The Affordable Mouse

Thrifty Thursday: Disney Countdown!

Tina — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:45:26 +0000

Want a cheap night in with the family?? You’ll save money by not going out and doing expensive activities and you’ll have some Disney fun! Why not make a Disney Countdown poster? We do this every trip (except for the trip we took in 2010 where we kept it a secret from Ash and surprised her the day of…but that is a whole other post!)

Here is what you will need:

1. Poster paper – I get mine from JoAnns or Michaels with a coupon

2. Markers – they work best on the poster

3. Disney stickers – again get from your craft store with coupons

4. Kids who love Disney

5. One adult with a pencil who can draw straight lines;)

You can do this activity for around $10 or less!! Figure out how many days until your next Disney trip. On your poster with a pencil (just in case) draw a calendar like grid so that you have enough boxes to represent each day until you leave. Then, have the kids trace over your straight lines with their makers, let em use all different colors, it’ll be more fun that way. Have them number each day, starting from the day you leave labeling it with the number 1 and put the numbers in the boxes all the way through the calendar until today (the day you make the poster). Then give them Disney stickers and let them have at it! We have a 13 year old and she enjoys this activity, as do I so there is no age limit!! Even if you have a wee little one, they can still stick stickers, right??

Then put the poster up somewhere you will see it everyday. It will bring you joy and extreme excitement every time you see it!! The kids can take turns each day crossing them off, bringing the trip even closer. I love doing this, it makes me happy!

There are plenty of other ways to do this too. I have friends who do the paper chain countdown where you either add or take away a paper chain to count the days. No matter what you choose, it’ll be so fun for the whole family and will entertain the kids. You could even have each child make their own to keep in their room too. Finish the night off with a Disney movie with popcorn and you’ll have a fun, Disney themed, evening at home!! Plus you will save money by NOT going out!! Take the $30+ you may spend elsewhere and throw it in your Disney Fund;)

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Tina works full time as a school counselor in an elementary school. She lives close to Baltimore, MD with her husband Dave and her 13 year old stepdaughter, Ashley. They also have a furry family member, a cat name Frodo, that keeps life interesting in their house! Tina began visiting Disney World as a child with her family, and now her, Dave & Ashley take a trip to the World every year. She considers herself a Disney “fanatic” and once her family is finished one trip, she is already planning their next one. Tina loves to find the best deals, even in the busy seasons (she can only go when schools are off!) and loves sharing those deals & tips with anyone and everyone! What Tina loves most is the magic of WDW, it makes her feel like a kid again. She hopes that every family has the opportunity go to the World and experience the magic for themselves because it has a way of reminding its visitors that dreams do indeed come true! Read more of Tina’s work on her blog A Not So Bland Life, where she writes about home decor, cooking, couponing, traveling, and and of course, Disney!

Wordless Wednesday: Hollywood Scoops!

Karen — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:45:09 +0000

For those traveling to Walt Disney World this summer, SCOOPS is a great stop for a cool yummy treat. Located on Sunset Boulevard right across from Tower of Terror, their menu offers hand dipped cones, Apple Crisp, Sundaes and Ice Cream Sandwiches. What’s better than ice cream, people watching and being in Disney World?

Karen grew up in the Boston area and traveled to Disney World many times with her parents and sister. Always staying at the Fort Wilderness Cabins gave the trips a feeling of a home away from home. It also started the tradition of attending the Hoop Dee Doo Review on each trip! Somehow that show sparked her interest in the Disney College Program. Which she did in the fall of 2002, working as a hostess @ Captain Jacks in Downtown Disney. Now as an adult, Karen finds herself traveling to the parks on a yearly basis! Photography has always been a hobby of Karen’s, but over the past few years it has become her passion. It’s even taken her to her favorite place! The Make a Wish Foundation sent a family to Disney for a week and Karen was lucky enough to be their photographer of choice! She got to tag along and photograph their memories being made. She hopes to get that experience again someday! You can find more of Karen’s photography on her site www.KPportraits.com.

Cast Member’s Corner: Lost Parents

Jessica — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:45:17 +0000

If you’ve ever been to Walt Disney World in the middle of the summer you know it is a very busy place. Even when it is not summer, the parks can still be busy. Although this may not bother most kids it can make some parents nervous. Disney is a very safe place with tons of Cast Members all over the place. Not only are we there to help with any questions and helping lines move quickly and effectively but we also are there to help the children. Children are never lost in Disney, Disney is their playground, it is the parents who can’t keep up that are lost.

