Walt Disney World Easy Dining Guide

Vacationing at Walt Disney World takes lots of energy! To paraphrase the famous saying, a vacationing family moves on its stomach. To nourish and refresh guests, Disney World has 300 dining locations, plus portable food carts, offering a grand total of 6,000 menu choices.

Even so, the question of what's for breakfast and lunch and dinner and snacks can be daunting. Is it in our budget? Is the line too long? Can we be seated? Will everyone like it? Can we eat with the princesses or other Disney characters?

Here is a four-step guide to finding the food and dining source that is right for your family. Find the sentence that best describes your group, then read suggestions to plan your food and dining.

Option 1: We want to save as much as possible, including quick meals in our room.

If your family is on a tight budget, you will need to plan your meals carefully. Plan to brown-bag a few meals, such as eating cereal in your room and carrying your own snacks. You can still enjoy a wide variety of fun and interesting foods.

Suggestions:

Buy packaged food at the resort shop and food court. A package of muffins costs about $3, compared to $1.50 for one muffin in the theme park.
Eat at counter-service restaurants at your resort and in the parks. Most adult meals are around $5-7, with children's meals around $4-5. You will find traditional fast food like burgers and pizza, as well as an appealing variety of ethnic foods.
Bring food from home or stop at an Orlando grocery. You will find many stores within 20 minutes of Disney World.

Bonus: Look for special packages that offer the Disney Dining Plan for free. Disney offered the free dining plan special in fall 2005, and it's available again for visits between August 20 and September 30, 2006. Keep reading for more about the Dining Plan.

Option 2: We are willing to splurge on a few meals, but want to save money when possible.

If your family is cost-conscious but would like a few splurges, plan to eat at counter-service restaurants and use the tips under "Eating on a Budget." Select one or two table-service restaurants or perhaps a character dining experience for a special treat.

Suggestions:

Eat most meals at counter-service restaurants at your resort and in the parks.
Decide together what special restaurant will be most appreciated by your group. If you want to dine with the Disney Princesses or other characters, you may prefer a character meal, which costs about $ 15-25 per person.
If you are comfortable after a few rules, consider the Disney Dining Package. Read on for details.

Option 3: We make simple foods and are not concerned about the cost.

If you want to without worrying about dining, the restaurants in Disney World are the most open. Some restaurants with table service are very crowded, so be sure to make advance dining reservationsbeginning 180 days before arrival.

Suggestions:

Add the Disney Dining Plan to your vacation package. In fact, this program was designed just for guests like you who want the greatest convenience. It includes one table-service meal, one counter-service meal and one snack for each day of your vacation. You have to go by the rules to use your dining credits, but you will find many options and an overabundance of food offered. The cost per day is $35 per person age 10 and older and $10 for each child age 3-9.
If you haven't made advance dining reservations before arrival, contact Guest Services at each park or your resort for assistance.

Option 4: Fine dining is most important.

If you prefer unique and special dining, you will find a wide variety at Walt Disney World. Make your advance dining reservations up to 180 days in advance to be sure that you can be seated at your choice of restaurants.

Suggestions:

Choose restaurants from the restaurants that Disney classifies at Signature Dining and Special and Unique Dining.
If you want all meals included in your vacation package, consider getting the Magic Your Way Premium Package. This package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner at the 100 participating restaurants plus other recreation and entertainment benefits.

Whatever your budget and dining preferences, take time to learn about the restaurants and other dining options at the Disney theme parks and resort hotels. Get a travel guidebook or two, and check Internet resources for more information. Make notes on restaurants that seem interesting. Call for reservations for table-service restaurants in advance; Disney accepts reservations beginning 180 days before your arrival. Being prepared will make your Disney World vacation less stressful and more fun.

Mom Safety Tips for a Disney World Vacation

For moms it can be a lot work, just getting the kids to a Disney Theme Park for the day! Besides getting them to the parks for fun, you want to make sure they are safe during their day. The Disney Theme Parks are huge and with lots of the distractions, so it is easy to get separated or lost. It can be scary for any parent or child to get separated from their family, but if you are prepared this experience can be a little easier.

Once you enter the Theme Park, be sure you set up a meeting spot. This is a spot where your family will meet you if anyone gets separated. Try to pick a specific location. As a Cast Member, you will be surprised how many times guests just pick Cinderella's Castle for a meeting spot. There are several different sides and spots to meet at Cinderella Castle, so this makes a really tough meeting spot. Pick a specific spot, so there is no confusion where to meet everyone.

