Why to Use a Travel Agent

Good afternoon!!

I get asked all the time why should I book with an agent when I can go to Disney's site and book my own trip.  Of course I think you should book with an agent because, well I am an agent!!  :-)  But there are legitmate benefits to using a travel agent when booking your Disney vacation.

1. Most importantly PLEASE make sure your travel agent is a Disney specialist.  Don't just book with Joe Shmo at Liberty Travel.  Chances are he has never set foot in a Disney park or maybe he went there a couple times 10 years ago.  He may have completed the Disney College of Knowledge and have a certificate pasted on his wall, but any of us can take and pass that.  Make sure you ask questions and see how knowledgeable he really is.  The last thing you want is someone helping you plan your Disney trip that knows even less than you do!!
2. Your DISNEY travel agent should be your advocate.  Yes some may give you little extras here and there for booking with them, but are they there when you need them?  They should be able to answer your questions and if they don't know the answer they should be able to get that answer for you.  They should be the one sitting on hold and getting those answers for you and looking it all up online.
3. When a promotion comes out they should know if it works for your trip and immediately change your reservation over for you and then pass on the great news to you.  I have sat on hold for 3 hours before changing a client's reservation!
4. Every change and every question is handled by them.  They are they to help and explain and get you through.  A Disney trip is unlike many vacations, you need to do your research to really get the most out of your trip!
5. The service to book your trip should be FREE!!  If it isn't run, don't walk and find another agent!

So there are some reasons why you should use a Disney Travel Agent!  And I am the one for you!  Please share with your friends.  I am working on a referral program and a giveaway!!  Look for that in coming posts!!

Free Fun in Disney...or pretty darn cheap!

Hi there guys and gals!


My tip for having some free fun in Disney this week.  Take a ride on the monorail.  Completely free and the KIDS love it!  If you can be patient when you get to the loading station ask about riding up front with the driver! (update: sadly riding up front is no longer an option)  Great view and again...the kids LOVE it!!

You can ride the monorail on the Magic Kingdom Resorts loop and even get off at each resort and walk around.  The resorts are all themed so differently and the three on the loop are all terrific.  The Contemporary Resort has some great shops in it as well!  When doing the resort loop you will also get to experience riding right through the Contemporary Resort.  Be sure to look out and see Chef Mickey's!  This is one of our favorite character dining experiences!!  You can also try hopping off at the Polynesian and getting that island feel.  If you decide to stop here check out Kona Cafe Coffee Bar.  Yum!!  You can also take in the grandness that is the Grand Floridian.

After you have finished the loop and have toured the monorail resorts, hop off at the at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) and switch on over to the Epcot monorail.  If you didn't get to ride in the front car before try to do it now.  Just tell the Cast Member working that you would like to ride in the front car, it may mean waiting an extra bit, but as I said before, it is worth it!!  This is a bit longer of a ride and has no stops, but you will get to ride through all of Epcot.  :-)  If you have park passes hop on off and head into Epcot.  If this isn't a park day for you, then stay on and get back to the TTC and take the bus back to your resort!

Magical Monday!!

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and a glorious week last week!  Sorry I missed posting, but the Giveaway kinda had me busy!  Making sure to post about it daily!  We had a great turn out for people entering to win!  Winners will be announced later today!

My weekend was great!  We had a family party to go to and then just spent some time relaxing together.  I am so glad it is finally spring!  How about all of you?!

Last week Disney announced FREE dining for Disney Visa cardholders.  Well TODAY they announced it officially for the General Public!  Dates are much more limited this year than in years past and of course now rumors are swirling about more dates being added.  Don't let that hold you back.  These rooms fill up - only a limited number are offered at each resort with the FREE dining.  If you want to take advantage of this Yummy deal, then email me - info@beourguestvacations.net.  I will price it out for you.  This is even a better deal than the kids stay and play and usually better than room only discounts, so don't let it pass you by!!

Stay tuned to the blog for the announcement of winners post!

Have a Magical Monday!!!

FREE Dining!!!

