You're Going to Walt Disney World

So you've decided to take your family to Walt Disney World?   Let me be the first to say, CONGRATULATIONS!!

Hopefully you've enlisted the help of an expert Disney Travel Planner (they are free!). If not, email me asap!
Disney Travel Planners will help you through EVERY step of the process. If you aren't sure what that entails, click here.

Planning a Walt Disney World Vacation can often be overwhelming! There is a ton of information online...sometimes too much! There is far too much for me to share in one blog article but I'm going to share some useful info to get you started!

1) Did you know that Walt Disney World is 47 square miles? That's TWICE the size of the city of Manhattan!

It's important to keep this in mind as you are deciding on resort and as you factor in driving vs. flying, staying onsite vs offsite, etc. Travel time around Walt Disney World can be pretty time consuming. The parks are NOT within walking distance of each other and there are only a few resorts within walking distance to the parks:

-Contemporary is within walking distance to the Magic Kingdom
-Boardwalk, Yacht Club, Beach Club and the Swan and Dolphin are within walking distance to EPCOT (and technically Hollywood Studios although it's a good 20 minute walk)

2) Did you know Walt Disney World has over 25 resorts to choose from? These resorts are considered on Property and are eligible for all on property benefits (see below).

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
Disney's Pop Century Resort
The Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

Moderate:
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

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

Deluxe Villas:
Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village
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 Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

3) Did you know that by staying onsite you are entitled to a ton of cool benefits?

• Free Transfers to and From the Orlando International Airport (MCO) via Disney's Magical Express
• Free transportation EVERWHERE on Disney Property!! You don't have to drive, just sit back and relax
• Extra Magic Hours: these are hours the parks are open just for Disney resort guests. Days and times vary
• Access to Disney's Dining plans that can save you 20-30% off your food!
• Magic Bands...a cool new way to make your vacation easier than ever!  These bands are FREE and included in your resort stay. They are your room keys, park tickets, dining plan...you even access your room with these. Magic Bands are also being used for Disney's Photopass service!
• FastPass+! This new interactive app allows Walt Disney World guests to pre-schedule 3 attractions per day (one park) 60 days in advance! Offsite guests currently have to wait until they arrive in the parks to schedule their attractions via a kiosk.

4) FOOD! Did you know that Walt Disney World has over 100 restaurants? That a lot! There is something for everyone too! Everything from burgers and fries to seafood, international cuisine, vegetarian, fine dining and more!  Disney offers a few distinct types of eateries:

Quick (or Counter) Service
They are generally either cafeteria-style or counter-service venues. You order or take the food items that you want, pay for your food and sit down to enjoy your meal.
Table Service
These are your more traditional restaurants where you'll be seated and attended to by a server. These typically require reservations which can be made 180 in advance. A credit card is needed to reserve any Table Service restaurant. Cancellation policies vary but most require 24 hours notice or you will be charged $10 per person.
Snacks
Snacks range from your normal theme park type food (popcorn, ice cream, etc) to the more exotic like egg rolls, cupcakes, pastries, hummus and more!!
5) There is more to see and do outside of the 4 Main Theme Parks (Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom)

• 2 Water Parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon
• Downtown Disney (a FREE shopping, dining and entertainment district)
• 5 Golf Courses (The Palm, The Magnolia, Lake Buena Vista, Osprey Ridge and Oak Trail)
• Various water sports including boat rentals, fishing and parasailing
• A petting zoo, horseback riding, boat rental and more at Disney's Fort Wilderness Campgrounds
• Outdoor evening movies and bonfires at select Walt Disney World Resorts
• Their very own Wedding Pavilion where guests can get married or have their vows renewed (Also select locations throughout the Walt Disney World property)
• Richard Petty Driving Experience where guests can ride or drive a real NASCAR!
• MUCH MUCH MORE!

Disney Dining Plan- Top 5 Reasons I love it!

Disney's Dining plans are among the hot topics you'll come across when planning a Walt Disney World Vacation...along with EPCOT is just for adults, Animal Kingdom is a half day park and pool hopping.  For those of you who follow the blog, it's no surprise I'm a fan of the Disney Dining Plan. You can find several articles throughout the blog dedicated to just that. Today I want to talk about why my family and I love the plan.

First let's talk about what you get and the cost. Today the Plus Dining Plan will cost you $61.84 per adult and $20.96 per child, PER NIGHT of your vacation.   Remember no matter which Dining Plan you choose, it's tied to your resort stay so it must be booked for every night of your vacation.