For younger kids, safety pin your cell phone number to their clothes or even use permanent market on their hand or arm. Be sure you use your cell phone. Most kids know their home phone number, but do not know their parent's cell phone number. Remember you are not home to get that phone call, so make sure your kids have your cell number or have it memorized.

Tell your younger kids to find a Disney Cast Member if they get lost. If your child gets separated, they can go up to any Disney Cast Member for help. Disney Cast Members always have an oval Disney Parks name badge with their name. You may even want to stop a Cast Member (as you enter the park) to show your child their name tag and what happens if they get separated. This way your child will get to talk with a Disney Cast Member and realize they are nice and willing to help, just in case.

The Disney Theme Parks are lots of fun for the whole family, but it is easy to get separated. Just follow these few simple tips to make sure your family has a fun and safe day at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Winter Vacations in Disney World

The majority of those visiting Disney World do so in the summer. The reason for this is pretty simple, that`s when people have vacations and the kids are out of school. There are some great advantages to hitting the happiest place on earth during the winter months, though.

Benefits of Winter Disney
The main reason you`ll enjoy visiting Disney World in the winter is the amazing lack of people. Since the majority of vacationers won`t be hanging around the parks until spring, you`ll be able to walk right onto rides, often with only a couple minutes of waiting. Not only does this mean you get to ride more often, it also lets you see a lot more in a shorter amount of time.

The weather in Florida is warm year round, so you don`t need to worry about a winter vacation being too chilly. In fact, many prefer winter in Florida because it`s cooler than the summer months, making walking all over the parks a far easier task and much more comfortable.

It`s often worth taking the kids out of school for a few days to enjoy the relative peace of the parks during this season. You`ll find that you`ll have even less competition for rides and events if you hit the parks on a major holiday, such as Thanksgiving, when everyone is celebrating at home. The parks are still running and will be virtually empty!

Another fun part of visiting in the winter is that you`ll get to see the seasonal shows. For example, there are Christmas parades that you wouldn`t be able to see at any other point during the year. These are definitely worth watching and won`t be available during the summer months.

You may also find hotel rooms are cheaper at this time of year, since there are fewer tourists in the area. Look online for discounts ahead of time to get the best deals and you can end up staying very near Disney for a fraction of summer prices.

Planning Your Winter Vacation
Remember that during the low season is when rides are often under construction, so if there is one that you particularly want to visit, check first to make sure it will be running when you arrive. Planning ahead will make your vacation easier and ensure that it runs smoothly.

Buying park hopper tickets is your best bet, no matter when you go. These allow you to jump between the four Disney World parks and stay at one for more than one day, should you choose. Regular Disney World tickets will only let you visit one park on the specified day and don`t allow for changes in plans. You may find that you`ve had enough of the Animal Kingdom after half a day and park hopper tickets will let you head to one of the other parks for the afternoon, if you wish.

By planning your trip early, you`ll be able to make the most of discounts on everything from plane tickets and hotel rooms to rental cars and park tickets. Searching online will turn up coupon codes and sale prices for all of these options. Your local travel agent will also be able to help you get good deals on transportation and hotels. Most hotels in the Disney area have free shuttles.

A winter vacation in Disney World is a great way to maximize your enjoyment of the parks. There are few crowds and your patience won`t be tested. It`s the ideal time to enjoy the thrills of Disney, while spending less time and money.

Tips For Saving Money at Disney World - Disney Discount Guide

A trip for the family to Walt Disney World can be quite pricey. There are costs which mount in getting to Disney World and staying there, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. It is easy to spend thousands of dollars on a vacation for a family of four, but it certainly doesn't have to be that way. Below are several much needed tips from the Disney Discount Guide to assist you in saving money and making your trip more affordable, including several great options on accommodations as well as transportation and food.

If you opt to stay at the Walt Disney World resort this can cost upwards of $500 per night, at Deluxe Resorts like the Disney Contemporary Resort Hotel, Disney Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney Polynesian Resort and the Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge. There are now some more reasonable family options however called the Disney Value Resorts.