It is no longer a rumor....FREE Dining will be announced for the general public tomorrow!  Not sure when booking will start - could be 7AM, might take a bit for them to get it posted, who knows!

Since it is not being officially announced until tomorrow, I am not sure what all the details will be, but in the past it has followed the Disney Visa deal and been the same.  So you should be expecting:

Free Quick Service Dining at all Values and Free Plus Dining at Moderates, Deluxes and Villas

Dates are limited - August 28th to September 24th, 2011.  Booking is open right up until 8/27/11.  Rumors are already swirling about the deal being extended, but don't let this deter you from booking what is available!  Rooms are limited!  Email me to get a quote and book your trip!!  A $200 deposit secures your magical vacation!!!

Disney Visa Members get FREE DINING!!!

From the Disney Visa Members site:

Create lasting memories with this savory offer.


For a limited time, get a FREE dining plan when you buy the New Walt Disney Travel Co. Memories Vacation Package for 5 nights/6 days at select Walt Disney World® Resort Hotels.

The New Memories Vacation Package includes:

Walt Disney World® Theme Park tickets. Enjoy admission to one Theme Park per day, each day of your ticket.

Stay in a select Walt Disney World® Resort Hotel.

A Disney's PhotoPass® Photo Book to relive your Disney vacation memories! Choose from a variety of layouts and page designs and customize with your favorite photos! This 20-page book is printed on archival paper to preserve it for years to come.1

And, for a limited-time with this Memories Vacation Package, enjoy a FREE dining plan for stays most nights 8/28-9/24/11.

For 5 night/6 day packages at select Disney Value Resorts, get the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan — includes 2 quick-service meals and 2 select snacks per person per night of your package stay, plus one Resort Refillable Drink Mug per person (refillable only at your Disney Resort Hotel).

For 5 night/6 day packages at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts, get the Disney Dining Plan — includes 1 table-service meal, 1 quick-service meal and 1 select snack per person per night of your package stay.

 
 
FREE Dining offer for public to be announced on Monday May 2!  Should be VERY similar to this deal!!

Free Fun in Disney!

Ok so this one isn't exactly FREE, but it is a pretty cheap and fun way to get the kids souvenirs without spending tons of money.  My two LOVE getting the pressed pennies. 

The machines are all over the place and part of the fun is finding them, but if you want a cheat sheet for where to find all the fun here is a list with locations made up by AllEarsNet.com - go here.  Now get out your 2 quarts and one shiny new penny and get to pressing! 

There are two types of machines - Here is a picture of one of them:

Push a button and the machine does all the work!

The other machine has a handle that you crank yourself and presses the penny.  Here it is:

Notice the crank - you turn this yourself - don't worry it's easy!!

So while researching this I found more info then I ever thought I would!!  I never realized there was such a cult like following for the elongated coin, ec, or what I call the pressed penny!  There are websites out there with information galore!  But here are a few of the things I found out that I liked the most.  I will start by telling you the links to the two best sites I found and then cover my favorites from them!  The two sites are -Penny Collector and Park Pennies. 

Ok now what did those sites have to say...

Well the Penny Collector gave some great tips on cleaning and the types of pennies to use!  Yes there are certain years to use!  Weird!  So they recommend using a pre 1982 penny because they start to contain zinc after 1982.  Now for those that are not hard core collectors you may not care, but for others the zinc under the copper is noticeable and they don't like it - the choice is yours, you have been warned!  :-)

If you want your penny to really shine after all those years of use there are some cleaning tips you can try.  I am just going to link right to it.  I haven't tried any of this, but I think I am going to be more organized with all of it on our next trip as this is an activity my kids really do enjoy and I hate searching for the perfect penny in my wallet!  Cleaning Tips

Now here is a great idea and one I am going to implement on my next trip - a carrying case!  Ok we buy the pressed penny booklets that they sell down in Disney.  This is a great way to display and hold on to them after you have completed them, although not a required element to the fun!  BUT as I mentioned above this is an activity my kids really enjoy so I want to try and be more organized for it when we go next.  Well a reader submitted a tip to the Penny Collector site - use the M&M minis container.  My plan is to clean them all up and then let the kids decorate them with Disney stickers!  Then you can stack 2 quarters and one penny in there so when they get to a penny press they simply get their container, and they can easily pull out the right amount of coins!  Super tip!!  :-)  Here are more storing tips.

