Kids Play Free with Disney Rewards Visa

If you are a Disney Rewards Visa card member, you may have received an email alerting you to a new "Kids Play Free" deal for much of 2011. Similar to deals in the past, it's essentially means that kids will get free park tickets when adults purchase tickets and book a resort stay. Of course, there are minimum stay requirements as well as blocked out dates and a few other restrictions. (Add-ons, such as Park Hopper and Water Parks & More are not included in the free children's tickets.)

Here is the basic info directly from the email:

Dear Cardmembers, Take advantage of this advance booking offer today to purchase a 4-night/4-day Magic Your Way Vacation Package that includes room and Theme Park tickets, and children age 3-9 can stay and get a 4-day Theme Park admission ticket, FREE. So hurry and book today! Your offer is available for stays most nights February 17–April 16, April 28–June 14, and August 14–October 1, 2011. And when you stay at a Disney Resort Hotel, not only will you be in the middle of the magic, you'll also experience special magic, like:
	Extra time in a Theme Park each day so you can enjoy more rides on select attractions with your family...and more Disney time together! (Valid Theme Park admission required.)
	Complimentary transportation to and from Orlando International Airport AND throughout Walt Disney World® Resort. It makes getting around as hassle free as can be!
	Fun for everyone whether you're splashing down Resort pool slides, watching movies under the stars or hitting the links with a complimentary golf club rental (at select Disney Golf Courses).

If you're not a Disney Rewards Visa cardholder, I highly recommend it for anyone who is able to use a credit card responsibly. Check out my previous DRV posts (under categories at the right) or drop me an email or comment if you'd like a referral code to receive bonus Disney Dream Dollars at signing.

"Like" Ridemakerz on Facebook for a $10 off $30 Coupon

If you have a little race fan in your family, you might want to "like" the Ridemakerz Facebook page for a coupon worth $10 off a $30 purchase (expires 12/31/10). The coupon can be used in the store at Downtown Disney (and other locations nationwide) or online at www.Ridemakerz.com. To get your coupon, follow this link:

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=120273829473

Via Napoli Offers Pizza by the Slice

I'm not sure if it's temporary or permanent, but Via Napoli (in the Italy section of Epcot) has begun offering pizza by the slice at a kiosk just outside the restaurant. It's not cheap--a pricey $6.50 for a large slice--but it's a nice alternative if you don't have the time or a group large enough to share a whole pie inside the restaurant.

We ate at Via Napoli during our last visit to WDW, and we really enjoyed it. The food was yummy (see photo above), and we actually walked right in without any wait. The staff was friendly, and the pizza ovens were fun and festive. Overall, a good experience. But, by far, the best part was the traditional Italian pizza--definitely a step above what you would expect from "theme park" pizza.

Another Fatal Disney Bus Accident

A 69-year-old man is dead after stepping in front of a WDW bus at the Port Orleans Resort on Sunday, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Initial investigation concludes that the bus driver was not at fault in the incident, and no other injuries were reported. You can read the full story here.

Merry Christmas from Affording the Mou$e

 

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2: 1-20, NIV

Merry Christmas from the Voices of Liberty

One of my favorite vocal ensembles...enjoy this Christmas greeting in song!

Sneak Peek at Art of Animation Rooms

Are you as excited as me about the Art of Animation Resort that will feature a large number of family suites? It will definitely fill a great need for large families (and those who just like a little more room) visiting Walt Disney World. Orlando's Fox affiliate has a photo preview of some of the rooms on their website. I think the Nemo rooms are my favorite! What do you think?

Dining Online Reservation Enhancements

So, you may recall the online reservation system having several recent outages for scheduled maintenance. Apparently, they made some enhancements to the online dining reservations. Now, you can make online ADR (advanced dining reservations) for groups of up to 14 guests. Also, it's now possible to make online reservations for some of the special dining events that you previously had to call the dining line to book--events such as the Fantasmic! Dinner Package, the Wishes Dessert Party, and even Dine with an Imagineer (among others). To view the new and improved reservation page, click here.

More Art Immitating Life Immitating Art?

You may have seen my post this week about Jon Favreau directing the new Magic Kingdom film. It seems this genre--a movie about a real place that seeks to emulate a fantasy world--is gaining popularity with Disney. Here's an interesting story about a new film in development based on a Disney attraction that never made it past the concept stage. The Museum of the Wierd sounds pretty interesting, and with Ahmet Zappa writing the script, it's certain to be memorable.

