It's That Time of Year...

I always love seeing what the creative minds at WDI and the skilled pastry chefs at Disney are able to create in holiday displays for Christmas. Here's a quick video that gives details about the display that just went up at Disney's Boardwalk. Check it out!

 

Hurry! Disney Store Gift Card Available from DMR

If you've been saving up your Disney Movie Rewards points, now is the time to cash in. Today, they just released an inventory of $10 Disney Store gift cards, redeemable for 1000 points. These traditionally go VERY fast, so log on now to get yours! I just got mine, but they won't last long.



 

Disney Store Deals and a Customer Service Plug

 photo ©DisneyStore

So, my girls and I have fallen in love with the new dolls from "It's a Small World" that can be found at DisneyStore.com. And since Christmas is coming, I decided to take advantage of a $10 off $50 purchase coupon I got from my Disney Rewards Visa, as well as a free shipping with Disney Parks purchase (I also bought a new autograph book for my youngest) and get a couple of these pretties for my girls. Then, this morning, I got an email alerting me to a 3-day sale on various toys (check out those deals HERE)--including the dolls I had just purchased.

Without a specific agenda (except, well, complaining about my dumb luck), I tweeted this:

Bought dolls yesterday @DisneyStore (used a coupon & got free shipping) but today they are on sale.  :-/ #kickingmyself #hatewastingmoney

Guess what?! I got a response from Disney Store:

@ValerieBGibbs I am sorry for the inconvenience, Valerie. Please contact Guest Services at (800) 328-0368 and we will happily assist. ^MN

So, I did just what they said, and guess what?! I will be getting a credit for a future purchase for the price difference! The moral of the story? It never hurts to ask for a refund when an item goes on sale. Many stores advertise that they do this, but even if it's not common knowledge, it certainly doesn't hurt to try.

I have long sung the praises of the stellar customer service that Disney provides, both in the parks and elsewhere, and this is just one more example. And, yes, I did tweet my appreciation back to them. :-)

Hidden Mickey Monday

Happy birthday to the one and only Mickey Mouse! Here's a Hidden Mickey Monday to celebrate. This one showed itself while I was washing a few dishes:



 

New Maleficent Trailer Released

Go here to see the latest trailer for Maleficent, releasing this summer. Our household is pretty psyched about this one!

New Discount Aimed at Families with Little Ones

Disney just released a new vacation package they're aiming at "Families with Little Ones." But how does it stack up as a discount? It's basically a version of the Stay, Play, & Dine, as far as I can tell, as it includes/requires all three elements (Resort reservation, Park tickets, and Dining Plan). Travel dates for 2014 include January 5 through March 5, and it must be booked by December 31, 2013. Some resorts and rooms are excluded.

This discount overlaps with two other discounts being offered on the same dates: the Stay, Play, & Dine offer and a Room-Only discount. Your best bet is to plug in your dates for all three on the Disney website to see which is the best deal for your family. (Remember: with a room-only discount, you can purchase tickets from another source--such as AAA or Undercover Tourist--and often get a better deal. But if you want the Disney Dining Plan, either the S,P, & D or this new offer are probably best for you.)

Visit the Disney "Special Offers" page for info on all the above discounts.