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.



 

New Dining Cancellation Policy On Hold

Disney had planned to implement a new cancellation policy for Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) beginning tomorrow, October 31. This policy would require a credit card to hold ALL table service reservations, and a fee of $10 per guest would be charged for any no-shows. The obvious reason for this policy is the rampant practice of guests making multiple reservations, often in multiple parks, for convenience (ensuring multiple options in case plans change) and cancelling (or not) with little or no notice. This practice wreaks havoc on the dining system, prohibiting other guests from snagging ADRs that go unused. And it's selfish. (That last bit is just my opinion.)

That said, I am now reading that this policy will NOT go into effect tomorrow as originally planned. No date has been given, but I do believe this is a delay, rather than a change, in the new policy. Previous cancellation fees that were already in place--those for Signature Dining and certain character experiences--are still in effect as they were before.

 

New Fall Discounts Released

Disney has just released two discounts for fall. First, they've extended the Fall Dining to include dates beyond September. New dates included are: Sept. 29-Oct. 2, Oct. 18-Nov. 2, Nov. 11-23, and Dec. 12-22. Same basic restrictions as usual (full-price package must include at least 3 nights and no more than 14 and a minimum 2-day per person park ticket; Value Resort bookings get the Quick Service Dining and Moderate and Deluxe get the Disney Dining Plan). Several Resorts are excluded from this deal, and availability is extremely limited. Deal must be booked by September 15.

Second, Disney has released a room-only discount for fall travel dates Sept. 29-Dec. 23 (some blackout dates apply, notably Nov. 23-29). Discounts range from 15% off rack rates for most Value Resort to 30% for most Deluxe Villas. Most moderates and Deluxe Resorts fall into the 20% off category. Travel dates through early November need to be booked by Sept. 15, but late November and December dates must be booked by Nov. 3.

Check out both of these deals on the Special Offers page of the Disney website.

Get Ready for "FastPass" Dining

Since its opening in the new Fantasyland, Be Our Guest Restaurant has been one of the hottest ADRs around! Guests who are unable to secure a reservation--or are unwilling to pay the excessive dinner prices--are able to take advantage of the lunchtime counter service option, which is less expensive and requires no reservations. But this popular option has created another problem: colossal lines that form as early as 10 a.m. each day for lunch service.

Disney has been testing a solution, a pre-order system akin to FastPass dining. Two options are offered: FastPass+ Direct to Table allows guests to choose an arrival time and pre-order their meal via the Disney World website. This can be done days or even weeks prior to arrival. A second option, FastPass+ Expedited Arrival, allows guests a bit more spontaneity about what they will eat. Guests again log on at home to select an arrival time but are able to check in at a kiosk in the Magic Kingdom the day they will be dining. A yellow rose "beeper" of sorts is provided to guests. Just bring the rose to Be Our Guest at your designated arrival time and essentially skip to the front of the order line, place your order and pay, and be seated. Your food will be delivered to your table.

Of course, the system is merely in testing now, but expect to see some version of it offered to guests staying on Disney property in the near future.

2014 Vacation Packages and Dining Plans Released

Walt Disney World has just released their vacation packages and dining plans for 2014. There are no major changes to the dining plans themselves, although there are--as expected--rate increases. Here are the prices for the various plans:

• Quick Service Dining Plan, per day (includes 2 quick service meals, 1 snack, and a refillable resort mug): $39.64 for adults (ages 10 and over); $15.75 for children (ages 3-9)


• Disney Dining Plan, per day (includes 1 table service meal, 1 quick service meal, 1 snack, and a refillable resort mug): $58.66 for adults; $18.88 for children


• Disney Deluxe Dining Plan, per day (includes 3 meals that can be used for table service or quick service, 2 snacks, and a refillable resort mug): $104.94 for adults; $29.51 for children

As for the vacation packages, Disney offers a Magic Your Way Premium Package and a MYW Platinum Package. You can contact the reservation line for more information. I only recommend purchasing a Disney package when there is some sort of discount or free offer (dining, gift card, etc.). Otherwise, these are not typically the best deal.

 

 

While I Was Away...

