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!

One More Disney Day Sweepstakes Site Issues

Has anyone else out there had any issues entering the One More Disney Day Sweepstakes? I have only managed to enter once since it began on January 1, because I get a "Communication Error" nearly every time I try. I have tried using both Internet Explorer and Chrome. (Successfully entered on Chrome once, but now it's not working for me.) Is anyone else having problems? Am I alone in this?

This makes an already somewhat lame marketing promotion seem even lamer, in this blogger's humble opinion. But maybe it's just me.

Thursday's Tip

There's nothing more disappointing than deciding on your perfect vacation destination (let's just say it's Walt Disney World), only to discover that you've waited too late and everything is booked solid. Today's Thursday's Tip is pretty simple, so oh-so-important: book your Walt Disney World vacation early. If you're thinking of visiting Mickey Mouse anytime during 2012, now is the time to start planning. And if you have your heart set on staying at a specific Resort, especially during peak season, now is the time to book your stay!

By booking early, you ensure that you get your preferred travel dates and preferred room. Another advantage to booking early is that you will pay a deposit on your stay and can begin making payments at your leisure, softening the blow a bit upon arrival. And, with a few exceptions (that are clearly-stated at booking), all WDW vacation packages and Resort stays are fully refundable up until five days prior to your arrival. Better still, you can make changes to your reservation up until your arrival, providing they have rooms available for the dates you have chosen. That means you can make your reservation now at full price, but can still apply a discount that you come across later. Or, you can change the dates of your trip and transfer your deposit. You can even cancel your trip altogether for a full refund (but who would want to do that?).

Making planning and booking early, you can eliminate the stress of last-minute scrambling and alleviate the stress of paying for everything at once.

FL Resident "Wild for 3" Pass

Disney is offering a new discount pass for Florida residents, the "Wild for 3" Pass. For $99 plus tax, FL residents with valid identification can get a 3-day ticket, good at any of the four main Parks (one Park per day--not a Park Hopper ticket; guests can add a fourth day for an additional $30 plus tax). The "Wild for 3" pass can be purchased from January 4 through May 21, and is valid for most dates now through May 24. Blackout dates include February 14-20 and April 1-13.

Wednesdays with Walt

Since it's the beginning of a new year and many of us are coming up with goals and plans for 2012, I found this quote from Mr. Disney to be quite appropriate:

Think beyond your lifetime, if you want to do something truly great. Make a fifty-year master plan. A fifty-year master plan will change how you look at the opportunities in the present.

--Walt Disney

WDW Park Closing Phases

 

Have you ever wondered what Walt Disney World does when the crowds get too big? I'm talking the-fire-marshall-is-going-to-shut-us-d0wn big! When the Parks are beginning to get too crowded, Disney implements a closing process in phases, according to a number of factors--whether guests are staying on-site, if they have multi-day tickets or annual passes, if they have dining reservations, etc. Only as a last resort--when the Parks are truly at capacity--will they be closed to all incoming guests.

Here's a breakdown of the four phases of Park closure at Walt Disney World:

In Phase 1, all guests will be admitted to the Parks, with the exception of:

• Guests who haven't yet purchased tickets.


• Guests who have a single-day Magic Your Way tickets (not Park Hoppers).


• Cast Members using Main Gate or Silver Pass privileges to admit additional guests. (The Cast Member can still be admitted.)

In Phase 2, only guests meeting the following criteria are admitted:

• Disney Resort guests (including the Swan and Dolphin and Downtown Disney area hotel guests, providing they arrive on a bus from their hotel)


• Annual passholders


• Guests with Park Hopper tickets arriving from another Park


• Guests re-entering the same Park


• Guests with ADRs or reservations for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or The Pirates League


• Any guest using Disney Resort transportation

In Phase 3, admission is further limited to:

• Disney Resort guests (including the Swan and Dolphin and Downtown Disney area hotel guests, providing they arrive on a bus from their hotel)


• Annual passholders


• Guests with ADRs or reservations for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or The Pirates League

Phase 4 is a complete closure to any additional guests. No, they won't kick guests out that are already in the Parks, but they won't let anyone new guests in at this point.

So, there you have it. Based on this, a good strategy for anyone visiting WDW during Peak Season is to make (and keep) dining reservations in the Park you want to visit each day. Another great strategy: arrive early! Then you won't be the guest who is turned away. (But I think the best strategy of all is to visit WDW during a non-Peak season.)

Hidden Mickey Monday

It's back to (home)school for us tomorrow, so we'll celebrate this Hidden Mickey Monday with one we found on my youngest daughter's phonics paper: