Disney Vacation Planning

Tuesday Disney Tips: Learning to Zig When Others Zag

Brenda Disney Vacation Planning, Tuesday Disney Tips, What to Do at Disney World , , , , , , , 3 Comments

One of the most important things to know when planning your days at Walt Disney World is that you may need to adjust your itinerary based on the habits of the other guests. Learning to zig while others zag is based on experiencing the parks on different days and at different times of the year with varying crowds. There are many books available that speak directly to planning your day in the parks, but what I am referring to is modifying your plan when you are faced with the unexpected. There are many ways to conform to your unique travel circumstances whether at the resort or at any of the four Disney parks.

If you have planned to have breakfast at 7:00 on your first day at the resort and you are greeted with no tables at which to sit, long lines of guests waiting to order and to pay for food, or a loud and chaotic environment, then you might want to rethink your breakfast time on day two. In this scenario, you may wish to plan to sleep in a little while, have breakfast at the resort at 9:30 or 10:00, and then stay at the park later. Conversely, you may want to get up extra early, have breakfast in the room then head out to early extra magic hours. The choice is yours.

Try to be flexible enough in your planning so that you can zig while everyone else zags. In other words, plan your time for less stress and more fun by not going with the flow. Two specific tips I can provide are based on your choice of resort and your choice of park ticket. If you are staying at a Disney resort, taking advantage of extra magic hours is a great idea. But, if you are not staying on Disney property, you will want to avoid the selected EMH parks on those days. Also, having park hopper tickets provides maximum flexibility, so if you can purchase these, I highly recommend it.

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Tuesday Disney Tips: A Thrill-Seeking Maniac and A Ride Wimp

Brenda Tuesday Disney Tips , , , , , , 7 Comments

Note from Nancy: I am a pretty well-documented Ride Wimp. Brenda offers a different perspective today…along with some great information on some of Disney’s most scary…er, exciting….rides. Enjoy! 🙂

Are you a thrill-seeker or a ride wimp? For me, the answer is yes! My favorite rides at Walt Disney World are the highest, fastest, and craziest — and yet, I break out in a cold sweat if I have to ride Dumbo and I won’t even get near the Astro Orbiter.

I used to think I was afraid of heights because I get very nervous on high bridges and Ferris wheels; but I love Space Mountain, Rock N Rollercoaster, and Expedition Everest, so that can’t be it. Then, I decided I was afraid of falling — but the fact that the Tower of Terror is my all-time favorite nixes that idea as well.

So, I’ve decided that I have a fear of “falling out.” Surprisingly, I think I may have recently found out why. I was talking to my oldest sister recently; she is 8 years older than I and she was talking about a time when our parents had taken us to an amusement park. She was 11 at the time, my middle sister was 6, and I was 3. She said we rode on a ride that we sat down in and it went up in the air and flung us around. She spent the whole ride terrified because my sister and I were nearly flying out and she was holding onto us for dear life. She said it was the worst experience of her life and she has hated rides ever since. I don’t consciously remember that ride, but I am pretty sure something in my subconscious does; and I think it affected me enough to make me afraid of falling out of rides in the air — at least those on which I can see the ground.

My husband always teases me saying, “It’s not the falling out that you fear, but the sudden stop at the end of the fall.” Thanks, honey!

Somehow, being in the dark psyches out my mind, I mean I realize I am up high and the danger is still there but it doesn’t bother me if I can’t see the ground. It is the same with outdoor rides that drop; I cannot ride them at all, but I absolutely love the Tower of Terror.

I decided to write this blog for anyone out there who is preparing to visit Walt Disney World for the first time and who may be a ride wimp from a fear of heights, falling or “falling out.” I wanted to try to give you a heads-up on some rides you might be unsure about. My main goal is to make sure that no one misses out on a great ride at Walt Disney World for fear of not being able to handle it. I decided I would give you a list of each “questionable” ride in each park and whether or not this thrill-seeking ride wimp will ride it.

