Early Morning Magic Package Extended Dates!

Good morning all of our Traveling Through Disney family!! We have been sporadic in our posting these last few weeks and want to apologize for that. We are back in action and ready to bring you the most up to date information that Disney has to offer.

As many of you know, earlier this year, Disney started offering an Early Morning Magic package for an additional cost. This separately ticketed event allows you first access into Magic Kingdom before any other guests. You get front of the line access to 3 attractions: Winnie the Pooh, Seven Dwarf's Mine Train, and Peter Pan's Flight. Also, you can stop by Pinocchio's Village Haus for some early morning eats at no additional cost. Early Morning Magic takes place from 7:45am to 10am on select days and the cost is $69 per adult ages 10+ and $59 per child ages 3-9. 

There have been mixed reviews from critics and guests on whether or not this is a good deal or worth it. 

However, it seems to be in high demand as just last night Disney announced they would now be extending this package until 9/30/16. They have even sweetened the deal now by adding Hollywood Studios Early Morning Magic!!! 

That's right, starting on 8/1/16 guests will be able to enter Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom at 7:45am to have front of the line access to the most coveted rides. 

Specifically, at Hollywood Studios you will be able to enjoy an all you can eat breakfast at ABC Commissary from 8am to 10am. The Hollywood Studios attractions that you will have front of the line access to are: Toy Story Mania!, Star Tours, Woody and Buzz meet and greet, Olaf meet and greet, and of course Mickey and Minnie meet and greet. 

You can start booking Early Morning Magic for either park today, so if you feel like this event is for you then book now as they only let a limited number of people in the park. 

Happy booking!! 

Reviewing 2016: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Happy Monday morning Traveling Through Disney family! How was everyone's weekend? I hope it was as great as ours, the only thing that could have made it better was being at Disney! 

I wanted to veer off course from reviewing our past trip this week to bring you a few reviews of our favorite restaurants and special events we participated in on our trip. 

First up for today is Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Cinderella's Castle. There is also another one on Walt Disney World property at Disney Springs inside the Wide World of Disney store. 

For our trip though we visited Cinderella's Castle. 

I made the reservations about 120 days in advance to make sure we had a reservation. Note: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is a reservation only salon. You have to call and setup an appointment prior to your arrival. To do that you can contact your travel agent or you can call Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique directly at: (407) 939-7895.

Upon making your reservations you will be asked to choose a package. The packages start at $59.95 per girl and are listed below.

The Crown Package (starting at $59.95 plus tax)

• Hairstyling
• Shimmering make-up, face gem
• Princess sash and tote
• Nail polish

The Courtyard Package (starting at $94.95 plus tax)

• Hairstyling
• Shimmering make-up, face gem
• Princess sash and tote
• Nail polish
• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique T-shirt
• Trendy tutu

The Castle Package (starting at $194.95 plus tax)

• Hairstyling
• Shimmering make-up, face gem
• Princess sash and tote
• Nail polish
• Complete costume of your choice plus accessories (shoes not included)

Guests can also choose:

The Knight Package ($19.95 plus tax)

• Hairstyling with gel
• Mighty sword and shield
• Confetti

We chose the Crown package for our little one and set the reservation on the day and time that we knew we would be in Magic Kingdom. Done and Done! I bought my daughter a Belle costume prior to arriving at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and brought it with us to cut down on spending a fortune on a dress in the shop. They are pricey! 

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is located right inside Cinderella's Castle on the left side if you come from Main Street and the right side if you come from Fantasyland. It is directly across the hall from Sir Mickey's. Upon arrival you check in at the desk with a Fairy Godmother in training and are asked to take a seat in the waiting area. Side note: If you bring a dress to change into please let the Fairy Godmother in Training know so she can add a dressing room to be ready for you. 

We sat for maybe 10 minutes or so and then our Princess was called back to get changed. Note: An adult does need to be with the child to go in the dressing room to help her. Once we were changed into our gown we went back out in the waiting area. It took about 20 minutes from the time we checked in until we were called back again to get dolled up. 

There is a small sitting area for parents to sit while their child gets transformed into a Princess or Knight. All in all it takes about 45 to 60 minutes from top to bottom for the reservation so make sure you allot enough time. 

The Fairy Godmother's in Training are all so nice and energetic. They make your child feel welcome and at ease during the whole process. The Fairy Godmother's in Training all switch out after 1 or 2 clients so they are fully refreshed and cheery. 

There is a photopass photographer that goes around to all of the children taking pictures. They give you a card once your child is finished and you can take it across the street next to Castle Couture to get some really precious photos. 

We really enjoyed our Fairy Godmother and tips are always appreciated for a job well done although you do not have to tip. 

Our package was the crown package so my daughter got: a princess sash, a hairstyle with a crown, makeup, nails painted, and pixie dust for the road! 

Here are some of the amazing photos we got on our Memory Maker from the experience. 

      

We cannot say enough good things about our Fairy Godmother in Training and also the photopass photographer at Castle Couture. They were both so nice and truly made my daughter's experience magical. As my lovely daughter is entering the age where she is no longer a little girl this is probably the last time we will get to do this experience. 

We loved it though and the icing on the cake was getting to have dinner at Be Our Guest all dressed up like Belle. The beast was very pleased. :)

So if you are looking for an added extra to your vacation and want your daughter or son to have the full Prince/Princess vibe then definitely book a reservation for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. It is those memories after all that you will have forever. I can honestly say that my daughter will probably always remember her experience. 

Day 4 of WDW Trip: Reviewing Magic Kingdom

Day 4 of our WDW trip brought us to the magical park of Magic Kingdom where all things Mickey and Princess prevail. Magic Kingdom was open from 8am to 2am on the Wednesday we were there so we knew we were going to hit the park and hit it hard. 

We planned on using up all 3 of our fastpasses pretty quickly and then going back and getting more. I will not bore you with my over planning but I had a very detailed itinerary for us to follow that day and I'm happy to say we got most of it checked off and even went off the list for a few extra rides. 

I will also tell you that the most we got done was between the hours of 11pm to 1am. After 11:45pm unless you were a resort guset you could not ride any of the rides. This dramatically reduced all of the wait times in the evening as everyone left. Plus it was really late at night so you didn't have toddlers running around either. 

We never saw a wait time exceed 30 minutes during this time frame. It was awesome!! So for those of you with older children I highly recommend taking advantage of the PM extra magic hours when they are available. 

We had Fastpasses on this day for:

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Space Mountain

We loved Seven Dwarfs Mine Train! It's a step up from the Barnstormer for those of you with little ones but it is fun! It's fast and doesn't drop you but does give the little ones just enough adrenaline of a real roller coaster. My 9 year old loved it and wanted to do it again, we all did, but with a 2 hour wait we said goodbye to SDMT. 

We did get to meet Tiana, Tinkerbell, Gaston, and the Beast on this day and they were all fabulous. Our favorite was Gaston, he never broke character and was just the right amount of rude and charming. :) Tiana would have to be our second favorite she talked to us about gumbo and crawfish early in the morning and it made us hungry for some Louisiana food all day!!

And if you can't tell by the bottom two photos, my little princess took a trip to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Cinderella's Castle. I'll do a whole post dedicated to that next week. 

We also had dinner at Be Our Guest which was wonderful! The castle is very magical and makes you feel right like you are in the movie. I decided over the weekend that because of all the good meals we ate I have to do a series on the food. It was just so good and each restaurant deserves it's own post. 

After dinner we rode Pirates of the Caribbean which is one of my all time favorite attractions as well as Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain (over and over again), and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. 

Isn't my husband just so funny with his faces on rides? Gotta love him!! 

So what was the highlight of our day this day you ask? It had to be riding all the mountains: Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Of course we also loved meeting Gaston, riding SDMT, and we did ride the Haunted Mansion more than a few times for me and my love of the Haunted Mansion. :)

We took full advantage of utilizing the Fastpass kiosk when we spent our 3 fastpasses and made subsequent selections. I think all in all we had 6 fastpasses for the day. It was a long day and to say we were tired on the bus back to the resort would be a complete understatement. However we had a blast and loved being able to spend so much time together as a family enjoying each other and having a great time making memories!!

Tomorrow starts the review of our double days. We spent 2 days in each of the parks except Epcot. Those days will be reviewed through Wednesday and then we will start a new series. 