Ok now on the Park Pennies site they have a fairly updated list of where to find penny presses around Walt Disney World.  And the great thing is it is a PDF and you can print it out and take it with you!  They also have a map! And an even more updated list can be found here at Presscoins.com - The Unoffical Guide to Walt Disney World Pressed Coins.

Ok I think that more than covers it!  Trust me I had no clue this would be this FULL of information, but alas it is because like everything with Disney there is usually a following of some sort.  :-) 

Happy Coin Collecting!!!  Be sure to share your tips for this fun activity!!

Free Fun in Disney

Ok here is another edition of Free Fun in Disney!!

There are many places in WDW to visit besides the parks themselves and these places are basically free or have darn cheap activities.  (by Disney standards!)

So are you looking for something fun and free to do in Disney?  How about checking out Disney's Boardwalk?  Yes it is one of the nicest resorts (in my opinion) on Disney property, but did you know that it is so much more than that?

My husband and I stayed at Disney's Boardwalk Resort for our honeymoon.  It remains his favorite, and one of my favorite resorts til this day.  One of the things we noticed while staying there is just how much fun it was to be there.  The best time to visit the Boardwalk is after sunset.  This is when all the lights come on and it is really neat looking!

Disney's Boardwalk area all lit up from across the lake

Now what is there to do there?

• Many nights you can find street like performers putting on shows on the Boardwalk.  There is a piano player, juggler, etc.  My husband and I would sit up at night on one of the benches and just watch it all.
• For a small charge there are carnival type games set up.
• For a charge there are surrey bikes you can rent to ride around the Boardwalk area.
• There is a cover charge to get in, but if you can go (21 and over) JellyRolls is a great Dueling Piano bar!  Yes there is money to pay for drinks, but the entertainment is enough for me!
• Check out the ESPN Club - you can sit at the bar and watch a game or grab a table and a bite to eat!
• Atlantic Dance Studio is fun for a night of dancing (21 and over).
• Just sit and people watch while the kids dance and play in the large yard area. 
• There at Halloween?  We have gone for the Halloween Dance Party - it's a blast and completely FREE!  They also have a small amount of trick or treating for the kids to do!

So there you have it.  Not all FREE per se, but inexpensive for the most part and definitely a place to see!!

Free Shipping with Tangled Purchase

Head on over to the Disney Store today and get FREE shipping with any Tangled purchase!  So many great cute items to choose from!  Happy Shopping!!  Disney Store - Free Shipping Today!

Free Fun in Disney!

So I have decided to include a new part of the blog and give you tips on free fun things to do in Disney. It might not all be 100% free, but it will be pretty darn close. I am going to start with activity I am really wanting to try on our next trip. Searching for Hidden Mickeys. This is such a popular activity that there are books written about it, scavenger hunts set up, iPhone apps and entire websites that focus just on this topic!

So what's a hidden Mickey?
 Well to give you a proper history lesson, I went to wikipedia.com and searched Hidden Mickey, there is a whole section on it!  Tells you how big a deal this Hidden Mickey business is!!  The below information is credited to The Hidden Mickeys.

What exactly is a Hidden Mickey?

  A hidden Mickey is a image of Mickey Mouse, usually the head, blended in to the design of a building, hotel, rides, trash can foliage or anything else in a Disney Park.

The classic hidden Mickey is the three circles, two smaller ones for the ears. There is also the profile Mickey. It is not uncommon to see images of Mickey’s pants or gloves floating around also.

How did it Start?

It all stated as a joke with the Disney Imagineers. Urban legend has it that when they were designing EPCOT, the original plans were to not include Mickey and company anywhere in the park. To spice things up, the Imagineers decided to include Mickey, but in a somewhat understated fashion – hence the birth of the Hidden Mickey.

