affordable disney vacations

Friday Disney Savings Round-Up for 5/21/2010

Nancy Uncategorized , , , 1 Comment

This week’s Disney Savings Round-Up:

Disney continues some great promotions: in case you need to see them again, the details are below. In addition, there are a few new sales at DisneyStore.com and Travelocity continues a promotion that may interest you.

DisneyStore.com Savings and Promotions

Are you looking for some special Disney items that you can buy BEFORE your Disney trip to save money? Here are a few special promotions that you may want to take advantage of:

Buy a Pin and get FREE Shipping on your entire shipment at DisneyStore.com with Promo Code: PINSHIP Note that this offer expires on Tuesday, May 25.

Disney Logo Tees up to 25% Off at DisneyStore.com. Shop Now! Note that this offer expires on Wednesday, May 26.

Special promotions that are still valid:

Don’t forget that you can always find super discounts on all kinds of Disney items at the official Disney Outlet online. These could be great Disney World “souvenirs” that you bring from home to surprise your children with. 🙂

If you have not already seen the new Dooney & Bourke items at DisneyStore.com, you have got to take a peek!   Dooney & Bourke designed exclusively for Disney Parks are now available.

Save $25 when you become a Disney Rewards Visa Cardmember at DisneyStore.com (** See special Disney promotion below for Disney Visa cardmembers!)

Travelocity Special Promotions

Travelocity is still running their special promotion in the Orlando area. You might want to take a look to see if this is a savings for you!  Top Hotel Deals in Orlando

Walt Disney World Savings and Promotions

  • Book a Disney Vacation Package and Get FREE Dining!  Now available for everyone!: Travel between August 15 and Oct. 2. Stay at a Value Resort and receive Free Quick Service Dining Plan. Receive Free Basic Dining when you stay at a Moderate or Deluxe Resort. Minimum 3 night stay, with 2 day ticket.  You must book by August 14. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.
  • Stay through August 14, 2010 Get a 15%-30% discount off regular room rates. You should know that some blackout dates do apply and that not all rates are available at all resorts. You must book by 8/14. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.
  • Stay August 15, 2010 through Oct. 2, 2010 Get a 30%-40% discount off regular room rates. You should know that some blackout dates do apply and that not all rates are available at all resorts. You must book by 10/2. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.
  • “Kids Stay and Play for Free“: This special offer has been extended and is now valid for stays most nights May 2 – Oct. 2, 2010. Purchase a 4 night/5 day Magic Your Way vacation package (room and theme park tickets) and a child (age 3-9) stays in the room and gets a 5 day park pass for Free. This is basically providing free tickets for one child of this age…or two if there are two adults in the room…which can be a substantial savings! To receive the package deal, you must book by August 14, 2010. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.
  • Disney Visa Card members can book the “Kids Stay, Play, and Dine Free” package. This special offer has been extended and is now valid for most nights through Oct. 2. It includes a 4 night/5 day Magic Your Way vacation package with room, park tickets, and the Quick Service Dining Plan is included for free. You have until June 30 to book this offer. To book, call 407-934-7639 or your travel agent. (**Don’t have a Disney Visa card yet? See the special promotion below through DisneyStore.com.)
  • Military Discount of up to 40% on select Disney Resort rooms, for stays most nights through Sept. 30, 2010. You must book through July 31, 2010. In addition, active or retired members of the military can get a 4 day park ticket for $99. For more information visit the Military Special Offer page on disneyworld.com.

That’s it for this week. Hope there is something helpful for you! Have a magical day!

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An Affordable Disney Vacation Gift for You

Nancy Disney Travel Guide, Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money on Accommodations, Saving Money on Food, Saving Money on Souvenirs , , 3 Comments

I am so excited to have just finished a project that was very important for me to do: a complete, Step by Step Guide to Planning cohdraNKNgft7Affordable Disney Vacations. Fifty pages worth of everything you need to know to get started saving money on a Disney vacation. And it’s FREE! 🙂 A present from me to you…

The main reason I started The Affordable Mouse was to share ways to make Disney affordable…to help folks make a magical vacation for their family possible. This Guide is meant to help you do just that.