Here's the news from Walt Disney World over the last week:

• Merida officially became a Disney Princess in a coronation ceremony at the Magic Kingdom on May 11. This brings the official court to eleven Disney Princesses. (Have I mentioned that 11 is my favorite number? My husband and I were married on 11/11/00, after exactly 11 months of dating. We celebrated our 11th anniversary on 11/11/11!)


• Free dining and room discounts for fall dates were released to the general public, following a brief exclusive release for Disney Rewards Visa cardholders. You can check out the discounts on the "Offers" page on the WDW website.


• PIN codes for free dining--with a wider range of dates--also went out to a ton of previous Disney guests. I got mine! Did you get one?


• Constructions walls went up at the former Pleasure Island section of Downtown Disney, so that work can begin on the new Disney Springs area.


• The new castle projection show, "Celebrate the Magic," was announced and will coincide with the May 24 "Monstrous Summer Event."


• Wendy and Peter Pan are together again! The duo can be found near the queue to Peter Pan's Flight for daily meet-n-greets. Peter Pan was formerly greeting guests alone in Adventureland.


• La Nouba (Cirque du Soleil) is closed until the end of the month for refurbishment.


• After just a few months in operation, Be Our Guest Restaurant menus are already being tweaked--and some prices are going up. Ouch.

That about covers what you might have missed while I was away!

 

It's Free Fall Dining Time!

If you're a Disney Rewards Visa cardholder (and why wouldn't you be?), you can book at WDW package and get the dining plan free! Of course, if you don't have the DRV, you'll need to wait a few days to get this same discount. (Check Disney's online "offers" page May 9.) The details are similar to past years, although the travel dates seems to be getting more limited each year:

• Valid for travel dates September 2-25; that just means that you must check in during those date--your stay can extend beyond September 25.


• Must be booked by July 31.


• Suites, villas, and campsites are excluded.


• There is a 3-night minimum stay and a 14-night maximum.


• You must purchase at least a 2-day Magic Your Way ticket for every guest staying in your room.


• Guests staying at a Value Resort will receive the Quick Service Dining Plan free. Those staying at Moderate or Deluxe Resorts will receive the Disney Dining Plan free.


• You can upgrade to any of the other available plans for a charge.

That about sums it up. If you're a DRV cardholder, I recommend booking BEFORE this is released to the general public to ensure that you get the resort of your choice.

 

Thursday's Tip

I shared many tips over the years on how to save money on food at Walt Disney World. But even the cheapest among us (yes, I'm speaking of myself) likes to splurge every now and then. While we're not big fans of spending too much time (or money!) in table service restaurants while on vacation, our family usually tries to splurge on at least one new dining experience each trip. So my tip is two-fold: First, make your ADRs (Advanced Dining Reservations) as early as possible--in most cases, you can do this 180 days in advance of your arrival. This step has become increasingly important in recent years, as "Free Fall Dining" promotions have become the norm. And second, be sure to know about any dining closures for your travel dates. Obviously, when you call to make ADRs, you will be alerted to closures for table service restaurants, but it's also good to know if your favorite counter service eatery is going to be closed too. Here's a list of current and upcoming closures:

• ESPN Club (BoardWalk Resort): closed now and will re-open late spring


• BoardWalk Bakery, BoardWalk Resort: currently closed and expected to open late spring or early summer


• Main Street Bakery (Magic Kingdom): currently closed and will re-open May 18 as a Starbucks location


• California Grill (Contemporary Resort): closed now through late summer


• Fountain View Cafe (Epcot): closing in March and will reopen sometime this summer as a Starbucks location


• Cinderella's Royal Table (Magic Kingdom): closing briefly for refurbishment May 13-16

Discount Updates

I've been terribly remiss in updating you on a few discounts around the World for fall/winter. Here's the rundown of what's currently being offerred:

• Annual Passholders can receive up to 30% off resort stays (discount varies from resort to resort) for travel dates now through December 24. Thanksgiving week is blacked out.


• Florida residents can save up to 35% off resort stays (again, varying greatly among resorts) for travel dates now through December 15. Thanksgiving week is again blacked out.


• The general public can also get in on room savings of up to 30% off for travel dates through December 22. And, you guessed it, Thanksgiving week is blacked out.


