGT, OGT and VGT rooms
This is a new category that Disney has begun using.  These are last minute deals with many restrictions. However if you  KNOW you'd like to sail, you'll get a GREAT rate! Recently there were cruises out of Gavleston for as little as $599 per person!! For a 7-night sailing!

• Full names and birth dates must be given at the time of booking and may NOT be changed later
• Payment due in Full
• No Refund
• Not applicable to existing reservations, nor can you combine with other discounts

Booking in advance
Disney Cruise Line announces their itineraries pretty far in advance.   The great thing is full payment isn't due until 45 days prior, with the except of IGT, OGT and VGT rooms.  This allows you to make payments each month, making the cruise a bit easier on the wallet!

I hope today's post helped you understand the various discounts available and how truly affordable a Disney Cruise can be!!

Let the countdown begin!

In just ONE Month....one month from today we will be heading on a plane back home. We will have had an amazing time and we'll have full bellies, empty pockets and a lot of amazing memories!! I honestly can't believe that we leave in just a few weeks. Time had really gotten away from me.

 Today let's talk a little bit about our plans for the trip! My Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law gave me the go ahead to plan whatever we wanted. Although there are a few rules :)

 1) Nothing to fancy...which works ok for us since DH and I are kind of a meat and potato kind of family
2) My nephew Alec is vegetarian so we need to eat somewhere that can accommodate that
3) POOL time! They aren't interested in touring commando style like the hubby and I like to do!
4) Sister-in-law's request was that she really wanted to see Wishes since she missed it on their last trip (It was only 3 days for our wedding)


 To work out a plan for families that have different vacation styles is tough but not impossible! Let's start at the beginning! Planning a vacation for my family is no different than planning a vacation for one of my clients! First thing I do is check out crowd calendars and park hours. For crowd calendars I use a few different resource (www.touringplans.com and www.easywdw.com). I then decide which park we will visit on each day. A few things came into play here:
 1) What time were we arriving the first day? Would we have time for a park?
2) Since pool time was requested I wanted to alternate days appropriately so if Hubby and I still wanted to go to the park for the day, his brother's family wouldn't miss anything.

3) I needed to pay attention to special events like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party since we won't be attending.

When using crowd calendars there isn't one I necessarily stick to 100%.  I also use a little bit of common sense and experience. For instance, most of the time I highly recommend morning Extra Magic Hours to my clients at Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom although most crowd calendars have you avoid them. To each their own :)

Let's get to it shall we!!!

Arrival Day-  We were lucky enough to get direct flights that land fairly early in the afternoon.  After we get to the resort and check-in, our plan is to head the Studios for a bit and have dinner at Mama Melroses. We'll call it an early night :)

Day 2- Even though I typically recommend AGAINST going to Magic Kingdom on a Monday, it's hard to start your vacation some where else....I got vetoed on starting at EPCOT :)  Dinner is at the Grand Floridian Cafe followed by Main St Electrical Light Parade and Wishes.

Day 3-Animal Kingdom with dinner at Whispering Canyon over at the Wilderness Lodge. I'm excited for everyone to see different resorts throughout our trip!

Day 4-EPCOT! We figured if my Brother-in-Law is ready for a pool day we can take the kids and explore future world in the morning.    Later in the evening it will be time for World Showcase. We'll give the kids EPCOT Passports while the adults enjoy some drinks.  Dinner is at our favorite place...La Hacienda for Illuminations!

Day 5-Hollywood Studios today! We'll focus a lot on the shows but I'm not going to lie...I'm ready for some Rock N' Roller Coaster!! WHOOHOO! We'll spend the majority of the day here but tonight...we are heading to the Contemporary to explore and have dinner at the Wave! I think this is one of my new favorites and they'll have some awesome vegetarian selection for my nephew!

Day 6- Another EPCOT/Pool Day! We have lunch ressies at Coral Reef because....it's the first day of Food and Wine Festival!! Hubby and I can't wait!!

Day 7- Our last day :( Of course we'll head to the Magic Kingdom. Dinner tonight is at our favorite last night restaurant, Ohana. It's an amazing way to end the trip. Also, back to the Magic Kingdom for fireworks and to say Good-bye :(

Day 8- Back home!


I hope you've enjoyed my brief explanation of our itinerary!!  I'll be posting more about each day as the trip gets closer and as always, you'll get live updates via my Facebook page and our new Twitter and Instagram over at the Mousechicks!!

So you're bringing the baby...

A while back I promised all of you a sneak peek into the Baby Care Centers at Disney. Today I'll share with you the center at Animal Kingdom but keep in mind that all 4 parks have one!

Shortly after we arrive at Animal Kingdom, Kennedy fell fast asleep. While trying to think of things to do I remember that I needed to grab some formula. My growing girl went through more than I planned on (thank goodness she's drinking milk now). I though it would be a great chance to stop and take some pictures of the baby care Center.