What do you get for that price? From WaltDisneyWorld.com: 

1 Table-Service Meal
Each (adult or child) table-service meal includes 1 entrée, 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only) and 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage  Or 1 full buffet

1 Quick-Service Meal
Each quick-service meal includes 1 entrée or 1 complete combo meal, 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only) and 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage.

1 Snack

1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug Per Person
Bring your Resort mug to any quick-service restaurant at your Disney Resort hotel and refill it as often as you like! YOUR RESORT ONLY

Once you check-in at your resort your Magic Band will become activated and your dining plan is loaded right onto the band.  Your credits are POOLED (separated by adult and child credit). So let's say a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children 8,6) are staying 4 nights. Their Magic Band would have:

8 Table Service Credits (Adult)

8 Table Service Credits (Child)

8 Counter Service Credits (Adult)

8 Counter Service Credits (Child)

16 snack credits

4 Refillable mugs

Ok enough information overload! Le'ts get to the Top 5 Reasons I LOVE Disney's Plus Dining plan!!

#5 Flexibility

Since your credits are pooled, you can use them anytime you want!  You'll have access to your credits from the minute you check-in until midnight the day you check-out.  For instance let's say you don't arrive until 7 p.m. and you ate on the plane, you won't lose your credits! You can use them anytime during your trip.  Maybe there is a day everyone wants to skip breakfast and have a big lunch, that's ok!  Or maybe you want both breakfast and lunch (counter service), that's ok too!

Just remember that Table Service credits should be planned ahead with reservations. Most times of the year it's nearly impossible to just walk up to a table service restaurant.  To book Table Service restaurants you'll need a credit card to guarantee the reservation. If you cancel the same day you are charged $10 per person. 

#4 Prepaid

One of my favorite things about a Disney vacation is that when I arrive, everything is taken care of!   My room, tickets and food are already paid for!  The only thing I have to worry about is gratuities at my Table Service restaurants, any extra's I want to get (wine, appetizers, etc) and souvenirs! Everything is pre-paid AND I'm not restricted as to what I can order!  If I want steak every night, then I can order Steak!  there is no special menu for Dining Plan participants. Order what you'd like off each menu! Remember you each get an entrée, a dessert (lunch and dinner only) and a single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage,  or 1 full buffet.

Character dining like this buffet at 1900 Park Fare is included as a Table Service Credit!

#3 Convenience

Did I mention how easy it is to use?  Anywhere you go where you see the Disney Dining Plan logo, you can use your credits! 

Each menu at counter service and snack locations will display the logo:

Just order, tap your band, enter your pin number and off you go!

Cast Members are more than willing to help so if you aren't sure what's included just ask! Most people get it down within the first day or so!

Special Tip!

While not advertised, Disney typically distinguishes between the counter service and snack credits...that means that you can share! Disney's portions are HUGE so if 2 adults want to share a breakfast platter, Disney doesn't usually say anything (sharing is NOT allowed at Table Service restaurants). It also means kids can order from the adult menu!

#2 Savings

I think this is where people waiver on the plan. I know it's a lot of money, but so is the cost of food at Disney.  Do you have other options? Sure! You could book the Quick Service Plan . You can have groceries delivered to your room (or snag them yourself if you are driving) but most rooms only have a small dorm style fridge so unless you are staying in a Villa, you won't be able to feed your family for your entire stay out of your small fridge.

I wanted to provide some specific examples so I saved a few receipts from our last trip! Remember for an adult, the cost is almost $62 per night. I get 2 meals (1 counter and 1 Table service) a snack and my mug. Let's leave off the mug for now. Here are a few sample meals we had. We were NOT on the dining plan so we didn't always order 1 drink, 1 entree and 1 snack (although I wish we had!)

Be Our Guest
1 Croque Monsieur-$11.19

1 Bottled Water-$2.50

1 Grey Stuff Cupcake-$3.19

1 Raspberry Lemon Cream Puff-$3.19

Total with Tax-$21.22

Now with this example I wouldn't have gotten a 2nd cupcake included on my plan but that still leaves me at roughly $18 for a meal! And that's just counter service!!

La Haceinda De San Angel

1 Parillada Hacienda-$27.50 (my half)

1 Water-$0.00

1 Queso Fundido-$6.38 (again my half)

no dessert

Total-$36.09

This example I didn't order dessert because we were stuffed but had I been on the dining plan I wouldn't have ordered the appetizer....because I love my dessert lol!.  You can estimate this one is around $34.  So far that's a total of  $52 before my snack (or mug). It was probably a break even day but again I didn't have to think about it. I didn't have to wonder what I was going to spend and budget extra. It was all taken care of!