I hope you've enjoyed seeing our trip in review. Comment below to let us know your favorite thing about Magic Kingdom. 

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party Dates

The new dates for September and October's Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party were just released.

During select dates in September and October you will be able to attend this separate ticketed event. 

No details yet when tickets will go on sale but we assume it will be later next month.

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is held on the select dates above at Magic Kingdom from 7pm to 12am.

This event is always fun filled and action packed. It's truly an event for the whole entire family and many families dress up. I highly recommend it! There are special parades, dance parties, meet and greets with rare characters, and of course plenty of candy stations for all your trick or treating needs!

Stay tuned here for more updates including the official ticket release once they become available.

NEW: The Diamond Horseshoe Restaurant

In just a few short days Disney will debit a new restaurant inside Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The Diamond Horseshoe has been around for a very long time but it closed back in August 2015 for a lengthy refurbishment.

In the midst of the refurbishment Disney wanted to reinvent this timeless classic. The new menu will debut with the restaurants re-opening on March 13th. The new menu will feature an all you can eat meal:

Your show-stopping, all-you-care-to-enjoy meal opens with a Frontier Salad followed by a Saloon Feast featuring your choice of BBQ Pulled Turkey, Spit-Roasted Ham or Stewed Beef with all the fixin’s. Then, enjoy a Campfire Brownie or Apple Tart finale. And it’s all served up with your choice of beverages.

It is rumored that with the new re-opening of The Diamond Horseshoe Disney is also entertaining the idea of offering some alcoholic beverages on the menu. I believe they will wait and see how the restaurants fairs first. 

Currently the only restaurant that serves alcoholic beverages is Be Our Guest and only for dinner. 

Online reservations will open up soon for lunch and dinner. This is a casual dining table service meal. The prices are listed as $15 to $30 per adult. 

What do you think of this new menu and re-opening of The Diamond Horseshoe? Will you go and check out the new items?

Breaking: Walt Disney World tickets increase at midnight

Breaking news from the Disney executives and confirmed by cast members at Disney's Reservation Center. 

As we all have heard it has been rumored that Walt Disney world tickets will increase effective tomorrow. The price increase comes after Universal increased their prices just last week upping the price $5 more per day.

Now what you may have not heard is when the ticket increase announcement finally makes its debut it will be a shock to most of us. Disney is revealing a new tiered system in order to maintain crowd control and also get people on vacation at slower times.

Here is the information we have obtained so far:

Three tiers will be offered for ticket prices with the first ticket price the lowest of the increases.

Value 

Regular 

Peak

We do not yet know how much the tickets will jump but many are expecting a one day Magic Kingdom ticket to cost upwards of $125 per day whereas it is now $105. 

Stay tuned here for any news we receive. Also, if any of you are planning a trip down to WDW during 2016 or early 2017; I encourage you to put a deposit down on your reservation now to lock in those current cheaper rates. Tomorrow you may find a higher cost for your magical vacation.

Email me now if you need to book a trip or have been on the fence. I'm happy to help and get those rates locked in.

Inside Look: Newly Renovated Polynesian Resort Expansion

I know there are some Polynesian Resort fans among us and maybe you've never even been to mouseland and are just interested in seeing the inside of each hotel. Well you are in for a treat no matter which side of the fence you fall on. Each week I'm going to be delving into a different resort on Disney property and giving you the inside look at the resort. In this new series, we will talk about all the rooms available, restaurants on-site, fun things to do on the resort, and much more! We will focus in on the Walt Disney World resorts first and then make our way to Disneyland. 

For our 2nd week we are looking at the newly renovated Disney's Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World. In fact, some renovations are still currently going on, but should be finished by early 2016. Read on below to find out more!

Disney's Polynesian Resort was one of the two very first resorts on Disney World property. The resort opened with Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971 and has been a fan favorite ever since. As you can imagine from the name the theme is tropical with Southern Pacific flair. The resort has undergone many renovations and changes since it first opened and that still rings true today. 



The resort is situated on Seven Seas Lagoons and features 218 Villas and the newly added 20 Bungalows. The bungalows are situated right on the lake giving guests an experience unlike anything else on Walt Disney World property. There are also several "longhouses" that feature standard rooms, club level rooms, and suites. The main building on the property is call The Great Ceremonial House and is very colorful and tropical looking. It is three stories and greets guests when they arrive for check-in. Let's look at the rooms shall we? 

Standard Rooms:
Sleeps 5 Adults
331 Garden View Rooms
19 Lagoon View Rooms
26 Magic Kingdom View Rooms

Club Level Rooms: 

Most rooms sleep 5 adults except the Honeymoon suite which is 2

57 Garden View 
20 Lagoon View
25 Theme Park View 
1 Honeymoon Room
1 1 Bedroom Suite
1 Princess Suite 

Waterside Bungalows:

Sleeps up to 8 Guests

20 Waterside Bungalows

Dining at Polynesian Village Resort

Some of the most delicious restaurants are here at the Polynesian. When the renovation took place some new restaurants were added and they have seen an outpouring of guests lined up at opening just to get a seat inside. 

Character Dining

O'Hana's Best Friends Breakfast - Breakfast with Lilo & Stitch

Dinner Show: 

Disney's Spirit of Aloha Show - a nightly family feast style buffet with fire and hula dancing. 

Unique Dining:

Kona Cafe - A relaxed cafe with American fare but also featuring an onstage sushi kitchen. 

Lounge:

Trader Sam's Grog Grotto - This new restaurant is all the rage right now. It opens daily at 4 and people start lining up at 2 just to get a seat inside. Take a look at the video below for an inside look. 

What are your thoughts about this amazing resort? Would you like to stay here? Or maybe just visit? 

If you are ready to book your Disney World vacation contact me today for your free quote! As always, my services are 100% free to utilize and you will receive excellent Disney service and all the benefits of having a personal concierge with you from booking to your trip. 

Pirate Crazy at Walt Disney World

Do you have a pirate in your house? Think Walt Disney World is only for Princesses and Fairy Tales? Think again! Read on to find out how you can make your little pirate a magical vacation filled with special experiences. 

1. Special themed pirate rooms at Caribbean Beach Resort - did you know that Caribbean Beach offers specially themed pirate rooms jut for your little matey? The beds are shaped to look like pirate ships. The door to the bathroom is an ultra cool skull logo sure to impress everyone in the room.

2. Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial at Magic Kingdom - your little pirate will delight at the thought of taking a real pirate lesson from who else but Captain Jack Sparrow! If you've never seen Captain Jack at Magic Kingdom you are missing out, he is a real hoot! Parents will enjoy the show just as much as kids. Don't worry parents Captain Jack keeps it PG. :) Make sure to sign your little one up for this special experience. It happens daily right outside of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

3. Get a Fastpass for Pirates on the Caribbean ride at Magic Kingdom -

Want to avoid he lines at this ever popular ride? Make sure to get a Fastpass after your pirate tutorial and head straight to the front of the line for a ride down the sea with Captain Jack Sparrow. Yo! Ho! All the way with your favorite pirates as they send you through the Caribbean and all your favorite scenes from this ever popular movie! 

4. Lunch with Disney Junior Characters at Hollywood and Vine at Hollywood Studios - have a jake and the never land pirate fanatic in your house? Make sure to set up your lunch plans at Hollywood and Vine inside Hollywood Studios! During this character featured lunch you'll come face to face with Jake and he will take pictures and sign autographs. Your pirates will surely be talking about this lunch for ages!! 

5. The Pirates League at Magic Kingdom - Sign your pirate up to be transformed into a real live pirate! This special experience features pirate makeup, a sword, and bandana, and temporary tattoos. Your pirate will be ready to take on the day in style once the pirate league finishes with him.

A View from The Contemporary Resort

Today we are taking an in-depth look at Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort. This resort is a deluxe property situated on the monorail line at Walt Disney World. It is most easily accessible to Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Disney's Contemporary Resort was one of the first two resorts on Disney property. It was built as a futuristic hotel as you will easily notice once inside. The monorail sails directly through the middle of the hotel which is pretty neat!

A fun fact about the Contemporary Resort is that the rooms were actually all built offsite and then put in place once the infrastructure was built. 

This deluxe hotel boasts many amenities including Chef Mickey's restaurant which features a character breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Mickey and his friends. A popular venue for anyone coming to visit mouseland. 