Magic Kingdom

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad — love it with the hands in the air the whole time. It does go up and down but not high in the air and it is fast and loads of fun. Sometimes it is a wild ride but it has a good safety bar and it is perfectly safe.

Splash Mountain – love it. There are several drops on this ride and, of course, the last one which is up very high. It is really beautiful inside so don’t miss it. Plus, the way I look at it, if the ride doesn’t even require a safety bar then how dangerous can it be?

Space Mountain – love it. I love rollercoasters as long as they are in the dark. Somehow darkness psyches out my mind and even though I know I am up in the air I am ok because I can’t see the ground.

Astro Orbiter – no way. Aside from the fact that the ride itself goes up in the air like Dumbo, it is already on top of a building. You have to take an elevator up to the platform to get onto the ride.

Barnstormer – like it. This ride is what some (ok, most) people call a kiddie rollercoaster. It is a lot of fun; the only problem is that it doesn’t last long enough.

Peter Pan’s Flight – like it. Even though I fear falling out, the seat is so large that I can move a good distance from the side. Looking down isn’t scary because everything is so beautiful to look at and the ride was marvelously designed to tell the story of Peter Pan.

Dumbo – no thank you, unless I am with a newbie. Dumbo goes up in the air and I do not feel comfortable on this ride at all. In fact, I get extremely nervous and break out in a cold sweat. However, if I have a first-timer on the trip with us, I will ride it as this is a Disney icon after all. When we don’t take a first-time visitor with us I avoid the sweet elephants.

Magic Carpets of Aladdin – no thanks. These flying carpets go up in the air like Dumbo. This is not my idea of a good time.

Swiss Family Tree House – no thanks. When my kids were young, I would reluctantly go in the tree house, across the “wooden” bridges that are up 6 stories in the air. I remember being rather panicky when crossing them. Now that my kids are older and they don’t want to go on it anyway, we just walk on past.

Epcot

Soarin’ – love it. If you are afraid of heights or prone to motion sickness, don’ be scared off by the warnings at Soarin’ as it is such a wonderful ride I would hate for you to miss it. Soarin’ is not a traditional ride. It does “take off” but it only goes up a certain amount and then stops there for the rest of the time. Just don’t look down. If you are terrified of heights, just ask to be in row 3 as it rises up the least. Personally, I love row 1 (which goes to the top). Please give this ride a try; it is beautiful and the sensation of flying is totally awesome!

Test Track – love it. This is an awesome fast ride. You cannot see how far up you are and this ride is so much fun. Don’t miss it.

Animal Kingdom

Expedition Everest — love this ride. It is so fast and fun! There are high drops and riding backwards fast in the dark. It is very exciting. If you have a fear of falling out or a fear of heights, just do what I do and look at your lap or keep your eyes closed when going up the steep trek to the mountain. Oh, and I never sit in the very front seat. I did it once and once was enough. Other than that I love this ride.

Primeval Whirl — like it. This is like a roller coaster combined with a tilt-a-whirl. It spins and dips and even though the drops are steep, they are only about 20 feet. Sometimes you tackle the drops facing forward, sometimes facing backward, and sometimes you spin while falling. Should  you ride it? If you are afraid of heights, then maybe not. If you’re afraid of falling, then maybe not. If you are afraid of falling out, then maybe not. But, I am able to ride it because it is so much fun. I have some anxiety but I really enjoy the spin factor.

Tricera Top Spin – no thanks. These dinosaurs go in the air like Dumbo. I don’t have small children and my children don’t feel the need to ride this one because they consider it a kiddie ride. I don’t feel the need because I could fall out and I would have palpitations that I can do without.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Tower of Terror – LOVE IT. This is my all-time favorite ride and you can get an inside glimpse as to why by reading my previous blog about my favorite ride here.

Rock N Rollercoaster – love it. This is an awesome rollercoaster in the dark with lots of neon accents. It goes very fast, does some loops and twists, and goes upside down; all the while playing great Aerosmith tunes right into your ears. It is fantastic fun!

Downtown Disney

Characters in Flight Balloon Ride? Uh, emphatic NO! Enough said.

