Thrifty Thursday: Walt Disney World Lost and Found

Our family always wears lanyards during extra magic hours. It is the easiest way for us to prove that we are guests of the Disney resorts without having to stop at each ride to show our key to the kingdom card. We normally take the type with press closures at the tops of the cardholders but the lanyards themselves are regular rope-type.

This year, we got some beautiful lanyards from a travel agent and so we decided to wear them instead. The tops of the cardholders were not closed on these. We didn’t think anything of it until we got off of Space Mountain and my DH was missing his key to the world and his driver’s license.

We were frantic and went back to Space Mountain and spoke to the cast member at the entrance. She told us that there was nothing they could do right then, but informed us that every evening after the park closes, they do a full sweep of the ride to find any lost articles.  If they found the lost items, they would turn them into the main Lost and Found at the Transportation and Ticket Center. She told us to wait until the next day and call the Lost and Found to find out if they had been found.

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Adrift with Disney: Choosing the Perfect Stateroom

photo via http://www.flickr.com/photos/sierraandi/5425751383/in/photostream/

As you may have read last week, my family and I are planning a brand new adventure – a Disney cruise. We have never been on a Disney cruise, nor booked one, so I am finding out new information all the time. I have already had to call and change our cabin choice after doing a little research.

When choosing our cabin, there were three things to keep in mind once we chose the category and price: the room accommodations, the location of the cabin, and which side of the ship.

Room Accommodations
Since the Disney Dream will be our home for 4 days, we want to be as comfortable as possible but  assume we will not be in the room much, if it is anything like being at Walt Disney World.  Because there are 4 of us, and allowing for the ages my children will be at the time of the cruise (DD, 21 and DS, 18), I wanted to make sure we had an adequate number of beds. I chose the Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with Veranda as the description said:

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Helping You Plan an Affordable Disney Vacation

Side View of Cinderella Castle Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World 2008photo via http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathika/3155260892/

It’s National Plan a Vacation Week….but for those of us who are, ahem, Disney obsessed, I have to say that every week is probably Plan a Vacation Week….Disney vacations that is. If we are not planning a Disney vacation, we dream of planning a Disney vacation, make plans to plan a Disney vacation, read about planning a Disney vacation…….and sometimes we even plan a Disney vacation for others.

That was, of course, the reason why I started The Affordable Mouse in the first place: to share with others what I have learned about planning Disney vacations, and help others to experience that Disney magic with their families.

For me and every other Disney blogger out there, every week is Disney vacation planning week….and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Walt Disney had this vision for what he wanted to create with his theme parks: a place where families could experience the magic of just being with each other….and those who have found the Disney experience to be as magical as Walt envisioned, feel compelled to help others do the same.

Ya kind of can’t really help it. 🙂

So this week is truly the perfect time for me to officially share some news that I mentioned briefly a few weeks ago, to those of you who are on my email newsletter list:

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Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of March 7, 2011

Greetings Disney friends. I hope this week finds all of you safe and well! We all have the people of Japan in our hearts and prayers this week, as we watch the result of the devastating earthquake and tsunami. Many have wondered about Tokyo Disneyland, so I am starting this week’s blog round-up with a report from The Disney Blog: Japan Earthquake strands tourists at Tokyo Disneyland, damage reports coming in. I continue to be amazed by the dedication of Disney castmembers everywhere, as we see those wonderful folks at Tokyo Disneyland working so hard to take care of their guests…even as they undoubtedly worry about their own family and friends. Please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks.

While it seems trivial in comparison, there are some wonderful posts from Disney blogs this week, and I do hope you will enjoy them and find them helpful, interesting, and inspiring:

Chip and Co. provided a couple of articles that anyone planning a Disney vacation right now will want to read:To Stay On or Off Property – That is the Question and Character Meals: A Disney Do or Don’t?

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Disney’s All Star Sports: Hang Ten Disney Dudes!

Disney ResortsPhoto via: http://www.flickr.com/photos/frikitiki/2852686004/

Before I get stated, I would like to apologize to those who love All-Star Sports.  Don’t get me wrong: I like many parts of this resort but while I do enjoy sports, this resort just isn’t my favorite among all the choices available.  As the name implies, this resort is themed with the sport enthusiast and athlete in mind. There are open areas for practicing routines and really getting into a sports-mindset!  In fact I remember one morning starting quite early with cheerleaders practicing outside our door.  This resort attracts many sport groups from around the country such as cheerleaders, dance teams, soccer and baseball players, etc.

Several years back (ok a lot of years – she’s 31 this year), we took our 18 year old daughter and a girlfriend of hers for their first adult trip.  We booked an All-Star Sports room for them while we stayed in the French Quarter.  They were on their own so they had to get themselves up the morning, figure out food for the day (we supplied $20 each every day for them to eat on), keep up with their room keys and park passes.  I had purposely booked Sports thinking the girls would enjoy being around people closer to their age. But it turns out that neither of the girls were sport enthusiasts and there were more families with a little younger age group.  In looking back I can see the reason why, with the football field, the more open areas bright colors, the younger generations really enjoy it!

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