• Just released is a winter room-only discount for the general public of savings up to 35% off for travel dates Jan. 2 through March 7. (This was originally released to Disney Rewards Visa cardmembers, but it now available to everyone.) Must be booked by December 31, and there are no blackout dates listed...but that doesn't necessarily mean they don't exist.


• Also new is the "Stay, Play, and Dine" discount for dates Jan. 2 through March 7. This one is a little hard to put your finger on, as they don't list the specific percentage off of regular prices, and there are tons of variables. There is a 3-night minimum stay (maximum 14 nights) and you must purchase at least a 1-day park pass for all guests in the room, as well as the dining plan (either Quick Service or Disney Dining Plan, depending on the resort category). Little Mermaid section of Art of Animation, campsites at Ft. Wilderness, and 3 bedroom villas do not qualify, but there appear to be no blackout dates. My advice is to price out this deal and the above room-only deal to see which is the best price, as it could vary depending on your needs.

That's about it for now.

Thursday's Tip

In full disclosure, I have to say that I am a planner. A detailed planner. A chart/graph/write-it-down-in-increments-of-30-minutes kind of planner. And so, this Thursday's Tip in another one of those kind: plan your daily meals at Walt Disney World. Now, if you're doing the Disney Dining Plan, you are essentially forced into planning at least your one table service meal each day--as you likely won't find seating without an Advanced Dining Reservation. But even for those of us who don't typically use the DDP, it's a good idea to at least check out menus and know which restaurants at WDW will meet your dining needs.

For example, we don't plan exactly where we will eat each meal, but we know that if we find ourselves in Animal Kingdom around meal time, we're going to visit the Flame Tree BBQ. Likewise, if we're in Future World/Epcot and get hungry, we'll almost always head over to Sunshine Seasons. These are two of our perennial favorites, and they never disappoint. Another great reason to check out menus before you go is that there is so much yummy food at WDW, and it would be a true crime if your family ended up eating burgers/dogs/fries all week because you hadn't done your menu homework. A true crime, indeed! Not to mention that planning will help ensure that everyone gets proper nutrition on the trip. When nutrition suffers, we tend to get draggy or grumpy, or we might even encounter--how should I say this delicately?--unpleasant intestinal "issues." (In other words, fiber is your friend!)

Checking menus and making a list of 3 or 4 counter service restaurants in each Park before you go will ensure that you find something to eat before the blood sugar drops below a tolerable level. You can find menus from WDW eateries on a number of websites, but I find the easiest site to navigate is allears.net (click here for the full list of menus). They are not always up-to-date, but even the older menus will give you an idea of the type of food served at each location.

Thursday's Tip

Here's a tip that has saved us quite a bit of money on more than one occasion: even after you've booked your Walt Disney World vacation, keep checking sources for discounts and don't be afraid to call and change your reservation if something new and better becomes available. This, of course, will not work if you've booked any sort of non-refundable deal. But in most cases, your WDW resort reservations are fully refundable up to 5 days before your arrival date, and you can make changes to your reservation--providing they have the room you need available--up to the day before you arrive.

So, if you've booked a package at full price, but then free dining gets extended to include your dates, you can call back and ask the Cast Member on the phone to apply that discount to your package. Now, keep in mind that Disney does not permit you to "double up" on discounts, so you won't get a room discount AND free dining...but you can switch from one to the other, providing you meet all the stated requirements.

And speaking of Free Fall Dining (that I mention in this post), the dates have indeed been extended to include the week of December 14-20.

Ever-Dropping "Value" of the Dining Plan

TouringPlans.com has a really enlightening blog post about the diminishing value of the Disney Dining Plan over the years since its debut in 2005. This story also gives a detailed explanation of why the DDP may not be the best deal for every family (yes, they even crunched the numbers), and bring up points that you might not have considered.

I contend that, even when it's free--yes FREE--the DDP is not the best deal for my own family. We always get a room-only discount (either a PIN code or a discount for the general public) and we also get our tickets either from an approved vendor or through Disney's YES programs. We would never eat enough as a family to justify having the DDP. (That said, if my husband and I ever get to go to WDW on a romantic getaway without the kids, we'd definitely consider it as a splurge!)