Since then, they Hidden Mickeys have made their way around all the parks. Just because there is a Mickey head somewhere does not make it a Hidden Mickey. Anything done with the intent to be seen by all does not qualify, and not as hard to find either.

 Now back to me!  :-)  There are apparently over 600 that have been documented although the Walt Disney Company does not keep track of how many are actually out there in the parks and also in movies too!

They aren't just in the parks - you can go resort hopping (another free activity to be covered later) and find them in the carpets, on water slides, on the walls, you name you could look and find a mouse!

Like I said I keep an eye out daily as do my kids.  It is a fun little game and keeps the magic close to home for us.  Here is kinda one that I found, it was good enough that I snapped a shot of it and posted it to facebook!!

Do you see it???  Hahaha!!!  The kids did!

So here is an activity that you can do, whether in the parks, or just on the resorts grounds that will cost you nothing!  You can even get lists at The Hidden Mickeys telling you where to find them or check out the book I posted here.  :-)

Happy Mickey Hunting!!  

Do you know where to find a Hidden Mickey or have a picture of one you have encountered?  Email me or share the image on the facebook page - Be Our Guest on Facebook and of course you can comment below!

Website and other fun Friday tidbits!

Hello Disney fans!!

Well I am in full on mode to find the write place to host and design the website now that I have taken it from Vistaprint.  Having my site down caused more problems than I think they realize.  Including another Be Our Guest Vacations being formed...yikes.  Still processing that.  So I will definitely keep you updated here as to what is going on with that and where you will be able to find us on the web soon.  For now continue to check in here and of course the facebook page.

We are two days away from the Kids Stay and Play for Free offer expiring!  If you are planning on traveling to Walt Disney World between now and October 1 get in on this offer.  I have had some tell me they are hoping for Free Dining.  My advice get in on the promo that is being offered and then if the Free Dining is offered AND a better deal for your family I will make the alterations.  No work for you at all.  The good thing about doing it that way, is you get the piece of mind of knowing that 1) you are locked in to a great deal if no other deal is offered and 2) I am there watching your back for a better deal - whether it be Free Dining or something else!  So be sure to contact me asap if this deal works for your dates!!

I hope you are liking the new look of the blog for now.  I am still ivestigating some other choices and then there is the fact that the whole darn thing might move on over to wherever I decide to host my website.  Decisions Decisions!!  I am not super tech savvy, so luckily I have some tech savvy family members out there!

And last thing....I am going to take a friends advice and possibly arrange some sort of giveaway either here or on the Facebook page.  What I will giveaway I am not sure of yet.  But for either to happen I want to get more likes on the Facebook page and get some followers on the blog!  So I think that will be a requirement - follow the blog and help me reach ____ amount of likes.  I haven't decided what that number will be!

Well have a Magical Friday my fellow Disney friends!!  And remember contact me today for that quote!

Also - if you already have booked your trip or if you have a friend that has - tell them or yourself (LOL) that I will give you a Disney gift card for transferring it over to me!  You will get a $25 gift card for transferring it and then you get me to keep an eye out for all those special deals and you can sit back relax and wait for the fun to start!  And if you refer a friend - remember you get a $10 gift card - not necessarily to Disney, but to wherever.

Again have a Magical Day!!!

Time Is Running Out!

Disney fans you don't want to miss out on this great deal!  Park tickets are one of the most expensive parts of a Disney package.  Well what if I told you that if you book by the 27th you can get your park tickets for your children for FREE!!  That's right, children under 10 get FREE park tickets when you book a Magic Your Way Vacation Package. 

My family is taking advantage of this great offer as are several others, but you have to book by the 27th of March!  Travel must start by the 1st of October. 

If this isn't the right one for you because you have older children or maybe you are a couple going down or friends for a long weekend - take advantage of the room discounts being offered.  These also expire on the 27th!  Packages can be added to the room reservation!  You can save up to 40%!!!

What are you waiting for???  $200 secures your Disney Vacation!!  Book today!!

Worst Blogger Ever

Hi everyone!

