Fun Disney Sites

There are a LOT of websites out there that cover every aspect of Walt Disney World - the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Personally, I don't waste my time with going to haters-of-all-things-Disney sites because they just make me mad.  I mean, everyone can have a bad experience anyplace in the world and every company has "secret" things that they do that they would prefer the public not know about.  That's fine - but it seems to me that there are people that go out of their way to FIND things wrong with "the World".  I will not support them or promote them on this blog.

Now, having said that, today while watching the latest episode of "Travel with Rick" (which he took us on Epcot's Mission Space - the Green version) he introduced us to another Disney blog called "The Disney Driven Life".  Okay, first, I know I have mentioned "Travel with Rick" here several times and what I find fun about him is that he video tapes all of the Disney rides, attractions and whatnot and shares it with us.  This is a great tool if you are a first-time visitor and have kids that might find an attraction or two scary and you want to check it out before you go.  It's a very informative site, and not to be missed.

But now..."The Disney Driven Life" is geared towards us Neurotic Disney Fans - and you know who you are.  We think, dream and obsess about all-things Disney and cannot wait for any and all trips where we can just be immersed in the magic.  Per the website, this is their description of a Disney Driven Life:  "If your lifestyle revolves around incorporating the Disney brand into all aspects of your life, then you are leading a Disney Driven Life.  This includes activities like watching Disney movies, listening to Disney music and podcasts, discussing Disney topics with family and friends on a regular basis, participating in Disney communities online and enjoying every minute of it.  But the paramount event in the life of a Disney Driven person is planning and anticipating a Disney vacation."

I LOVE THAT!!!~

So if you fit in to that category, go on over and check out "The Disney Driven Life" and get that acceptance and know that you are not alone!  I know it made me feel better!

Alice in Wonderland at Disneyland in California – Episode 64

Alice in Wonderland at Disneyland in California – Episode 64

A really helpful tool when planning your first trip to Walt Disney World and going with kids is to check out some of the rides first so that you can see whether or not your child will be scared. I think that poor planning and not knowing what the rides are like are a sure-fire guaranteed way to ruin your trip. Even though some of the rides look innocent or are themed after beloved Disney animated movies, they can be dark and scary for younger ones. A great source for checking out rides before you go is my favorite video Disney blog site, Travel with Rick. This particular episode is from the Alice in Wonderland ride in Disneyland but I thought that it was a pretty cool ride and a good intro for you to look at to see what is available when investigating the Disney rides before you go.

Enjoy!

Getting the best deal when booking

Booking a vacation to anywhere is no longer a difficult task. With travel sites like Expedia and Travelocity, you really can't go wrong. You can go to WaltDisneyWorld.com and get pricing on your own vacation and book it on line, but is that the best way to do it?

From what I can tell, Disney has the policy of "Don't ask, don't tell" - meaning that if there is a special going on and you don't know about it when you are booking, they do not have to tell you about it. Having said that, I have found several great Disney travel sites that not only tell you what deals are going on but will even keep checking for you between the time you book and the time that you leave for your trip so that you are getting the best prices and the best deals on your trip.

I mainly deal with The Magic for Less Travel. I LOVE them. I first found out about them through a yahoo group called "Disney Dollarless" which then became "The Mouse for Less". I have gotten amazing information from them but the one that has stuck with me time and time again is The Magic for Less Travel. My travel guy is named Ric and he is amazing. Whenever I am thinking about booking a trip, I go directly to him, he lets me know what promos are going on, what's coming up, etc. He'll keep checking prices for me, he helps me make all of my dining reservations, makes my Magical Express reservations and most vacation packages include some gifts from the agency. I've gotten luggage tags, pass holders, insulated cup holders...I always love getting free stuff!

I have a friend who solely deals with AAA. What I learned from her was that AAA is sort of in a partnership with Disney and therefore if you are a AAA card holder, you get certain perks. You get special parking, admittance to private lounges, invites to certain story times with the characters...it kind of pays to book with them if any of that interests you. For me, we don't drive once we get to the park so the parking pass doesn't really mean much to me. My kids are too old for storytime and the lounge? Well, that could work!

Another great travel agency that I enjoy working with is Kingdom Magic Travel. There's another Rick there who is the owner and he is most definitely a Disney fanatic! He does the video travel blog that I mentioned in an earlier post and he sends out weekly newsletters that let you know all of the promos going on with all things Disney - be it Disney World, Disneyland or the Disney Cruiseline. Back in 2004, I actually won a trivia contest with them where I won a 4-day/3-night stay at the Radisson Orlando that was 5 minutes outside of Disney. It was pretty sweet. I have gone to Kingdom Magic for vacation quotes but I have to admit, I'm sort of loyal to The Magic for Less and Ric over there. Their vacation quotes are identical and so it's not like you get a different price if you chose one over the other.

Some specials and promos that Disney has offered in the past include: Free dining, 30-40% off of your room rate, buy 4 nights get 3 nights free, get in free on your birthday...I'm sure that there are others but these stand out the most to me. Sometimes there are discount codes released for certain travel dates where you get a discount...if you search your travel section of your Sunday newspaper you are almost guaranteed to find one.

Bottom line is that it is better for you to book with a travel agency because they find you the best prices, they keep looking for specials and discounts and then handle all of the changes for you. Check these great sites out and ask for Ric...or Rick!

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at the Walt Disney World Resort – Episode 26

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at the Walt Disney World Resort – Episode 26

Nothing can bring your Walt Disney World vacation to a screaming halt like a child who becomes frightened on a ride and then won't go on anything else. While you can read about all of the attractions at Walt Disney World on their website or in any guide book, sometimes it helps to SEE what exactly is going to happen and how "dark" is dark.

With the invention of the internet, you can see just about anything on line. I've seen videos of Disney rides on YouTube, but my personal favorite is "Travel With Rick" at travelwithrick.com. Each week Rick posts a new video of someplace in Walt Disney World and sometimes from Disneyland. He posts videos of rides, attractions, hotels...he tries to hit everything.

If you are traveling with a young child, I highly recommend going to his site and looking up what he has to offer because not only does he post the video but he also tells you a little about the ride, as well. Kind of makes it a little more interesting. This particular episode takes you through the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride in the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland at the Walt Disney World Resort. Enjoy!