Here's another example!
Pecos Bills

Dlx Cheeseburger with Fries- $10.79

Large Bottled Water-$2.50

Total-$13.29

Ouch! $13 for lunch for ONE person...now imagine if I was a Pop (Soda) drinker or had dessert?

Sleepy Hollow

Nutella Waffle Sandwich-$6.39

Milk-$2.39

Water-$2.50

Total-$11.28

Another ouch...I'm a big water drinker (especially being pregnant) so this meal would have cost me  multiple credits or I could have paid cash but this was a quick breakfast for us...now multiply all these numbers by a family of 4 and it adds up so quickly!

Because we weren't on the dining plan we didn't eat at a lot of Table Service restaurants and I really missed it. It's nice for us to take a break out of our day and have a nicely prepared meal.

#1 Food

Bottom line is we like to eat. When we go to Disney, half the fun is the food we get to try! We get to eat at our favorite restaurants, indulge a little and relax. Even if the Dining Plan came out as a wash for me, we would still opt for it.  We never know what we'll want to order and we like being able to relax and not think about what the cost would be.  For us we weigh both the cost of the dining plan and the convenience.

Plus we get to enjoy a lot of food we don't at home! Some of our favorite options are unique offerings...remember Disney isn't all Chicken Fingers and burgers!

Pork Nachos from Captain Cook's at the Polynesian.
Normally $7.99 but part of Disney's Dining plan!

For a lot of first time visitors I think it's hard to gauge how much food would cost you out of pocket vs. the dining plan. Does it work for everyone? Nope!  I do feel for most guests it can be a great advantage and make your vacation seamless!

Guest Review-Disney Wonder 7 night Cruise

We had the absolute BEST time on our cruise.

The weather here got very cold and icy two days before we were leaving. It was very treacherous on our way out – going no faster than 20 mph on the highway until we got far enough south – but we made it! The weather was still cold and dreary in Galveston when we boarded the ship and I was worried my dream vacation was shot.

Getting through the terminal was a breeze and I actually felt a little rushed as it all happened so quickly for us. There was a bit of a wait to actually board, but once we got on we were excited. My little one made friends as soon as we got on (and continued to meet up with her friend in the lab and at various other functions – dancing and such). It was so cute! We explored the ship and had lunch at the buffet. The food was impressive – especially for a buffet! We checked into the kids club and made our way down to Guest Services where Gabriela gave us a birthday pin for our son and celebration pins for the rest of us; I inquired about the cake we ordered for him and I dropped some pillowcases off to be signed. We explored some more and settled in. Once the ship began to move, we were excited again as none of us had been on a cruise before. At dinner, we were extremely impressed! The food was great and plentiful, the service was excellent and my son’s cake was delivered accompanied by singing servers. It was definitely a birthday dinner he will never forget!

The next morning we awoke to sunny 70 degree weather. What a difference a day makes! We spent much of the second day outdoors swimming and eating J. The weather was just as delightful for the remainder of our cruise – it was exactly what we needed having left everything iced up back home.

On the second day, we received a note from Gabriela in our room welcoming us aboard and congratulating us because we were chosen as her Magical Family of the week. Throughout the week she delivered many more things – tickets to the Disney Friends Tea Party, warm cookies and milk upon returning from Key West, bandanas and pirate loot on pirate night & arcade cards. We felt pretty special!!! Gabriela is AWESOME!

While onboard the kids begged to spend time in the Oceaneers club & lab. Our time with them was very balanced though…it’s amazing how much free time you have when you have nothing to worry about J. We ate a lot and drank plenty too. We caught the tree lighting, The Golden Mickey’s, Toy Story The Musical, Disney Dreams & Remember the Magic. We swam, attended a tea party, we partied ALL night at the Pirates in the Caribbean deck party, we played shuffle board, ping pong and basketball, we met lots of characters, watched Disneys Planes & Frozen in the theatres and my kids danced in the lounges. My husband, my oldest daughter and I also played several games of Bingo. And then of course, my kids participated in and we watched the Friendship is Magic performance put on by the Kids clubs.

In Key West, we just had lunch and shopped. Castaway Cay was AMAZING!!! We spent the WHOLE day there on the beach, soaking up the sun and playing in the sand. Everyone got to snorkel, my boys had fun on the trikes, my oldest and my husband went bicycling around the island and my oldest and I went parasailing.

 In the Bahamas we scheduled a excursion to Blue Lagoon, before we left though we did go into Nassau and what an experience that was! We got my 4 year olds hair braided & picked up some fun souvenirs but that was about all that Nassau had for us. The ferry to Blue Lagoon was nice. Once we got there my kids were ecstatic to see the dolphins and even more elated to get in the water with them. We had lunch and spent most of the day there. We really enjoyed all of our ports of call.

