Disney Bound!

I'll be taking a break from blogging this week, as we are headed to the World this very afternoon. We're driving with our girls, ages 2 and 5, so you can pray for both our safety and our sanity!

Our weather forecast isn't too promising, either--storms predicted for most of the week. But that's OK. We have our ponchos, and we're not afraid of getting wet. In fact, maybe the rains will thin the crowds a bit! (Can you tell that I'm trying to keep a positive attitude. On the inside, I'm bummed.)

Hope to report back soon with lots of photos.

Thursday's Tip

Today's tip: Bring your own stroller. Yes, Disney rents strollers. Yes, they're very nice. But at $15/day for a single stroller and a whopping $31/day for a double, you could easily buy a new lightweight stroller for one day's rental. (Multiple day--or "length of stay"--rentals bring the price down to $13/day for a single and $27/day for a double. Still pricey!)

I know it's a bit of a hassle to take one on the plane, but I have a solution for that too--buy a cheap one online and have it shipped directly to your hotel in time for arrival. Even with shipping, you'll save money. Here's one scenario:

Kmart.com has a variety of single umbrella strollers for $14.99 plus tax. Even with the $7.50 shipping fee, the total comes to just $22.49 plus tax. In less than two days of renting, you could have purchased a new lightweight stroller.

Or, if you have access to a car on your trip, visit the local Wal-Mart or Target and buy a cheap stroller upon arrival. You'll save the $7.50 shipping, and you may find an even better deal in stores. (Our local Wal-Mart sells umbrella strollers for around $12.99.)

Still not convinced? One more thing to remember: Disney only rents strollers inside the parks--not at any of the resorts. If you have very young children, you're going to need a stroller just to get through your hotel. The only way to have it every time you need it is to bring your own.

The Voice Behind the Mouse Is Silenced

Wayne Allwine, the voice of Mickey Mouse for the past thirty years, has died from complications of diabetes. He was 62. Allwine got his start at the iconic voice in 1977, working on "The New Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." Only the third person to voice MM, Allwine's works include the films Mickey’s Christmas Carol, The Prince and the Pauper, and the Kingdom Hearts video game series, along with countless hours of Disney programming. In addition to his voice work, he was a sound effects editor on numerous films.

And did you know that Mickey and Minnie really were married? Believe it! Allwine leaves behind a wife, Russi Taylor, who is the current voice of Minnie Mouse.

In 2008, both Allwines were named Disney Legends. Mr. Allwine's talents will be missed by many.

Cha-Ching! That Mickey Ice Cream Bar Just Got a Bit More Expensive

(Not really. Actually, I just wanted to use this cute pic of my daughter in this post.) But meal prices are, indeed, going up temporarily. Memorial Day weekend begins "Seasonal Dining" prices at WDW--which is really just another way of saying that you'll be paying more to eat if you visit during the summer (or Easter...or Christmas...or any other "peak" times throughout the year).

These prices apply to buffet or set-menu meals at locations such as 1900 Park Fare (Grand Floridian), Akershus (Epcot), Biergarten (Epcot), Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge), Cape May Café (Yacht & Beach Club), Chef Mickey’s (Contemporary), Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom), Crystal Palace (MK), Garden Grill (Epcot), Hollywood and Vine (Disney's Hollywood Studios), Liberty Tree Tavern (MK), Ohana (Polynesian), Trails End (Ft. Wilderness), and Tusker House (Animal Kingdom). Prices will increase $4 for ages 10 and up and $2 for kids 3-9. Dates for these increases are May 24 through July 11.

All Aboard for "A Christmas Carol" Train Tour

Coming November 6 to a theatre near you: Disney's A Christmas Carol. But this isn't the animated version starring Mickey Mouse. This one is live action, starring Jim Carrey (playing multiple roles!), Gary Oldham, and Colin Firth--and directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker RobertZemeckis. Oh, and did I mention it's in DisneyDigital 3D and will be shown in IMAX 3D?

To get your engines revving about this one, Disney is pulling out all the stops with a 40-city cross-country tour beginning in LA on May 22. To see a map of scheduled stops for this 24-week journey, click here. Covering more than 16,000 miles, this FREE event, driven by Amtrak and sponsored by HP, will feature Christmas carolers and decorations, 3D preview footage of the film, demonstrations of performance capture technology, film props and costumes, authentic artifacts on loan from the Charles Dickens Museum of London, and plenty of giveaways.

Sounds like a fun event for the whole family!

