Stand-Alone Episode: Trip Planning Tips for Walt Disney World

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VIRGINIA: Welcome to a special episode of Where I Long To Be, A Magical Trip Report Podcast.

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VIRGINIA: My name is Virginia, and I am your host.

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VIRGINIA: Only today is not a trip report.

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VIRGINIA: Today, I wanted to talk about trip planning, specifically planning a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando.

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VIRGINIA: Now, for some people, myself included, the planning of a trip is almost as much fun as the trip itself.

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VIRGINIA: I think especially if you are planning your first trip, or if you haven't had a lot of planning experience, it can be difficult to know exactly where to start.

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VIRGINIA: So my hope is that this will be helpful for you, or at least entertaining.

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VIRGINIA: And I know I will have fun putting this all together for a little something different.

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VIRGINIA: Please enjoy this episode.

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VIRGINIA: And if you do, and if you have other topics you'd like me to do a dedicated episode on, please send me a message either through my website, which is whereilongtobepodcast.com, or by DMing me over on Instagram.

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VIRGINIA: All right.

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VIRGINIA: Before we dive into the steps, I would go through in planning a trip.

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VIRGINIA: If you are someone who doesn't like to plan or who needs help planning, I will use this opportunity to remind you that using a travel agent is free.

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VIRGINIA: It doesn't cost you anything because Disney gives them a commission after you've traveled.

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VIRGINIA: You'll hear from some of my friends who are agents sprinkled throughout this episode, and I will link to them in the show notes.

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VIRGINIA: If you are planning to work with a travel agent who is not recommended here on the podcast, I suggest that you make sure that they not only have planned Disney trips for people before, but that they travel to Disney themselves regularly.

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VIRGINIA: There's so much that goes into a trip like this, and it's so important to make sure that you're working with someone who has experienced the parks and resorts firsthand.

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KRISTEN: Hey, this is Kristen Gallagher with Make Your World Travel, and I have a travel tip for first timers.

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KRISTEN: I actually have three tips for you.

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KRISTEN: My first one is to realize that you are not going to be able to do it all.

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KRISTEN: Walt Disney World is huge.

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KRISTEN: You have four parks, countless rides, shows, dining, shopping, characters.

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KRISTEN: There is just so much to do, which is what makes it so great, but it is too much to do in a single vacation.

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KRISTEN: So my suggestion is to have everybody make a list of priorities, a couple of things that everybody wants to do, and have those be your must do's and plan on hitting those.

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KRISTEN: That way, when you don't get through everything, there is no disappointment.

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KRISTEN: My tip number two is to plan ahead.

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KRISTEN: You cannot wing a Walt Disney World vacation.

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KRISTEN: Lightning lanes, dining reservations, park itineraries, all of that work ahead of time will make sure that your park days run smoothly.

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KRISTEN: You don't want to spend your time going back and forth from Tomorrowland to Adventureland to Fantasyland and jumping all over the park.

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KRISTEN: If you have a plan and you plan ahead, you'll get a lot more done.

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KRISTEN: And then obviously, tip number three is use a travel planner.

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KRISTEN: They're free to you and if you want to do all of the planning on your own, that's fine.

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KRISTEN: Travel planners can be as hands on or hands off as you want them.

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KRISTEN: Just think of us as like your fairy godmother, where we're an extra set of hands if something does come up, or if you want to bounce ideas off of somebody, or if you just want somebody in your corner that cares as much about your vacation as you do, your travel planner is like your best friend.

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MIRANDA: It's Miranda and I am with 101 Vacations Travel Agency.

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MIRANDA: So my biggest tip is a first timer.

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MIRANDA: Honestly is find a travel agent that you mesh with well.

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MIRANDA: Sometimes it's not the right fit between you and your travel agent and that's okay.

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MIRANDA: Finding that perfect fit really is going to be so important for your trip.

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MIRANDA: You want somebody who is going to understand what your priorities are.

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MIRANDA: And if you don't have priorities, your travel agent can help you identify those priorities, whether that is meeting a lot of characters or writing rides or maybe it's a good balance of rest and some play.

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MIRANDA: They'll also help you decide the perfect resort.

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MIRANDA: They will help you determine the best dining reservations for your family.

