Affordable Disney Vacations

Smart Snacking Around the Magic Kingdom

Guest Affordable Disney Vacations, Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money at Disney World, Saving Money on Food , , , , 0 Comment

I absolutely love the Disney Dining Plan (DDP)! I find dining to be an attraction at Walt Disney World…can you tell I like to eat? One of my favorite things to do when we are on the DDP is to be on the hunt for fabulous snack options.  We see our snack options as more of a meal rather than a snack.  Magic Kingdom is my favorite park so I want to share the best ways to use your Disney Dining Plan snack credit at Magic Kingdom.

Before we begin, you are looking for items that are labeled with the DDP symbol. (shown here…)

First stop….Main Street USA!! Read more

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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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Say “Aloha” to Disney Deluxe Savings

Guest Affordable Disney Vacations, Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money at Disney World, Saving Money on Accommodations , , , , , 3 Comments
photo via http://www.flickr.com/photos/disneyworldsecets/2789030079/

Aloha!!! Just in case you missed my post last month, I talked about staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts on a Budget. I also expressed all of the things that needed to change for my family in order to be able to stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort.

My Disney Travel Philosophy

First and foremost I believe that every family in the world has the right to take their family on a Disney vacation. Each person deserves to have a little bit of pixie dust spread their way at least once in their life. Disney has made it very attainable for all families to travel to Disney World because they have created resort categories. I know that with time and the proper planning, every family can plan Disney on their budget.  For those of us that make Disney World our regular vacation destination staying at a Disney Deluxe resort may not be as attainable as for someone that travels once in a lifetime.  Whether you are a frequent Disney traveler, or someone that goes once in a lifetime, I believe that staying at a Disney Deluxe resort at least once should be something that you try.

Disney’s Polynesian Resort

This resort is truly two vacations in one. Not only do you get the magic of being at Walt Disney World and on the monorail but you are also fully immersed in the ambiance of Hawaii. What could be better than that? As soon as you walk into the lobby of the Polynesian you are greeted with a friendly Aloha and have a splendid view of a 2-story lobby and waterfall.  The lobby area in the Polynesian is very lively with sounds and smells of Hawaii.  The hospitality is amazing at this resort location. Immediately after checking in you are able to go and receive your lei with a more formal Aloha!! From there your Island Guide and cart is waiting to take you and your luggage on a tour of the grounds.  Do not fret though, this ride is a two in one, your Island Guide is actually taking you to your longhouse.

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