My Step by Step Guide is perfect for anyone who is trying to plan their first visit to Walt Disney World….or who wants to know what steps they need to take in order to have an affordable Disney vacation. Basically, I take you by the hand and walk through everything you need to think about, from the very beginning…figuring out when to go….to after you get back and are planning your next Disney trip!

Think this will be a help to you? Sign up to receive Planning Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step right here. Remember, it’s FREE….from me to you, as a Thank You for being a friend of The Affordable Mouse. 🙂

Have a magical day!

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Affordable Disney Vacation Souvenirs: Making Photo Memories

Nancy Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money on Souvenirs, What to Do at Disney World , , 4 Comments

Continuing our discussion of affordable Disney vacation souvenirs, today I want to talk about pictures. Because the photos OrlandoJan08and9 227that you take at Walt Disney World can form the basis for the most special souvenirs that you have. Photos capture memories…and those are truly priceless.

Anyone who visits my home knows within the first 90 seconds that I am picture obsessed. We have photos everywhere….and a significant majority chronicle our Disney vacations. (So that would probably be the second thing that a visitor to my house would learn quickly….that I am Disney obsessed too. 🙂  )

So if you are like me, and love the idea of having your Disney photos be a big part of your souvenirs, then read on for some tips on how to keep those photo memories affordable.

Basically, there are 3 types of photos you will probably be involved with at Disney World: the ones you take, the ones the Photopass photographers take, and the ones that are taken when you go on certain rides.

Tips for Taking Your Own Pictures Affordably

Let’s start with your own pictures. Most people arrive at Disney World, especially on their first visit, with the plan to take lots of pictures. And if you are the way we were on our first trip, we did just that….hundreds in fact. Taking your own pictures is very affordable….provided you do a little planning. The single most important thing you can do here is to be sure to have enough storage chips, and/or a way to download your pictures if you use up your camera’s memory…which you will. And the second thing is to make sure you have extra batteries or rechargeable batteries and a battery charger….and then remember to use the battery charger!

(Trust me on all of these, because I speak from experience. I once missed a picture of my daughter being invited to join the Tapestry of Nations parade by one of the castmembers….because my camera battery chose to die right then and there.)

The thing is, if you want to keep your costs down, you do not want to buy these items at Disney World…because they are a lot more expensive there than at home.

And for making special photo memories, watch for the “Kodak spots” throughout the parks. These are places that are set up for the perfect picture background: be sure to use them! 🙂

Use Photopass for Great Pictures

Now let’s talk about the Photopass photographers. These are the Disney photographers that are around all the parks, ready and waiting to take your picture. They are wonderful folks who specialize in preserving those Disney memories. There is no charge for having your picture taken by a Photopass photographer: you don’t pay until you order prints or a CD with all of your pictures on them. The friendly Photopass folks will also typically be at character appearances, and some restaurants and resorts as well.

I recommend using Photopass as much as possible, because these professionals will take great pictures for you! When you go to the Photopass website later, where you will input your Photopass card number, you will see all of your pictures…and that there are all kinds of great souvenirs that you can have made with your pictures. Just make sure you don’t get carried away with ordering!

It is so nice to have these special pictures done because they become the “formal” pictures I have framed… plus they usually are the only ones with me in them, because I am busy taking all the others. 🙂

Now keep in mind, if you see a great photo opportunity (especially if you are seeing a character) and you want a family photo with everyone, but you DON’T want a Photopass picture…simply give your camera to the photographer, and they will happily take your picture with your camera. No cost there to you at all!

Be Sure to Smile Going Down Splash Mountain

As to ride pictures? These will be taken on most of the “thrill” rides and are always fun to see afterwards. We have gotten a few over the years, but be forewarned…they are not cheap. However, it is kind of fun to see what you look like going down Splash Mountain…so it just might be worth it to you to splurge a little to preserve THAT memory! 🙂

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Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of May 10, 2010

Nancy Disney Fun From Around the "World" , , 3 Comments

It’s Saturday, which means it’s time for  Disney Fun From Around the “World”, a collection of my 12236130441082257790shokunin_icon_with_globe_svg_medfavorite Disney blog posts from this past week. As always, there are so many it’s hard to choose! Here are this week’s winners:

The Disney Parks Blog shared plans for the new resort to be built near Pop Century: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Unveiled

Jerry over at Disney 4 Dads offered some thoughts about something everyone would like to have at Disney World: If You Could Have A Disney Wish Granted, What Would It Be?