Thursday's Tip

Welcome to my new segment titled, appropriately, Thursday's Tip. Each week I'll dispense one of my favorite tried-and-true tips for getting the most out of your WDW vacation. Here's a simple tip that can give you peace of mind:


Take a digital picture or photocopy of the back of each ticket in your party as soon as you get them. There's a code on them that allows you to replace lost or stolen tickets--but only if you know the number. It's very easy to lose theme park tickets, especially when you're taking them in and out of your pockets to feed them into FastPass machines. And, rarely, tickets will be "eaten" by a FastPass machine. But if you have your ticket identification number, Guest Services can issue you a new ticket with minimal hassle. This tip could end up saving you hundreds of dollars--especially if a ticket were to be lost on the first day of a multi-day pass!

The Princess and the Frog

image copyright Disney

Disney's first African American princess is coming December 11 to a theatre near you! Watch the trailer here.

Disney Releases Summer Room Discounts

Disney has just released a new discount for resort stays between June 7 and August 8. Savings are roughly 20-22% of regular seasonal rates. You can book the discount through June 6 here.

Discounting rooms during the summer season is rather unprecedented, a sign that tourism in Orlando continues to struggle. Despite the fact that the parks continue to be populated, even crowded, Disney profits continue to drop--likely in response to the deep discounts being offered. Many travelers are taking advantage of these great deals but spending less in the parks on food and merchandise.

Do your part to stimulate the economy: plan your Disney vacation today! And while you're there, be sure to buy some Mickey ears and eat a few Mickey ice cream bars. Let's keep the Mouse in business!

Star Tours Overhaul Rumored

Star Tours first opened in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in 1987, then opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios (then Disney's MGM Studios) in December of 1989. Since then, the attraction has remained pretty much the same.

Time for an overhaul, don't you think? Apparently the folks at Disney think so too. Rumor has it that Lucasfilm has secretly been shooting footage for an update to the popular simulation ride.

While there has been no official confirmation from either Disney or Lucasfilm, rumors are flying across the web. We know that Anthony Daniels, aka C3PO, let it slip last year that he had recorded some audio tracks for an update of the ride. Now slashfilm.com is reporting that shooting began last week, featuring characters such as Boba Fett, Admiral Ackbar, and some Jawas. I think we can expect to see several characters from the prequels.

Speculation on the technology front includes the use of Disney Digital 3-D screens, polarized 3-D glasses with Star Wars theming, DTS-HD Master Audio systems, and remote controlled audio-animatronic figures.

Most would agree that Star Tours 2.0 is long overdue. Will Disney take advantage of May's Star Wars Weekends at DHS to make the big announcement? Let's hope so!

Armed Forces Salute

image copyright Disney

2009 is a great year for anyone to visit WDW, but it's an especially good year for military personnel and their families. Through December 23, every active or retired US military member is entitled to a free 5-day Disney's Armed Forces Salute ticket! Yes, FREE! What's more, he or she can purchase up to five additional 5-day companion tickets for $99 plus tax each.

These special tickets expire December 23, 2009 and the "No Expiration" option cannot be added. The Armed Forces Salute Tickets have both the the "Park Hopper" and the "Water Park Fun & More" option, but the companion tickets do not. For $25 plus tax you can add either option to a companion ticket.

Military personnel must present a valid US military ID (active or retired). Activated members of the National Guard or Reservists must present active duty orders in addition to valid military ID. In order to be eligible, the military member must have been active for any length of time between January 1, 2008 and December 23, 2009.

You might want to stay in Disney's military-only resort, Shades of Green. Although I've never been (it really is military-only!), I've heard wonderful things about it. Rates are based on rank and are very reasonable in contrast to comparable Disney resorts. You can check it out here.

You've served your country, now what are you going to do? (This is the part where you say, "I'm going to Disney World!")

Happy Travels!

Free Dining For Fall

OK, so this isn't really new news. The free dining offer was announced a few weeks ago. But for those of you who are new to Affording the Mouse, I thought I'd take this opportunity to explain the Disney Dining Plans.

First, the free offer. For travel dates between August 16 and October 3, guests that book a full price Magic Your Way package (that's basically a resort stay with at least a one-day ticket purchase) for at least three nights will receive the Disney Dining Plan for free! Must be booked by June 21.

So, what exactly is the Disney Dining Plan? Well, it's actually several plans. Let's break it down:

• New for 2009 is the Quick Service Dining plan. For each night of your stay, every guest over 3 gets 2 quick-service meals and 2 snacks. Each guest also gets a refillable mug that can be used at the resort of stay for unlimited soft drinks, coffee, milk, etc. The cost of this plan is $31.99 per day for adults and $9.99 per day for children 3-9.


