Rumored Deal for 2013

Hi there Disney friends!

So like I said I am planning to be a better blogger, so here I am!

Ok so there is a spectacular deal being rumored to be available starting January 3rd!  It is rumored to be up to 30% off rooms and discounts on park tickets if you add them to your room package!  Discounted tickets is unheard of usually, so this really is a great deal.  Usually you get a discounted room OR some other sort of discount, so to have them combined is truly awesome!  The deal runs from February 18th to June 14th and is available at most resorts, the one we know for sure that will be most likely blocked is the Art of Animation Little Mermaid Rooms.  You can book this deal between the dates of January 3rd and May 31st.

Please contact me to inquire more.  The phone lines will be crazy when this deal is offered, so be sure to let me know what you want ahead of time so I can have a booking already in place when I call and I can simply make the change!  All you need to do is put down a $200 deposit, although if you are looking at a last minute February trip, your final payment will be due almost imediately!

Keep in mind that the dates for this deal include Spring Break, as well as Star Wars Weekends.  We attended Star Wars Weekends last year and LOVED it!  Look for a review on that in an upcoming post!!

Please keep in mind that this is all speculation right now!  Nothing will be for sure until the deal is officially released, but the source this came from is pretty reliable! 

Information from: user danny25 on the disboards.com

Have a Disney Day!

~Teresa

2013 Resolution - Keep Up With My Blog!!

Wow...it's been a LONG time!!!  My life has been very busy, but that doesn't mean I am not still busy booking Disney trips.  In fact, I think I have more booked for 2013 than I have in any other year.  To say business is going well and I am growing is an understatement!  I couldn't be happier.  I am still doing my part time job at the hospital as well, so that makes for a busy life and doesn't leave me much time to get on here, but for my 2013 resolution I am going to make an effort, to do better with keeping up with this page and my facebook page.  I really want to grow my business, so if you are still reading here or get auto messages of new posts, pass it on to friends!

For now I am going to try and get back into regular postings, so keep a look out!  I'm hoping to double my bookings that I already have for 2013...maybe even have a few giveaways and some fun!!  Bring on the Disney Magic and let's ring in the new year!!

I'll be back with more fun in the upcoming weeks and in the new year! 

Have a Magical Day!!

~Teresa

Tuesday Tip

Hey friends!!!

So my tip for today - off site stroller rental!! We rented a stroller on our September 2011 trip for the first time ever. I am the mommy of a 6 and 4 year old. In the past we have always brought our own stroller(s). My son would be in the big travel system and my daughter in the MacLaren. Well our last trip I wanted a double since my son is tall he was too big for our travel system Graco and I knew my daughter would get tired.

I looked at Disney pricing but come one.... $31/day for a hard plastic stroller that the kids couldn't be comfortable in and we would have to leave it in the park for the walk to the buses or our car. S I started researching off site stroller rental companie. There are ALOT out there! For us we LOVE Kingdom Strollers! The pricing and free options are fantastic and the customer service cannot be beat! Most places require the stroller be returned the morning of your last day. Kingdom Strollers let's you have it until 5pm or later (we texted them and they let us have it til 8pm for NO charge!) and they drop it off either super early the day of your rental or the night before. It's waiting at bell services!

They have a wide array of choices in singles and doubles. For our last trip we rented a Bob Duallie. Pushing around nearly 100 lbs of kids should be hard, but nope it glided with ease! Our next trip we are planning to try the City Elite Double. It fits taller kids a bit better. My daughter will be 6 almost 7 when we go and will probably rarely sit in it but it's only a $10 difference to get a double instead of a single and to be able to offer her a seat in the shade in June is worth it to me! And a safe place to put her in a crowded park!

We go full on at the parks. Usually rope drop to closing with maybe a VERY short break so our kids are tired at the end. Our September trip they fell asleep in the stroller on our way out almost every night. We used it to get to our car in the parking lot then transferred them to the car and then back to the stroller to walk to our room.

Here's a shot of the stroller being used well!!

Refurbishments...the latest and greatest....

Are you planning a trip and wondering if something will be getting worked on during your stay?!

Well here is a up to date list via the official Disney Travel Agent site!


Magic Kingdom® Park

• Plaza Ice Cream Parlor - 01/04/12 - 03/27/12
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant - 01/09/12 - 03/30/12 (this has been opened during the soft opening happening now!
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - 01/09/12 - 05/27/12
• Liberty Square Riverboat - 04/16/12 - 05/20/12

Epcot®

• Tutto Italia Ristorante - 01/08/12 - 04/27/12
• Innoventions: House of Innoventions exhibit - 12/04/11 - Late April 2012
• Test Track - TBD - rumor is sometime in April and reopening mid to late September.  These dates are only rumors though as nothing has been officially announced by Disney since January and upon a call to Disney I was told it will be closing, but no dates are known as of now.  (call placed on 3/29/12)

Disney's Hollywood Studios®

• Sounds Dangerous - Closed; Operates Seasonally
• Lights! Motors! Action! Extreme Stunt Show - 04/29/12 - 05/02/12

Where Have I Been.....

Hello all from the worst Disney blogger ever!!!