At Animal Kingdom, you'll find the Baby Care Center on the way to the village of Harambe.

 It's located on your left hand side before the bridge....look for the ladybugs!

When you first enter, you'll see lots of products for sale as well as a register.  They don't have much but they have the necessities.

We had to buy one of these onesies! I didn't see it any where else in the park.

 The first room to the left is a playroom of sorts. If your little one is too hot or just needs a minute to calm down, this is the place for you! It's also a place to keep your little one busy with Dad while you feed your baby.

In the back room you'll find plenty of places to change diapers. A lot nice than the fold out tables in the restrooms!

Behind the changing tables you'll see some private rooms for nursing Moms. I think it's amazing that Disney offers this!!

You'll also find more products to purchase back here. A lot is repeats from the front but you'll also find medications and "women's" products here.

Also in this room is several high chairs.  Of course there are high chairs available in all the restaurants and quick service areas, but it's nice and quiet and cool in here!

Please don't hesitate to use these centers!! When we were there, it was extremely quiet but if it's busy, just be respectful of other Mom's who need to use the same equipment and space.

What's So Great?

Good Morning and Happy Monday!!

Today I want to talk a bit about why I've been posting so much cruise info lately! Basically...we fell in love!  Our cruise in March was my hubby's first cruise. I've posted before about how he thought he was going to HATE it but instead LOVED it!!

We already had our September trip booked otherwise you probably would have seen us on a cruise much sooner! I asked my readers to help me out with a survey last week and found that many of you have NEVER cruised before! You are probably like my hubby and think it's too expensive or you wouldn't like it.

I want to touch base on that for a minute. First let's talk about what you get for your money when you book a cruise!!

Included in cruise pricing you'll get:
-A complete cruise vacation for all members of your party (your stateroom aboard ship)
- All food and entertainment on board
- Complete access to the kids club, swimming pool, and other facilities
- All taxes and fees. 

Not included are costs for getting to or from the ship, optional trip insurance, or gratuities unless you specifically request and pay for those up front.

Also not included are alcoholic beverages and shore excursions.

Basically when you are on the ship, it's practically an all inclusive vacation! Could you spend more in spa treatments, alcohol and shore excursions...sure you could. You could also have an amazing time without that!! We love cruising because it's so relaxing. We get treated like Kings and Queens (without buying all that stuff). We get everything we love about Disney on the ship!!

-Characters (lots of them)

-Swimming

-Amazing food

-Broadway Style Shows

Of course you can't really compare Disney World and a cruise. They are two different vacation destinations. If you love Disney, you should try at least one cruise and experience everything we fell in love with!!

We love how relaxing and laid back the cruise is...and we aren't the type of people to lay around on a beach!! The cruises are packed full of activities if you want to keep busy, or you can just lay around and do nothing!! It's up to you!!

Now for price...it's a widely known fact that Disney is priced higher than the other cruises. Want to know a secret? IT'S WORTH IT!!!! Just like visiting a Walt Disney World Resort can be more expensive than a "normal" hotel...this is a case of you get what you pay for!
We can't say enough great things about the cruise and this post only touched on a few of them.  If you are unsure about cruising, try a 3 or 4 night to get started! I promise you won't regret it!!

Next up...

Good morning!! For those of you following my Facebook page, you've probably seen me switch gears lately.  I've been talking about Disney Cruising A LOT lately!!  Our cruise on the Disney Fantasy this last March was my first cruise in about 6 years.   I fell in love with cruising all over again...and my hubby did for the first time! I've been very excited to share with everyone how amazing (and affordable) a Disney Cruise Vacation can be!

For today thought, I'm going to chat about our next trip and get us back onto Walt Disney World!! My hubby and I LOVE traveling to Walt Disney World with other people.  We love to share OUR love of such an amazing place! This fall we are lucky enough to be traveling to Walt Disney World with my Brother-in-Law, Sister-In-Law, nephews and niece!

They have all been do Disney once before....

We were very lucky that they were able to join us for our wedding. They were only able to stay a few days and....get ready for this....they stayed off property.

I'll wait while you recover.

This time, we've convinced them to join us for a week long vacation ON Property!!!  Let's get started talking about the details!!


Here all the kids are last Thanksgiving.

The Where

When considering to stay on or off property there are a few things that come into play:

- Are there any discounts or promotions at Disney

-How much will a rental car and gas cost?

-How much time will you lose traveling back and forth between your off property hotel and a Disney?

-What kind of service will you receive at your off property hotel?

For us it's a no brainer and we always choose to stay on property. My in-laws ran into the same problem many families do when traveling to Disney...what to do with 5 people?   Luckily we solved the problem pretty quickly by offering to let Prince D (15) stay with us!!

We have booked 2 rooms at Disney's Pop Century for 7 nights.  It's been a few years since we've stayed here, and a few years since we've stayed value. We think it will be a great fit for the kids thought!