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MIRANDA: And another thing I personally love to do is help my clients navigate food allergies and maybe any mobility considerations we need to take into account.

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VIRGINIA: All right, I have divided this show into 10 steps and I've invited my son Alex to kick off each section.

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VIRGINIA: Take it away, Alex.

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ALEX: Step 1.

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ALEX: Decide when to take your trip.

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VIRGINIA: The first thing to consider when planning your trip is when you will travel.

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VIRGINIA: For some people, this will be set for you.

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VIRGINIA: Maybe you can only go when it's your child's school break or you have a designated time that you're allowed to use vacation from work.

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VIRGINIA: Some people might be lucky enough to be able to pick basically any time they want.

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VIRGINIA: And if that's you, congratulations.

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VIRGINIA: The place I would start is really to ask yourself how you feel about the weather.

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VIRGINIA: Are you able to tolerate the hottest temperatures of the summer?

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VIRGINIA: If not, you should probably plan to go sometime in late fall through early spring, say maybe November-ish through, let's say, April.

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VIRGINIA: Once you have the time of year set, you'll need to decide how many days to travel and what days to travel on.

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VIRGINIA: Again, this may be another area where your designated time off dictates what you will do.

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VIRGINIA: Any amount of time at Disney is great.

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VIRGINIA: But for me personally, I like my trips best when they are at least a week long.

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VIRGINIA: Disney has four different parks, plus two water parks, plus Disney Springs.

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VIRGINIA: There's just so much to do and it's good to have at least one day in each of the four parks and have a day or two mixed in for some resort time or time for other activities in the area if that's possible.

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VIRGINIA: Once you have your ideal plan of when you would like to travel, you're ready for the next step.

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KELLY: Hi, this is Kelly from Wishlist Travel and I want to talk about the best times to go to Walt Disney World.

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KELLY: Personally, I think anytime is a great time to go, but my family has some favorite times of the year to visit.

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KELLY: Typically, it's when the crowds are at its lowest.

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KELLY: Starting in the fall, we really like going mid-September to October.

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KELLY: It's also where the Halloween party is.

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KELLY: We find that most of those weeks are very low crowd level because kids have gone back to school.

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KELLY: It's a great time to plan a long weekend trip.

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KELLY: We also like the month of November minus the week of Thanksgiving.

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KELLY: My daughter's birthday is in November and we've gone several times in the beginning of November and have found the weather to be really nice and the crowds to be low.

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KELLY: December is great as long as you kind of go during that time period after Thanksgiving and before Christmas.

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KELLY: Again, we like to go for the holiday decorations, the very Merry Christmas party.

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KELLY: And then finally, we actually really like end of January to beginning of February.

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KELLY: We like it during that time of year because the weather isn't too hot.

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KELLY: And we've gone before on MLK week and we've arrived on the Sunday.

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KELLY: We've spent the MLK holiday at Animal Kingdom and then we've spent the next three days at the other parks.

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KELLY: So those are just some thoughts from my family.

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KELLY: But again, anytime is a great time to go.

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ALEX: Step 2.

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ALEX: Make a budget.

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VIRGINIA: Before you move forward with making any of your actual reservations, tickets, etc.

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VIRGINIA: You need to plan how much money you feel comfortable spending in total so that you know what you're working with.

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VIRGINIA: Set that number now before it balloons out of control.

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VIRGINIA: Some trips, you might be trying to do as affordably as possible, while others, you might feel comfortable splurging for a nicer hotel or an add-on experience.

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VIRGINIA: So now that you have that number in mind, you'll of course need to set that money aside, earmark it, so to speak, start saving, whatever.

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VIRGINIA: And don't forget that sometimes you can get deals on Disney gift cards at places like Costco or BJs or other warehouse type stores, and socking those away is a great way to save a little.

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VIRGINIA: So, your budget is going to be very personal and that will help you make all of the other decisions that you need to as a part of this planning.

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ALEX: Step 3.

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ALEX: Decide on the Type of Ticket.

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VIRGINIA: There's not a whole lot of flexibility with park ticket prices.

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VIRGINIA: So I'd like to think about that before I ever start thinking about hotels or flights, since presumably with hotels and flights, you'll have some choices.

