Author: Nancy

The Best Way to See Disney World…and Have Fun While Doing It!

Nancy Disney Vacation Planning 0 Comment


When friends and family have asked me about my advice for the best way to plan a Disney vacation, I usually start by asking them if they have discussed as a family, what exactly they want to see while in Disney World. In my opinion, this is absolutely where everyone needs to start!
Why? Because the success of a family trip to Walt Disney World, perhaps more than any other kind of vacation, is related to how much fun people are having, especially little ones! This is an on-the-go vacation, without a lot of rest or downtime (unless you specifically plan for it, but more on that later).

People get hot, people get tired, people get cranky. And by “people” I don’t just mean children, ‘cause adults get hot, tired, and cranky too!

And this is just not the way the “happiest place on Earth” was meant to be!
So if ya wanna have fun, you’re gonna have to work at it a bit before you go. Believe me when I say this: deciding to just “wing it” when you get there is more than likely to result in some crankiness along the way! And over our past 10 or so family trips to Disney, we have certainly witnessed many situations where folks could have used a little extra pixie dust to get them through the day!
We planned our first family trip when our daughter was seven. It was a great age for a first Disney World trip: she was old enough to deal with the rigors of touring 4 parks without needing a stroller, but young enough to still believe in the “magic” of it all. And she was also at a great age to help me plan! Which, I realized very quickly as I started to do my research into this trip, was going to be an important key to the overall success.

Why? Well because….

We were traveling in July, which is the hottest, most humid time of the year in Florida, and I knew it would be crowded. I could see that there was NO way that we would last at the parks every day, from early morning till close at night…. with a cold-weather-loving-husband and a seven-year-old… without a break…
And because of this, I realized that there would be rides or attractions that we might not get to see….and choices that we were going to have to make. And the person that would probably care most about those choices was….you guessed it….our daughter. Because nothing guarantees crankiness (or for that matter, a downright meltdown right in the middle of the Magic Kingdom) than a 7 year old who is heartbroken because we were not going to be able to see the ONE THING that she just HAD to see.
So rather than me trying to guess what I thought would be important to her, I got a great Walt Disney World vacation planner that was geared towards a kid’s point of view, and then we read it together. Again and again. In fact, it became one of her favorite books. She highlighted what she liked, read the other kids’ points of view, and made her own lists. Then we got together as a family and went over everything. We prioritized: what was most important to each of us in each park, and what could we live without? With this list in hand, I was able to put together a touring plan of sorts, specifically geared towards what our family wanted to do. And then figure out how to do it all and still remain un-cranky.
Did it work? You bet it did. Lots of fun and magical moments, and we pretty much got to see everything on our “Must Do” list.

And nobody got cranky!

Having a Walt Disney World Vacation Planner: True Confessions of a Disney Addict

Nancy Disney Travel Guide, Disney Vacation Planning , 0 Comment

I can so clearly remember planning our first vacation to Walt Disney World with my own family. Having been once, 25 years before as a girl, I only vaguely knew that Disney World was BIG. And it would be CROWDED. And we were going in July, so it was going to be HOT. And since we just knew that we were probably not ever going to visit again, it was important to SEE IT ALL.

This trip was A BIG DEAL.

Oh dear.

As I began to think it all through, I pretty quickly became overwhelmed. After all, having a successful vacation with all of that in mind, is a tall order. My Mommy reputation was clearly on the line. And so was my Planner-in-Chief reputation. So, like any good general, I prepared for battle. This was serious business!

I poured over the Walt Disney World website. I ordered the free vacation video that Disney World offered (which they still do by the way, only now it’s a DVD). I read every newspaper and magazine article I saw, cut them out and put them in my expanding file, and then read them again. I went to the library, where I found, oh joy of joys, books on Disney World!! Checked out the ones that appeared to offer valuable information, and then went out and bought the ones that I liked the best. I actually bought one for our daughter as well, so that she could also get an idea of what to expect. Had to start training the next generation of vacation planners early. =)

(You might wonder why I didn’t just surf the net. Well, this was 1998, and doing a Google search was just not an integral part of our life at that point, as it is now. I was still doing things the “old fashioned way”, lol…I read books.)