Please keep in mind that I am not offering a professional opinion. Fears are very real and you should ride whatever you are comfortable riding. I just thought that, if you are like me, you might find this information helpful.

If you would like to read about the rides from another ride wimp’s point of view, check out Nancy’s article from Chip & Company here.

My family and I haven’t had any trouble making our different ride styles work for us. My husband has a fear of falling so he will not ride Tower of Terror with me at all. He watches all our stuff and enjoys people-watching while we are on the ride. My oldest is not afraid of any rides but likes the dark coasters least. He also will not try Mission Space because my husband and I both experience vertigo issues after we rode it years ago. We have not tried the tamer version because we don’t want to chance it. My middle child is not afraid of any rides at WDW. My youngest is not afraid of anything and the bigger the thrill the better. I have ridden Dumbo with the kids and I will continue to ride it only when we take first-timers as this is a true Disney icon that every first-time visitor must ride and I want them to share the experience with at least one of us. While my family rides the Astro Orbiter I usually people-watch, ride Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin or go into the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor. Dealing with our differences and having a great time at the parks has been no problem at all; we just go with the flow.

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.

Discovering Disney World Tours

Nancy Disney Vacation Planning, What to Do at Disney World , , , , , 2 Comments

One of the things we enjoyed the most on our recent Disney World trip occurred on the last day, and was something new for us. We took the Undiscovered Future World tour at Epcot. Having previously done the Keys to the Kingdom tour at Magic Kingdom, as well as the Behind the Seeds tour at Epcot, we have found that there is lots of fascinating information shared “behind the scenes”, and so we now try to do a new tour every couple of visits, as the budget will allow.

If you have never had the opportunity to take any of the great tours at Walt Disney World, let me just say that the 3 that we have taken are well worth the cost. Having said that though, it is important to know that there IS a cost, and some of the tours are not cheap. And the cost for most is in addition to park admission (so be sure to ask when reserving to be prepared). But there is a huge variety in the Disney tours, as to subject, length, and cost, so there really is something for nearly everyone. Especially for folks who travel to Disney regularly, tours are a great way to learn some new things and make your visits even more fun!

So, if you want to take a tour on your next Disney World vacation, what do you need to know?

First, you will want to see what tours are available. The Disney World website offers a basic description of each, along with the cost, length, and age restrictions. (And a number of tours do have age restrictions on them: for those that go “behind stage”, you have to be old enough to be ok with what you will see….or potentially not see, if you get my drift…. 🙂  )  I also found Allears.net to be helpful for additional information, reviews, and details like the fact that some tours offer discounts to Disney Visa cardholders, Annual Passholders, DVC members and more. (Note that her prices are not current, however: for up-to-date pricing refer to the Disney World website, or ask when calling to reserve).

Some things to think about as you decide on a tour are the weather forecast (many are outside, and you might want to consider, for example, a forecast of temps in the 40s when you book a Segway Tour), time of day and day(s) of week offered, and again, age restrictions.

Once you know which one you want to do, call 1-407-WDW-TOUR to make your reservation. Note that you will be paying in advance, however there is typically a 48 hour advance notice for cancellation to receive a full refund. Make note of what time you need to check in, and where: typically check-in will be 15 minutes or so before the tour starts. Inquire also about early admittance to the park, if your tour is at one of the parks, as many start before the park is officially open. Similar to early admittance for a character breakfast, you typically will enter at one designated turnstile, after giving the castmember your name.

And speaking of early admittance be sure to allow plenty of time, if using Disney transportation, to get from your resort to the park.  🙂

So, let’s talk about the tour that we took. The Undiscovered Future World tour is offered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9 a.m. We were asked to check in at Guest Relations (left of Spaceship Earth) by 8:45, so in order to make certain we were not late, we were at our bus stop at Saratoga Springs at 8. 🙂

Once we signed in, we were given headphones so that we could better hear our guide as we toured the parks. I’m not a big headphones fan, but these were comfortable to wear, and really helpful, especially as we walked around outside. And when inside and not needed, we had the option to turn them off if we wished.