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VIRGINIA: So, you do have some flexibility.

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VIRGINIA: How many park days you would like to do will be your personal choice.

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VIRGINIA: If you're doing a week trip, I like to do at least four park days.

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VIRGINIA: But it's nice to have five or more so that you have the ability to repeat a park or go back to do something that you missed.

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VIRGINIA: But if park time is not your priority, maybe you want to do less park days than that to just focus on the resorts or focus on other things.

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VIRGINIA: You'll also need to decide whether you want to visit one park in a day or if you want to get a ticket with Park Hopper added so that you're not limited to only entering a single park within a day.

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VIRGINIA: If this is not your first visit or if you're okay spending the extra money, I really love getting the Park Hopper on my ticket.

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VIRGINIA: It gives you the ability to pivot more easily.

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VIRGINIA: So if you're in a park and the kids are not feeling it, you can make the switch to another park easily.

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VIRGINIA: If Epcot gets crazy crowded because of a festival, you can board the monorail and head over to the Magic Kingdom or walk to Hollywood Studios.

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VIRGINIA: You get the idea.

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VIRGINIA: The reason that I recommend it more for people who aren't first timers is because when it's your first time, you don't necessarily need the added pressure of making use of that hopper feature just because you paid for it.

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VIRGINIA: Again, if you have the budget for it and you want to add it just in case, I say go for it.

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VIRGINIA: One thing to know if you're a first timer is that if you do purchase a one park per day ticket and you decide once you're there that you'd like to hop, you can always go to the ticket desk at the front of the park and have the park hopping feature added to your ticket on the spot.

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VIRGINIA: It's going to add about $90 or so to your ticket cost.

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VIRGINIA: And once it's added, it's good for the remainder of your trip.

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VIRGINIA: You'll just pay the difference of what you paid for your original ticket.

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VIRGINIA: The same thing is true if you decide you want to upgrade to an annual pass.

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VIRGINIA: As long as you have not finished using up all of your ticket days, you can go to the ticket window and upgrade to an annual pass and you'll get credit for the amount that you've already paid.

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VIRGINIA: The only thing you have to be aware of there is that you need to be able to upgrade to an annual pass that would have given you access to the days that you've already visited.

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VIRGINIA: If you're from out of state, you will only have access to the highest level pass unless you're a DVC member who has that as one of their benefits, a so-called blue card member, if you know, you know.

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VIRGINIA: Before you buy your tickets, you also want to decide the best place to buy your tickets from.

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VIRGINIA: You can, of course, buy directly from Walt Disney World through their website, but don't forget to check other options that you might have available to you.

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VIRGINIA: So for example, Disney has a special site that I will link to in the show notes that is specifically for veterans offering better prices on tickets.

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VIRGINIA: It's through Disney still, but it's for veterans.

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VIRGINIA: Some employers may also have discounts.

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VIRGINIA: If you're going to be visiting from the UK, there are great deals on tickets through sites like orlandoattractiontickets.co.uk that allow you to park hop between Walt Disney World, Universal, Sea World for a total of 14 days.

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VIRGINIA: I will definitely link that in the show notes as well.

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VIRGINIA: And if you're a long time listener, you will have heard some of my UK guests talk about that option.

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VIRGINIA: Lastly, this is not sponsored at all.

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VIRGINIA: I wish it was, but I have used Undercover Tourist in the past before I was an annual pass holder and it's always discounted and it's totally a legit place to get your tickets.

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VIRGINIA: I'm actually going to be using them to buy my Disneyland tickets for June for the evenings of my conference that I'll be attending that I want to visit the parks after all my meetings are over.

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VIRGINIA: All you do after you purchase the tickets there is link them in your My Disney Experience app.

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VIRGINIA: If you're new here, My Disney Experience is the Walt Disney World app that you'll need to download before your trip.

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VIRGINIA: There is where you'll be able to see all of your tickets, your resort if you're staying on property, and you can even use the app to open the door to your room if you need to.

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VIRGINIA: You'll see your dining reservations that you end up making.

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VIRGINIA: You can use it to see maps of the parks, to identify where the nearest restroom is, to get walking directions to something if you're not sure how to get there within the park, and so much more.

