Happy Thanksgiving From The Affordable Mouse

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from all of us here at The Affordable Mouse. We wish you and your family every good blessing and we are so very thankful to have you join us today!

I personally have so much to be thankful for this year. I have been blessed in many ways, paramount among them is the birth of my first grandchild (or grandprincess as I like to call her), Aleyah, who at 4 weeks old has already brought more joy to my life than I could have ever imagined. I cannot wait to take her on her first trip to Walt Disney World and Nancy and I have a friendly bet on how long I will be able to hold out. Read more

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Thrifty Thursday: Keys to the Kingdom Tour

I normally use my Thursday posts to write about free things to do at Disney, but I also think that a good thrifty deal is getting a great experience for the money. During our trip to Walt Disney World last year, my hubby and I decided to splurge and finally take the Keys to the Kingdom Tour at the Magic Kingdom. We really enjoyed it and we found it to be well worth the time and the money. This particular tour takes you behind the scenes at the Magic Kingdom, including the famous utilidors – the first level of the Magic Kingdom, long thought to be a tunnel. It was a great experience and I wanted to share some information with you in case you have been thinking about taking a tour as well. Read more

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Thrifty Thursday: The Magnificent Gingerbread House at the Grand Floridian

During the holiday season, it is easy to find loads of FREE things to do at the Walt Disney World Resort. No one decorates on the level of Disney anywhere else and you are totally immersed in the spirit of holiday cheer. One prime example of decorating in Disney style is the Gingerbread House at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.

This is a must-see for my family during every trip. We have had our Christmas cards taken in front of this magnificent house and we, in fact, take a family picture in front of it during every visit. The aroma is awesome; even for someone who doesn’t like the taste of gingerbread the scent screams holiday magic. It is a beautiful, and completely edible, masterpiece. Read more

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Thrifty Thursday: Inside Spaceship Earth

Spaceship Earth is the icon of Disney’s Epcot Park. This “giant golf ball” is an awesome site, and aside from being a great photo opportunity it houses one of the must-do rides for an Epcot visit. Inside this 180-ft tall geosphere guests experience a slow-moving 16-minute ride through time and the development of communications. Read more

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Thrifty Thursday: Rainy Days Create Lasting Memories

You are finally in the most magical place on earth. You are awoken by the sweet voice of Mickey Mouse himself on your wake up call. You are up and excited about spending a wonderful day in the park. You open your door to go grab some coffee in your refillable mug and, wouldn’t you know it, it is raining! What will you do now? Will you hang out in your room all day? Will you go to the video arcade and spend even more money when you’ve already paid for your park tickets? The answer is an emphatic NO!

A little rain never hurt anyone, as long as there is no lightning and no sound of thunder. Throw on one of those 50 cent ponchos you bought at the discount store back home and head to the Animal Kingdom! The Kilimanjaro Safari is the very best when it is raining because more animals come out in the early morning and while raining than any other time. And, since you’re there and wet already, ride the Kali River Rapids next.

Did you know that Expedition Everest also operates during rain showers? Well it does. In fact, last year we rode it three times in a row, in our ponchos, in pouring rain and laughed the whole time at the ridiculousness of it all. My kids talk about that memorable ride all the time!

If you’re not crazy about riding in the rain, head to one of the shows like “Festival of the Lion King” or “Finding Nemo, The Musical.” Both of these are excellent, dynamic shows and provide a great pick-me-up on a gloomy day. Even better than that, they are held inside large amphitheaters. Another indoor choice is the 4D show, “It’s Tough To Be A Bug” held inside the Tree of Life (caution: please read warnings before taking very young children into this show as it can be pretty intense for them).

When other people are zigging and you are zagging, it makes for a day of short lines and no waits. You can even rent a locker to store dry socks and shoes in for later; maybe even an extra change of clothes if you plan to stay all day.

Once the weather clears up and the crowds start flooding in it will be a great time to head back to your resort, armed with fun pictures and stories, and wonderful memories of the time you rode in the rain. Above everything else, never let anything get you down when you’re at Disney World – that’s not the way Walt would have wanted it. There is always a great idea for a backup plan!

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

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