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Inside Lake Buena Vista Resort Village

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The Disney Blog crew was invited to spend a complimentary night at the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village, aka the Pirate Ship Pool hotel. We frequently drive by the hotel on the nearby 417 highway and every time we look at that huge pirate ship by the pool and wish we could stay there. It’s located behind the Lake Buena Vista Outlet Mall on the 535, just a short hop from EPCOT or Downtown Disney and close to all sorts of shopping and dining as well as the I-4 in case you want to visit any of the other Central Florida attractions.

Honestly, if you’re in Orlando to visit the theme parks, chances are you’re looking for a hotel that satisfies a few needs. It should be clean, relatively close to the attractions, have nearby shopping an dining, and a fantastic pool. For Lake Buena Vista Resort Village you can check all those things off. The resort then takes it to the next level with the fantastic themed pirates ship pool, a wonderful spa, and a restaurant that serves up some of the best fish-n-chips I’ve had in Orlando.

Read More »Inside Lake Buena Vista Resort Village

More changes announced for Disney’s Polynesian Resort

New Excitement at Disney's Polynesian

Disney mentioned changes coming to the Polynesian Resort at the What’s New What’s Next presentation earlier this month, now they’ve updated us with some additional information on what we can expect as the resort transitions.

As announced it will be getting a few DVC Suites as bungalows out over the water. To accommodate this change the name will revert back to its original 1971 opening-day name: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

Disney also announced a brand new children’s activity center called Club Disney will be opening at the resort next month. Imagineers drew inspiration from classic Disney Little Golden Books, including “Alice In Wonderland,” “Pinocchio” and “Lady and The Tramp” to make the play areas. Club Disney replaces the Neverland Club. Read More »More changes announced for Disney’s Polynesian Resort

Walt Disney World Resort – What’s New Announcements

A few big announcement at the presentation formerly known as What’s New, What’s Next, now called “Around Our World.” Among the recap of recent changes at the resort including DCL, DVC, and Adventures by Disney, a sprinkling of new news was released. First news from… Read More »Walt Disney World Resort – What’s New Announcements

Universal Orlando’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Welcomes First Guests

Universal Orlando opened the next chapter in their quest to grow their share of the vacation market. Cabana Bay Beach Resort, the first value hotel at Universal, celebrated its very first guests to check-in today, March 31. The Hicks family of St. Petersburg, Fla. received… Read More »Universal Orlando’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Welcomes First Guests

Inside Disney World’s New Day Spas

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Taking a trip to Walt Disney World? Have all your dining reservations booked, a list of your must-see attractions and shows, and Fastpass+ planned out? Whoa there partner. You’ve left out one of the most crucial parts of your vacation, the relaxation. You certainly can spend your Disney trip in commando-mode bouncing from location to location, but I recommend setting aside a little downtime where you can be pampered and find that relaxing moment you know you need. Afterwards, you’ll feel renewed and ready to take on the rest of Walt Disney World.

If that sounds like a good idea to you, two newly reimagined full-service spas at Walt Disney World Resort are set to take guests on a sensory journey designed to renew, relax and energize. Senses – A Disney Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Senses – A Disney Spa at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort both feature unique looks and feel and have slightly different selections when it comes to treatments.

However, guests visiting either location between now and Feb 28 can usher in the new year with a seasonal menu of rejuvenating treatments that include a Chocolate and Strawberry Facial to tone, tighten and detoxify and a Mimosa Champagne Scrub and Body Wrap that hydrates and refines.

Here is more about the refreshing offerings that await guests at both spa locations:
Read More »Inside Disney World’s New Day Spas

Disney Vacation Club Rolls Out New Benefits in Membership Magic

The Villas at DisneyÕs Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Of all the things I wish I’d known about fifteen or so years ago, is how affordable DVC is to those who plan a trip to Disney World every year or so. I had a friend who was a member, but never thought about taking the leap ourselves. The point is pretty moot now that we live in central Florida. But the parental units would have enjoyed having a yearly vacation to see the grand kid essentially paid for in advance.