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VIRGINIA: Now My Disney Experience is not a perfect app.

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VIRGINIA: It does have its issues, but it is pretty much required to have it at this point going on a Disney trip.

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VIRGINIA: So you will want to make sure that you have that downloaded to your phone and also everyone in your party should have it as well.

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VIRGINIA: It will make your trip so much easier.

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VIRGINIA: I have heard so many times of people having one member of their party who just doesn't want to download it, and all it does is complicate the issue and will make your trip that much more challenging.

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VIRGINIA: So for every single adult that is in your party, make sure they have that My Disney Experience app and make sure they have their own login.

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VIRGINIA: It will make your trip much easier.

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MIRANDA: Miranda here with 101 Vacations Travel Agency.

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MIRANDA: Another question I get a lot is, if I'm doing Disney World, should I do it before or after a Disney cruise?

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MIRANDA: Well, my personal opinion is do it first.

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MIRANDA: Spend the time in the parks.

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MIRANDA: Disney tends to be quite exhausting.

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MIRANDA: So I normally recommend hit the parks hard.

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MIRANDA: Normally two to three days is enough.

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MIRANDA: And then make the short trip over to Port Canaveral.

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MIRANDA: It is very easy to set up transportation for your Disney cruise directly through a Disney resort.

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MIRANDA: And we are happy to help you as travel agents.

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MIRANDA: Or maybe it means hopping on the Bright Line from the Orlando Airport down to Fort Lauderdale.

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MIRANDA: This not only gives you access to some different sailings, ships and itineraries, but a lot of times the sailings out of Fort Lauderdale are cheaper too.

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MIRANDA: So sometimes it may make more sense to add a train ride to the journey.

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ALEX: Step 4.

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ALEX: Choose a Resort.

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VIRGINIA: Okay, I am going to be honest here.

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VIRGINIA: I am an on property lady, so I'm really going to focus on that.

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VIRGINIA: There are times when it may make sense to stay off property.

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VIRGINIA: And I'll leave that to you and your family to decide.

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VIRGINIA: But as you make that decision, I really want you to keep these things in mind for off property options.

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VIRGINIA: First, how are you going to get to the parks or to Disney Springs?

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VIRGINIA: Ubers and lifts can really add up if you're taking them everywhere.

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VIRGINIA: So if you stay off property, you'll want to be mindful of that.

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VIRGINIA: Your off property resort might have a shuttle.

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VIRGINIA: And if it does, you need to make sure that you understand all the ins and outs of its schedule.

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VIRGINIA: In some cases, the amount of time that an off property shuttle will take because of the limited times that are available or because multiple resorts share a shuttle, it can take a lot of time away from your vacation.

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VIRGINIA: If you plan to rope drop, which is the term for anyone who's new out there, for getting to the park and being ready to walk in the moment they allow guests out of the main hub area, that will be much harder to do from off property.

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VIRGINIA: So it is something to be aware of.

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VIRGINIA: Next, if you have your own car, don't forget parking fees.

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VIRGINIA: If you're staying on Disney property and you've paid to park at your resort, you can park at the parks for free because you've already paid to park at your resort and it's good for the day.

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VIRGINIA: But if you're staying off property, you'll be paying to park at the parks every single day that you're there, unless you happen to have an annual pass.

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VIRGINIA: So don't forget that.

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VIRGINIA: Then lastly, don't forget to look for the hidden fees.

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VIRGINIA: There are many off property resorts that I've seen that look cheaper than a Disney value property and by value, I mean the category of property, but have resort fees that are tacked on on top of the nightly rate.

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VIRGINIA: Between that and dealing with non-Disney transportation, to me, it's always worth it to stay on property, even if you're staying at a Disney value resort.

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VIRGINIA: That's just my opinion.

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VIRGINIA: But again, that's a personal choice and maybe you have reward points with a specific hotel chain or you prefer to rent a vacation home, etc.

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VIRGINIA: Whatever it is, if our property is right for you, that's okay.

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VIRGINIA: You do you.

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VIRGINIA: Since this will be focused on on property though, let's get in to the resorts.

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VIRGINIA: First, what are the benefits to staying on property?

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VIRGINIA: Number one, location, location, location.

