Five Mistakes Guests Make in WDW

by A Fairy Tale Adventure on February 23, 2012

Walt Disney World Resorts Map

When a family decides to plan a trip to Walt Disney World, there are a few things that are important to keep in mind to help ensure that your trip is wonderful and enjoyable.

1. Not Realizing the Size – When people plan a trip to Walt Disney World, they always seem to believe that Walt Disney World is similar in size to your standard Six Flags. In reality, Walt Disney World Property is spread across 25,000 acres, almost twice the size of Manhattan. You will need to look into different forms of transportation to get you from point A to point B. Keep this in mind when you begin to plan and budget.

Cinderella's Royal Table Restaurant Disney

2. Not Booking ADRs – Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) are made at the 180 day mark from the day that you will arrive. Do NOT go with a plan of walking up to a Walt Disney World Restaurant whether it is at a Disney Park or Resort and be able to get a table that day, or any day that week to be quite honest. Right now you are able to call Walt Disney World generally dining line (407) WDW-DINE or you can make your reservations online. Some of the restaurants, such as Cinderella’s Royal Table, books for the day within minutes of the advanced dining reservation lines opening up, so plan ahead for your trip, and look at booking on the 180 day mark, or as close as possible to that date.

Trying to do it all at Walt Disney World

3. Packing 10 days of activities into 5 days – There are so many activities to plan throughout Walt Disney World and it’s four theme parks, two water parks and Downtown Disney, that trying to do everything, even with a Walt Disney World Park Hopper, is 100% impossible. The smartest thing to do, is to take a look at what the most important things that you must do on your trip, would like to do on your trip, and things that would be nice to do on you trip, and prioritize your options, make lists, plan, etc. Be realistic in what is attainable to do, keeping in mind that this is Walt Disney World and you will not be the only person there, and don’t be too upset about things that you are not able to fit in. Many sites help people plan trips with completely detailed guides to help you fit it all in.

Extra Magic Hours Disney World

4. Staying off Disney Property – Many people seem to think that staying off property will make a trip cheaper, and less hectic, but what many don’t realize is that with the “extras”, of paying for a rental car, parking, paying rack rates for tickets and meals, the amount for the trip can quickly surpass staying at a Walt Disney Value or Moderate resort during off season. Staying on Disney property does make it easier to stick to your original plan. It allows guests to use the bus transportation throughout the Walt Disney World Resorts and Theme Parks, allows guests to plan to take advantage of the Disney Extra Magic Hours and you can plan on having “Magic” throughout your trip 24 hours a day.

Planning Walt Disney World Vacations

5. Not doing any Research/Planning - When you decide that you are going on a trip to Walt Disney World, realize that you are going to have to research and plan – this is vital. If you quickly Google “plan trip Walt Disney World“, you will find millions of pages, and dozens of popular Walt Disney World communities (www.allears.net, www.mouseforless.com, www.stitchkingdom.com), that will help you plan every aspect imaginable. To ensure that you have a great vacation and you are able to do as much as the time (and your feet) allows, make sure that you at least browse through some of the sites or literature that is out there. Why spend thousands of dollars on a trip without at least making an outline of things that you plan on being able to do??? Plan, Plan, Plan - when it comes to a Walt Disney World Vacation!!!

Seems a bit overwhelming, right? That is where I step in! Let us help you plan your upcoming Walt Disney World Vacation! There is never a fee for our services… but in the end helps you save money and we ensure that everything is taken care of!

Contact us today!!!

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Wordless Wednesday: Change Your Disney Perspective

by Karen on February 22, 2012

It’s all how you look at things that can change an okay picture to a much more fun picture! This one for example was just a quick shot of a ceiling in China at The World Showcase in Epcot. Instead of just pointing and shooting, bending down to the floor allows you to capture much more of the ceiling and make for a pretty cool shot!

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

Karen grew up in the Boston area and traveled to Disney World many times with her parents and sister. Always staying at the Fort Wilderness Cabins gave the trips a feeling of a home away from home. It also started the tradition of attending the Hoop Dee Doo Review on each trip! Somehow that show sparked her interest in the Disney College Program. Which she did in the fall of 2002, working as a hostess @ Captain Jacks in Downtown Disney. Now as an adult, Karen finds herself traveling to the parks on a yearly basis! Photography has always been a hobby of Karen’s, but over the past few years it has become her passion. It’s even taken her to her favorite place! The Make a Wish Foundation sent a family to Disney for a week and Karen was lucky enough to be their photographer of choice! She got to tag along and photograph their memories being made. She hopes to get that experience again someday! You can find more of Karen’s photography on her site www.KPportraits.com.

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Mardi Gras Parade Float Ride at Universal Orlando

by Universal Studios Tickets and Harry Potter Park Tickets on February 21, 2012



Last year, we had the unique opportunity to ride aboard a Mardi Gras float at Universal Studios Florida. This year, we got to do it, again! After signing a waiver and getting our float assignments, we headed back stage to get our costumes and board the float for the ride of a lifetime! We were on the "Rainforest Float" this year and it was a lot of fun! The rainforest Mardi Gras float had a second level! Not many of the Mardi Gras floats at Universal have this second level, but ours did and we quickly volunteered to ride up top!

During the walk to our float, we also saw most of the other floats that included one shown in the video with a tribute to the old Jaws attraction. Can you spot which one it is and name the reference? Bonus points for commenting with the right answer!

Mardi Gras Parade Floats at Universal Orlando

Mardi Gras Parade Floats at Universal Orlando

This year, Universal Orlando is allowing premier and preferred passholders and a guest to ride Mardi Gras floats.

Participants ride the floats in costume, and toss beads and doubloons to the crowd along the parade route.

Sign up is limited and it does not guarantee a float spot. Participation is on a first come, first serve basis.

Rules are as follows:

  • Must be 18 years of age (or accompanied by an adult)
  • Must be at least 48 inches in height
  • No bags or strollers
  • Can accommodate guests in standard push wheelchairs with advance notice

We've also been told that people that book a Universal Orlando vacation package can also pay to ride on one of the Mardi Gras floats -- and this one includes kids!!

Please let us know if we can help with your Universal Orlando vacation package or with getting you on a Mardi Gras float at Universal Orlando.

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Want to get all our tips and tricks for visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter? We wrote a travel guide for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! We included all our tips and tricks that we've learned over the last year to make your visit to the Wizarding World as magical as possible. Be sure to check it out!

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Got your Harry Potter tickets for the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter? Let us help you out!

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Terrific Tuesdays: Fantastic Fantasmic!

Fantasmic! is one of my favorite night time fireworks shows at Walt Disney World. This show is located at the end of Sunset Blvd. in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The 6,900 seat amphitheater has two shows a night on select evenings. Be warned that sitting near the front could get you wet. There are fireworks, water effects, live characters, canon explosions and balls of fire. Continue reading →

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Affordable Disney Souvenirs: The Bead Outpost in Epcot

All of the jewelry at the Bead Outpost is made from recycled old Disney park maps and other unused brochures! The outdated Disney items are sent to Uganda, through cooperation with the non-profit organization Bead For Life. There, villagers literally hand-roll the recycled paper into lovely, waterproof beads that are then made into jewelry, and sent back to Disney to be sold. Continue reading →

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Universal Orlando Trip Planning

Since we are a full service travel agency, one of the questions we often get is “Where else can we visit while visiting Universal Orlando?”. All of our Agents are both Authorized Disney Vacation Planners and Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations Specialists! So if you want to visit the Walt Disney World Resort while visiting [...]

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