I know I am the worst blogger ever, but since I still haven't gotten any real followers yet, no biggie right?!

My goal this year is to get this blog on a regular posting schedule and to get some good regular followers!!

My other goal to SAVE you money and help you plan your Disney trip for FREE!!! One way to do that - get down to Disney the beginning of May - LOW LOW crowds according to the Crowd Calendar on TouringPlans.com and a price that is right!

A Family of 4 - 2 adults and 2 children ages 3 to 9 - can go to Disney World for 4 nights and 5 days with park hopper tickets, hotel stay, and quick service dining for just under $1700!!!! Let me tell you I am tempted - are you???!!!

Lesson: How to use Fastpass!

Fastpass is a great tool to help you maximize your time in Disney! It was introduced in 1999 and allows guests to avoid long lines at the attractions on which the system is installed, freeing them to enjoy other attractions during their wait. The service is available at no additional charge to ALL park guests. You will see I bolded that section and capped ALL, why you ask? Because I cannot tell you how many times I have been there and heard people ask how much it costs, think it is only for resort guests, or so many other things. I have had people waiting in the regular line give me dirty looks and make comments as I zip by with my fastpass ticket in the fastpass line and they continue to slowly move through a LONG line!

So now you know what Fastpass (FP) is and that you can use it as long as you have a park ticket, which everyone in the parks should have one. Well what attractions have FP? FP is designed for the most popular rides. Mission Space in Epcot was the first ride designed with a seperate FP waiting area. All other rides before were modified to make a FP line available. Rides where you can use FP are:

Magic Kingdom
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Jungle Cruise
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Peter Pan's Flight
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Stitch's Great Escape
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Epcot
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
Living with the Land
Maelstrom
Mission: SPACE
Soarin'
Test Track

Disney's Hollywood Studios
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Tours
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Toy Story Midway Mania
Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Disney's Animal Kingdom
DINOSAUR
It's Tough to be a Bug
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Primeval Whirl
Expedition Everest

Here is a look at a FP for Splash Mountain, they all look the same, minus the ride logo of course!

When you get into the park have a plan of what rides you want a FP for. Then assign a FP runner - give this person the tickets and send him/her off to get the groups FP for that ride. Trust me you all don't want to trek back to Splash Mountain if you have just entered Main Street. No need to all run aorund! Pick a meeting spot for the FP runner to meet back up with you and now ride some rides.

You can see from the picture that it will give you a one hour window when you can go back, don't let that effect whether or not you get it. Lets say you get one and during that window you are scheduled for a meal at Cinderella's Table. It's ok! You can go after the time period is up, just not before! :-)

Now wait until your time is ready and then right at the start time - send that runner out for another FP, this is when you will be able to get another one (unless there is a significant - usually over two hours from when you received your FP - wait, then you will be able to get one before the start time.) Have the runner meet you with the next set of FPs in hand and go ride your first FP attraction.

FP runner - here is a look at the machine: When you walk up to a ride equipped with a FP, you will see the area that houses the FP machines, above that area it will tell you the window for the ride times. It will be a one hour window. Enter the tickets in one at a time into the machine. It will give you your ticket back and print out a FP. If you get a FP printed that says "Fastpass NOT available at this time" and you do not currently have a FP see FP cast member for help. Otherwise this has printed because you already have a FP and you are not allowed another yet, see your current FP for when you are allowed to get a new one. If a FP won't print or it just keeps spitting your park ticket back out - see the Cast Member, your park ticket may be demagnatized and you may need to have it replaced, the CM will give you a ticket for getting FP for the rest of the day in the park you are in. Now once you have gotten all your FP go meet up with the rest of your party!

Ok it is time to ride - where do you go? Well when you approach a ride with a FP, you will see two lines - one is marked Standby entrance and one is marked FP entrance. They are usually within a few feet of each other, but not always - The Safari in Animal Kingdom is a good example the entrances being far from each other. Take your FP up and show them to the Cast Member at the Fast pass entrance, he/she will check to be sure you are there at the right time and then let you by. You now get to zip right by all those people waiting in line! Once you get to the front there will be another Cast Member waiting to collect your FP, so be careful and don't lose them from point a to point b! Now go ride and have fun!!