When parents are lost Cast Members will keep a close eye on your children. They are trained to try and spot the problem before the child panics. When I spotted a case of Lost Parent I asked Wendy Darling to talk to the newest little Princess. Wendy and the child talked about Neverland and Peter Pan while I helped locate the parents. When the parents were reunited with their child the child was smiling and had a handful of stickers as well as a unique experience with Wendy she would never forget.

Just from watching guests I’ve seen some great ideas used to keep an eye on their children. Parents will get shirts that match the family, especially in tour groups or for family reunions. I have also see children with glow in the dark bracelets and necklaces. Little girls can wrap the bracelets around their ponytails to make them easier to spot. Some parents have made bracelets for their children with the parents phone number and resort written on them. Other parents have written the phone number and last name on the inside of the child’s shirt. I would not recommend writing the child’s name though. The only time I really noticed the child’s name was on the buttons that Disney gave out for celebrating an occasion.

The next time you plan on visiting Disney with your little Prince, Princess, or Pirates and you are worried about them consider unique and fun ways to make them stand out. Come up with places you would meet should you get separated. Also point out what Cast Member’s look like, with their name tags and costumes. Lost parents can feel safer with their children wearing their phone number on them and being easier to spot with unique shirts, glow in the dark bracelets, and under the watchful eye of Cast Members. So take a deep breath and relax, enjoy the magic of Disney with faith, trust, and pixie dust!

Jess was born and raised on Long Island, New York but once college began so did her adventures. She’s lived in Florida, Wisconsin, and now South Carolina. Her family is part of the Disney Vacation Club and has been visiting since she was a little girl, and continuously goes every year. Besides being a big Disney fan she has also been a Disney Cast Member working in Magic Kingdom, and she counts it as one of the most magical experiences. She worked with everyone’s favorite elephant Dumbo, Cinderella’s Carousel, and Mickey’s Philharmagic. Jess has also visited Disneyland, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, and gone on two Disney Cruises. She has so many great memories from Disney besides running half marathons and 5ks, birthday parties, and family reunions. If asked where she would want to go it is almost always Disney, and when asked why, it is almost always because she can eat awesome gluten free food! And it doesn’t hurt that there is always faith, trust, and pixie dust with magic in the air!

Disney Souvenirs: What’s the Deal with Disney Pin Collecting?

Nancy — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:45:43 +0000

One of the biggest budget-busters when it comes to Disney vacations are those souvenirs….because there are just so darn many cute choices! And many things are not cheap either, which means that giving in to “gottabuyit” means that you’re probably also giving in to spending more than you intended….and possibly lots more than you intended.

Happily, there are also lots of affordable Disney souvenir options, and our family has gotten hooked on one of them: Disney pins.

When we discovered pin collecting, we discovered a great way of keeping that souvenir budget under control. Because pins are now our souvenir of choice, we are better able to plan our souvenir purchases and stick to a planned budget. We don’t get sidetracked, and don’t suffer “buyer’s remorse” when we get home either.

Is pin collecting for you? Well, if you are like my family, and find all those little pins just crazy addictive…then yes, this may just be for you. So with that in mind, here are 5 tips on how to make Pin Collecting an affordable Disney souvenir strategy for your family:

Decide on your Pin Strategy: collect for fun, collect to trade, or collect seriously. If you have kids who are going to trade everything away, you won’t spend a lot on them, or especially care about what they look like. If you are going to primarily “pin trade” then buy cheap ones that you don’t like as much, and trade them for more “valuable” ones. (Of course everyone defines “value” here differently. For some, it is ones that are literally worth more. For others, it is merely ones that they like better.) Point is: don’t buy pins you want to keep. Seems obvious, but it took us a bit to actually figure this out. Now on the other hand, if you want to make this a serious collection, you can purchase only Limited Editions, for example, to increase the value of your collection. If this appeals to you, there are some great books that can give you more information and help you make informed decisions.
Buy low, trade high: If trading pins is your main focus, then arrive at Disney with a dozen or so cheap pins for your kids to trade with. You can find some on eBay, on sale at DisneyStore.com, and even Amazon. The idea here is to trade these for others your kids will like more.
Set a limit …and then stick to it. At this point, with hundreds of pins, we limit ourselves to 2-3 pins per trip. Because yes, this CAN be an expensive hobby if you are not careful! While the cost of pins can start as low as maybe $6-8 each, they can go up to $20+ for some very elaborate limited editions. It is easy once you start looking at them, to get carried away, so keep to that budget!
Pick a theme, any theme: It is easier for many folks to keep to a pin budget, by collecting with a theme in mind. Maybe the resorts, or characters, or villains, or princesses. You name it Disney’s got a pin for it. Seriously. For us, we now pretty much buy our pins around dated events, as they are a great reminder of when we went and when we got the pin: for example New Years Eve 2005.
Preserve your collection: Think about how you are going to keep them when you get home! Don’t go to all this trouble to buy all these pins and just keep them in a shoebox! Some people frame the lanyards and pins. Some put their pins in a shadow box. Some keep them in a display portfolio or binder.

