Artist Warned...Then Banned

OK, so banned may be a harsh word. Let's just say that Vanessa Carlton probably won't be asked back to perform at any of the Disney parks in the near future.

While we were at WDW, we had the luck to be touring Epcot during the final of Ms. Carlton's three sets of the Eat to the Beat! concert series on October 21 (part of the Food & Wine Festival). My husband had never heard of her and was pretty disinterested, but I remembered her song "A Thousand Miles," so I stopped just long enough to snap this quick photo.

Little did we know that we had missed the excitement. Apparently, during her first set, Ms. Carlton let an F-bomb slip. At the conclusion of that set, she was warned by Disney employees to watch her language--after all, this is a family environment (can't get much more family oriented than Disney!). While she managed to keep it clean during the second show, apparently she had a slip of the S-word during the third set. Perhaps prophetically, she uttered, "I'm so fired now." Yes, Ms. Carlton. Yes, you are. Or, rather, asked to never perform at Epcot again. Now, whether that request extends to the other Disney parks, I can't say. But I'd say it's a fair guess that she won't be hanging out with Mickey and the gang anytime soon.

Thursday's Tip

Today's tip is mostly for those with small children and those who have been to Walt Disney World several times: take a day off from the parks to explore! For small kids, it's great to have a day between touring to sleep late and get to bed early--this helps counter the break-neck pace that many of us keep, trying to squeeze in every last minute of fun at the parks (guilty!). But many frequent visitors to WDW have failed to explore what Disney has to offer outside of the four main parks. What a shame! There are so many things to do--many that are free!--that won't take up your valuable theme park tickets but still provide lots of fun!

Some examples:

• Spend a day touring the resorts. All the WDW resorts are elaborately themed. This is a good chance to see where you might want to stay on your next visit. In addition, most have daily activities planned for kids (also mostly free).


• Shop and eat your way through Downtown Disney. Home of the ginormous World of Disney store, a Legostore, and a great fountain to play in, there's plenty to keep you busy for an afternoon or longer.


• Have tea in the beautiful Garden View Tea Room (Grand Floridian), an inexpensive alternative to a full meal in this deluxe resort.


• Stroll on the Boardwalk. While you're there, take a boat (or two or three) to Disney's Hollywood Studios, Epcot, or the other resorts in the area. Better yet, rent a surrey and pedal to them!

Remember that Disney transportation is free to guests, so you can hop a bus to just about any part of Disney property and explore!

my girls wiggling their toes in the sand (Yacht & Beach Club)

Southwest Makes a Good Deal Even Better

If you follow the Disney crowd calendar or the resort rate schedule, you know that early December, as well as most of January and early February can be an inexpensive time of year to plan a WDW vacation. (Basically, any time that most schools are still in session.)

Southwest has a deal going now with rates as low as $25 one way! Other rates are as low as $50 and $75 one way. That could make your flight to Orlando as cheap as $50 plus taxes and fees! Of course, rules apply:

• Fares do not include federal excise tax of $3.60 per takeoff and landing, airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9, and government-imposed September 11th Security Fee of up to $5 one-way.
• Purchase by October 29, 2009, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
• Travel Dec. 2 - Dec. 16, 2009 and Jan. 5 - Feb. 10, 2010.
• Travel valid every day except Sundays.

Hurry! As you can see, this rate will not last. To check rates or book your flight, click here.

ADRs Revert to 180 Day System

For those of you planning a Walt Disney World vacation for spring break (or any time between now and late April), it's time to make those Advanced Dining Reservations! For some time, Disney has been operating on a 90-day system, meaning you could only call to make ADRs (or book online) for travel dates 90 days in advance. Beginning today, that time frame switches back to 180 days. This is likely the result of Disney's "Buy 4, Get 7" deal, as this will greatly increase the number of guests using the Dining Plan.

Well...what are you waiting for? Call (407) WDW-DINE today!

Back from the Happiest Place on Earth

My family just returned from our second WDW vacation this year! This was a rather last-minute (well, at least in terms of my usual Disney planning MO) trip. With a week off school for fall break and almost-too-good-to-be-true deals, we just couldn't resist.

The weather was quite a change from the record temps in Lake Buena Vista just a couple of weeks ago. We weren't as prepared for the cool weather as I would have liked, but it warmed up as the week went on, and we experienced near-perfect Disney weather on our last day in the parks.
In coming posts, I'll share some of our new experiences, old favorites, and other impressions from our trip. I'll whet your appetite with this: As a seasoned deal-finder and admitted cheap-o, this was a great trip for us to try out some of the money-saving practices that I share with clients. How did it go? We didn't feel as if we missed out on anything by cutting a few corners, and our trip came in over $200 UNDER our rather slim budget!

Want to know how you can do the same for your family? Let Affording the Mou$e help you plan your next WDW vacation, and we guarantee we'll save you money--or you get yours back!