Fastpass is a great invention and if used correctly will really benefit you, especially at busy times!

Tip for Tuesday

Hello everyone!

So I am trying to get back into the groove. Life is crazy!! Anyway, my tip for today...utilize the Baby Care Centers!

Each of the 4 theme parks have a Baby Care Center. Here you can feed or change your little one - they even have a room that is quiet and dark with gliders/rockers to nurse your little one!

My favorite two are Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. They have televisions with old classic Disney cartoons on, toys, nice changing tables, a bathroom or two, high chairs, a small shop with items you may need in a pinch (PRICEY!) and I think microwaves. There is a cast member there as well. Strollers are NOT allowed in!

We went one year and it was HOT, so hot!! These little stops were wonderful!! To be able to go take a break from the heat in some nice A/C in a spot that wasn't over stimulating for my little one was perfect. I let them crawl around and play, gave them a diaper change and fed them. It was a nice break. Oh and FREE too! Usually they are located right by the first aide center in the park.

Wednesday's Question

Hey all your Disney fans!

Here is your question -

Where is your favorite place to just relax in Disney World - not your resort room!!

For me I love going over to Fort Wilderness Campground when I am taking a break from it all. Not only do they have one of my favorite restaurants - Trail's End - but it is just such a peaceful, slow placed environment! I love taking the boat there from Magic Kingdom and walking to the mercantile shop right there and looking around. Then I let the kids play for a bit on the play ground. There is also a beach right when you get off the boat if you want to just lounge on a chair for a bit and really relax. Then if it is a meal time you better believe that I am walking into Trails End and hoping to get Big D or Gary - our favorite servers there - and having a delicious meal! Your belly will be full and statisfied! After a tasty meal it is over to the stables - check out all the horses - BEAUTIFUL! Let the kids take a pony ride and then you can hop a bus and ride around the campground to the meadows. If you are there at night be sure to get there in time to catch a Disney Classic. Before the movie there is a sing along with Chip and Dale! During the movie there is campfires and you can purchase marshmallows to roast! All in all a relaxing time and a lot of fun! And unless you eat at the restaurant, pay for the pony ride, or buy marshmallows it can be FREE fun at WDW!!!

Tuesday's Tip

Hey there Disney Lovers!

On Facebook I posted my tip of the day, but they don't leave much room to get into all the fun details!!

So my tip of the day is...Stay On Site!!

There is nothing more magical than staying on Disney Property! You get to be surrounded by the magic of Disney from the time you wake up until you go to bed. Even your wake up call is magical!! :-) But if that isn't reason enough, here are some of the top reasons I think staying on site is where it's at!!

1.) Free Parking! We drive to Disney, so we have a car there. We like to drive about and sometimes drive to the parks. Well if you are off site and not an Annual Passholder, then you have to pay $12 a day to park!! So if you will have a car there and plan to use it, then factor this cost into your budget, or just stay on site!!

2.) Free Transportation! Yup that's right, if you are onsite you get a easy boat, bus, or monorail ride to and from your resort! This makes it VERY easy to take that midday break with the kids or just for yourself. It is very relaxing to let someone else do the driving.

3.) Extra Magic Hours! Now while the other two may have been ehhh to you, this is where it's at! Extra Magic Hours are for resort guests only. A certain park will open either 1 hour early or stay open 3 hours later than regular hours. So lets say Animal Kingdom is having morning extra magic hours (EMH for short) and their normal hours are 9 am to 5 pm. That means that if you are a resort guest you can enter the park at 8 am. Great for early birds. That I am not, so I LOVE evening EMH. In this case take Animal Kingdom again open from 9 am to 5pm and with evening EMH they will stay open til 8pm. Even better is when Epcot stays open til midnight! The crowds really thing down as the night goes on! We have even taken advantage of staying at Magic Kingdom til 2am!!

So there are a few of the reasons I LOVE being on site at Walt Disney World!!

Comment here at let us know why you love it!