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VIRGINIA: You are closer to the action.

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VIRGINIA: Number two, transportation, transportation, transportation.

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VIRGINIA: Once you have arrived on property, you really don't need a car to get around Disney.

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VIRGINIA: Disney transportation, while it can have its challenges sometimes, is overall very good.

00:17:56.248 --> 00:17:59.288
VIRGINIA: Number three, being inside the bubble.

00:17:59.288 --> 00:18:05.928
VIRGINIA: You hear this phrase a lot, but there's a lot to be said about that magical Disney feeling that you get when you're on property.

00:18:05.928 --> 00:18:11.468
VIRGINIA: And by staying at a Disney resort, you get to have that feeling even when you're not in the parks.

00:18:11.468 --> 00:18:15.488
VIRGINIA: The theming and the cast members are really what give you that magical feeling.

00:18:15.488 --> 00:18:17.068
VIRGINIA: So that's worth a lot to me.

00:18:18.148 --> 00:18:20.308
VIRGINIA: Number four, early entry.

00:18:20.308 --> 00:18:25.568
VIRGINIA: If you are staying on property, you can start your park day 30 minutes before other park visitors.

00:18:25.568 --> 00:18:36.988
VIRGINIA: And depending on how you strategize, that can mean getting a highly popular ride in without a long wait, or sometimes you can get multiple rides done if you aren't choosing one of those showstoppers.

00:18:36.988 --> 00:18:39.448
VIRGINIA: Number five, charging privileges.

00:18:39.448 --> 00:18:49.688
VIRGINIA: If you are someone who likes to have all of your purchases on one bill, you can charge your merchandise and meals back to your room using your MagicBand or your room key if you don't have a MagicBand.

00:18:49.688 --> 00:18:53.308
VIRGINIA: Number six, access to discounted MagicBands.

00:18:53.308 --> 00:19:00.988
VIRGINIA: If you're staying on property before your trip, you will have access to purchase a discounted MagicBand in advance of that trip.

00:19:00.988 --> 00:19:05.008
VIRGINIA: You can see that in the resort section of your My Disney Experience app.

00:19:05.008 --> 00:19:12.628
VIRGINIA: And if you buy a MagicBand, whether you use the pre-arrival discount or you purchase one later, always buy it directly from Disney.

00:19:12.628 --> 00:19:17.348
VIRGINIA: They are non-transferable, so you don't want to purchase a used one accidentally from someone.

00:19:17.348 --> 00:19:22.008
VIRGINIA: I definitely recommend a MagicBand so that you don't have to keep up with a keycard.

00:19:22.008 --> 00:19:27.548
VIRGINIA: But while you're at it, make sure you buy the locks from Amazon so that you don't accidentally lose it.

00:19:27.548 --> 00:19:30.708
VIRGINIA: I'll link the ones that I purchased before in the show notes.

00:19:30.708 --> 00:19:37.168
VIRGINIA: That helps keep your band safe and secure and you will not lose it when you're on a ride or doing other fun things.

00:19:37.168 --> 00:19:37.588
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:19:37.588 --> 00:19:45.128
VIRGINIA: Now that I've convinced you that on property is the way to go, let's talk about the different categories of Disney resorts.

00:19:45.608 --> 00:19:51.928
VIRGINIA: I'm going to give a brief description of all the resorts in each category with some pros and cons, and I'll mention which are my favorites for each category.

00:19:51.928 --> 00:19:53.908
VIRGINIA: So this is going to be a long section.

00:19:53.908 --> 00:19:56.728
VIRGINIA: So hopefully, you're in here for the long haul.

00:19:56.728 --> 00:19:57.068
VIRGINIA: All right.

00:19:57.068 --> 00:20:01.008
VIRGINIA: The first category of Disney resorts is value.

00:20:01.008 --> 00:20:04.988
VIRGINIA: As you might guess, these are the most affordable of the Disney resorts.

00:20:04.988 --> 00:20:08.968
VIRGINIA: These resorts are all motel style, meaning the door opens to the outside.

00:20:08.968 --> 00:20:10.648
VIRGINIA: It's not an interior hallway.

00:20:10.648 --> 00:20:12.088
VIRGINIA: There are a couple exceptions.

