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Disney Dining Plan: Top Ten Tips for Getting the Most Value

Using the Disney dining plan isn’t as straight-forward as simply walking into a restaurant and handing over your Key to the World Card: While all credits are created equal, not everything you buy will be. While it’s obvious that missing meals is essentially throwing money away, so is using a snack credit for a soda. Fortunately, using the plan effectively is actually quite easy. Here are the top ten tricks that will help you get the most out of the plan:

10. Use your dining plan for character meals and other more expensive dining locations. Look at it this way: For guests 10-years old and up, the dining plan costs $56 per person per night: This gives you a table service, meal, a quick service meal, a snack, and a refillable mug. If you estimate $4 for a snack, and $14 for a quick-service meal, you still need to “spend” $38 on your table-service meal that day. That’s not difficult to do if you’re eating dinner at location like Boma or Ohana, but if you’re eating at Via Napoli or 50s Prime Time Café, your tab is going to come in at around $30 per person. Not only did you not break even that day, you actually lost money.

9. Pay out of pocket for less expensive meals and you avoid the scenario above. This only works if you plan on eating more table-service meals than you’re actually allotted on the plan.

8. Avoid using your snack credits for drinks. As noted above, the dining plan works best when you save your credits for more expensive items, so save your credits for items cupcakes or ice cream (both $4 or more) and pay out of pocket for your drinks (usually under $3).Read More »Disney Dining Plan: Top Ten Tips for Getting the Most Value

Restaurant Review: T-REX at Downtown Disney

While in Downtown Disney Orlando this past summer we could not resist the urge to pay a visit to the T-REX Restaurant and Shop. As we walked in we were greeted by the coolness in the air which we welcomed since it was so very hot outside. The first thing we noticed was this enormous and almost life like T-Rex towering over us. To the right a place to shop for all your Prehistoric needs and to the left was the restaurant a.k.a archaeological dig site filled with small, large and extra large animatronic and audio-animatronic creatures.

We were seated right away and attended to almost instantly. Trying to take in our surroundings time seemed to just escape us. We looked over the menus and although there were plenty of choices I was not overwhelmed by them. There is something in the menu for everybody from Spare ribs, Chicken and Pasta to Burgers and Seafood. For the future little paleontologist in your group there is a kids menu of course, it includes various choices like Pizza, Pasta, Sliders, Popcorn shrimp and even Dinosaur shaped chicken.Read More »Restaurant Review: T-REX at Downtown Disney

Limited Time Magic – Interview with Scott Cassidy of Disney Marketing

I wasn’t going to post this video because the Sound Quality is a bit poor. But with the path Limited Time Magic is taking, I think it’s time to share. The interview is with Scott Cassidy, Senior Vice President, Global Alliance Marketing at Disney Parks… Read More »Limited Time Magic – Interview with Scott Cassidy of Disney Marketing

Planning: Walt Disney World Ticket Basics

If you’re reading here, you probably know exactly what kind of park ticket you want when you book a trip, but for Disney “newbies” the options can be overwhelming. Do you get a base ticket or a hopper? The water park option? And what does… Read More »Planning: Walt Disney World Ticket Basics

A Visit to Splitsville for Dinner

Editor: Please welcome new guest author Paula Garcia!

My husband, 5 year old daughter and I recently visited Orlando. We arrived on New Year’s day settled in to our hotel. It was a nice night out and we were starving so we decided to take a walk to Downtown Disney and find a restaurant there. There were so many people it was difficult to walk around much less find a table at any of the restaurants.

We didn’t give up and kept walking all the way down to about the end of Downtown. Just when we were about to walk back to our hotel my husband walked into Splitsville Lanes and to our surprise they had open tables with no wait.

Although there were many people inside, I didn’t get an over crowded, claustrophobic feeling. We were greeted by a young lady and taken up the escalator to our table. We sat down and were handed our menus. My daughter received her own kid’s menu and some crayons. As a mom I really appreciate this. It took a little while before our order was taken. Many people were being seated in our area at the same time. Our server was right on top of it he was very attentive, fast, kind and apologetic about the delay.Read More »A Visit to Splitsville for Dinner

Festival of the Lion King Relocation Plans Revealed

Back in August we had the news that the most popular and best rated show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and, quite possibly, on property, the Festival of the Lion King, was scheduled to move to a new location. The biggest open questions where when and where. We now know the where and it’s likely the when will come soon.

FotLK had to move to make way for Avatar, which will be coming to where Camp Minnie Mickey is now. Cast members were notified that it would shuttering early in 2013, but so far there hasn’t been much progress as to how the move would be made.

In paperwork filed with the Florida water district management agency, we now know that the FotLK theater will be moved to a new plot of land in Africa. It will be to your left as you cross over the bridge, behind the Tusker House restaurant. Imagineers have been spotted in the area taking a few measurements. So its possible work on fencing in and clearing the plot could begin any day now.

Read More »Festival of the Lion King Relocation Plans Revealed

Fort Wilderness Campground Holiday Displays

If you’re reading this blog, you probably know about the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but did you know there is another display of Christmas lights at Walt Disney World that is, in its own way, nearly as impressive. This display… Read More »Fort Wilderness Campground Holiday Displays

Behind the Scenes Video of New Fantasyland Construction – Part 2

We head back to the beginning of construction for the New Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom with these next two videos. The Little Mermaid and Enchanted Tales with Belle are the only two ‘attractions’ to open in Fairytale Forest section of the expansion. Here’s… Read More »Behind the Scenes Video of New Fantasyland Construction – Part 2