In any event, two interesting things occurred from all of this research:

  1. I realized that the more I knew, the more I needed to know.
  2. And I also realized that we needed a PLAN.

It was evident from reading the advice of those wise souls who had been there before me, that a Disney World vacation was like no other. There was not going to be any relaxing on this trip! We could not just “go with the flow” (well we could, but were likely to end up frustrated, hot, and cranky if we did). I realized that truly the best way to plan a Disney vacation absolutely involved knowing waaaaayyy before we walked onto Main Street USA, what we wanted to see, when we wanted to see it, and how much we were going to pay for it.

So, I became Disney obsessed. I admit it. My family really thought I had taken leave of my senses. It was all I talked about for months. Looking back, I am amazed that they didn’t say, “Hey, never mind, we don’t really need to go to Disney World”. I am sure that they thought I was over the edge.

Until we got there. And I whipped out the daily planner I had created for us, showing what rides and attractions everyone wanted to see. I knew when the parks opened, when we could go early or stay late, where to go for some peaceful, air-conditioned moments, where to eat, where NOT to eat, etc. etc. etc.

The trip was a success. We all had an absolute blast, and the Planner-in-Chief was thanked time and time again. And we began to think about going back again. Which we have done, more than 10 times since. Yup, we’re all Disney fanatics now.

The moral of this story? Well, I would have to say, do your research, and have a plan. You will NOT regret having a plan.

Now some folks are like me and looove to do hours and hours of reading and researching. And the internet can be a big help to folks like me, since there is always something new to learn!

But not everyone has that kind of time, and I get that. Which is one reason why I started The Affordable Mouse, to help folks plan affordable Disney vacations, by having the very best money-saving tips and ideas in one place. If you don’t have the time to scour the internet, staying up until 3 a.m. reading message boards, and drilling down through Disney vacation planning websites that have hundreds of pages, that’s ok. I am doing that part for you.

And don’t worry, I love doing it. As my husband says, I am happiest planning a Disney trip. If not mine, then others. =)

The Best Way to Plan a Disney Vacation?

Nancy Disney Vacation Planning 1 Comment

Oh I get this question alllll the time! I am talking to friends or co-workers and they are planning their first vacation to Disney World: “What is the BEST way to plan a Disney vacation?” they ask me….

Well, it depends… After all, Walt Disney World is enormous, with 4 major theme parks, several “minor” theme park attractions, dozens of resort hotels, restaurants and various eateries, etc. etc. etc. You need to consider so many variables:

  • what time of year are you planning to visit?
  • age(s) of children?
  • first visit?
  • transportation plans(will you have a car with you?)
  • budget?

And so forth. As I said, lots to consider when discussing the best way to plan a Disney vacation. Because, as with so many things in life, there is just not one easy answer.

Or, then again, maybe there is =)

Because, really the best way to plan a Disney vacation is to have a plan!

Yes, that’ right: PLAN to plan. Sounds crazy, but it actually makes a lot of sense. And that’s because, with Disney World being sooo big, with soooo many people visiting at the same time you are, and with the costs involved, you are doing yourself…and your family…a major favor when you take the time to plan ahead where you want to go, how you want to visit, discuss where you want to eat, and a whole host of other things.

Of course, if you have never visited Walt Disney World before, then you need some help. The Affordable Mouse website and The Affordable Mouse Blog are great starters. But you also owe it to the success of your Disney vacation, and the sanity of you and your family, to invest in a good guidebook or two.

Now I know that, if you are like me, there is just not a lot of time left in the day for reading, but I do have several favorites that will be helpful for you. The great thing is that, while being filled with great information, they are not the size of a major city’s phone book, and are simple, fun, and easy reads. I will share details about each one in the coming days, but if you want to check them out now, you can click here.

There’s a lot of Disney planning information out there. My goal with The Affordable Mouse and The Affordable Mouse Blog, is to gather the best information in one place, to help as you discover the best way to plan a Disney vacation.

Have a magical day!

Discounted Disney World Tickets: Buyer Beware

Nancy Discounted Disney World Tickets 1 Comment

In my last post, I discussed some of the things that I looked for when deciding where to buy discounted Disney World tickets. One of the things I found out when I first started researching this topic, was that it was just as important, if not MORE important, to consider carefully where NOT to buy. What I learned is as follows:

First of all, never, ever, ever buy tickets from eBay or Craigslist. I know it is tempting, as the prices are usually reeaaaallly good. Well there is a reason for that! It is simply because you have no way of knowing….at all….what you are truly buying until you get to the park gate. Disney tickets do not identify in any way, how many days are available on them, so despite everything the seller tells you, you really can’t be sure that there are as many days left as he/she says…if there are even any days left on the ticket at all, until that pass is scanned at the parks. Invalid ticket? Too bad for you, as Disney will certainly not help you at all.