Disney Stores Host Costume Event

Who doesn't love a great (free) party? On Wednesday, Oct. 21, 3:30-5:30 p.m., drop by your local Disney Store for fun, games, prizes, and a costume parade. Children three and older who wear their favorite costumes will receive a free gift!



Sadly, my princesses will have to miss this event. But don't feel too sorry for them--we'll be hanging out with Mickey and the gang at Walt Disney World that day! I would love to hear about the event from anyone who attends.

Thursday's Tip

Keeping your food budget in check during your Walt Disney World vacation can be a challenge. But one of the easiest ways to save up to $10/day per person in your family is by eating breakfast in your hotel room before going into the parks. All Disney resorts have coffee makers in the rooms, so you can easily heat water for instant oatmeal, grits, or other hot cereals. Granola bars, fresh fruit, and cold cereal also make quick, inexpensive breakfasts. Moderate and Deluxe resorts also have in-room refrigerators to keep milk, juice and fresh fruit cold.

An added bonus: many breakfast items you can prepare in your room are more healthful than the pastries that you might be tempted with in the parks. Just say NO to that $4 bagel!

Try Disney's Digital Books for Free

I am a self-proclaimed bibliophile. As someone who has worked in publishing, I have a perhaps unnatural preoccupation with the actual books themselves--the paper...the binding...the cover. So the world of digital books doesn't fascinate me perhaps as it should.

Still...a free deal is a free deal. And I can't pass up free. So, I'll be signing up for Disney Digital's free trial. You get 7 free books, as well as a Look and Listen book and a Story-builder Activity. Did I mention it is free? Try it for yourself here. Let me know what you think!

No More Seat-Saving at 4 MK Locations

You know 'em. Those people who put purses, hats, and backpacks in every chair of a table for ten with one lonely "seat-saver" guarding the table. Maybe you've even been them. Who am I kidding? I've been them! Well, Disney wants to eliminate this practice, as they claim it clogs up to 1/3 of a restaurant's seating capacity.

A new program--"The Basics"--is being tested at four Magic Kingdom locations: Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe, Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, Columbia Harbour House, and Pinocchio Village Haus. Guests will now enter through a specific entrance of each restaurant and be met by a greeter. Menus are distributed, and guests are directed to the cash registers to order. With food in hand, they are then seated by another employee.

So, what about guests who just want to get off their feet--or parents who don't want to struggle with wiggly toddlers during the ordering process? It would seem they would be out of luck, at least at these locations. Signage outside Pecos Bill's reads: "Welcome. Our tables are reserved for guests who have received their food. Once you have received your food, we will help direct you to a table."

But while Disney is adding employees to help with seating, apparently they're eliminating the help with ordering. Pecos Bill's will now feature self-ordering kiosks.

Oh, and just one more change: roomy chairs with backs have been replaced with smaller, backless stools, allowing for an extra chair to be placed at each table. Hmmm...further motivation for you to "eat and run"?

I'm all for maximizing my time in the parks, but I'm not sure I'm a fan of these changes. I'll let you know what I think after my visit to the parks in a couple of weeks.

Thursday's Tip

"For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?" (Luke 14:28, NASB)

Today's tip: create a vacation budget. I will be the first to admit that I hate budgets. I am extremely frugal, and I don't buy things with money I don't already have, but the idea of sitting down and putting it all on paper gives me the hives. That said, it is necessary--and even empowering--to create a realistic vacation budget.

I have a firm belief that most families, if they are willing to make a few sacrifices, can afford to visit Walt Disney World without financing the trip. You can read about some great ways to save in this post. I would never, NEVER advocate a client planning a vacation that he or she didn't already have the money to pay for. Never.

That said, your budget doesn't need to be a spreadsheet with multiple tabs. Mine is only about a page, and contains figures for the following possible expenses:
airfare and airport parking

• car rental


• gasoline


• tolls


• hotel


• dining (both in the parks and off-site)


• food/grocery purchases


• park tickets


• additional entertainment (movies, miniature golf, etc.)


• souvenirs


• other/misc. (I include character meals here, as they are "special" expenditures)

Many of these blanks are easy to fill in before the trip. Hotel, airfare, car rental, and park tickets should be arranged before your trip. But dining, entertainment, and souvenirs can vary a LOT with impulse buys. The budget helps you set parameters to avoid those impulses and make wise choices. Still, I try to set a liberal budget so that I'll be happily surprised if our trip comes in under budget.

Finally, keep track of your spending (save receipts or jot down each expenditure) and do a comparison of "estimated" to "actual." How'd you do? Use this as a guideline for future Disney vacation budgets!