National Free Shipping Day

It's National Free Shipping Day, an opportunity for all of us last-minute shoppers to click through our lists without having to leave the comfort of our living rooms! (And, let me say, it is CRAZY out there this time of year!) DisneyStore.com is joining in on the fun. Today only, use the code FREESHIP to get free standard delivery shipping sitewide. And, guess what? Today is the last day for delivery by Dec. 24 with standard shipping. As always, some restrictions apply. Order by midnight to get your items shipped free in time for Christmas!

Friday Photo

Anyone know where this photo was taken?

Dragon Legend Acrobats to Leave Epcot Soon

One of my family's favorite performing groups, the Dragon Legend Acrobats will end their nearly 25-year run in early 2011 and say goodbye to the China pavilion at Epcot. I will really miss seeing these young kids performing their amazing feats. But a tiny part of me really hopes they'll all get a chance to play and be normal kids now too! Of course, who's to say they're not already having the time of their lives? I think, perhaps, it was this disapproving look from their coach that makes me suspicious:

Thursday's Tip

OK, so I have to apologize because I have all but abandoned my Thursday's Tip series. All I can say is the holidays have overtaken me, and I'm all out of creative juices right now. Still, I managed to crank one out for today...hope it's helpful!

I'm a big advocate of paying for (or at least saving for) your Disney vacation in advance. I don't believe in going into debt for a vacation. Any vacation. Even a Walt Disney World vacation. Today's tip offers a great way to help you plan and save for your next trip. When you've got an idea of your trip dates (hopefully you know 6 months to a year in advance!), log onto the Disney website and price out your trip at full price--with no discounts. That way, you'll know the maximum amount your trip could cost. (Don't forget to add in flights, food, gas, or whatever extras are not covered.) Then, take that figure and subtract what you already have saved specifically for your vacation. The amount that's left is what you'll need to save between now and then, so divide that amount by how many months are left until your trip. Then you'll have a clear figure of what you'll need to save each month.

Now, you may say, "But I am quite sure I will get a discount. My trip isn't going to cost that much." To that I say, GREAT! And when you save that full amount, you'll be thrilled to have the extra cash to spend on souvenirs or, better yet, a jump start on savings for your next trip!

Favreau Ditches Iron Man for Magic Kingdom

I've been a fan of Jon Favreau since Swingers ("You're money, and you don't even know it") which he starred in and wrote. And I fell in love all over again with Elf. So I was pretty psyched to learn that he would be directing the new movie about Disneyland, Magic Kingdom. (Too bad for all the Iron Man fans who will have a new director for the next installment of that series.)

Favreau says the story is “essentially a family caught in Disneyland, bringing all of the attractions to life. I really want to plumb the depths of the history of the park because it’s a place I love to go a few times a year.”

Favreau shared a bit of his preparation and inspiration for how he'll approach the movie in a recent interview: “I said, look I’ve got to watch every Disney property. I started with Steamboat Willie working my way all the way up. I really want to focus on the classic stuff like Dumbo, Steamboat Willie, all the early black and white Mickey Mouse cartoons – all the Fantasyland stuff. I think there was something timeless about what Walt did and I want to explore, not just Disneyland, but Walt’s vision of Disneyland. If you look at his concept art it diverges a little bit from what the park turned into over time; but if you look at his original concept art and really explore what that world is, I think there is something really fun and magical to be done there.”

Magic Kingdom is slated for a 2013 release. Can't wait!

Yet Another Reservation System Outage

Once again, the Walt Disney World reservation system will be down for maintenance from Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. through sometime Wednesday morning. That means guests will be unable to make dining or resort reservations or change said reservations. If you need to make or change a reservation, you'll need to do it before 5:30 or plan on waiting until Wednesday.

Disney Movie Rewards Points Still Up for Grabs

Are you a member of Disney Movie Rewards? If you see a lot of Disney movies or purchase them on home video/DVD/Blu-ray, you should be! I've earned enough points over the years to purchase some pretty nice items (Hannah Montana bicycle, anyone?).

Now through Christmas (OK, so it has been going on for a couple of weeks now...I'm just getting around to telling you), you can earn bonus points every day, just by logging on to ABC Family's website and clicking on the Disney Movie Rewards button. I'll give you a hint: it's low on the left side of the page. This will take you to the DMR page where you'll be credited as soon as you log in to your account.

There are still 13 days of points available to DMR members! (Most days are coming up 5 pts., but I'm hoping for a big bonus on Christmas!)