The interested thing about this trip is that we have very different traveling styles.  I know those of you that follow my blog know that Hubby and I are more commando style. We like to get up early and hit the parks right away!!

My in-laws are very  much looking forward to a week of vacation, with lots of downtime at the pool!  We've done our best to schedule a vacation that works for everyone! The nice thing is with 8 people, not everyone has to do the same thing all the time!! The one thing we've all said is that we'll meet up for dinners every day!! When we get back I'll have a fun trip report to share with you all showing the differences in our touring styles!!

We leave in just 35 days! Over the next month I'll talk about our itinerary, travel arrangements, dining, resort and much more!!

The Little Ones

For those of you who haven't heard the story about how Disneyland and eventually Walt Disney World came to be, it all started with Walt Disney sitting on a bench.  He was sitting on a bench in an amusement park while his kids were on the rides.  He thought to himself, wouldn't it be amazing if there was a place you could go where you could experience the rides (and everything else) WITH your kids! Today Disneyland, Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line are vacation destinations for the WHOLE family!

That's why I get confused when people ask me WHY I'm bringing my daughter.   I hear all the time that she's too young, she won't remember, it will be too hard to maneuver around, etc.  I want to talk a little bit today about WHY I bring my daughter and how we do it.

First of all, be prepared for cuteness overload :)  I'm of course biased, but here is my beautiful little girl.

As a Disney Travel expert I try to get down to Disney often to keep up to date with everything. It makes my job easier and I like to stay informed.  

More important than that, there is a big reason why I'm a Disney Travel Expert. It's my passion for Disney. Many people don't understand this. I'm sure if you are a big Disney nut people often make the comment, you are going there AGAIN? I've had a love for all things Disney since I was a small child. I've been enamored with the history of the company and the genius of Walt Disney. I wasn't able to travel to Disney until I was 18 and I feel very lucky that I get to bring my little girl. I want to share with her the true magic that is Disney.

Kennedy's first trip to Disney was last November. She was just 5 months old and while I knew we'd all have a good time, I figured she really just be in for the ride.  There were 4 of us traveling to Disney and it was was pretty easy! She traveled in her travel system, which we gate checked.  We had a full diaper bag full of diapers, wipes, bibs, food....you name it! We ordered from Garden Grocer and had diapers, formula, wipes and food delivered.   She slept in her carrier pretty much every where we went and we all took turns on the attractions. It was an amazing trip and she did really well.

You know what surprised me? She had fun. Kennedy is our first and I was still in the "Brand New Mom" stage so forgive me if you are laughing saying, of course she did! I'll never forget the moment that the Christmas Parade arrived and my little girl's face lite up.

That moment right there changed the whole trip. I realized just how much Disney had to offer to ALL of us! Kennedy wasn't just along for the ride, she was there to experience it with all of us!

This past May Kennedy and I had the opportunity to take a girls trip with my Mom. She was 11 months old and I couldn't wait for her to go to Disney. I knew she'd love EVERY minute of it!!  I was traveling alone and this time had upgraded our stroller to the City Mini.

Let's stop for a minute so I can profess my love for this stroller. With ONE exception, I love EVERY single thing about this stroller. It travels so well, folds up super easy and reclines back for naps.

This stroller made it super easy to get through security at the airport and on and off the bus at Disney!! 

The bottom line is, your little one is most likely ready for Disney! You just have to be prepared! Here is a list of must have's!

-A great stroller! Something easy to fold and compact works best!

-WeGoShop.com...we love them and us them every trip! They are a great source for everything you need!

-Diaper bag! I'm in search of something that will fit under the City Mini but I love my Vera Diaper bag and Weekender Bag.  They are both great for traveling!

-Plan a character meal or two...not EVERY meal! This is a great way for your little one to see and interact with the characters without waiting in line. Remember character meals can take approximately 1.5 hours.

-A good attitude...don't let those naysayers tell you your child is too little for Disney!

-We don't follow our normal nap schedule but if you do, plan accordingly!  Be at the parks early and use the afternoons for nap or pool time! Remember though you are at Disney and your little ones may be too excited to nap at their normal times or may be overtired.  We let Kennedy sleep in her stroller whenever she was tired and just played it by ear. 

-Bring Grandma and Grandpa (or Aunts and Uncles...or friend)!! This will allow everyone to get a chance to see all the attractions. You can all take turns waiting or seeing other attractions with your little one!

-Keep in mind when traveling with little ones, those under 3 are FREE at Disney!  Most airlines let children under 2 fly on your lap so you don't need to buy a seat.  Also, any ride or attraction that does not have a height requirement is OK for you little one to ride with you!!

Kennedy will be making her 3 and 4th Disney trip this year both to Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line (which will be an entirely different post!).  We feel more prepared and excited than ever to share in the magic with our little girl.