As to the Tour itself, well it was 4 hours long…and included lots of walking, as we visited nearly all of Future World. So comfortable shoes were definitely a must!

Our guide first started with a history of Walt Disney himself, and then gave the background and initial plans for Epcot. And then we began visiting most of the pavilions, where he offered a great deal of interesting background information, and details, many of which I am embarrassed to say that I just never really noticed before. For example:

  • There are two “sides” to Future World and they are color-coordinated, with the walkways, signage, even the benches being either blue on one side or green on the other. This was specifically designed to help in providing guests directions: rather than saying “east” or “west” (which no one can figure out anyway), folks are simply directed to the “blue” or “green” side.
  • The balloons in the Land Pavilion actually depict the 4 seasons (hence the name of the eatery “Sunshine Seasons”), and the 4 sections of Sunshine Seasons eatery actually are color-themed to each season. Take a look at the details for the “Autumn” section (notice the color scheme and fall leaves pattern on the table?):
  • The mosaic that you see as you enter the Land pavilion depicts the layers of the earth.
  • And so much more!! In fact, one major thing that I will always remember from this tour was to always “look up and look down” because pretty much everything you see is there for a reason. And those reasons are usually pretty cool!

We also had the chance to go “backstage” a few times as well, to see behind the magic, and that part is just as interesting. For example, we visited where the costumes are kept, we saw some of the animatronic figures in the Universe of Energy pavilion, toured the shop where the Test Track vehicles are serviced, and finished the tour where the Illuminations barge was being prepared for that night’s fireworks extravaganza.

And then at the end, we each received a pin. 🙂

While not free, I truly recommend budgeting for some of Disney’s tours as a wonderful way to add some additional magic to your Disney World vacation!

Disney’s Pop Century Resort: Hustle Over For Savings

Guest Affordable Disney Vacations, Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money at Disney World, Saving Money on Accommodations , , , , , , 7 Comments

I am so excited to announce the addition of some new writers for The Affordable Mouse! Going forward, our Friday post each week will be written by one of 3 very talented…and very Disney-loving ladies. This week, please welcome Kelly (who also happens to write for her own blog, the Disney Guru). Take it away Kelly!

The most fabulous thing about Disney is that there is something for everyone! No matter what your budget or taste there is sure to be a Disney resort that is just right for you. Personally, my lodging experience has taken me through every resort category except for Disney Vacation Club. I have always enjoyed each and every stay while on Disney property.

As you begin to plan your next or first Walt Disney World vacation, besides the time of year you choose to visit, where you choose to stay is one of the most important decisions you will make. Both the time of year and resort location can dictate how much money you save on your vacation.

Are you thinking about saving? Think value…..

While there are a fair share of deluxe and moderate resorts on property think about the value of staying at a value resort. Disney Pop Century Resort is my personal favorite resort on Disney property. This resort has the ability to take you back in time through American pop culture.

Similar to other value resorts on property, Pop Century Resort is divided into themed sections. Each section represents a decade spanning from the 1950’s through the 1990’s. Within each themed decade building is memorabilia that relates directly to that time period. The pop memorabilia is sure to give you some childhood flashbacks. Buildings are adorned with phrases and larger than life icons from each time period.

Like all things Disney, one of the values of staying at Pop Century is the extra attention to small details. Beginning with Classic Hall, the main building, you get the feeling that you are walking into a museum. From the “Hustle” playing on the radio to the nostalgic shadow boxes perfectly aligning the lobby walls….you are sure to take a trip down memory lane. Also included in the Classic Hall building is “Everything Pop”, the resort food court and resort shop.

Be sure to have your camera ready! Once you check in and you make your way through the grounds of the resort, you will be greeted by larger than life icons of the past. Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, a 3-story tall big wheel, giant sized rubix cube and Play-Doh are amongst some of the icons you can plan to see on the trip to your room. Say cheese!!!