Free Fall Dining for General Public

I told in this post about the free dining discount for late fall, which was at that time only available to Disney Rewards Visa cardholders. Good news--now it's available to everyone. Same rules/blackouts/etc. apply as mentioned in the previous post. Happy dining!

Free Fall Dining for Disney Rewards Visa Cardmembers

It's free fall dining time again! For now, it's just available to Disney Visa cardholders, but it will be released to the general public in just a few days. As always, availability is limited and there are minimum purchase requirements of a 3-night Resort stay (and a maximum of 14-day stay) and at least a 2-day Magic Your Way ticket per person. Those staying at a Value Resort will get the Quick Service Dining Plan (you can upgrade for the price difference), with Moderate and Deluxe stays earning the Disney Dining Plan. Here are the available dates:

• September 30 through October 4


• October 19 through November 1


• November 9-15


• November 23–29


• December 10–13

This offer must be booked by September 29, and all suites, campsites, and some villas seem to be excluded, as well as the new Art of Animation Resort.

Thursday's Tip

Many of you are planning Walt Disney World vacations in time to take advantage of the free fall dining plan offer (by the way, today is the LAST DAY to book this for Fall 2012!). Although our family doesn't typically use the dining plan, I have done some of my own "what-if" planning...just to see where we would best be able to maximize our savings if we did. Today's Thursday's Tip is all about snack credits and where to get the biggest "bang for your buck." Here are a few rules that will help you do just that:

• Don't waste snack credits on a beverage. Instead, take along a refillable, filtered water bottle. It's hard to stomach the idea (no pun intended) of spending a precious snack credit on a bottle of water when you could use that same credit for one of the yummy treats listed below.


• As a general rule, snack credits are good for items priced up to around $4.50-$5. These tend to include side items, desserts, and beverages. What you may not know is that snack credits are often accepted for many items at the booths for Epcot's annual Food and Wine Festival too.


• Compare desserts. For example, why use a snack credit for an ice cream cone at Hollywood Scoops (Disney's Hollywood Studios) when you can get an ice cream sundae for the same credit? Instead of a blueberry muffin from the Main Street Bakery (Magic Kingdom), go for the enormous cinnamon roll that costs around $1.50 more.


• Not all snack items have to be desserts; there are some great savory options that are more filling. One of the best-kept snack secrets in the Magic Kingdom are the take-away baked potatoes (with fixings) at the Liberty Square Market. Using a snack credit for one of these is a great way to compensate for using 2 table service credits for a signature dining experience earlier in the day. With cheese, butter, and sour cream available, one of these potatoes is a perfect light meal.


• Try something you've never had before! Some of my favorite classics are the Mickey Ice Cream Bars (found in carts everywhere), the Carrot Cake Cookie (Writer's Stop, DHS), and the Dole Whip (Aloha Isle, MK). But on my next visit, I plan to try a few new "under the radar" snacks, such as beignets from Port Orleans or one (or more) of the many cupcake variations that are found around the World.


• Here's a fun idea: save up your snack credits for an "eat your way around the World Showcase" evening. Nibble on school bread from Norway. Grab an espresso in Italy. Gobble down a soft pretzel in Germany. Sample churros in Mexico. Have a side of Tabouleh in Morocco. Munch on egg rolls in China. The possibilities are endless--and yummilicious! (Yes, I just invented that word.)


• Always ask. Sometimes an individual restaurant will be more flexible with what counts as a snack credit than the brochure might imply. It never hurts to ask (politely) if an item can be purchased with a snack credit--you might get an especially generous Cast Member who will do it for you.


• NEVER leave WDW property with unused snack credits. As a last resort, visit your Resort's food court or even the gift shop for pre-packaged take-home items. You'll have a fun reminder of your trip, or you can even give them as gifts. (My girls were thrilled to get a gift bag full of Disney treats from cousins who took a Christmas trip last year!)

Thursday's Tip

Some of you Disney vacation veterans may file this under the "Duh" heading, but for Disney newbies, here's an important tip: If you are using the Disney Dining Plan, make your dining reservations as soon as you possibly can. For most restaurants and most time periods throughout the year, Disney allows guests to make ADRs (Advanced Dining Reservations) up to 180 days before their arrival. During a season when the Dining Plan is offered free, this is especially important, as more guests that usual are snatching up those precious dining spaces.

