My Favorite Book: Unofficial Guide to Disney!

Many friends and family ask which Disney Guide book is my favorite and I must admit, The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is my absolute favorite.

It is relatively inexpensive and worth every dime.  There are reviews on all the Disney Resorts and all surrounding hotels and attractions.

Friends and Family Online Coupon Code!

The Disney Store and Disney.com is having their Friends & Family Event from November 7-12, 2012.  Now, this is how I like to get a lot of my Disney shopping done BEFORE a Disney trip!  That way, I don't need to schlep home all sorts of treasures from Disney World.  I just order it and have it shipped directly to my home.  Plus, with Disney Store's Friends & Family, I can get a lot of my Christmas shopping done for my kiddos and get it all at a discount!

Here is the code for 25% off your entire purchase at the Disney.com when you use your Disney Visa or Disney Premier Visa.

Online Promo Code:  DISNEYPAL

Like always, there is FREE SHIPPING every day on all orders over $75.  Code:  SHIPTODAY

Happy Shopping!

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.

Minnie Mouse Clip on Ears--Free Shipping Coupon THIS WEEK!

Have you ever seen such adorable clip-on Minnie Ears?  They're made by Etsy artist head2toedesigns!

These are a FANTASMIC alternative to those Mickey or Minnie ear hats that you find at the Disney parks.    I know that my kids wear the Mickey and Minnie hats for all of 10 minutes because they get all hot and itchy and they don't like they elastic strap under the chin.  Then I'm stuck dragging the hats around the park.  Head2toedesigns artist, Nicole, makes her clip-on Mickey ears on no-slip grip alligator clips to provide a secure hold on your little Mickey or Minnie. 

Head2toedesigns Clip-On Minnie Ears are available with or without sequins too. Perfect for your princess that loves a little bling or for your plain Jane princess. 

Nicole, even has designed Minnie ears on soft, crocheted headbands for the tiniest of Mickey and Minnie lovers.  

You can pick your favorite color for your bows!  Match an outfit or go with a classic pink or red.  

THIS WEEK ONLY!!!!!   Head2toedesigns artist, Nicole has offered ObsessionDisney Blog readers a special Etsy Coupon THIS WEEK ONLY!!  The Etsy Coupon Code is:  FREESHIP and is good until Friday, April 20, 2012.  Quick--Get your Minnie Ears today!

I have to be honest, I think I may get myself a pair of these cuties!  Ok--I'll probably get a few pairs.  

"My Mom Throws Away My Underwear So We Can Buy More Toys!"

"My mom throws away my underwear so we can buy more toys!"  

Yes.  Yes.  These words have been exclaimed excitedly to more than one Disney Cast Member by my son.  This declaration usually draws some attention and I embarrassingly have to explain myself.  This is one of my great tips that I use in packing.  Before a trip, I save up older underwear, pajamas, and socks.  As we wear them during our trip, we toss them out and we have more room in our suitcases for souvenirs and toys!  Our kids end up wearing pajamas that are usually a size too small for them and they look like little sausages, but we have room for a stuffed animal or two and we're not paying for another suitcase on the flight home!   Plus, the Cast Members that we have explained this to have all thought it was a great idea!

Who knows, maybe it will be one of those funny Disney memories our kids will look back on and remember.  "Remember how mom would pack all of our older socks, underwear, and pajamas and then throw them away so we could bring home more toys?!?!".

Just a tip that works!   ;)

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.

   

  

   

Booking Your Disney Vacation

We start to get the Disney Trip "bug" about 6-8 months after we have arrived home from our last trip, not counting our return flight where we dream about what we want to do the next time we go to Walt Disney World.  If we wait a few more months, it seems like we go to Disney every 14-18 months. 


I always book our trip at Disneyworld.com website.  I've heard horror stories from people that have purchased from other non-Disney websites and they turn up for their reservations to find out that they don't have reservations and some thing, some where got mixed up and they are left in the lurch.  I chose not to even go there and book directly with Disney.  Plus, the Disney Castmembers are so friendly and helpful.  