• The basic Disney Dining plan includes (per night of stay): 1 table-service meal, 1 quick-service meal, and 1 snack. Cost is $39.99 per day for adults and $10.99 per day for children 3-9.


• The Deluxe Dining plan allows (per night of stay) a choice of 3 table-service or quick-service meals, plus 2 snacks per guest. Guests also receive refillable mugs. This plan is $71.99 per day for adults and $20.99 per day for children 3-9.


• Finally, there's the Wine and Dine plan. This one can be added to any other dining plan, and includes one wine entitlement per room per night of your stay. (Some wines "cost" more than one entitlement.) A more detailed explanation is here. This one adds $39.99 per day per room (not per person) and is obviously only available to adult guests.
  

There are other premium packages available, but since this blog is called Affording the Mouse, I don't recommend those based on cost. A few other caveats: kids must order from the kids menu, if one is available. Some special table service meals, such as character meals, "cost" two credits. Snack credits can be used for obvious items in the park (ice cream, drinks, etc.) but can also be used for some pre-packaged snack items in gift shops. So, if you're nearing the end of your vacation and you have leftover snack credits, see what you can find at your resort shop.

Are the dining plans a good deal? When they're free, certainly! But if you are paying full price, there are a few things to consider. What age are your children? If you have a ten-year-old, you're going to pay the full adult price, and he or she may not eat the full entree. And what are your priorities? Do you want to spend an hour or more each day at a table service restaurant? And do you want to have most of your meals planned in advance? (Since the introduction of the dining plans, table service restaurants are often booked weeks, if not months, in advance. ADRs are absolutely necessary if you plan to use those table service credits.)

If fine dining is a priority, if your family enjoys sharing relaxing meals together, and if you are all hearty eaters, the dining plans can be a great value. But, if you're like me and have preschoolers who would rather be riding Dumbo than sitting at Le Celliar, it's probably best to skip dining.

But, hey, when it's free...

DisneyShopping.com Morphs into DisneyStore.com

image copyright Disney

DisneyShopping.com has undergone a redesign and is now DisneyStore.com. At a glance, the changes seem minimal. In fact, if I hadn't received an email alerting me to the change, I might not have even noticed it. See it for yourself here.

And here's the important news: DisneyOutlet.com hasn't changed! For those of us who never pay full price, this is THE site for Disney merchandise. Sign up for email alerts, and you'll get first notice of deals like free shipping and seasonal sales. Sure, the merchandise isn't always the "latest & greatest" Disney has to offer, but most items are the very same ones you would have paid 25-50% more for at DisneyStore.com just a few weeks or months before. I especially like shopping for kids costumes here, since they are deeply discounted throughout the year.

Speaking of costumes, there's a whole new line of princess costumes for 2009. You can see them all by clicking here. Happy shopping!

Beloved Icon or Massive Obstacle? Hat's Days May Be Numbered

On the heels of the 20th birthday for Disney's Hollywood Studios comes the rumor that the iconic Sorcerer's Hat may be on its way out. Guests who attended the celebration at DHS had the opportunity to hear from senior members of Imagineering, including Bob Weis, who played a key role in creating the Studios back in 1989. Weis displayed a photo of the original view of Hollywood Boulevard, looking toward the Chinese Theatre--before the installation of the enormous hat. Then Weis commented that this view isn't available now but may be sometime in the future. The response from the crowd was uproarious applause.

So...do they know something we don't? Are plans already in the works to remove it? It certainly would appear that way.

But what do you think? Is Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat a beloved icon that shouldn't be touched--or is it just a huge eye-sore that blocks the view of the Chinese Theatre? Let me hear from you!

Tickets On Sale Today for Holiday Events

Tickets for the ever-popular Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party go on sale today! Both of these events take place in the Magic Kingdom, during the evening hours. These special ticketed events do not require regular park admission in addition to ticket prices. There are a limited number of tickets available, and some dates will sell out.

Dates for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party are: September 4, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29; October 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31; and November 1.

Prices are as follows:

Advanced purchase: $55.38 for adults and $48.99 for children 3-9. Tickets may not be purchased in advance for October 9, 15, 23, and 31.

Gate prices: $62.84 for adults and $56.45 for children 3-9. One exception is October 31, when adult tickets go up to $68.16 and children are $61.77.


For Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, dates include: November 10, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 29; and December 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18.

Prices are as follows:

Advanced purchase: $55.38 for adults and $48.99 for children 3-9. Tickets may not be purchased in advance for November 29 or December 4, 11, 17, and 18.

Gate prices: $62.84 for adults and $56.45 for children 3-9.

Deeper discounts are available on some nights of both events for annual passholders and Disney Vacation Club members.