And here's a bonus tip: If you're using the Disney Dining Plan--or even if you simply plan to eat at a lot of table service restaurants that require ADRs--I highly recommend buying Park Hopper tickets. Without them, you're basically forced to let your ADRs dictate which Park you visit on a particular day. But with a Park Hopper ticket, you can "hop" over from Disney's Hollywood Studios to dine at Epcot, for example, and then "hop" to the Magic Kingdom to finish out your day. In other words, you have much more freedom with both your ADRs and your touring plan.

Free Fall Dining Now Available to General Public

The Free Fall Dining offer that was available to Disney Visa cardholders (see this post) is now available to the general public. You may now book at will!

Free Fall Dining Is Back

It's the discount that many of you have been waiting for: Free Fall Dining. Right now, it's only available to Disney Visa cardholders (both the Rewards and Premier cards, I believe), but expect it to be released to the general public on March 5. This time around, the offer is extremely limited. Travel dates include August 25, 2012 through September 29, 2012 and must be booked by March 18. Guests staying at a Value Resort will receive the Quick Service Dining Plan, while guests at a Moderate, Deluxe, or Villa will get the Disney Dining Plan for each night of their stay. As usual, you can upgrade plans and pay the price difference out of pocket.

Suites, campsites, and 3-bedroom Villas are excluded from the offer. There is a three-night minimum stay and a maximum stay of fourteen nights. And, of course, you must purchase at least a 2-day Magic Your Way ticket per guest to qualify for the offer.

OK, Free Fall Dining fans--ready, set, BOOK!

 

Thursday's Tip

We all know that food at Walt Disney World can eat up (pardon the pun) a huge portion of your vacation budget. And character meals can get especially pricey. Want to stretch your food dollars as far as possible? Thursday's Tip: strategically plan your dining. Even if you have the meal plan, and aren't paying out of pocket for each meal, you'll want to maximize what you get for your dining dollars. Here are a few of my favorite ways to make the most of your meals:

• Plan character breakfast inside the Parks for first thing in the morning--before the Parks open. You'll get to enter the Park before other guests--allowing you to take some awesome photos!--and you'll likely finish eating before the Park opens, which puts you first in line for the rope drop. In addition, you'll start your day with a full tummy and won't likely need to eat again until afternoon. Win all around!


• If you plan to attend a character breakfast at one of the resorts, try to do it on a day you won't be entering the Parks. This keeps you from using precious touring time for travel. If you must do a resort meal on a Park touring day, try to visit the Park closest to that resort (for monorail resorts, the obvious choice is the Magic Kingdom).


• For non-Park days, plan to eat a character breakfast at the last seating of the morning--around 11:00 a.m. If you're early risers, you can have a small snack in your room for breakfast, and your character meal will essentially serve as lunch. An added benefit at buffet meals such as Chef Mickey's is that you'll likely have the characters to yourselves as the restaurant empties out from earlier diners (there is a bit of a lull as they switch the buffet from breakfast to lunch items).


• If you have the Disney Dining Plan, be sure to order all the food you're entitled to at each meal or you'll "lose it"--you cannot save partial dining credits. If you're too full for dessert, try to choose something that is relatively non-perishable and can be taken back to your room and stored in a refrigerator or cooler for later snacking.


• If you have leftover dining snack credits at the end of your trip, visit any Disney gift shop and spend the credits on packaged snacks. Qualifying snacks may vary from store to store, but most packaged candy, pretzels, chips, etc. are included.


• Take advantage of your Disney Dining Plan and order something you might never try otherwise! Who cares how expensive it is, right? You're not paying (except for the tip, of course). Pre-paid meals are a great time to think outside the box and try something new. Besides, with appetizer, entree, and dessert, you're bound to order at least one thing that you'll like.

With these tips, you're well on your way to saving time and money, and getting the most out of your dining dollars at Walt Disney World.

Friday Photo

Since my brother and his family visited Walt Disney World the week before Christmas, they brought back a few Walt Disney World treats as Christmas gifts for my girls. (Tip: this is a great way to use those leftover dining snack credits!) The girls have been kind enough to let me sample a few items, and my favorite has been the Mickey-shaped rice treat with chocolate-dipped ears--yum!