So what about you? Have you discovered the joy of pin collecting? Or are you ready to try it? If you are like us, you will find that it is an affordable and fun hobby, and an awesome way to relive your wonderful Disney vacation memories!

Disney Fun from Around the World: Week of May 7, 2012

Rachel — Sat, 12 May 2012 12:45:58 +0000

Hello Disney Friends and Happy Mother’s Day to all of our Disney Moms! May your day be filled with joy and special, magical memories….and may your family treat you like the princess that you are! And now, here’s your Disney news round-up, courtesy of Rachel. Enjoy!

Babes in Disneyland has some tips for picking the right stroller for your trip.

First time visiting Disney Parks? Take some advice from Chip & Co’s article of things people wish they had known on their first trip.

Traveling with little ones? Chip & Co has the five best Magic Kingdom rides for little ones.

Cirque du Soleil and House of Blues are teaming up to offer a Downtown Disney dinner & show offer. The Disney Parks Blog has the details.

New Fastpass testing is underway at Magic Kingdom. The Disney Blog has the details on this reservation system currently being studied.

This weekend marks the twentieth anniversary of Fantasmic at Disneyland.. Disney Parks Blog takes a look back at this nighttime spectacular.

‘Ohana is one of the most loved restaurants at Walt Disney World. Disney Guru has a great review for you.

WDWMagic has new speculation about the possibility of the Polynesian becoming a DVC property.

Have a great weekend!

Rachel is a Virginia native who now lives in Louisiana. She is married with two children, ages 5 and 3. After dreaming and wishing for several years, her family had their very first Disney vacations this year and are now addicted to researching and planning—whether for themselves or for others. They now plan to visit the parks at least once a year.

Dining at Disney: The Character Breakfast at Crystal Palace

Debbie — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:45:17 +0000

photo via http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheepguardingllama/60697860/

A great Disney experience is booking a character breakfast to start the morning. Not only do the young ones love it, but I’ve had some adult friends that go on a regular basis without kids along.

Several years back we booked a character breakfast at Crystal Palace located in Magic Kingdom just past Casey’s Corner. On this trip was two year old Alaina, whose favorite characters were Pooh and his pals, so this breakfast was perfect for her. Being under 3, Alaina was free, which worked out for us. Her meals on this trip usually consisted of something from her mom’s plate. She ate well, just not a lot at each sitting.

Also, along on this particular trip was my son, Sean, Alaina’s uncle. Sean was a wise 14 at the time! He was at that in between age, but on this trip, he loved taking care of Alaina. He really didn’t think he wanted to go to a Character breakfast, especially to see Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet – he was way too old for that! I insisted he go, and it ended up being one of his favorite things to do that week. He keeps telling me about the awesome breakfast, but I think he is a closet” Pooh fan!

Breakfast was a buffet with plenty for even the pickiest of eaters. The buffet had the usual breakfast fare of eggs, pancakes, breakfast meats, waffles, omelets, cereals, pastries, fresh fruit and cheesy potatoes. I have noticed looking at different sites; some items available on the buffets tend to change periodically, although the basics seem to stay the same.

Reservations are strongly recommended, especially if going before park opening. You will need a park pass, but with reservations before opening, you get early admittance. We found booking reservations early in the morning still gave us a full day. I love entering Magic Kingdom before the crowds and walking down Main Street first thing in the morning and smelling the wonderful pastries before the crowd gets there.

Be sure and take your time with your meal. Be sure and plan on a minimum of 1-1/2 hours for your meal. The characters move from table to table and give plenty of time for pictures, so take along a camera and pass it around the table to get everyone with all their favorite pals.