Pop Century does have rather small rooms but they just went through a refurbishment that includes some really nice additions to help make your stay more magical and spacious. The refurbishment includes removal of wall paper and boarder. As a result a new blue accent wall was added behind the beds. Also, brand new Mickey themed bed spreads with the decade theme have been added. This and the blue wall give the rooms a very clean and warm feeling as you enter your room. Check out the new carpet that has been added….you may see some hidden Mickey’s in it. Disney also removed the old-fashioned TV’s and replaced them with flat screen TV’s…this also allowed for a new TV hutch. Now looking at the new hutch some may think that they lost space, but with some good organization I feel that I gained space. Disney also saw the need to add some hooks in the room; you can now hang up to 5 towels or hoodies on the hooks that are just outside the entrance to the vanity area in your room…yay!!! Last, my very favorite refurbishment is an addition of a curtain to separate the vanity area from the sleeping quarters. Thank you Disney!! We spoke and you listened!!! The addition of the curtain give the vanity area a more private feel, this allows one to use this area as a changing area or a way to filter out light while you get ready and some are still sleeping.

There are two room types at Pop Century. You can opt for a king bed or a room with two doubles. Each room comes with a TV, a seprate vanity or dressing area which includes and open wardrobe area, a small dresser/hutch, and a table and two chairs. You are able to get high-speed internet but no Wi-Fi. The cost for internet is $9.95 per day. Just like all other Disney resorts, mousekeeping is in full swing at Pop Century resort. On some of my most recent stays, I have noticed that upon check in I already have towel creatures waiting for me in my room….how fun is that?

To go along with the pop culture theme, Pop Century has 3 great pools!! Each pool is themed appropriately for the decade it resides in: a bowling pin pool in the 50’s section, a flower power pool in the 60’s and a computer themed pool shared by the 80’s and 90’s. The 70’s section does not have a pool but does have a giant sized game of Twister….be sure to check that out and again, have your camera ready!!

If you like a special beverage while on vacation take a stroll over to Petals Pool Bar…they can whip up some groovy concoctions!!!

Last and certainly, not least, is the food court at Pop Century. I have been on Disney discussion boards for years and “ Everything Pop” (the food court) always gets high praise as one of the best if not the best food court on Disney property. You can to find items such as, sandwiches, salads, pizza, pasta, Asian cuisine and bakery items. A few of my personal favorites are the Tie Dye cheese cake, and chicken Mediterranean flat bread….yummy!!! In addition to a plethora of food choices you will also enjoy their drink refill station, there are plenty of pop fountains to for you to choose from. Around the corner from the bakery the Disney channel plays on a screen for kids. The kids can enjoy some relaxation time on the carpet while you have some relaxation time on the chair. 🙂

What about the transportation?

Pop Century resort has a great bussing system. I just love the fact that there is a line for each stop, this keeps all of the patrons in order 🙂 . We have stayed there 5 times and have very rarely ever waited over 10 minutes for a bus. Another great feature is that this resort does not share buses with any other resort…yay!!

Rates for the Pop Century Resort range from $82 per night during value season to $160 per night during peak season, like holidays.

When you stay at Pop Century you are sure to save a ton of money and yet you do not have to forego any of the Disney magic while doing it. Hustle your way to the Pop Century….you are sure to have a groovy time!

Kelly, her husband, and three children live in the Chicagoland area. Kelly has been traveling to Walt Disney World since the age of two. She considers Walt Disney World to be her primary vacation destination.  With 20 plus trips under her belt she still enjoys researching and learning new things about the most magical place on earth! Kelly began Disney Guru in August of 2010 with the vision of sharing fun vacation tips and magic with all fans of Disney World.

Memories of a Magical Disney World New Year

Nancy Christmas Holidays, Disney Vacation Planning, Travel Tuesday Tales, What to Do at Disney World , , , , , , , 8 Comments

So we had a wonderful time on our Disney vacation. 🙂

We tried new things, were blessed with amazing weather, and had the chance to share precious family time. We laughed, we sang, we clapped, we ate, we walked (and walked and walked), we were moved, we were silly, we learned new things and met new people….

In short, we started 2011 off in the most magical way.