How to Book Your Disney Vacations:  


1.  Call Disney at (407) 939-7675 and speak with a friendly cast member.  See if there are any discount codes attached to your (or your spouse's) address.  Check your email addresses for any email notifications as well.  You may have a great discount that you don't even know about.  All of Disney's promotions have dates of validity...example Free Dining will be valid during your stay between 5/28-11/17.   For more information about getting your name and address into Disney's "address book", please see My Top Ten Disney Tips #7.

2.    Pick your dates of travel.   Many things can influence the dates.  I look at the discounts available to me, resort price, and airfare.  Find the best combination, and those are our dates.  Most times, I find that flying midweek gives us the best airfares.  


3.  Choose your resort.  The Disney website is awesome at showing you the rates for the resort you are looking at and usually a resort that may be just slightly more and less than the one you are currently looking at.  You can always change your resort "home" after you make your reservations, but at least you have your first resort to fall back on, if you can't get into the other resort later.  Two of the last four trips we've made to Walt Disney World, we started at one resort and changed to another for many reasons.   Disney Cast members are very helpful and got us to the resort that we needed--no questions asked.  


4.  Relax for a minute....then start looking at which restaurants you'd like to try during your stay.   This is important to do early.  You can make your Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) as early as 180 days (yes, about six months) before your first scheduled day at Walt Disney World.  I'm totally serious.    Many of the most popular restaurants and character meals will fill up as soon as the window opens up.  We like to pick different parks each day, so we coordinate our restaurants and parks together.  Less travel time to the restaurant means more time to play!  For example, we will make our ADR for Akershus Fairytale Princess Dinner on the day we plan to be at Epcot, Cinderella's Royal Table Restaurant we are at the Magic Kingdom.  Getting your ADRs is serious business at our house.  We have a ADR Countdown to our 180th day.  We know EXACTLY the day that we are able to make our ADRs and we aren't afraid of staying up all night to get the best times available.  I will have another post about the ways to make your ADRs soon.


5.  On your 180th Day from your trip (or as soon as possible) make your Advanced Dining Reservations by either calling (407) WDW-DINE or by going online to the Dining Reservations.  I will have another blog post about ADRs soon.


6.  Please consider one of Disney's Dining Plans (DDP).    You are in the parks and you do HAVE to eat, so you might as well do it for the most cost-effective way possible.  We have been to Disney without the Dining Package and we regret it when we spent well above what the dining plan would have cost us.  The last three trips, we have gone during the "Free Dining" Promotion, and we have enjoyed every bite!  Disney does a fantastic job feeding thousands and thousands of people each day. You can always add a DDP to your reservations at any time.  Think about it though....Even if you do not have the Dining Plan, try going to one of their famous restaurants. They are famous for a delicious reason.  


7.  Book your flights.


8.  Make your own Disney Custom Map.   Not only are they free, but they are great for finding your way around the parks to the attractions YOU want to see and experience.  They also make great souvenirs too.  I'd recommend allowing for 4-6 weeks for delivery after you've completed your maps.  Remember, there are always maps at the entrance of all the parks, in the lobbies of each resort and throughout the parks as well.  


9.  Start packing!  I'm one of those crazy ladies that start packing about a month in advance, but that is me.  I'll have packing tips on another blog post soon.  


10.  Take advantage of Disney's Magical Express.   Once you arrive at the Orlando Airport (MCO), you can leave the "real world" behind you and hop aboard  the complementary (that means awesomely free)  Disney's Magical Express (DME).  Disney has nice, air-conditioned motor coach busses that will take you to your resort and you can check in.  It's fabulous. No need for directions or stressing out about which exits to take.   You just sit back, relax, and let the vacation begin!  You can also use these same services returning home.  Plus, you save money because you don't need to rent a car too! AND, they have people at the Orlando Airport to collect your checked luggage.  No baggage claim, just go straight to the fun.  Your bags will come behind you in a different truck and be delivered directly to your room.


11.  Enjoy your magical vacation! Once you arrive and check-in at your resort, you will be given your "Keys to the World", also known as your tickets to the park.  They look like credit cards with your name on the front and a black swipe stripe on the back.  Your resort cast member will be able to link your Key to the World to your credit card, so you don't have to worry about carrying your credit card or money while in the park.  After you check in, have a wonderfully, magical trip!  