These hotels are all situated on the property and give guests all the same benefits as those staying at the pricier hotel resorts. There are services such as the transportation system and delivery system for your purchases as well. While not as luxurious as the Deluxe Resorts the rates are great on the pocket with rates such as $84 per night and are the best deal for those of us on a budget. The value option resorts at Walt Disney include Disney's Pop Century Resort, Disney's All-Star Movie Resort, Disney's All-Star Music Resort, and Disney's All-Star Sports Resort.

A little known option is an area on the Disney grounds called Fort Wilderness. This is a campground and is only minutes from Magical Kingdom. This has camp sites and cabins for rent. At the time this was written the campsites cost $42 per night with hookups and the cabins starting at $255 per night. The campsite offering is extremely affordable. And the cheapest option for staying on the Walt Disney World Compound and enjoying all the perks of being a guest.

The transportation options are better than ever now with the Magical Express service provided by Disney. This is a bus directly to the Walt Disney World Resort and is free. You can go directly to theme parks on arrival and all luggage will be delivered to your room. This is done to get you to the property and keep you there. Once you are not planning on leaving the Disney property transport is then free and you can navigate between shopping areas, theme parks, water parks and all Disney Resorts free with unlimited use of the monorails, boats and buses. If you wish to visit Sea World or Universal Studios however you will need a car or taxi.

Dining at the theme parks is costly and the food is not exceptional other than some offerings at the Epcot Center's World Showcase restaurants but these are still pricey. Early mornings are the best times to start touring theme parks so do not spend time and money on a big breakfast. Try some breakfast bars or croissants and eat them on the way. Fast food sites at the parks are the best deal for lunch and dinner as prices are most affordable. If in the Magical Kingdom, Frontierland is the place to get a large turkey leg at the Country Bear Jamboree. For drinks, try the Coca-Cola exhibit at Epcot which has free samples and the fizzy lemonade from Zimbabwe but stay away from Beverly the bitter drink from Italy.

Parking at Disney World theme parks costs $11 per day and if you park hop you do not pay again for the day. The only way to avoid this fee is if you stay on the compound at one of the Walt Disney World Resorts and use the free transportation.

Top 5 Reasons You Should Take Walt Disney World Vacations

There are tons of reasons why you should take Walt Disney World vacations. First and foremost is the magic that only Disney World provides. But if you're not convinced yet, take a look at 5 more reasons you should visit Mickey and friends!

It's Fun to Have Fun

To have fun - this is supposed to be the happiest place on the planet, so you better go and show them how it is done. Why else would you even bother to come to a place like this? Disney is all about you, having a good time, and experiencing what dreams are made of.

Visit With Mickey, Minnie, Cinderella...

It's more enjoyable than you might imagine! And there are so many to list; Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Cinderella, the 7 Dwarves, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty. The list could go on and on. Whoever is your favorite, you will get a chance to meet them there.

Get Some R & R

To rest and relax - yes, you will be running around looking at everything to see, but you will have nothing to worry about, and nothing to stress you out. There is nothing like seeing the most magical place on the planet come to life.

It's An Adventure

To give your kids an adventure they can tell all their friends. If you have kids, this is great, if not, then its an adventure to tell all your friends. Trust me, you will deserve bragging rights after a vacation like this!

Hey, Disney World is a place for kids of all ages -- whether you're 5 or 95!

Take a Break from Reality

To forget the rest of the world, if only just for a little while. There is nothing like turning off all forms of communication for a week (or however long your vacation is). Just concentrate on having a blast in one of the best places to be!

It's always good to have fun, meet the characters you grew up with, as well as give yourself, and your kids a chance to see such a magical place. Leave all your worries way back at home, and make sure you have fun at Walt Disney World!

And Here's the Best Part -- More FREE Information!

2010 Walt Disney World Vacation Packages

Sometimes a trip to Walt Disney World Resort can be rather costly. And, especially in this economy, such spending can result in financial stress. This is why it is important to budget before you even start to plan a trip. Once you have a budget in mind, consider purchasing a Walt Disney World vacation package in order to save money.

You may be asking yourself what these vacation packages consist of, so here's a quick rundown of what is offered.

