Skip the lines!

        At Disney it seems like everything is outragously priced! But one great thing about Disney that they haev kept free while other parks like Universal, Seaworld or Six Flags, is there Fastpass program!

 This means skip the entire line! FOR FREE!

 

       After you entire the park, you will be able to get a park map, telling you all the attractions (mostly the extremely popular ones), that have Fastpasses. This great service is not advertised as well as everything else in the park so some first-timers may miss it and get stuck waiting in unnessscesary lines!

 

 

Tip: When you first enter the park, get to the attraction you want to ride most firs,t and get it's Fastpass, so you can go on a few other rides in the time you would have to wait in the stand-by line

 

Tip: If you are going to Magic Kingdom, try and do all the 'little kid' rides last! The later you wait to do them in the night, the shorter the lines because all the young kids go home after fireworks and the parade! (the shorter the line the better!)

 

    It always seems like the lines are long, but if you make a plan to manuver around the park in order, it will also take you less time to get everything done!

 

   Hope these tips help!





Dining!

         Disney dining is always considered to be outrageously overpriced! And most of it is, but I have a few tips to keep the cost down!

• Always pack water with you- you are able to bring in food and drinks (non-alcoholic) into the parks, so take advantage of it! 
• If staying at a hotel, go for the Dining Plan! 
• This plan has two options, but overall it allows you to eat more cheaply if you plan on eating a few meals and snacks everyday while at the parks! With each meal you get a drink, and dessert, options for dessert include fruit, cake, chips, or even ice cream sundaes! 
• This is the link to Disney Dining Plan if you'd like more information!
• Depending on what park you are in, some quick service locations are cheaper and give you more food for your money! 
• For instance- in Magic Kingdom, Pinochio's Village (in Fantasyland) allows you to get italian food, such as spaghetti and pizza for a lower price than eating at Cosmic Rays (Tomorrowland) 
• For Hollywood Studios, stop by Pizza Planet (located next to the Muppets show) you can get pizza for the normal cost roughly $9, but it comes with a side salad included, which most other food locations don't! 

        Try to get the most food for your money! 

Food and Wine Festival!

       Food and Wine Festival at Epcot is the yummiest time of year! The festival for 2012 starts on September 28 and runs until November 12!

        In Epcot, there are 11 countries located in the World Showcase, but for the festival they construct booths that represent each country from around the world. For the festival there are 29 countries to pick from! This is a great time of year to visit Epcot because you can sample food and different alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from around the world!

    Most small plates of food run from $3-$7, depending on what you're ordering and drinks run from $4-$8! As you drink and eat you're way around the World Showcase, you can get a passport! This passport is so fun to see which countries you visited, and its a free souvenir!

     In addition to just visiting all the countries booths, there are cooking class, wine tasting classes that you can sign up for while in the park! They also bring in famous chefs from around the world to teach!

     Although these classes are an addition cost to your park ticket they are once in a lifetime!

If you are in the orlando area, try and make a stop for the festival it's defiantly worth it! 

This is me at the Food and Wine festival from 2011! 

I am visiting the festival this year on opening weekend and I will make sure to post all about it! 

Tickets, Tickets, Tickets!

          As a Florida resident, I am able to visit Disney quite frequently, this can sometimes be a burden on my wallet but learning a few key tips can certainly help!

         First being, if you are a Florida resident, take advantage of it!! If you are a frequent visitor of the Disney parks think about investing in an annual pass! Many of these passes work out to roughly 4 or 5 trips before they pay for themselves!

-One of the best things Disney has done is put their annual passes on a monthly payment plan!  This allows people on a budget to enjoy the experience just as much!

          For people who are not Florida residents, don't get discouraged! You are not able to get discounted tickets, but they are usually promotions in the slow times of year!

But remember, be careful! There are too many places that will rip you off out there. Never buy a partially used ticket or from places offering extremely high discounts! There is nothing worse than getting to the turnstiles and getting turned away!

Holidays are busy for Disney, but one of the advantages of them is the specialty holiday theme parties in Magic Kingdom! 



    Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party are separate admission tickets!!! Make sure to check you are NOT going to the parks on these days. It is a waste of a park ticket because you must exit the park at 7pm, if you do NOT have a separate ticket!


However, there is a plus to these parties!! If you purchase the ticket you are allowed to enter the park around 4pm (ending at midnight)! This $59.95 ticket also includes trick-or-treating for Halloween and hot chocolate and cookies for Christmas!

There are always ways around the 'rules' at Disney, don't get discouraged if you think its not in your budget!

Early Bird Gets The Worm

Getting the news that you’re going to Disney World is like Christmas morning. After the initial excitement wears off, you start to worry about how you’re going to pay of all of it. This is where I am here to help! I have been going to Disney World at least once a year since I was born; because of this I have learned plenty of incredible tips!

            One of the most important tips for Disney, as well as many other travel plans its to plan as far in advance as possible. This allows for rates and fares to be lower, also try and plan around the busier seasons of year! The least crowded and lowest rates usually occur:

• January: after the holidays are over, many people are getting back into routines, so many of the hotels and parks are empty
• Late April: until Memorial Day, this time of year is Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival, where many free concerts and exhibits with park admission
• Late August through end of September: families are getting ready for the new school year. No kids – no crowds.

       During these times Disney is eager to get hotel and dining reservations filled! Also during these times you might be able to find cheaper airfare or train fare!

Unusual Tip: Don’t forget about the train, even though it might be a bit longer travel time there are surprisingly cheap fares!