Another personal favorite of mine on any Disney visit is dinner at The California Grill where you can schedule your dinner to have a front row seat of the Wishes fireworks extravaganza. It truly is an amazing view while indulging in some of the best food at Walt Disney World. Look at this amazing video below to see for yourself. 

These amazing restaurants are just the tip of the iceberg at the fabulous resort though. The resort also features a pool with a poolside bar, valet parking, free wifi, gift shops, valet service cleaning, and so much more!

Where is your favorite place to stay when you come down to Walt Disney World? Comment below and let me know. 

Planning a trip to Disney soon? Contact me today for a FREE quote and to book your magical vacation! As always my services are absolutely free and you will receive the excellent Disney customer service you know and love! I can't wait to hear from you.

s.marx@magicalvacationplanner.com

QUOTE TUESDAY!! Featuring Promos Released Yesterday!

Today I am so excited to give you this quote for a great summer vacation for you and a few friends or for you and your family! Either way you choose to travel you cannot go wrong! Take a look at the quote below featuring the Family Time Vacation Offer valid for bookings now through 3/31/16. If this a good fit for your family then please contact me today to customize a quote for your trip or to book your vacation today. A simple $200 deposit is all it takes today to secure your spot at Walt Disney World this summer. Are you ready to take the plunge into a magical world of wonder?

Family Time Vacation Offer 2016

Travel dates for this quote 5/30 - 6/5/16

2 Adults + 2 Children (ages 5 & 10)

6 Days/5 Nights at Moderate Caribbean Beach Resort

6 Day Park Passes

Free Transportation to and from all the Disney Parks + Disney Springs

Total Cost: $2475.34

It's amazing how affordable Disney is making vacations these days. Make sure to make some magical memories this summer by booking a trip today. All quotes are fully customize-able to add flights, dining packages, special experiences, and we can also decrease your length of stay or park experience to make it more affordable. 

Contact me today!! 

Something Big is Coming!!! New Disney Promotion!

Happy Sunday All!! I hope you all had a fabulous holiday and enjoyed your time with family and friends! I know Disney was packed over the last week with no low crowds in sight going into 2016. As we all know the parks will settle down right after the New Year holiday and Disney knows that too. I got an enticing email this morning from Disney stating that tomorrow morning they would be releasing a great promotion for 2016 travel dates. 

I don't know about you but I'm very exciting and I'm certainly intrigued just like Disney wants me to be. :) 

Everyone stay tuned here as I unveil the new offer and let you in on the promotion that can benefit you and your family in 2016. I don't know what it is just yet but rest assured if you want to travel in 2016 I'll be happy to book your trip with a deposit tomorrow once the promotion is revealed. I can also adjust your existing reservation if you have already booked with Disney.

As always if you have a current reservation with Disney you can always transfer your reservation to me to save the most money and have a personal concierge right by your side. 

Stay tuned friends, I can't wait for the big reveal tomorrow. 


s.marx@magicalvacationplanner.com

Skipper Canteen - Soft Opening at DisneyWorld Magic Kingdom

The highly anticipated Skipper Canteen restaurant will officially open on Wednesday this week, December 16th. The restaurant had a soft opening last week and now pictures of menus are popping up everywhere. We finally got a look at what this new restaurant will look like and while they are currently not taking ADR's (advance dining reservations) they will be sure to add this very soon. 

So let's get started with the fun eats on the menu. First up....drinks. Currently alcohol is not offered at this restaurant, no hints as to if they will add it later. The drink menu features bronze plated mule cups for their fruit inspired drinks. You will notice that there is hot and cold beverages available. Looks like an extensive tea menu. 

Next up, Entrees and Deserts! These are sure to fill you up. With steak, stew, fish, and shrimp there is plenty on the menu for all to enjoy. I think this restaurant offers a lot of variety and a great bang for your buck as it seems the entrees are very generous portions. The deserts look yummy as well boasting a chocolate cake, coconut bar, and pudding. I cannot wait to try this new restaurant out the next time we are down in mouse land!



What are your thoughts on this new jungle cruise inspired cuisine? Would you make this a must visit the next time you are in Magic Kingdom?

Need help with planning your perfect magical vacation? Contact me today for a free quote and to help you plan the best vacation for you and your family and friends. 

s.marx@magicalvacationplanner.com