Our stateroom was great! And our stateroom host was so willing to accommodate us. We were all excited to see what towel creation was in our room each night, and my kids loved sleeping in the fold out bunk beds.

We were VERY sad to leave our server and assistant server…they made us feel sooooo very special. My kids LOVED them!

Overall it was EXCEPTIONAL – the service, the food & the experience. I can’t imagine not having gotten to experience it! Everyone should do this at least once in a lifetime.

Thanks again for everything – you were truly a huge part in our very magical cruise!

-Amber

Review- Gastons Tavern

One of the greatest additions (in my opinion) of the new Fantasyland is Belle's village. It's cute and quaint and makes you feel like you really stepped into the movie.  We had been dying to try out the new Gaston's tavern and their GIANT Cinnamon rolls!

Gaston's Tavern is located in the back of the park, after Be Our Guest before you get to Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid.

 We were both surprised to see how empty the village was when we arrive.  Keep in mind that we got there at rope drop and headed straight back to Fantasyland. This would be the PERFECT time to see Enchanted Tales with Belle if you didn't manage to get a FastPas+.

We both loved the fountain. The details are incredible!

While the menu does offer more than the cinnamon rolls,we had one thing on our mind (well 2 for me....I needed coffee!!)  Click here to view the full menu.

Chocolate Croissants are one of my Walt Disney World FAVORITE foods. But as you can get them pretty much all over property, I focused my  appetite back on the rolls.

 We ordered one roll to share and some drinks (COFFEE). Aren't the cast Member's costumes awesome?

The tavern was practically EMPTY!  We snagged some seats with an amazing view!

Is your mouth watering yet? We were finally ready to dig in! This was a perfect breakfast for us to share. YES the Cinnamon roll is just a snack credit! My suggestion would be to pay for the drinks out of pocket and use a snack credit or 2 to feed the family breakfast. The Cinnamon roll was DELICIOUS. My only semi complaint was I wish it was warmer. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm and gooey like I imagined.

It's a great stop for a quick breakfast without taking up too much time!  We didn't get to try lunch but they do have a Pork Shank on the menu ;) Have you tried Gaston's yet? I'd love to hear what you thought!

Caribbean Beach

I'm a huge fan of ALL Disney Resorts. They all have something to offer someone.They each have a list of pro's and con's as well as various amenities.  What works for one guest might not work for another.  That being said there is one resort overview that I have NOT been looking forward to writing, and that's Disney's Caribbean Beach. It is hands down my least favorite resort on property. I'm going to give an overview today but I'll also provide you my honest opinion.  All photos today are from WaltDisneyWorld.com

From WaltDisneyWorld.com:

A tropical paradise built around 45-acre Barefoot Bay, this Resort hotel brings the Islands to you with swaying palm trees, white-sand beaches and colonial architecture. Six villages—Trinidad North, Trinidad South, Martinique, Barbados, Aruba and Jamaica—host colorful Guest rooms, some pirate-themed! “Island-hop” as you explore 200 lushly landscaped acres, or simply enjoy lazy days soaking up the sun in a hammock.

Location

Caribbean Beach is actually in a great location! It's centrally located near EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, and just down the road from Disney's Animal Kingdom.  While the resort is in a great location, this is one of the few resorts that has multiple bus stops so you may find yourself the first of EIGHT bus stops. Each "village" has it's own bus stop as well as Old Port Royale.

There is also an internal bus stop that not only stops at the 7 villages but Old Port Royale (food court, shopping, pool) and the Customs House (check-in).

Themeing

Just as the name suggests, this resort is themed after the Caribbean. Each section of the resort is named after a specific location in the Caribbean.  There are white sand beaches, colorful and decor and overall feeling of peace and relaxation!

To take the theme a bit further, they even have specially themed Pirate rooms! Keep in mind these rooms are quite a far walk to the main Pool and Old Port Royale making them a bit less desirable.

Many argue that Caribbean Beach has the best pool out of the moderate resorts and I'll admit, it's quite impressive!

Amenities

Of course Caribbean Beach has similar amenities just like other moderate resorts including a Main Pool, several quite pools, arcade and a playground. Caribbean Beach also boasts some other unique amenities including sailboat, pedal boat and canoe rentals.  You can also  go fishing, rent bikes, play Volleyball or participate in a nightly campfire! Caribbean Beach also hosts a Pirate Adventure Cruise for ages 4-12. You certainly won't run out of things to do at this at resort.