My Top Ten Disney Trip Tips

Since I have been to Disney four times recently, I have lots of friends and family that come to me first thing when they are planning a trip to Walt Disney World.  I get friends from Facebook contacting me a few times a month about my tips to Disney and how to go about their planning process.  

With that said, I thought I'd begin with my Top Ten Trip Tips to begin your Disney World experience.

1.  You will not be able to do it all.  The Disney Parks are huge and there are magical things everywhere.  You won't be able to do everything during a trip.  It is best to come to terms with that BEFORE you even get there.  Having realistic expectations during planning will make your trip more enjoyable.  Even with our four most recent trips, we still haven't been able to do "everything".  

2.  Start planning early--over six months, if you can!  Think about your trip planning as a part of your trip too.  You are supposed to enjoy this process.  Sometimes I get so excited during the planning process, that I  I hop up and down about finding out some great "nugget" of information.  

3.  Make your Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) as soon as possible.  As of today, you can make your ADRs 180 days from the first day of your trip.  Which is about 6 months, give or take.  (Thus the reason for Trip Tip #2).  Popular restaurants and character meals can fill up fast!  You can dine in the castle, but you need to be on the ball.  My DH and I will stay up all night watching for the switch to flip to allow us to either call or, the newest way, make our ADRs online.  Once you get your ADRs, you are golden!

4.  Don't plan every minute of the day.  When we go, we usually plan one ADR each day for the park that we chose.  Then, we plan ONE, maybe two, other things that we consider a MUST and the rest of the day.  Then we let the magic sweep us up and let us go where we (and the kids) want and NEED.  Especially with kids, you need potty breaks, snacks, time to cool down, and naps.  

5.  Wear comfortable shoes.  A Disney trip is a walking trip.  You will see all sorts of magical and fun things along the way, but you will be walking, walking, and walking some more.  Be sure to break in your shoes before the trip and bring an extra pair.   Please remember to break in shoes before you go to the parks too!  

6.  Go online and sign up at the Disney Website for their fantastic Trip Planning DVD and information.  Also, sign up for their email newsletters.  (Right now it is on the bottom right of the main page.)  Signing up for their newsletters will also add you to Disney's "Address Book" and you will receive information and discounts.  

7.  Call  Disney Vacation Planning at (407) 939-7675 to see if there are any discount codes linked to your mailing address.  Often times, you could have discount codes for free dining, pay for 4 days, get 3 free, or up to 40% off of resort pricing.   If they do not have record of you, please ask to be added to their list.  Give them a few weeks and call again.  Often times they will have a discount code attached to your address, just for being a potential guest. 

8.  Help your magic get even more magical!  With toddlers and young school-aged kids, you can have them dress up like their favorite characters or wear their favorite Mickey, Minnie, or Buzz Lightyear shirts.  Our kids got so much character attention when they were dressed up like Cinderella and Prince Charming one year.  The next year, the dined as Snow White and her Prince.  We wore "Disney" colors (Red, White, Black, and Yellow) one day at the Magical Kingdom.  All of our pictures were really cute and we look coordinated.  If you're not matchy-matchy, that's ok...you will still look fab and have a great time at the Parks.  Adults need to let go and have fun!  Find your inner child and let lose!

9.   Take advantage of Disney's Magical Express Transportation system and airline services!  Disney will send you a set of Disney Resort Luggage Tags.  These tags will allow you to drop your luggage at your departing airport and the next time you see them, they will be in your Disney Resort Room!  It is so nice not to worry about luggage when you land.   Disney will do it for you!    Once you arrive at the Orlando Airport (MCO), you can leave the "real world" behind you and hop aboard the Disney Magical Express (DME).  Disney has nice, air-conditioned motor coach busses that will take you to your resort and you can check in.  It's fabulous. No need for directions or stressing out about which exits to take.   You just sit back, relax, and let the vacation begin!  You can also use these same services returning home.  

10.   Sign up and follow Disney-related blogs, newsletters, and forums.  It is great to hear about the absolute latest news during your trip.  Disney has a great blog too.   There may be a last-minute change to the park schedules, celebrity appearances, ride refurbishments, etc.