00:20:12.208 --> 00:20:21.408
VIRGINIA: They all have a pool, they have bars, they have a lobby that will include a food court and a resort store and an arcade usually.

00:20:21.408 --> 00:20:25.268
VIRGINIA: And they also have a lot of friendly cast members that are there to assist you.

00:20:25.268 --> 00:20:27.928
VIRGINIA: The value resorts are great.

00:20:27.928 --> 00:20:33.408
VIRGINIA: They're big and a lot of families choose to stay there, but it's Disney, so there's families everywhere.

00:20:33.408 --> 00:20:36.828
VIRGINIA: If you're going for an adult-only trip, you may want to level up.

00:20:36.828 --> 00:20:40.988
VIRGINIA: But overall, the value resorts are a great option for anyone.

00:20:41.728 --> 00:20:44.608
VIRGINIA: There are five value resorts to choose from.

00:20:44.608 --> 00:20:46.968
VIRGINIA: The first three are often lumped together.

00:20:46.968 --> 00:20:52.848
VIRGINIA: They are all situated in a row, and they're basically the same layout, but with different themes.

00:20:52.848 --> 00:20:57.528
VIRGINIA: We have all-star sports, all-star music, and all-star movies.

00:20:57.528 --> 00:21:03.268
VIRGINIA: So with these, you can just pick your theme you prefer, and you're good to go.

00:21:03.268 --> 00:21:06.348
VIRGINIA: Each has giant icons that you can take photos with.

00:21:06.348 --> 00:21:09.208
VIRGINIA: So you want to photo with a giant sports ball.

00:21:09.668 --> 00:21:11.668
VIRGINIA: I don't even know what to say there.

00:21:11.668 --> 00:21:14.248
VIRGINIA: But when you see it, you'll know what I'm talking about.

00:21:14.248 --> 00:21:22.848
VIRGINIA: There are giant statues of different things within the theme, and they're great for picture-taking opportunities.

00:21:22.848 --> 00:21:32.308
VIRGINIA: All-star sports of these three is the most affordable, and it's notorious for having cheer teams, dance teams, and groups like that staying there.

00:21:32.308 --> 00:21:36.528
VIRGINIA: If you're looking to save the most money on your resort though, it might be the right choice for you.

00:21:37.528 --> 00:21:44.508
VIRGINIA: Music and movies are not that much more expensive, so if you prefer those themes, you might give those a try.

00:21:44.508 --> 00:21:52.808
VIRGINIA: Most of the rooms at the All-Star sleep four people between a queen-size bed and a Murphy bed that pulls down out of a couch or a table.

00:21:52.808 --> 00:22:01.648
VIRGINIA: Music, it should be noted, also has the option of family suites, which is where we stayed for our Disney Dames budget to bougie trip in January.

00:22:01.648 --> 00:22:04.268
VIRGINIA: And these family suites sleep up to six people.

00:22:04.728 --> 00:22:13.868
VIRGINIA: They have a queen-size bed in the bedroom and in the main living area there's a Murphy-style bed behind the couch and a Murphy-style bed behind the dining table.

00:22:13.868 --> 00:22:21.348
VIRGINIA: Those suites in All-Star Music include a separate kitchen with a full-size fridge, a sink and a microwave.

00:22:21.348 --> 00:22:27.948
VIRGINIA: They don't have a stove or anything like that, but it's perfect for heating up leftovers and for making sandwiches and that sort of thing.

00:22:27.948 --> 00:22:36.268
VIRGINIA: There are also two full bathrooms in these suites as well, which you know when you're traveling with a group makes all the difference in the world.

00:22:36.268 --> 00:22:46.728
VIRGINIA: All of the All-Star resorts are bus transportation to the parks and Disney Springs only, so you will only have that option or of course, Uber or Lyft or your own car.

00:22:46.728 --> 00:22:50.808
VIRGINIA: The last two value resorts are Pop Century and Art of Animation.

00:22:50.808 --> 00:22:55.388
VIRGINIA: These are sister resorts that flank the last step on the Skyliner.