Debbie and her husband live in Collegedale, TN where her youngest son is going to college. She is a huge Disney fan who dreams of someday retiring and working as a tour guide at Walt Disney World. She has enjoyed many trips to WDW with children, grandchildren and sometimes adults only. It is her ultimate goal to make sure everyone who visits WDW has the same magical time that she enjoys every time she visits.

Thrifty Thursday: Eat This, Not That in Animal Kingdom

Melissa Sue — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:45:34 +0000

Yak and Yeti photo by Flickr user ckramer

This is my next installment in this Eat This, Not That series, and I’ve found lots of great ways to save money on dining, but I was super surprised by just how much you can save in Animal Kingdom!!

Pork Eggrolls

The Expensive Version
At Yaki and Yeti, you can get an order of two pork eggrolls with dipping sauce for $7.99.

The Less-Expensive Version
At the Yak and Yeti counter service spot just outside, you can get an order of the exact same eggrolls for only $4.49. You can also order a single pork eggroll for only $2.49.

The Least-Expensive Version
At the Safari Eggroll cart, you can get a single pork or shrimp eggroll for $2.29.

Potential Savings: $3.50

Chicken Caesar Salad

The Expensive Version
The Big Islander Chicken Caesar Salad at the Rainforest Café rings up at $15.99

The Less-Expensive Version
For $7.79, you get pretty much the same salad at Pizzafari (served on a paper plate instead of a fancy one).

Potential Savings: $8.20

Pizza

Pizzafari photo by Flickr user JoshMcConnell

The Expensive Version
The peperoni pizza appetizer at Rainforest Café, complete with four cheese blend, will cost you $15.49.

The Less-Expensive Version
At Pizzafari, you can get a peperoni pizza and a side salad for $9.49.

Potential Savings: $6

Crispy Honey Chicken / Sweet and Sour Chicken

The Expensive Version
$17.99 at Yak and Yeti for crispy honey chicken with broccoli and carrots. You’ll pay the same price for chicken (or pork) in a sweet and sour sauce with ginger, garlic, bell peppers and pineapple.

The Less-Expensive Version
Outside at the Yak and Yeti counter service, you can get the same stir fries for $9.99.

Potential Savings: $8.00

What’s your favorite money-saving tip from Animal Kingdom? Share it in the comments.

Melissa Sue works in higher education communications in upstate New York, where she lives with her husband Robert, a secondary school teacher, and her cavapoo George (as in King George). Melissa began visiting Disney World when she was six and today owns a piece of the magic at Bay Lake Tower. She blogs at Mouse on the Mind and tweets @msorrellsgalley. She’ll be contributing money-saving tips to The Affordable Mouse.

Wordless Wednesday: Yay or Nay to Universe of Energy?

Karen — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:45:53 +0000

It seems no matter how long your vacation to Walt Disney World is, there’s just never enough time to do everything! Universe Of Energy is for some reason that attraction that is skipped a lot. Maybe the length or that it’s somewhat hidden. For those that have experienced this attraction, would you vote yay or nay?

Terrific Tuesdays: Epcot’s China Pavilion

Shannan — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:45:29 +0000

As we work our way through the World Showcase at Epcot, our next stop is China. Here you will find beautiful gardens and tranquil ponds scattered throughout the land. There is even a miniature version of the tomb of China’s first emperor. The film Reflections of China, is shown in a 360^ Circle Vision theater and shows the journey of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China.

Another site in the China Pavilion is the Whispering Willows gallery that has exhibits of “Tomb Warriors Garden Spirits of Ancient China”, which is a replica of the evacuation of Xi’an China. At various times throughout the day, you can also check out the Dragon Legend acrobats. Be sure to check your times guide for show times and get there early, as this is a popular act and draws crowds quickly.

Shopping and dining in the China Pavilion also provide unique experiences. In the House of Good Fortune, you can find Chinese artwork, hats and painted fans and umbrellas. Several carts are set up throughout as well with other souvenirs. Authentic Chinese cuisine can be found at restaurants like Nine Dragons and the Lotus Blossom Cafe. Nine Dragons is a table service restaurant that is on the meal plan and accepts reservations. Here you can feast on egg rolls and dumplings as starters while you wait for your Kung Pao Chicken or Five Spiced Fish! A seat near the windows gives you a great view of the World Showcase Lagoon. The Lotus Blossom is a counter service restaurant that is on the dining plan a well. Enjoy a quick meal of orange chicken with steamed rice and red bean ice cream for dessert.

