Disney Parks Disney Time Sweepstakes!

Every day from January 1, 2013-January 31, 2013, Disney is giving away a Disney Parks vacation!  To enter or for more details, go to  http://www.disneytimesweeps.com/!  Good luck and take a little time to enjoy 2013!  Happy New Year!

Enter the "Brave: Adventure to Scotland Sweepstakes"

Disney has a new great Sweepstakes! Enter the Brave: Adventure to Scotland Sweepstakes, for a chance to win a trip to Scotland to explore the world of Disney•Pixar’s “Brave,” arriving in theaters TODAY June 22!

One lucky family will join Adventures by Disney on an epic journey across Scotland, where they will visit and discover the castles, landscapes and legends that inspired the lush settings and memorable characters in the film.  A host of fun-filled family activities will be offered including archery, canoeing on Loch Ness, Highland pony rides, playing Highland Games, hiking the Scottish countryside, exploring medieval castles and feasting like kings and queens.

Visit Disney.com/BraveSweeps or text FERGUS to DISNEY to enter for a chance to win a 9-day/8-night guided vacation to Scotland – with airfare – for a family of four. 

There are a bunch of other prizes too!  Shopping Sprees, Soundtracks, Videogames, Books, and MORE!

Entries must be received by 11:59:59 PM (PT) on July, 6, 2012.  

Sweepstakes rules are featured on the website.

Disney Premier Visa = More Disney Rewards!

Disney recently launched the NEW Disney Premier Visa.  For the $49 annual fee, Disney's Premier Visa Cardmembers earn 2% in Disney Rewards on purchases using their Disney Premier Visa at grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, and at most Disney locations at the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disney Cruise Line, and the Disney Stores.  Disney Premier Visa cardholders earn 1% on all other purchases.  There is NO LIMIT to how many reward dollars you can earn or redeem with the Disney Premier Visa.

For more information or to apply online go to:  www.getdisneycreditcard.com  

There are 8 new designs for the Disney Premier Visa cards too.  They are adorable and DOUBLE-SIDED!   Check 'em out!  My husband chose the Cars design in the bottom right.  I went with the Sorcerer Mickey card at the top left.   We applied for our upgrade about 10 days ago and we haven't gotten our cards yet, but I'm guessing that there is a big demand for this great new upgrade.

I'm sure that the Disney Rewards will pile up much quicker for us and that means a trip to Disney World will only be that much more affordable for our family!  LOVE IT!

Go-To Disney Blogs and Forums

There are zillions of Disney blogs and forums available for news and tips.  Since we live in Wisconsin, I can not, unfortunately, hop over to the Disney Parks to find out the exciting events that are going on or in development.  So I turn to some of my favorite blogs.  With lots of time and reading, there are a few blogs and forums that I use as my "Go-To" guides.  

A forum is a website where you can go to exchange news, tips, and ideas.  My favorite forum has to be, www.disboards.com.  It's a massive forum (over 373,000 users), so for new forum users, it can be a bit intimidating, but it is so jam-packed full of friendly Disney-lovers sharing their experiences and helping each other out with questions.  Take your time and look around.  Find a topic you are looking for some help and click on it.  Traveling on a budget?  Looking to have a Fairytale Disney Wedding?  Going by yourself?  Have a food allergy?  Going without your kids?  There are tips on the disboards on EVERY subject.  If you don't see what you are looking for, don't be afraid to ask too.  There are always people online to help out and direct you to where you should be looking.  I have met some really great people on the disboards.  

A blog is website where someone writes about their experiences, shares news (from their point of view), and links to other sites--like this blog.  Some blogs are better than others.  My blog is a small blog designed to help my friends and family (and few strangers that happen across this blog) plan a magical and memorable Disney World trip.  I'd love to have a wider audience, but for now, I'm happy helping you folks out.  

Some of my favorite websites and blogs are:

The Disney Parks Blog.  This is Disney's official blog. I am also a big fan, because our last trip, February 2011, we got to be on a Disney Parks Blog Video for Superbowl MVP, Aaron Rodgers' visit to the Magic Kingdom.    Check out our cameo in the Disney Parks Video Blog here--that us at  :51-54 seconds.  See the kids in the front wearing the Rodgers' jerseys?  That's us!  My husband and I are in the back wearing our jerseys too.  That was so fun and such a magical memory!!  Where better to get Disney World news than right from Disney?   

thedisneyblog.com.  It is full of "Disney news and information-- by fans, for fans.   I like John Frost's no-nonsense, get to the point style of writing.  He always has something interesting to read about.  I don't ever feel like I'm reading rumors.  

Disney Daddy.  Great real-life blog from a parent.  He shares lots of fantastic pictures too.   

AllEars.net  This is a really big website, but it is my go-to for all of the restaurant menus.  My son has an egg allergy and we have specific dietary guide lines to follow.  We like to check ahead for any changes in menus.  Allears.net is always on top of this stuff. 

The Daily Disney--a part of the Orlando Sentinel.   I like this news page because it always has short, to the point, news about Disney.  Usually some nice pictures.  This is my quick stop. 

There are many other blogs, news websites, and forums out there.  Many are fantastic, but these are the ones I find myself frequenting.  Feel free to share with me your favorites too.

   

  

   

Monorail Schedule Changes

If you are headed to Epcot or the Magic Kingdom Park for the Extra Magic Hours via the Monorail, you will need to find a different way home.  Disney has announced new operating hours for the monorail system starting on August 1, 2011.  

The current schedule has monorails running about an hour and a half past the park closing time and throughout the Extra Magic Hours.  The monorail will now only operate one hour past the scheduled park closing, not including Extra Magic Hours.  But, there is a rumor of the monorail trains running until 11:00 pm too. 

A Walt Disney World spokesperson has said that this schedule change is for "planned maintenance" for the 20 year old monorail system.  And since Extra Magic Hours (EMH) extend the monorail running time to 3:00 am, it leaves only a little over an hour for schedule maintenance. 

Whether or not this will effect the extra ticketed events, such as Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is, as of now, unknown.  

There has been a lot of talk of the premium price of staying at one of the monorail resorts, (The Grand Floridian, The Polynesian, The Contemporary, and Bay Lake Tower) and how guests will get home.  Don't they pay to be on and have use of the monorail whenever like chose?  The deluxe resort price difference is only partly because these resorts are on the monorail.  There are plenty of other Deluxe Resorts that are not on the monorail and still have their Deluxe Resort price points for good reason.  The room sizes are bigger, the decorations and restaurants tend to be a bit better, they are in walking distance to a park or Downtown Disney, they may also have a spa, lake and beaches, etc....

All guests will have the option of either riding the boats or taking a bus to their resort.  The Bay Lake Tower and Contemporary guests can also walk the short distance from the park to their resort as well.  Unfortunately, the Polynesian and Grand Floridian Resorts do not have walking back to their resort as an  option because the walkway does not go over the service and boat entrance water way.  

Of course, if Disney decides to go with the 11:00 pm monorail closing time, it will make things a bit easier for guests,  but that is still unknown.  

I like to think of Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom Parks.  They clear out the parks without the use of the monorail and it does seem to work out.  Yes, you may need to think things through a little bit, but a little planning can go a long way in keeping your Disney trip magical.