2010 Magic Your Way Package

This is the most basic package and it includes accommodations at a Disney Resort hotel and one park ticket per person per day. You can choose between five categories of Disney resorts (Deluxe Villa, Deluxe, Moderate, Value or Campground) and you also choose the number of days you would like your theme park ticket to be for. Add-ons include a park-hopper option and a water park option. Tickets must be used within 14 days of first use unless you purchase the No Expiration Option. Benefits include: each guest gets a Disney keepsake luggage tag, various discounts for things like golf and arcades, complimentary airport pickup and return, complimentary transportation to theme parks and the Downtown Disney area, extra theme park hours and theme park store purchase delivery to your Resort room.

2010 Magic Your Way Package Plus Quick-service Dining

In addition to the benefits listed above, this package includes a plan that saves you up to 20% on dining. You get the option to eat at select quick-service restaurants, getting two quick-service meals and two snacks per person per day of your stay. And you also get a mug that you can refill at any quick-service restaurant in your Disney Resort hotel.

2010 Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining

Benefits of this package include those of the 2010 Magic Your Way Package as well as savings of up to 30% on dining. You get one table-service meal, one quick-service meal and one snack per person per day of your stay. And you get to choose from over 100 select Walt Disney World Resort restaurants. There is also a Grand Gathering Experience option for parties of eight or more. With this option you can trade your meals for things like a character breakfast or a dessert reception. This package has an add-on option for a Wine and Dine Plan which can result in up to 20% savings on wine.

2010 Magic Your Way Package Plus Deluxe Dining

In addition to those benefits listed in the first package above, this package saves you up to 40% on dining. You get three meals and two snacks per person per day and you can choose from either select table-service or quick-service restaurants. Again, you can choose from over 100 restaurants throughout Walt Disney World Resort. Like the previously described package you can also participate in special dining experiences like character meals, or opt for the Grand Gathering Experience or the Wine and Dine Plan.

2010 Magic Your Way Premium Package

Guests who wish to do a bit more than eat, attend the theme parks and stay at a resort might opt for this package. With it you can still stay at a Disney Resort hotel and you get a Magic Your Way Base Ticket, three meals and two snacks per person per day, unlimited use of select recreation like golf, and tickets to Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba. The base benefits are the same as the packages above but you also get a portrait session and print package from a portrait photographer, unlimited admission to Disney tours and unlimited admission to select children's activity centers.

Being the ultimate travel package, this option offers deluxe accommodations at Disney Deluxe or Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts, and you get all of the base benefits listed in the Premium Package above as well as pre-arrival planning services, a fireworks cruise, reserved seating at Fantasmic!, a select spa treatment, a Richard Petty Ride-Along Experience and a Disney PhotoPass CD that allows you to capture your entire trip and then redeem the photos online.

Disney Vacation Planning While Pregnant

It's not unusual for people to book their Disney World vacation packages months in advance. So what do you do if you discover you're pregnant in the run up to your trip? Your first thought might be to cancel, but with a little Disney vacation planning it is possible to have a great Disney experience even while you're pregnant. Here are ten top tips to help you make the most of your vacation.

Speak to your obstetrician about your vacation plans. If they are happy for you to travel ask them for the names of some good healthcare providers in the Orlando area just in case you need to contact someone during your vacation.

Take heed of the pre-ride notices. All attractions will issue a warning about whether the ride is safe for pregnant ladies.

Take things slowly. If you are a Disney veteran you might be used to packing a lot into your days, remember you will tire more easily so plan times for breaks and naps during the day.

Stay hydrated. You will need to drink lots of water so head to the nearest supermarket and stock up on easy to carry sports bottles. Carry these with you during the day and you'll find it easier to stay hydrated.

Transportation. Make use of the various types of park transportation to cut down on walking. If you've ever wondered what it was like to take the horse drawn trolley ride up Main Street USA, now might be the time to try it out!

Ask for extra pillows. If you find sleep uncomfortable remember to ask Housekeeping for extra pillows to use during your stay. Or bring your favourite pillow in your case.

Bring your favourite bubble bath. After a long day in the parks you might want nothing more than a relaxing bubble bath.

Wear comfortable shoes. Make sure you pack your most comfortable footwear and consider a pregnancy support to take some of the pressure off your lower back when you are walking.

Taking a cruise. If you can handle the motion of the ship then a cruise can still be a great idea while you're pregnant. Bear in mind that women past their 24th week are not allowed to sail. 

First Mickey Ears. Buy baby their first set of Mickey ears. If you have already decided on a name the Cast Member will happily embroider the ears for you too.