Childproofing your resort room isn’t the most glamorous aspect of planning your next Walt Disney World vacation, but taking a few minutes before you leave can give you peace of mind later. Most of us with children childproofed our homes as soon as we figured out just how dangerous our innocuous looking houses can be to a rambunctious toddler, but few of us think about doing the same thing while on vacation.
While it’s no substitute for a keeping a watchful eye on your child, there are a few things you can do to make your resort room or rental house more safe.Read More »Childproofing Your Resort Room
I have a confession to make: Disney’s gorgeous pools are almost completely lost on me. Sure, I sometimes find myself dreaming about spending the day lazing around one, it’s just that once I get to Disney World, what I really want to do is spend my time in the parks. And what I mean by this is, all my time in the parks. Not surprisingly, Disney’s pools get little more than a passing glance on the way back from the park in the wee hours of the morning. Oh, pretty. I can swim at home, right?
However, stuck on the resort monorail on the way to the Magic Kingdom last fall, I noticed something : The new Alice in Wonderland themed water play area next to the pool at the Grand Floridian. With two slides, a gigantic bucket that fills with water which is then dumped on guests, a shallow splash area, and all sorts of spouts, hoses and sprinklers, this play area intrigued me enough that I booked the Grand Floridian for an upcoming family trip knowing my kids would love it.Read More »Fun Meets Fantasy at Alice in Wonderland Water Play Area at Grand Floridian
For most of us, vacations are a luxury. You save, plan and make priorities. Unfortunately, when it comes to Disney, it’s sometimes hard to say no to all the little extras. If your budget allows, by all means add a fancy meal or upgrade your ticket, but if you’re on a budget, here are some suggestions for things you can skip—and never miss:
1. You can’t do it all in one trip—or even ten trips. Your basic ticket is expensive and the price can initially be intimidating, but the entertainment value you get for that ticket will fill your time from sunrise to sunset. Don’t fall into the parental guilt trap and add extras like Bibbity Bobbity Boutique or fancy tea parties unless your budget allows. Your kids will be too busy to notice, I promise.Read More »Five Extras You Should Consider Skipping
I’ve already written about whether or not the Disney dining plan is a good deal, but I haven’t discussed how you use it. Chances are if you’re a first-timer using the plan, you’re a little overwhelmed: You’ve got credits and refillable mugs and desserts that you might not even want coming out of your ears! Fortunately, using the plan doesn’t have to be confusing and it can be easy to maximize your credits so that you get the most out of the plan. Here’s how.
1. The dining plan starts as soon as you check into your resort and get your Key to the World Card. Contrary to popular belief, “check-in” at a Disney resort doesn’t start when you get your room, which may be as late as 3:00 in the afternoon, but when you check into the resort, which can be any time of the day. You’ll get all your dining credits and then you can start using them immediately. On a related note, your credits are good until midnight the day you check out.
If deciding where to stay on Disney property were as simple as sticking to your budget, you’d book a value room and be done with it. After all, they’re clean, comfortable, and give you all the benefits of staying on Disney property while still being kind to your wallet. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Staying at a Disney resort is half the fun of visiting Walt Disney World, with each resort offering a unique feeling and experiences that make choosing downright difficult. Need a little help in deciding where to stay next time? Then try the following suggestions:
1. Set a budget within your comfort zone. Sure, you can probably swing $3500 for a week at the Grand Floridian, but how does that make you feel? If it makes you feel uncomfortable, it’s not the right resort for you even if you can afford it. The nice thing about staying within your budget is that it allows you to potentially say yes to a lot of other things, whether its tickets to a holiday party, a toy your child wants, or a big dinner at a signature restaurant. Read More »Picking the Right Resort for your Disney World Vacation
Note: Don’t have much time other than to get this press release up, but in general I think this will be seen as a good for both fans of the parks and cast members. That does not mean everything will be smooth sailing and ponies will come with every Disney vacation, but I like the idea of this leadership change.
Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Tom Staggs today announced key leadership changes across one of the world’s leading providers of family travel and leisure experiences to better position the organization for growth. Effective Feb. 1, Meg Crofton will fully assume her global role as president, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, U.S. and France – a position she has held since July 2011 – while concurrently serving as president of Walt Disney World. With Meg’s transition complete, George A. Kalogridis is named president of the Walt Disney World Resort, and Michael Colglazier is named president of the Disneyland Resort. Both Kalogridis and Colglazier’s roles are also effective Feb. 1.
“With all that we currently have in flight across our resort destinations in the U.S. and France, the time is right to move forward with this leadership transition,” said Staggs. “This group of Disney veterans has the knowledge and expertise needed to continue delivering on our legacy of creating unforgettable experiences that our guests have come to know and expect. I would like to thank Meg for her tireless devotion and the extraordinary contributions serving in both positions, and wish George and Michael the best of luck in their new roles. They both bring a wealth of operational expertise, leadership and passion to these roles, which will contribute to the success of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.”
With the appointment of a Walt Disney World president, Crofton will focus all of her attention to providing strategic oversight of the broader initiatives that impact Disney destinations in the U.S. and France.
Kalogridis brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise to his new role at Walt Disney World, including more than 40 years of experience at Disney parks in a number of positions around the world. Most recently as president of the Disneyland Resort, he oversaw one of the most extensive expansion projects in the Resort’s history — including the immensely successful transformation of Disney California Adventure. Throughout his career, Kalogridis also has proven himself to be a leader in the travel and leisure industry, as well as a respected partner in the community. Read More »Disneyland President moves to Walt Disney World President Role, Other Changes in Leadership Made
The west coast got its Cars Land, an immersive environment that transports the guest into the world of Cars, but the east coast is getting some cars lovin’ too. The second phase of Disney’s Art of Animation just opened and guests are now able to explore the three wings and book a room in the Cars themed hotel rooms. You’ll find Lightning McQueen, Mater, Flo and other characters from the popular Pixar film “Cars” in a larger than life Radiator Springs set design.
In the new Cars wing, featuring 480 family suites, a freshly paved road leads guests on the greatest road trip ever, a cruise down memory lane to small town America — Radiator Springs. Parked at the entryway Sheriff and the infamous Doc Hudson welcome folks into town, along with other car “faces” parked along the road. There’s backdrops of Luigi’s Casa Della Tires, Tow Mater Towing and the Wheel Well Motel, creating an authentic setting lifted from the super-charged adventure.
All roads lead to the 60′s style Cozy Cone Motel where distinctive orange cone-shaped cabanas invite guests to kick back and then take a dip in the Cozy Cone Pool. High-octane theming is full-throttle inside the family suites, with orange cones imprinted in the carpeting and adorning the light fixtures plus animation-inspired artwork. Guests will feel as though they walked into a scene from the blockbuster film as a pull-out bed extends from the living room sofa (whimsically appearing as the back seat of an old hot rod), the tool chest is actually the dresser and the bathroom design is inspired by a car wash.
Below the jump is a gallery of images from the new Cars themed buildings and a teaser image from The Lion King wings that will open soon.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (DAAR) officially opens later this week. When completed it will add over a thousand rooms to Walt Disney World and a new level of theming for ‘Value’ level accommodations. Most of the rooms at DAAR will be of the family… Read More »Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Finding Nemo Suites Tour