Where have I been you ask????!!!!  Well that's semisimple...busy!  Last June I started working outside the home and outside of my Disney fix - this blog and travel planning.  I had gone to school 6 months before that and trained to become a phlebotomist - you know the people that take blood from you!  :-)  Well in June I finally landed a job doing it.  It's only part time, but I get to pick up as many hours as I want and usually I pick up at least a couple shifts a week, the rest of the time is spent transporting kids here there and everywhere!!  Life was so calm a year ago....but the money is good and it helps pay for my Disney trips!!

That said I'm going to try and devote some more time here!  That's my goal and my plan anyway.  I have to look back and see what I've already wrote about and try to pick up where I left off.  My plan is to try and get a bunch of posts scheduled once a week and then that way it's an active blog again.

I'm also going to head over to my business page and give it some tweeking!!  I really love Disney planning and want to get back into it!!

If you are anyone you know is thinking about a trip, please let me know!  I'd be happy to help!!!  Also if you have a trip booked with Disney, not another agent - we don't steal from each other, professional courtesy - and you would like to transfer it over to me, it really is a simple process!!  I'll do most of the heavy lifting for the transfer and all of the heavy lifting with your trip planning, or as much as you want me to do!  For your trouble you get a $25 Disney Gift Card!!! 

Thanks for all that have stuck with me while I make these transitions and adjustments!! 

Have a Disney Day!  :-)

Resort Review - Polynesian Resort

Today I am going to tell you a bit about the Polynesian Resort with special assistance from two readers that sent in reviews after staying there.  I personally have never stayed so it was great to get their perspective on it!  :-)

As has become the norm here is a little video from Disney Parks Media!

Some Facts:

• Website: Polynesian Resort Website
  
• Resort Category: Deluxe
• Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area
• Pricing: Starts at $385 per night
• Rooms Availabe:
  • Standard Rooms - Garden, Lagoon, or Theme Park Views
  • Club Level Rooms and Suites
  • Suites

 Resort Map:

Have I personally stayed here?
No I have not.  I have visited the resort and eaten here at the Ohana restaurant as well as at the Luau that they have.  The resort grounds are beautiful and it is awesome to be able to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the beach while relaxing as the pipe in the Wishes music.  All in all, I hope to stay there at least for one night one time.  The price for me is a bit of a turn off, but hey you never know!  :-)


Guest Reviews:

•  Review Number 1 - Judy
• What I like about it:    I liked the fact that it was less than a minute walk to the TTC. The beach was great and you could watch fireworks from there without the crowds. The room was very nice. It held three adult women and a 9 year old boy quite comfortably. My 9 year old son was very impressed with the lobby and the pool, which I as an adult also liked. We at a two restaurants and the luau and had not a bad meal while we were there.
• What I didn't like:   I can’t really think of anything I didn’t like about the Polynesian, but if pressed I guess I would say I wish the gift shops had been a little bigger.
• Would I stay here again:  I would stay here again without a doubt.  In fact I can't see myself staying anywhere else!

 

•  Review Number 2 - Melissa R. 
• What I like about it:
  There’s a long list of things I love about the Polynesian Resort. One of the main reasons we stay there is the theme- the decor and tropical vibe make us feel so relaxed and ready for the most memorable vacation the second we enter the lobby. Also, it is in a great location! You can take the monorail or boat to the Magic Kingdom and can walk to the Transportation Center to take the monorail to Epcot. There are also great restaurants at the Polynesian. Tonga Toast and a pot of French Pressed Kona Coffee at Kona Café are a great way to start the day before hitting the parks. Captain Cook’s is also a good place to grab a bite to eat – although it is a Quick Service restaurant, it offers delicious, unique menu items.
• What I didn't like about it:
  The rates are among the highest in the Deluxe Resort category. But, if you can take advantage of a discount, it is well worth the higher price. Also, it is very tough to get a reservation at O’Hana. I thought resort guests would get some sort of priority, but not such luck.
• Would I stay there again and why:
  Yes, my family and I would definitely stay at the Polynesian Resort again. The convenience, theme/decor, great food and the fond memories we have of our magical vacations at the resort will keep us coming back!
  
  

Favorite Rides - Dumbo

Get ready...this week we talk about one of the most popular rides in WDW.  It might not be a favorite for grownups, but it is DEFINITELY on the MUST DO list for your kids.  The one the only.....DUMBO!!!

Some Info:

• Park: Magic Kingdom
• Land/Area: Fantasyland
• Height Requirements: Nope!
• Best Suited For: Preschoolers and young children, but it is fun for ALL!
• Warnings: For me - heights!!  I know silly, but it freaks me out when we are all the way up!
• Fastpass:  As of now no, but when the ride is moved to the new section with the additional ride it will have a virtual queue area.

What I like About It:
What's not to like????  Dumbo is one of the most popular rides in Magic Kingdom.  The worst part about it is the LONG line that usually comes with it.  It is definitely a ride to hit as soon as you walk in.  Whether you have a preschooler or not, this is a ride to get on just because it is a classic!  :-)

Random Facts: 
The original Dumbo the Flying elephant opened in Disneyland 3 months after the park opened.  All the other Disney parks have a Dumbo ride and they all opened on opening day in their respective parks.  The ride is being moved to a circus themed area that used to be Toon Town sometime in the next year.  This is all part of the new Fantasyland expansion.