You'll also find two food options at Caribbean Beach, both located in Old Port Royale; Old Port Royale Food Court and Shutters. Old Port Royal Food court will be your quick service option....

...while Shutters is a Table Service Option offering food with a Caribbean flair!

Caribbean Beach also has the Banana Cabana Pool Bar and Pizza delivery.

Rooms
Here at Disney's Caribbean Beach you'll find the only moderate resort that has yet to receive a good face lift. the rooms are a bit outdated. Plus they only have 2 double beds vs. 2 Queens like the other moderate resorts.  The amenities are the same; two beds, tv, split bathroom, mini-fridge and table with chairs.

For rooms you'll get a variety of locations to choose from:

• Standard
• Water or Pool View
• Preferred
• King Bed
• Pirate-Standard View
• Pirate-Water View

Pro's and Con's

While this resort is in a great location and has great themeing, I already warned you it's my least favorite.  All of Disney's Resorts are large and require a lot of walking but I think 8 bus stops is a bit excessive. Personally if I need to go to the front Desk, I don't want to hop on a bus if I don't want to. Couple that with outdated rooms, double beds and the numerous housekeeping complains they get, Caribbean Beach is not on my list for quite a while.

Photpass+ Review

While Photopass+ is a thing of the past, I'd still like to take some time to review it.

 Before we get started, let's talk about the difference in Photopass+ and the new Memory Maker!!

• Let's start at the beginning! With Photopass+ you received a voucher that you turned in for a lanyard and card. Each time you took your photo you gave them the card.  You also got a CD in the mail full of "stock"images.  When you got home, there was a code you entered to order the CD full of all the Photopass pictures you had taken. Technically you could load your photos on your Magic Band an then link to your account but we heard that a lot of people had trouble with that so we primarily used the card.

• With the new Memory Maker everything is electronic! You add it either to your resort package or right through your My Disney Experience account!   You use your Magic Bands throughout the parks when you have a Photopass Photo taken and you can electronically download once you get home. It's much easier and simpler than the old Photopass+.

• When you purchased Disney's Photopass Plus you were mailed a CD full of "stock" images you could use for anything (non-commercially related). You could use these images for scrapbooks, calendars, mugs...etc!

• With the new Memory Maker you'll only get the stock photo CD when you pay an extra $30.
• Since with Photopass+ you received a CD with all your photos, you had them forever!! 
• Memory Maker gives you 45 days to download. You can pay for a CD for $29.95.
• You got not only digital prints with Photopass+ BUT you also got printed photos at select character dining, like Ohana:
• Memory Maker only offers digital prints at select Character meals
• Photopass Plus was $199 but if purchase in advance was $158
• Memory Maker is $199 but if purchased in advance is $148

Now on to our experience! Our first day in the Magic Kingdom we headed into the Exposition Hall to turn in our voucher for our Photopass+ card (remember with Memory Maker you can just start having your pictures taken with your Magic Bands...no stopping). Once we had our card in hand we were off. 

For just 2 adults we definitely didn't take advantage of this like we should. We had NO character meals and being pregnant we didn't do any attractions that would take our photo. We tried as often as we could to have our photos taken but we just didn't use it enough for it to be worth it. My other issue with it, and I'll be honest...I didn't love some of the photos. The outdoor photos I really loved and they are some of the best we had taken all week:

However, I wasn't thrilled with some of the indoor character photos. The lighting is just bad and some of the interaction didn't go great..

Maybe I'm just being picky. I think the Memory Maker is a great addition for families traveling with kids or large groups especially if you plan on doing character meals and attractions. It's a great price especially when you consider photo's purchased individually can cost $20 each!

First Aid- Magic Kingdom

One place you hope you NEVER have to stop on your next trip to Walt Disney World is First Aid. Unfortunately while walking down Main St on our FIRST day of our vacation, I happened to get my first ever Bee Sting!!  Being that I'm pregnant and not sure if I was allergic, we headed straight for First Aid.

First Aid in the Magic Kingdom is located at the end of Main St. between Casey's Corner and Crystal Palace. You'll also find the restrooms and Baby Care Center.

We popped in and signed in. It was fairly quiet this early in the day. There was a family with a small child who appeared sick and very unhappy :( There was also a few members from a High School band waiting to drop something off.  Luckily we weren't an emergency but I was shocked at how long we had to wait to see a nurse.  I think we waited at least 20 minutes. She gave me something for the sting, as well as a band aid and sent us on our way!!

Unfortunately this won't be our only trip to First Aid this trip, although trip #2 was not as serious (Tylenol and a pep talk about drinking more water ;) )  There is a First Aid Location in all parks, Downtown Disney and the Water Parks.  If you need any over the counter medicine, bandages and any other quick remedies. If you are feeling ill, don't hesitate to stop by! First Aid is air conditioned (as are the Baby Care Centers.