00:22:55.388 --> 00:23:11.408
VIRGINIA: They both have bus transportation to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs, but you can use the Skyliner to get to Epcot and to Hollywood Studios or if you want to make a stop at the Riviera in the morning for some coffee and some banana bread from La Petite Café.

00:23:11.408 --> 00:23:17.628
VIRGINIA: Be aware that the Skyliner does typically have a week or two in January where they do regular maintenance yearly.

00:23:17.628 --> 00:23:22.028
VIRGINIA: So double check when you're booking that the Skyliner will be open.

00:23:22.028 --> 00:23:27.728
VIRGINIA: Pop Century is themed after the different decades between the 50s through the 90s.

00:23:27.728 --> 00:23:30.868
VIRGINIA: And Art of Animation is themed after animation.

00:23:31.768 --> 00:23:36.048
VIRGINIA: It has a Cars section, a Lion King section, and a Little Mermaid section.

00:23:36.048 --> 00:23:40.808
VIRGINIA: So at Pop, you're going to have things like giant Rubik's cubes to take photos with.

00:23:40.808 --> 00:23:46.328
VIRGINIA: And at Art of Animation, you'll see a life-size Lightning McQueen and all his friends in the Cars section.

00:23:46.328 --> 00:23:51.888
VIRGINIA: So it's really easy to walk between these two resorts because they are situated so closely with the Skyliner between them.

00:23:51.888 --> 00:23:55.948
VIRGINIA: So you can enjoy both sides for all of those photo opportunities.

00:23:55.948 --> 00:23:59.688
VIRGINIA: Between these two, Pop Century is much more affordable.

00:23:59.808 --> 00:24:06.848
VIRGINIA: And essentially, it's really very similar to an All-Star Resort, but with different theming and the Skyliner access added.

00:24:06.848 --> 00:24:13.128
VIRGINIA: Art of Animation is actually priced more closely with an Upper Moderate or Deluxe Resort.

00:24:13.128 --> 00:24:19.068
VIRGINIA: And that is because most of the rooms at Art of Animation are actually family suites.

00:24:19.068 --> 00:24:24.048
VIRGINIA: They're family suites that are themed like Cars or Lion King or Finding Nemo.

00:24:24.048 --> 00:24:27.708
VIRGINIA: It is very heavy on the theming and that could be a lot of fun for kids.

00:24:28.188 --> 00:24:31.448
VIRGINIA: Maybe not as much fun if it's an adults only trip.

00:24:31.448 --> 00:24:37.568
VIRGINIA: Like All Star Music, there is a queen size bed in the bedroom and the living area can sleep another four people.

00:24:37.568 --> 00:24:39.308
VIRGINIA: So that's a total of six people.

00:24:39.308 --> 00:24:42.248
VIRGINIA: But the difference here is that it's not two Murphy beds.

00:24:42.248 --> 00:24:46.808
VIRGINIA: It's a pullout couch and one Murphy bed that comes out of the table area.

00:24:46.808 --> 00:24:55.088
VIRGINIA: The kitchen in the Art of Animation suites also looks to be a mini fridge to me, not a full sized fridge from what I've seen in the photos.

00:24:55.188 --> 00:25:00.968
VIRGINIA: Art of Animation is, I have honestly not stayed there yet, but it does look like it's a mini fridge.

00:25:00.968 --> 00:25:11.648
VIRGINIA: So unless the Skyliner is what's guiding your decision and you need a suite, I really recommend the All Star Music Resort for a suite.

00:25:11.648 --> 00:25:17.828
VIRGINIA: If you don't need a suite, I recommend PopSentry for the value of it and also that Skyliner Access.

00:25:17.828 --> 00:25:23.248
VIRGINIA: At the end of the day though, just know that you really can't go wrong with any of your value options.

00:25:23.808 --> 00:25:32.908
VIRGINIA: Of the value resorts, I have stayed at PopSentry the most and I also stayed in the All Star Music Suite in January with the Disney Dames like I mentioned.

00:25:32.908 --> 00:25:39.728
VIRGINIA: My top value recommendation, with the caveat that I've only stayed at two so far, is PopSentry.

00:25:39.728 --> 00:25:42.288
VIRGINIA: I continue to go back time and time again.

00:25:42.288 --> 00:25:43.348
VIRGINIA: I love that resort.

