Minnie Minus Mickey: A Single Mom Plans for Walt Disney World

Guest Affordable Disney Vacations, Disney Vacation Planning, Minnie Minus Mickey , , , 7 Comments

Editor’s note: Please welcome our newest writer, Jolie, to The Affordable Mouse writing staff. Jolie is planning a Disney vacation as a single mom, and will be sharing her planning experiences here in a new monthly column. She has some great stories to tell and…well…I think I’ll let her tell you herself. 🙂 Take it away Jolie!

Happy Friday, my Disney friends…or friends-to-be, I should say.  Hi, I’m Jolie, the newest writer for The Affordable Mouse, and I am just thrilled to be here, sharing what I know and what I’m learning!

I’ve had a lifelong love of Disney.  I was fortunate enough to go as a child, and again as a teen with a musical theatre group.  I grew up with the dream of becoming a character at Walt Disney World, and my parents, being the wonderful, amazing people they are, gave me that opportunity when I was barely 20.  I flew down (my super-supportive Dad came along, of course!), auditioned, even made it to the costume fittings (I was JUST the right size for Tweedle-Dum and Dee, go figure), and in my final dance, wearing the costume…FELL.  FELL!  On my Tweedle-Dum bum.  Not only did I FALL, but I fell right on top of a giant Mickey-ears hat, and of course…it broke.  Thank goodness my faithful father was there to support the mass of tears that came out of the audition room!  I was offered a wonderful position at the Boardwalk’s ESPN Club, and I just loved it there.

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Thrifty Thursday: Travel on the Walt Disney World Ferry Boat

Brenda Thrifty Thursday , , , , 6 Comments

Photo courtesy of www.disneyshawn.blogspot.com

Disney’s ferry boat system is one of the great, FREE ways to travel during your visit to Walt Disney World. The ferries are similar to any you would find in any city in America; with an upper and a lower deck connected by two interior stairways. There are three different ferryboats that run from the Transportation & Ticket Center to the Magic Kingdom park and back. Although not as much a part of the Disney transportation system that they once were, but I am hoping to encourage you to try this treasure as part of your next WDW trip.

One of the special things I really enjoy during our annual trip is riding the ferry on the way to the Magic Kingdom on our first day in the park. While many people flood to the front of the boat, I like to head upstairs to grab a great spot from which to see the beautiful scenery. The ride reminds me of when I was a little girl growing up in Galveston, Texas. My grandfather was a Ferryboat Captain with the Galveston Island-Port Bolivar Ferry and I spent many hours through the years on journeys across Galveston Bay. My grandpa used to let me into the wheelhouse to sit upon his lap and “drive” the ferry. As the Disney Ferryboat glides through the water toward our most anticipated destination, I reminisce of many special memories and revel in every second of it. For those of you who don’t have special childhood memories of ferry rides, I would like to try to convince you to give the ferry system a try.

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Wordless Wednesday: The Fantastic Fountains of Walt Disney World

Nancy Wordless Wednesday , , , 2 Comments

I sometimes wonder if Walt Disney had a fascination with water. It certainly seems that way to me. Or maybe it’s just me. But with the many interesting fountains, and water areas at Disney World, I am always finding something to make me stop and watch for a minute. These fountains that spring UPwards near the Journey to Imagination Pavilion at Epcot are a perfect example. I just stand there in amazement and wonder: “How do they DO that?”

Magical Meals: A Guide to Affordable Dining at Walt Disney World

Nancy Disney Dining Plans, Disney Travel Guide, Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money at Disney World, Saving Money on Food , , , , , , 5 Comments

As part of my efforts to provide information for those trying to plan an affordable Disney vacation, a number of months ago I ran a survey asking what you, the readers, needed help with, when it comes to your Disney trip planning.

Overwhelmingly, the response was “We need help with dining”. People wanted to know things like:

  • What types of restaurants and dining places are at Disney World….and how much do they cost?
  • Where are the best places to eat with children?
  • How can you have a character meal? Where are the best ones?
  • Are Advanced Dining Reservations really that important?
  • Can you really save money on food?

And that was just for starters.

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Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of February 14, 2011

Nancy Disney Fun From Around the "World" , , , 1 Comment

Greetings Disney Friends and Happy Weekend to you! Did you get a touch of Spring this week where you live? Could it be that the Groundhog was right? Probably too much to hope for, but Disney folk like to Dream and Wish, don’t they? 🙂 No matter the weather where you live today, I have as usual, some great blog posts that will warm your heart. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Let’s start off with our friends from Chip and Company. Ken had a couple great articles this week. In his Oldies But Goodies he provided Six Important Reasons For Seniors To Stay Onsite. He also had an article that I really liked: Disney World Quick Tips – Please Take Your Time, It’s Not Going Anywhere. It’s hard not to rush through everything when maybe you don’t get to Disney World very often…you want to make the most of your trip! But there are some great things you miss when you do….Lastly, Chip has some news, especially for those of you who love the movie cars: ANNOUNCEMENT: DisneyToon Studios Announces Planes!

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