Quick Service Review-Be Our Guest

Because we planned our trip somewhat last minute, we knew we had a slim shot of getting a reservation at Be Our Guest for dinner. We checked frequently but alas, nothing opened up. Luckily shortly before our trip we were able to snag reservations online for lunch. 

 After waiting in a short line we were directed toward an ordering kiosk.

I really liked this way of ordering as we got to take our time, look at photos and decide what we want.

After ordering we were led to our table. We were lucky enough to be in the main ballroom. It was really lovely and probably the most impressive counter service location we've ever been in !!

Have we mentioned how much we love Christmas at Disney???

For lunch we decided to split a few things since we weren't on the dining plan.

We started out with the Croque Monsieur - Grilled sandwich of carved ham, Gruyere cheese, and bechamel with Pommes Frites. It was really delicious!!

For dessert we shared two options; Passion Fruit Cream Puff - filled with Passion fruit mousse and topped with whipped cream and the Grey Stuff cupcake. We loved both options!!

Overall we really loved this restaurant. I can't wait to try it for dinner someday as lunch was so impressive I think dinner will just blow us away!!

All photos courtesy of Lauren Kennedy Photography

My Disney Experience Q&A

I asked and you shared! Here are some of your questions about My Disney Experience, Magic Bands and FastPass+

How soon in advance of your trip do you get to pick your FP+ times?If you've set up your account correctly, are staying onsite and have tickets linked to your account, you can select FastPass+ starting 60 days prior to arrival.

Does the website or mobile app work better for customizing your bands? For choosing FP+times?

I've found that the website is best to initially set things up, especially Magic Bands. However, once you have set up your initial FastPass+ times, the mobile app makes it easy to change the times on individual attractions! This is handy if your plans change last minute or if the option Disney provided didn't work out for your family.

Did you have to wait longer in FP line than normal?

We didn't find the FastPass line much longer than usual. Crowds were a bit heavier than when we normally go, but there was no significant wait times.

Curious about the new "tiering" system that is being tested with fp+. How is it going to work in MK?!

The new tiering system separates attractions into categories. For instance at EPCOT you may choose one top tier attractions (Character Spot, IllumiNations, Maelstrom, Soarin or Test Track) and then two from the remaining list (Captain EO, Journey into Imagination, Living with the Land, Mission: SPACE, Seas with Nemo and Friends, Spaceship Earth and Turtle Talk with Crush).  Right now the tier system exists 

Right now the Tier system exists at EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. The system was put into place so that everyone gets their fair shot at the headliner attractions. I anticipate that the tier system will eventually come to Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom too, but not just yet.

Remember you get 3 FastPass+ experiences per day in one park only (in advance). Once you are the parks and have used your initial 3, you can select one more at a time via the kiosks located throughout the parks.

Do you still have to be selected to use the Magic Bands or is it available to all Disney Resort guests?

It's now open to ALL resort guests that have tickets attached to either their room reservation (making it a package) OR linked to their My Disney Experience Account.  Remember in order to pick the color of your Magic Band you  must customize at least 6 days prior to check-in. If you order them more than 11 days in advance they'll ship directly to your home, otherwise you'll pick them up when you check-in.

We have 2 trips that are within 2 months of each other. We are also annual passholders. Can we use the same magic bands for both trips or do we really need 2 sets?

The system is set up to allow you to have two bands for each trip.  I haven't tried it yet, but rumor is you can deactivate one set of bands (the 2nd) and then link the next reservation to the initial band. You can do this online or just wait until you arrive at the resort.

If you get to a ride that is one of your FastPass selections and the line isn't long are you able to switch your FastPass selection to something else?

As long as you arrive BEFORE your scheduled FastPass+ time, you can hop on your Mobile App or visit a Kiosk to change the time or attraction!

I heard about the FP+ being a tiered system.. looking at the tiers and how the program is being run, do you think the new system allows Disneyaddicts get in as many rides as before or do you think we will be a bit more limited? I remember the big race to get the FP to all the big rides, but now...

Tricky question!! Quantity wise, no you won't be able to get as many FastPasses as before but I think it's just going to take some getting used to! We found the experience to be a bit different than the "old" days but we had a great time and it worked really for us. Attractions we normally would have had to get in line earlier for we saved for later in the day. It just took some adjusting!

Do they make your wrists sweaty?

We noticed it a little bit, but nothing out of the norm if you are used to wearing a bracelet or watch!