There are no rides in the China Pavilion, but don’t let that stop you from checking out the beauty and culture of China that the pavilion provides.

Shannan is a mom that was born and raised in rural Tennessee. She tells us: “I live with my husband and 3 of our 5 children. Travis is 24 and is father to my grandbabies, Emma and baby Judson. I can’t wait to start sharing Disney with them. Dusty is 22, Clay 12, Zachary 10 and Erin is 8. I clean houses to make money to fund my magical trips. I went to Disney the first time as a teen and couldn’t wait to start introducing my own children to the magic. We took our 3 youngest in 2004 and that started it all. We have been 3 times since then and have our first Christmas trip planned for this December. Usually my parents accompany us on the trip and I have to research and plan for things that will suit various ages in our party of 7. Each time I go, I try new experiences in lodging and dining so I can share it with friends and family that seek my advice on trip planning! Disney is definitely my first choice in vacation destinations. Hopefully there is a Disney surf and turf vacation in our future!“

When Should You Really, Really Stay at a Disney Resort?

Nancy — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:45:04 +0000

Disney's Pop Century Resort courtesy of DeAnna

One of the most discussed aspects of planning a vacation to Walt Disney World is where to stay. And it’s certainly easy to understand why, as this is a central piece to any vacation, partly because it is often the most expensive part. So this is a conversation I have with my travel clients often, especially since, as this is The Affordable Mouse, people often come to me looking for the best ways to save money.

And I’m happy to help because I’m all about saving money. But I am also about getting the most value on your vacation too….and sometimes that means that you pay a little more to get a LOT more as a result.

So, while there are times when it may be in your best interest, financially, to stay off property, there are other times when you really, really, really, really need to stay with Disney. Really.

Let’s look at 3 situations that folks ask me about a lot:

You are Visiting Disney World During a Peak Time of Year

While many people like to be able to go to Disney World during non-crowded times of the year, for others that is just not an option. So, if your plans to visit Disney are during very busy times of the year…..the Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years holidays, Spring Break/Easter, 4^th of July, holiday weekends….you really need to figure out a way if at all possible to stay with Disney. Why?

Because first, Disney rewards their resort guests with things like Extra Magic Hours….time to be in the parks before they open or after they close….which is a great way to see and do more with lower crowd levels…..getting a lot more for your park tickets money!! And second, during the very high traffic times (Christmas week for example) when the parks can and do close in stages….the first folks to be blocked from being able to enter are the non-Disney resort guests. Which would be a very poor value for those park tickets…..

You are Visiting Disney World for Just a Few Days

While we would all like to be able to plan leisurely, ten-day vacations to Disney World, the fact is that finances, school and work schedules, and a host of other things mean that for many, their Disney vacation will be a short one of just a few days. And while you can still have a fantastic visit to Walt Disney World in a short time frame, you really need to make the most of that time while you are there. One way to do that? Stay on Disney property!

As already mentioned, Disney resort guests can make use of those Extra Magic Hours, so you can squeeze a bit more into your park time. But beyond that is the transportation scenario: if you are off-property, you need to factor time spent traveling to and from the parks, whether by car or by some other hotel’s shuttle that may or may not run as frequently as you like. Either way….it will be taking you longer to get to the parks than if you can just hop a Disney bus, boat or monorail to get where you are going. Think of it like this: knowing that Walt Disney World has enough to see and do to last a week or more, if you are only there 3 days, do you really want to waste valuable vacation time in traveling to the parks? If you’re like me, I want to be in the parks, getting the most for my ticket dollars as possible!

You are Visiting Disney World with Small Children

While I realize there are a variety of opinions on this one, I usually recommend to my clients that if you have very young children, I truly think it is best to stay with Disney if at all possible. The reason for this is ease and convenience for your family: The Disney resorts are the closest….meaning when everyone, young and old, need a break, you can get to your resort pretty quickly and easily. In fact, this is one reason that many families with young children often choose the monorail resorts….choosing to save money on other factors of their trip, in order to have the ability to just hop on that monorail to get back for an afternoon nap. Because a happy family is a better value for those vacation dollars than a cranky one…..

The bottom line, as I tell my clients all the time, is that there is no one right or wrong answer to where you should stay at Walt Disney World….only the answer that is best for your family situation. Yes, when it comes to a Disney vacation, what you spend is important….but in my opinion, what you get for what you spend is perhaps more important.

I would love to hear your thoughts!