Everybody has to discover and come to their own conclusion about the cost benefit of joining the Disney Vacation Club on their own. The numbers make sense for some people and just never line up for others. But now the DVC is sweetening the pot with even more magic for its members with the launch of Membership Magic.

Membership Magic is a new program designed to introduce numerous enhancements for members, create exclusive vacation options across multiple Disney experiences and provide special, money-saving discounts for members to enjoy. The first wave of experiences has officially rolled out, but members can expect to see several ongoing enhancements in the months to come.

“With Membership Magic, we are giving families even more to love about Disney Vacation Club,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president and general manager, Disney Vacation Club. “We are introducing great new perks, exclusive experiences and other service enhancements that only members and their guests can access. It’s our special way of thanking our members for being such a valued part of the Disney Vacation Club family.”Read More »Disney Vacation Club Rolls Out New Benefits in Membership Magic

Dr. John’s 2014 Prescriptions for Walt Disney World

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Normally at this time of year, I write a retrospective piece looking back at the year in Disney, but for personal reasons, I’ve decided now is the time to look forward, not back. Instead of recollections, I’m writing prescriptions.These are the things I believe will help Walt Disney World continue to compete for the hearts and wallets of their fans while fending off challenges from other entertainment options both near (Universal Orlando) and far (changing TV viewing habits at home, for instance)

I’ll try and limit myself to one or two recommendations each and something that can at least get started in 2014. I don’t intend each prescription to solve every woe, but it will at least make a significant difference in one or two major problem areas.

Magic Kingdom
The oldest theme park in Central Florida is showing its age more and more and suffers from serious stagnation in both attractions and entertainment (translation: a serious capacity issue). There is something they can do quickly to make a dent. As part of an overall project to update Tomorrowland, I prescribe for the park an indoor air-conditioned high-capacity theater capable of hosting shows similar to the Hyperion Theater at California Adventure. With multiple shows a day, this adds a lot of capacity, gives guests a place to cool off in the heat and humidity, and allows for a showcase for Disney’s latest animated musicals (Rapunzel Stage show anyone?). This is also something that could be accomplished quickly and with minimal in park disruption by setting the theater outside the berm. Additional revenue can be raised by hosting events in the space, something the Magic Kingdom is currently lacking.

EPCOT
This park has the highest capacity of all four parks. It has two wonderful festivals and an enjoyable Christmas overlay. These are wonderful for what they do to attract guests. However, the mission and vision of EPCOT has been ignored for too long, and many areas of the park are in serious need of rejuvenation. Let’s tackle the two sections of the park separately.Read More »Dr. John’s 2014 Prescriptions for Walt Disney World

Best Resort Room Options for Families of Five or More.

Disney's Art of Animation Suites sleep six comfortably.

Disney’s Art of Animation Suites sleep six comfortably.

A family of five isn’t a “big” family by any means, but it is by Disney standards, where most rooms sleep four people.  Because of this, many families mistakenly believe they won’t fit in a standard room, much less in a value room, when in reality there are some attractive options for “larger” families.  Even better, these options don’t have to break the bank.

Value Resort Options:

Disney value resorts are the gold standard for guests looking to economize on vacation.  The good news is that a value room gives you all the benefits of staying on property at a great price. The no-so-good news is that a standard room in a value resort can be a tight fit, with just two double beds and a small bathroom, and since these rooms only sleep four (plus one child under the age of three), they’re unsuitable for larger families. Fortunately, almost all Disney resort rooms connect, so you can book two rooms for up to eight people. Depending on the ages of the children, parents can have one room to themselves and the kids can share the other room, with the door open between them.  This is by far the most economical option for most larger families.  When you make your reservation, ask to book your rooms under one reservation number and one deposit.Read More »Best Resort Room Options for Families of Five or More.