Does my 9 month old really need to wear hers? I'm nervous it might get lost.

No, but they like to include all family members!

 Can you make fast pass selections still at the park or only online?

Both!  Offsite guests can book 30 days in advance while onsite guests can take care of them starting 60 days in advance either via a computer or the mobile app. They can also update them on the go either via their mobile device or the kiosks.

The legacy FastPass machines have now been removed.

Speaking of babies...how small do they get???? C doesn't have an admission ticket, obviously, but he's getting a band???

Yup, they just like to include everyone. The bands do get pretty small! 

How do we link our credit card?

You can either link it during online check-in (done through the My Disney Experience...check your planning packet if you are a current client) or when you check-in at the resort. You'll also assign a Pin Number to your band for both purchases and dining plan credits.

 Is our meal pass on it?

Yup! Your Magic Bands will hold your park passes and dining plan credits as well as serve as your room key (Again, current clients check your planning packets for information).

Is There a way to get a report while in the Disney parks to see where you stand each day?

Stop by the front desk anytime to get a print out of how many dining credits you've used or how much you've charged to your credit card (your card is only charged either once you check out or once you reach your limit. Check with your specific resort limits). Also each time you use your Band for dining plan credits you'll be given a receipt showing how many of that type of credit you have left.

 Is the photo pass connected?

Yup! And bonus if you purchased Disney's Memory Maker that will be tied to your band  too! 

Do babies have to wear them? What age?

Kids under the age of 3 don't HAVE to wear them, but can :)

Do annual pass holders have access to fast passes, anywhere? Will they?

As of right now you can link your Annual Pass to your My Disney Experience account. You'll still need to be staying onsite to access FastPass+

Can I link my kids magic band to Amanda Mann's credit card?

If you plan on taking me on vacation I just might consider it! In all seriousness, each person can have their own credit card linked to their band AND you can turn off charging privileges for the kids!

Can you buy accessories for the band out of the park?

Not on Disneystore.com YET but there are several companies in the area that specialize in shopping in the parks.I like Disney Dreams Delivered. Your other option is to call merchandising at Walt Disney World (but you kind of have to know what you want) 877-560-6477 or Merchandise.Guest.Services@DisneyParks.com.

Water park/pool proof? 

Yup! Do what you like with them! We saw kids in the pool with them on.

Will my child (age 4) be able to remove it easily?

I wouldn't say easily...they weren't too difficult to get off but then again they are designed to stay on so they do take a good tug!

Port Orleans Riverside Review- November 2013

I'm ashamed to admit that we took very few pictures of the resort this trip. I will be using some that I took back in March :)  I'll try and keep this short and sweet! Remember I have a few other reviews of this resort (and many others) on the Resort Overviews page!

Our ride from the airport wasn't too bad and before we knew it, we were checking in. We completed online check-in prior to our arrival but still needed to update Lauren's Magic Band with her own credit card and pin number.

 We got a what appeared to be a fairly new Cast Member...she was a bit slow in explaining things and kept asking us things that didn't pertain to our stay (like if we understood the dining plan, even though we didn't have one).

After we checked-in, it was time to find our room. Now we've been to Riverside before and I knew it was a large resort, but we had no idea what we were in for. Remember at this point I'm about 15 weeks pregnant. I have a rolling suitcase and a carry-on bag.  They gave us our map and directions and we head out.  After going in circles, and becoming thoroughly exhausted, we finally find out building.

We are on the 2nd floor so we start our search for an elevator...until we discover that many buildings at Riverside have NO elevator. A great learning experience for both of us, but being pregnant and limited in what I can lift, I can't get my stuff upstairs.  We call the Front Desk in hopes of being moved, but they send a bellman instead.  We finally got settled in and actually had a pretty great location although I think it took us the entire trip to finally remember where our room was!

I have a few Instagram shots of the area outside our room. This is one of my favorite resorts because it's just so gorgeous!!

The room was great, we actually had a room for 5 in the Bayou section, complete with fold out trundle. We were super close to the West Depot bus stop and not far from the main pool and lobby.

We love the Mansion side of the resort too (probably a little better)! The gardens are so pretty!

We didn't rent a car this trip so we used the buses exclusively.  With one minor exception, everything went very smoothly and the buses showed up in a timely manner.  There are several bus stops at Riverside and when the buses arrive, they rotate which is their first stop. This makes it fair for all guests (meaning they don't always stop at bus stop #1 first).

