Author: Brenda

Disney Driving Tip 2: Tips for Stopping Overnight

Brenda Affordable Disney Vacations, Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money at Disney World , , 0 Comment

In my last post, I talked about driving straight through to Walt Disney World vs. stopping along the way. In many cases, it really does come down to your personal preference. Today’s driving tips cover what to think about if your choice is to stop overnight on the way.

First and foremost, if you are going to stop along the way make reservations for your overnight stay in advance. We were planning to “wing it” one year and stop in Baton Rouge on our way back home. It turned out that it was graduation night and there was not a room available anywhere along the highway. Read more

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Disney Driving Tip 1: Driving Straight Through vs. Stopping Overnight

Brenda Affordable Disney Vacations, Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money at Disney World , , , 4 Comments

The first topic I wanted to cover in this series on driving to Walt Disney World is the choice of driving straight through vs. stopping overnight. Depending on where you live, you may need to consider stopping but you may not. I live in Texas so we have stopped along the way and we have driven straight through. Doing this, it takes us 16 hours to get there, including stopping for meals, restroom breaks, gas stops and stretching.

When budgeting for gas expenses, I always use the AAA Fuel Cost Calculator. Each trip it has proven to be extremely accurate and an invaluable tool. All one has to do is enter the make, model and year of the vehicle along with the starting and ending points and it calculates how much one will spend on gas. Here is a link to the site: http://www.fuelcostcalculator.com. I hope you will take advantage of this handy tool. Read more

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Tuesday Disney Tips: Save Money by Driving

Brenda Affordable Disney Vacations, Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money at Disney World, Tuesday Disney Tips , , , , , 4 Comments

The exorbitant amount we Americans are paying at the pump will very likely affect the vacation plans for many families this Summer.  People from around the country have said that the high price of gas has caused them to cancel or change their summer vacation plans in the past, so it is very possible this will happen again this year. Some families, although not deciding to do away with vacation this year altogether, also do not want to plan too far ahead; so instead of planning now for a July trip they are waiting to see if prices go down. The problem is the uncertainty over how high fuel prices could get.

Here at The Affordable Mouse, our wish is for everyone to be able to visit Walt Disney World with their families and we are committed to providing as much information as we can to try to make that a reality for every family. My goodness, Nancy has even become a travel agent to be able to further help you attain this goal. Me, I work full-time elsewhere but I still care just the same about trying to help you visit WDW, and this year is no exception. In fact, this year being so difficult has put even more stress on families and that is when we need more togetherness than ever at the most magical place on earth. Which, thankfully, brings me back to my point and that is, driving to Walt Disney World can save families a great deal of money. Read more

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Best Use of My Disney Fast Pass: Part 4, EPCOT

Brenda What to Do at Disney World , , , , , , 0 Comment

Author’s Note: This 4-part series answers the question: when you are trying to make the most of your limited time at the parks, and the crowds are maddening, there may be times when you will have to choose which favorite ride you will get a fast pass for that day.  What would that ride be? Well, I definitely have my favorites at every park, each of which is covered under this title with parts 1-4.

When I only have limited time at EPCOT, I will always choose Soarin’ as my fast pass. This is a fantastic ride for Disney fans. Located inside The Land pavilion in Future World, Soarin’ is a feast for the senses. The ride simulates a peaceful hang-gliding flight over California.

The queue utilizes an infrared technology that allows us to participate in interactive games. Once we are through the line and are placed in our rows, we can view some of the scenes from California and receive a short demonstration on the screen of what we should do once we are allowed in to find our seats. Read more

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Best Use of My Disney Fast Pass: Part 3, Hollywood Studios

Brenda What to Do at Disney World , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Author’s Note: This 4-part series answers the question: when you are trying to make the most of your limited time at the parks, and the crowds are maddening, there may be times when you will have to choose which favorite ride you will get a fast pass for that day.  What would that ride be? Well, I definitely have my favorites at every park, each of which is covered under this title with parts 1-4.

When I only have limited time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I will always choose either Tower of Terror or Rock N Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith as my fast pass; depending on the wait in the standby lines. Both of these rides are awesome for thrill seekers.

If you have been reading the Affordable Mouse for a while, you know my all-time favorite ride is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. If you didn’t know, let me familiarize you with this fantabulous ride here. Whenever the wait for TOT is shorter than the wait for Rock N Roller Coaster, though, I wait in the standby line for TOT and use my one fast pass for RNR. Read more

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