Top 5 Food Deals at WDW

OK, I admit it...this post is really a matter of opinion. I mean, it's hard to quantify value when it comes to food. It's kinda like comparing apples to oranges. Or taco salad to quiche, as the case may be. Still, here are what I consider to be the top 5 food deals at Walt Disney World:

5. Animal Kingdom's Picnic in the Park. This to-go meal can be purchased for 2-6 guests, and you can choose the less-expensive sandwich version, or the slightly pricier ham or chicken meal. Both come with sides, dessert, and bottled water. Prices start at $17.99 for two people and go up to $56.99 for six. A great deal at less than $10/person!

4. Condiment bars. Many of the counter service restaurants around the World feature exceptional "dress your own" condiment bars. By adding enough toppings, you can turn a burger or potato into a meal. I'm especially fond of the taco bar at El Pirata y el Perico in the Magic Kingdom. For $5.99 you get two beef tacos, or for $7.29 you can have taco salad (my favorite). Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, and salsa as high as you can pile it!

3. Fresh produce. While this isn't a filling meal, you can complement a less nutritious offering, such as a hot dog, with a healthy side, such as a banana, for as low as $1. Fruit cups are around $3, and many counter service restaurants offer grapes or carrots as side dishes. Every park has at least one restaurant or cart with fresh produce choices, if you're willing to look. The Magic Kingdom has the most offerings (Liberty Square Market, Main Street Bakery, Toontown Farmer's Market, to name just a few). In Disney's Hollywood Studios you'll find Anaheim Produce. Sunshine Seasons Grab-n-Go in Epcot has a great selection. And the Animal Kingdom sells produce at Harambe Market.

2. The half rotisserie chicken with two sides. Three of the four parks have some variation of this meal that is large enough for two light eaters to share (and certainly enough for a parent to share with a small child). Sunshine Seasons (Epcot), Cosmic Ray's (MK), and Flame Tree BBQ (AK) all have a similar meal for under $10. For a little more at Flame Tree BBQ, you can get ribs instead of chicken.

1. I hesitate to tell you about this one. Really, I want to keep this little secret for myself. Oh, alright. My favorite food deal is in Epcot, tucked away in the World Showcase...in the country that is known for its food: France. For those of you who don't care to indulge in the extravagance (and expense) that is Chefs de France, but still want to experience the taste sensations, try Boulangeri Patisserie. This little counter service spot is in the rear of the pavilion. With just a few tiny tables outside, you'd never realize that they serve some of the same desserts and pastries as the other French restaurants--but at a fraction of the cost. Some items are as low as $1.95! My favorite value is the ham & cheese croissant. At just $3.25, it's a perfect light lunch. But don't stop there--you must try the chocolate mousse! And maybe the quiche. But it's OK...you can indulge...nothing on the menu is over $6!!! It's a little out of the way, but definitely worth finding.

My daughter, enjoying the chocolate mousse!

Character Changes Around the World

Character encounters are a favorite part of Walt Disney World. While the classic characters are always on hand around the World, peripheral characters seem to change with the wind (or with the current box office climate). Here are some current and upcoming character changes:

• The Peter Pan characters meet-n-greet in the Magic Kingdom has moved from Adventureland to Fantasyland (now near TinkerBell's Fairy Treasures).


• Thumper and Miss Bunny have been added to the character encounters in Animal Kingdom at Camp Mickey & Minnie (replacing Koda and Kenai from Brother Bear).


• Terrance will soon be joining the Fairies at Pixie Hollow (Toontown in the Magic Kingdom), likely replacing Iridessa.


• Characters from the new animated film, The Princess and the Frog, will be added in the near future, most likely also in Toontown. Characters will include Tiana, Naveen, and Dr. Facilier.

On a related note, we got our first glimpse of a live Tiana at Disney on Ice's Celebrations this weekend. It was a great show, and we loved seeing this newest princess in person! Hoping to catch her show on the Liberty Belle in Frontierland on our upcoming trip! (It's not supposed to officially start until late October, but we're hoping to hit a dry run before the official opening.)

Thursday's Tip

Every little girl wants to be a princess, and the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques at Downtown Disney and the Magic Kingdom can help make that happen--for a price! At a whopping $189.95 for the premium "Castle Package," your little princess will get: hairstyle, makeup, nails, costume, and accessories. But for less than a third of that price, you can do it yourself!

Consider the biggest chunk of that purchase: the costume. Right now, You can purchase most of the Disney Princess costumes for under $40 in Disney stores and online. If you're able to wait a few weeks or months, you can sometimes get them at half of that! I've purchased some Disney costumes for as little as $12 at the right time of year. Accessories often run as little as $3-5 too.

Nails? Try around $2 for a bottle of polish. Makeup? You can buy most anything that glitters in a discount store for under $5. Hairstyle? For a princess, start with a simple bun and add a tiara and glitter spray--you're all set! For the pop star look, you can purchase colored spray, glittering hair wands, and even small clip-on hairpieces! All of this at a fraction the cost. Plus, you'll be saving valuable park time (if you were planning on visiting the Magic Kingdom location) that can be spent on your favorite attractions instead.