Great Ideas for Crafting and Baking Fun

If you're a DIY mom like me, you're always looking for fun crafts or a new easy recipe to make with the kiddos. Now that I'm a homeschooling mom, the need for new and fresh ideas is even more strong! One great place to find ideas for fun family Christmas projects is Disney's Family Fun magazine. Log on to the website to find fun crafts, yummy treats, and all sorts of fun ideas for your holiday family time. Most projects require items you'd have around your house already, and some even have instructional videos (really helpful!).

What are your favorite Christmas family projects? Here's one of our recent projects--a gingerbread house made from scratch! (Never mind that it only stood about 45 minutes before crashing down. The good news is that we actually got to eat it while it was still fresh, rather than hard as a rock from sitting around for two weeks until Christmas. Gotta find that silver lining, right?

Toontown Set to Close in February

Many of you have been wondering...and a few of you have asked...but until now, I didn't have a clear answer. But Friday, the official Disney Parks Blog confirmed that Mickey's Toontown Fair will be closing after February 11 to make room for the Fantasyland expansion.

Mickey, Minnie, and the Princesses will find temporary meet-n-greet digs elsewhere in the park, and will relocate to the Town Square Exposition Center in the spring. Tink will be heading to Disney's Hollywood Studios to greet guests, while her fairy friends will be appearing in Epcot in the spring.

The Walt Disney World Railroad station in Toontown will close, leaving only the Main Street and Frontierland stations in the loop. However, the railroad will operate as normal otherwise.

If you get an opportunity to visit WDW before February 11, be sure to give Toontown a fond farewell!

Friday Photo

Ah, memories! This was taken back in 2005--our oldest daughter's first visit to WDW. The castle show at that time was called "Cinderellebration!" and it featured all the major princesses: Cinderella, Snow White, Aurora, Belle, and Jasmine. After watching home video of it over and over and over, I can still sing most of the songs from this show. (A little sad, right?) It was a fun show, and my little princess just loved it! Anyone out there remember "Cinderellebration!" ?

Parks Offering "Coupons" for Off-Hour Dining

It doesn't happen often, but on a few occasions recently Disney has offered coupons for dining at odd hours. If you're visiting the parks between December 19 and January 1, you can actually print a voucher to receive 30% off at specific restaurants, simply for dining during specific hours, specifically before noon or between 3:00 and 4:30 p.m.



Click here to print your voucher.

Free Shipping at DisneyStore.com with Toy Purchase

Today through Wednesday, if you purchase any toy from www.DisneyStore.com you can get free shipping on your entire purchase by using the code TOYMANIA. Free shipping applies to standard delivery, and there are a few restrictions, but this is a great way to get the items you want shipped free--just make sure you add a not-so-expensive toy to your cart.

How are you all doing on your Christmas shopping? Finished? Almost? Not even started? I'm getting pretty close, but I still have a few items to buy. Just 19 days left...better get moving!

I Want One...

OK, so you might remember me pining over a Dooney & Bourke Mickey purse. And then, when I actually purchased a small one (at a cost of $60--which is a lot for a frugal shopper like me!), I was completely underwhelmed. And, to be quite honest, I had a pretty abysmal customer service experience with DisneyStore.com, too. :-/ Honestly, I haven't made a purchase from them since.

That said, I just saw these new beauties:



No, they're not from D&B...they're from Harveys. Are they cute, or what? This one is $154.50--so NOT in my budget. The cheapest one I saw was $129.50 (boo). And since I still have the tiny D&B one sitting on my desk, mocking me for making a frivolous purchase of a bag too small to hold my goods with a handle too short to go over my shoulder, I guess I'll merely adore these from afar.

Besides, I'm still a little miffed at DisneyStore.com (per the aforementioned abysmal customer service experience). Guess I'll tell myself I'm passing on principle. That will make it hurt less, right?

Friday Photo

I'm a planner. And although I do advocate having a general touring plan for any WDW vacation, I'm actually not a ride-by-ride itinerary planner. For one thing, even the most well-planned itinerary can fall victim to unexpected stumbling blocks, such as a closed attraction or a sick child (both happened to us on our last trip!). And the other main reason I like having a flexible plan is so that we can take in the street performances that we stumble across around the World. (Actually, most of these are on a schedule too, but it's way more fun to happen upon them, in my opinion!) Here's a fun little acrobatic/juggling act near France in Epcot. The little guy on the table provides most of the skilled straight-man work, while the chef takes on the more comedic role.

Where in the World is your favorite street performance?