As I have thought about doing a trip report for you, I realized quickly that I can’t do ONE because it would be a book! So instead, over the coming weeks, I’ll share different aspects of our trip that will hopefully help you in planning your next Disney vacation.

Today, I want to share a few highlights, along with some new things that this veteran Disney vacationer experienced on our trip to Walt Disney World:

First, we found a few “non-obvious” places for fireworks and parades. I have heard this recommended before but somehow we never actually did it. On this trip we did. We watched the Christmas parade over in Frontierland, right in front of Pecos Bill’s (having just finished lunch there) and had no problem finding a front row space to watch…on the day before New Year’s Eve. Likewise, we watched Holiday Wishes on one of the pathways that lead to the Tomorrowland bridge….it winds down below The Plaza Restaurant and there was literally no one there. Great view, and Tinkerbell flew right over us.

We went to Epcot for New Year’s Eve prepared to stay the entire day…which we did. While we might have been able to leave for a break and then return, based on the perfect weather and corresponding crowds, we decided not to chance it. We knew what to expect and took it very easy, keeping things low key and relaxed. Our daughter decided to try out the Kim Possible phones and had a blast (more on this in a coming article). I took advantage of places to relax when available. We found a place for the NYE fireworks EARLY, took turns blanket sitting, made friends with people from Brazil who were right next to us….and celebrated with them when it was the New Year in Brazil (which was before us).  In fact, welcoming a New Year with people who were literally from around the world seemed like the best possible way to celebrate…and we think that Walt Disney would have approved. 🙂

We were a bit lazy on New Year’s Day. We started with a late breakfast at Cape May buffet and then DD and I enjoyed a VERY special belated Christmas present from Santa: we went to the Grand Floridian spa. 🙂 If you ever have the chance to splurge on one thing for yourself….do this. You deserve it.

DD then joined DH at Magic Kingdom where they pretty much walked onto every ride there. Surprise for us: crowds practically disappeared starting on New Year’s Day, so it ended up being a very productive attraction day. After spending the afternoon taking pictures, I joined them for dinner at ‘Ohana, and then we returned to Magic Kingdom for the evening. Main Street Electrical Parade, Holiday Wishes….and riding Big Thunder Mountain in the dark all were perfect ways to end the perfect Disney day.

On Sunday we went to Hollywood Studios and those of you who were following along on our Facebook page know that we had a 5 minute wait for Toy Story Mania! We were there before park opening, and at rope drop, our DD went to Tower of Terror and apparently got the first FastPasses of the day there while DH and I went to get in line at Toy Story. We were entering the building as she arrived. Everyone else apparently went to get FastPasses for this ride, so the FastPass return time for TSM grew rapidly…while the stand-by line grew much more slowly. This strategy allowed us to ride/see everything we wanted to see before lunch. In the afternoon, we headed to ESPN Zone on the Boardwalk to cheer on our Steelers…and meet some really fun folks while there. 🙂

And I changed one of our ADRs again! At the last minute! Seeing that we were likely to be at ESPN Zone all afternoon, and then heading back to Hollywood Studios for the Osborne Lights in the evening, I decided to change dinner to the Captain’s Grill at Yacht Club since it was nearby, and I’m so glad that I did….it was amazing, in fact probably my favorite dinner! Once again, proving my motto for this trip: “Change is Good”. 🙂

Oh….and pictures of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights truly do NOT do them justice. If you love Disney World, put this on your bucket list!

For our last day, we returned to our favorite park, Epcot, and took the “Undiscovered Future World” tour. I cannot recommend this tour enough! Interesting, and fun, we were able to see some “behind the scenes” places, and ride Soarin’ again. And we learned a lot of fascinating details, not the least of which was to always “remember to look up and look down” because there are a lot of cool things to see that most of us normally miss because we’re so busy running to the next ride/attraction.

And then we left to return home. 🙁

Any Disney vacation goes so quickly, doesn’t it? It seems like you plan for an eternity (and for many of us that planning does last months or years even!) and then it finally arrives…..and in the blink of an eye, it’s over. But the memories remain, and that of course, is the true magic of Disney.

Then the planning starts all over again!