The one time we had trouble was our night out. We were headed to the California Grill for dinner. The most direct route would have been a bus to the Magic Kingdom, then a simple monorail ride to the Contemporary. Since it was a Christmas party night, the bus was pretty packed so we hopped on the next EPCOT bus, which was fairly empty.  Once we arrived at EPCOT we hopped on the monorail over to the TTC (Ticket and Transportation Center). Then it would have been as simple as to hop on the resort monorail....except the resort monorail was down. Disney was providing bus transportation as a back up but we knew since it was stopping at all 3 resorts, we'd NEVER make it. We ended up snagging a cab and all in all it was a bad experience. Other than that little snafu, the buses were great!

We loved the Riverside Mill food court. We had a couple of great breakfasts there and it was very convenient.   Also if you have a chance to see Yee Ha Bob over at the Riverside Roost, don't miss him! We've caught him before and he's amazing!!

Overall I loved this resort as usual. My only qualm was the size of the resort, especially being pregnant. Port Orleans French Quarter would probably have been a better option because they have such similar amenities and there is just one bus stop. I would recommend this resort in a heartbeat and wouldn't hesitate to stay here again!!

Very Merry Girls Getaway - My Disney Experience, Magic Bands and FastPass+

I know it's long overdue and everyone has been asking about our experiences with the Magic Bands, FastPass+ and the entire My Disney Experience site.  I'm ready to get started and share!!  I'm going to do two posts; this one will be a general recap and post #2 will be a Q&A where YOU provided the questions.

Pre-Arrival Magic Bands
Before we were set to arrive we had plenty of time to use the My Disney Experience site. If you haven't created and account yet, you'll want to head to StartYourDisneyExperience.com. The first step is to enter your confirmation number.  For Lauren and I we had a room only reservation (this is important later).  We quickly retrieved our reservation and were able to customize our Magic Bands.  You are not only able to pick the color of the band but also have your name inscribed on the back (important if your kids want the same color).

Lauren selected Red and I selected pink.  The bands were shipped about 4 weeks prior to our trip.

You have up until about 4 weeks prior to change the colors.  Your My Disney Experience account will list the date that you have to.

While you are in your My Disney Experience account you'll want to make sure your dining reservations are linked too. This is more for your benefit and is not info that is currently loaded into your band.  Clients who book with me will have all their reservations show up automatically in their accounts.

FastPass+
Starting 60 days before your trip, you can log in to your account and begin selecting your FastPass+ experiences. I have a previous post talking about how to set up your experiences here, so I won't rehash that.

What I want to talk about here is WHO gets to select these attractions. In order to select your FastPass+ experiences you will need to have a Walt Disney World resort package or room reservation linked to your account. If you have just a room reservation you will also need to link tickets.

Only guests staying on-site may participate in FastPass+ in advance.  By January 20th, all legacy FastPass machines will be removed from the parks. Offsite guests may select their FastPass+ experiences once they arrive at the parks, at kiosks located through out the parks.

Because Lauren and I were picking up tickets at will call we were NOT able to select our FastPass+ in advance. Once we arrived at the Magic Kingdom we purchased our tickets and immediately logged on to our My Disney Experience accounts on our smart phones.

*Note: I had an old Droid 4 for this trip and I had several problems with the My Disney Experience app. Lauren had an IPhone with no issues. I've recently upgraded my phone so I can't report on how well this new app works.

As soon as we linked our tickets we began picking our FastPass+ experiences right away. It was so easy and there was still plenty available. We set up FastPass's for Buzz Light Year, Character meeting with Mickey and Jungle Cruise.  FastPass+ was still in test phase so there was still quite a bit of availability. It was very easy to set up and only took a few minutes!!

Magic Bands at the Parks
I've read lots of good and some bad thing about using the Magic Bands in the park. I'll say that Lauren and I experienced NO problems. We began using our Magic Bands at Magical Express at the airport. They worked instantly and we checked right in.

Once we got to the resort we took a few minutes to have Lauren's band set up with her own credit card and pin number (right now you can only assign one during online check-in). It was fairly simple to do, despite the Cast Member we were dealing with....we think she might have been new and she stumbled through explaining things to us a bit.  It wasn't a big deal since we knew how everything worked but for first time guests it could have been a mess.

We quickly learned that the band had to be worn "upside down" in order for them to be comfy. I assumed we'd wear them with the Mickey on top, facing me, like a watch. But in order to comfortably tap the RFID Mickey heads, it had to be worn upside down:

The bands worked flawless throughout the trip. Everything from park access,  to purchases, to getting us in our room! It was SOOO nice to not pull our Key to the World card out every time we needed something. We simply tapped, put in our PIN (For purchases and dining) and voila! We were done!

Next up will be the Q&A! Feel free to leave questions in the comments below!