AJ at the Disney Food Blog discussed more Disney deliciousness: Breakfasts of Champions: Cinnamon Rolls in Disney World and Disneyland

Meltdown Free Disney had another thought-provoking post for anyone with little ones: Character Meet and Greet Tips For Sensitive Types.

Chris at Chip and Co. talked about the news that Disney plans to cut back on their discount promotions in coming months: Disney Parks to Take Attendance Hit in Effort to Cut Discounts?

And last, and possibly least, I thought you might want to take a peak at my two posts at Chip and Co. in case you missed them earlier in the week: Buyer Beware: Discount Disney Tickets 411 and Be Sure to Protect Those Disney World Park Tickets.

OK, that’s it for this week. Have a magical weekend everyone! 🙂

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Friday Disney Savings Round-Up for 5/14/2010

Nancy Uncategorized , , , , 1 Comment

Affordable Disney Vacation Update

Disney still has several fantastic promotions that will save you quite a bit of money if you can travel before Oct. 2. My recommendation, if you are planning to take advantage of one, is to book as soon as you can, to get the best choice of rooms. In case you need a reminder: 🙂

Walt Disney World Savings and Promotions

  • Book a Disney Vacation Package and Get FREE Dining!  Now available for everyone!: Travel between August 15 and Oct. 2. Stay at a Value Resort and receive Free Quick Service Dining Plan. Receive Free Basic Dining when you stay at a Moderate or Deluxe Resort. Minimum 3 night stay, with 2 day ticket.  You must book by August 14. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.
  • Stay through August 14, 2010 Get a 15%-30% discount off regular room rates. You should know that some blackout dates do apply and that not all rates are available at all resorts. You must book by 8/14. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.
  • Stay August 15, 2010 through Oct. 2, 2010 Get a 30%-40% discount off regular room rates. You should know that some blackout dates do apply and that not all rates are available at all resorts. You must book by 10/2. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.
  • “Kids Stay and Play for Free“: This special offer has been extended and is now valid for stays most nights May 2 – Oct. 2, 2010. Purchase a 4 night/5 day Magic Your Way vacation package (room and theme park tickets) and a child (age 3-9) stays in the room and gets a 5 day park pass for Free. This is basically providing free tickets for one child of this age…or two if there are two adults in the room…which can be a substantial savings! To receive the package deal, you must book by August 14, 2010. For more information, visit www.disneyworld.com and click on “Special Offers”.
  • Disney Visa Card members can book the “Kids Stay, Play, and Dine Free” package. This special offer has been extended and is now valid for most nights through Oct. 2. It includes a 4 night/5 day Magic Your Way vacation package with room, park tickets, and the Quick Service Dining Plan is included for free. You have until June 30 to book this offer. To book, call 407-934-7639 or your travel agent. (**Don’t have a Disney Visa card yet? See the special promotion below through DisneyStore.com.)
  • Military Discount of up to 40% on select Disney Resort rooms, for stays most nights through Sept. 30, 2010. You must book through July 31, 2010. In addition, active or retired members of the military can get a 4 day park ticket for $99. For more information visit the Military Special Offer page on disneyworld.com.

DisneyStore.com Savings and Promotions

If you have not already seen the new Dooney & Bourke items at DisneyStore.com, you have got to take a peek! New styles are in this week:  Dooney & Bourke designed exclusively for Disney Parks are now available.

Are you looking for some special Disney items that you can buy BEFORE your Disney trip to save money? Here are a few special promotions that you may want to take advantage of:

Kids Sleepwear now only $8.50 at DisneyStore.com!

And even better, you will receive FREE Shipping on your entire shipment when you order anything from the Disney Parks shop at DisneyStore.com. Use the Promo Code: PARKSFREE This promotion expires Sunday, May 16.

Special promotions that are still valid:

Save $25 when you become a Disney Rewards Visa Cardmember at DisneyStore.com (** See special Disney promotion above for Disney Visa cardmembers!)

Travelocity Special Promotions

I just received this notice of a special promotion for the Orlando area that Travelocity is running. It may be worth a look to see if it is a savings for you!  Top Hotel Deals in Orlando
That’s it for this week. Have a magical day!

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