This then brings me to the second thing that I learned: it is illegal in the state of Florida to resell partially used tickets. Again, for the reason stated above, there is no way for the buyer to be sure of how many days are on the ticket. And the thing is, there are sellers of used tickets all over the internet, and despite the law, even at locations in Florida. Disney does enforce this policy, through the use of a biometric finger scan: basically it “reads” the first person to use a ticket, and after that, no one is able to use the pass. Sooo, even if you were lucky enough to find an “honest” ticket reseller, who assured you that there were 7 days left on that Park Hopper pass, and there were indeed 7 days left on that Park Hopper pass…well, you still couldn’t use it if someone had used it before you. So again, too bad for the unsuspecting buyer.

There is one other thing that I watch out for with sellers of discounted Disney World tickets, and that is, are they trying to get you to sit through a timeshare presentation? This is an extremely popular strategy in the Orlando area, to get folks interested in the many timeshares that are available. So to attract folks to these presentations, there are many sites and businesses that advertise “free” Disney tickets….but be sure to read that fine print! Because those free tickets will cost you several hours or more of your hard-earned vacation, for some pretty high pressure sales tactics. Now there are some folks that would not mind this in order to get free tickets and if you are one of them, then enjoy! Just make sure that you know, ahead of time, the situation, and then you can be prepared. My main complaint is with the companies that do not clearly spell this out, until you are there to pick up your free tickets. Too late then!

I think my philosophy about all this can be summed up in what everyone’s grandparents used to say: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is”.

It is certainly possible to save money on a Disney vacation by purchasing discounted Disney World tickets, and I really recommend it! My favorite broker, Undercover Tourist is a reputable, authorized-by-Disney, ticket agency, with great service, excellent prices, and free shipping!

Hopefully you have found this information to be helpful. For additional Disney vacation planning ideas, and ways to save money on your next Disney World vacation, visit The Affordable Mouse.

Have a magical day!

Discount Tickets? Walt Disney World Lets You DO That?

Nancy Discounted Disney World Tickets 1 Comment

One of the questions I often get from friends for whom I am helping plan affordable Disney family vacations, is related to saving money on Disney World park tickets. They usually want to know:

  1. Is it possible to purchase discounted Disney World tickets? …and…

Where can you legitimately buy discounted Disney tickets?

So, let me share with you how I answer those questions! =)

First of all, YES, it is possible to buy Disney World park tickets at a discount. The trick, and this is the important part, is to find a broker, or ticket agency, who is authorized by the Disney Company to actually sell those tickets. With anyone other than an authorized ticket broker, you truly run the risk of buying invalid tickets. And no one wants to do that!!

So the second question really becomes the more important one then: how do you find an authorized ticket broker for discounted Disney World tickets?

I asked this very question myself, when I researched this topic for our family Disney vacations. While knowing that I was saving money was important, I also looked at things like:

  • Is this ticket broker an authorized ticket agent? Do they clearly identify themselves as being authorized by the Disney company to sell park tickets?
  • Has this ticket agency been in business for a length of time? I am certainly not opposed to new companies, but with something like buying discount tickets online, there are alot of scams out there….and a company that has been in business for a number of years has credibility.
  • Are they affiliated with organizations like the Better Business Bureau, or local Chambers of Commerce? Again, a reputable company will have these types of designations, and be proud to advertise the fact!
  • Does this ticket broker clearly note on their website how their pricing structure works? That is, do they note if tax and shipping are included in their prices? If not included, are those fees clearly stated somewhere on their website?

Those were, and are, my initial guidelines. There are some others, which I will get into on my next posting. Again, while cost is a consideration, that was not necessarily my first consideration: part of me still believes that “you get what you pay for” and when I see the dishonesty of some ticket sellers, who have the “cheapest” price……..but are selling bogus tickets….well, I don’t believe that cheapest is always best. Good prices, yes! But making sure that, when I arrive at the Magic Kingdom, my ticket works….well that is probably a bit more important! Don’t you agree?

So after doing the research, I buy our discounted Disney World tickets from Undercover Tourist. They meet my criteria to a “tee”….and I can say that they have great customer service as well!

So there you have it! You can visit my website, The Affordable Mouse, for more information about Undercover Tourist, and discounted Disney tickets in general.

Have a magical day!