00:25:43.348 --> 00:25:44.848
VIRGINIA: I think it's so much fun.

00:25:44.848 --> 00:25:51.928
VIRGINIA: I love the nostalgia in the lobby of the different things that they have there showcased from the different decades.

00:25:52.648 --> 00:26:04.048
VIRGINIA: If you're a kid of the 70s or the 80s or the 90s, they have a museum display in the lobby that shows you things from those different decades.

00:26:04.408 --> 00:26:11.168
VIRGINIA: It's just so nostalgic to look and see something that you had as a kid and just show it to your children.

00:26:11.168 --> 00:26:11.888
VIRGINIA: I just love it.

00:26:11.888 --> 00:26:18.548
VIRGINIA: I think it's a great value, and literally a great value in the value of resort category.

00:26:18.548 --> 00:26:21.148
VIRGINIA: It's so easy to get places on that Skyliner.

00:26:21.308 --> 00:26:23.908
VIRGINIA: So that would be my top recommendation.

00:26:23.908 --> 00:26:27.768
VIRGINIA: I will say I did really enjoy my stay at All-Star Music, though.

00:26:27.768 --> 00:26:29.008
VIRGINIA: I enjoyed that suite.

00:26:29.008 --> 00:26:34.028
VIRGINIA: I thought it was a great experience, and it was a nice introduction to me, to the All-Stars.

00:26:34.028 --> 00:26:38.708
VIRGINIA: I will be going back to stay at All-Star Sports very soon for the first time.

00:26:38.708 --> 00:26:47.688
VIRGINIA: And then of course, I will eventually make my way around to All-Star Movies and to Art of Animation, because I got to catch them all, just like Pokemon, I guess.

00:26:47.688 --> 00:26:54.308
VIRGINIA: The next level up after value will be the moderate category, and you have four options in this category.

00:26:54.308 --> 00:27:04.068
VIRGINIA: Caribbean Beach or Caribbean Beach, however you prefer to say that, Coronada Springs, Port Orleans French Quarter, and Port Orleans Riverside.

00:27:04.068 --> 00:27:12.628
VIRGINIA: Like the value resorts, a majority of the rooms in these resorts are motel style, meaning that they are open to the outside, not to an interior hallway.

00:27:12.628 --> 00:27:19.708
VIRGINIA: Though Coronada Springs does have Grand Destino Tower at the heart of its resort, and that is a hotel style tower.

00:27:19.708 --> 00:27:31.828
VIRGINIA: At the motel resorts, you will have everything that the value resorts have to offer, but you will also have a slide in your resort pool, something that you do not have at the values.

00:27:31.828 --> 00:27:38.868
VIRGINIA: And you will also be more likely to have a sit down table restaurant or a lounge in addition to a food court and just a regular bar.

00:27:39.768 --> 00:27:41.928
VIRGINIA: Since I mentioned Coronado, I'll start there.

00:27:41.928 --> 00:27:50.488
VIRGINIA: So this resort is Spanish and Mexican and Southwest American theme, and Grandestino Tower sits in the center.

00:27:50.488 --> 00:27:53.208
VIRGINIA: Grandestino Tower is beautiful.

00:27:53.208 --> 00:28:06.688
VIRGINIA: You have access to multiple table service restaurants and bars, and you can easily get to the food court and the store through an attached indoor corridor that connects that main tower building over to the convention center that it's attached to.

00:28:07.548 --> 00:28:13.628
VIRGINIA: This is a moderate resort that feels like a deluxe resort because it's attached to that convention center.

00:28:13.628 --> 00:28:22.508
VIRGINIA: So there are a lot of convention guests that come to do their convention there, and then they're staying right there at the resort.

00:28:22.508 --> 00:28:31.588
VIRGINIA: So that is something to be aware of, and for some people, that's going to maybe slightly feel a little less Disney to them.

00:28:31.588 --> 00:28:39.928
VIRGINIA: But to somebody like me who really likes the deluxe resorts, it's a great way to have that deluxe feel, but have the moderate price level.

00:28:39.928 --> 00:28:43.668
VIRGINIA: The outer buildings at Coronado are all very nice too.

00:28:43.668 --> 00:28:51.328
VIRGINIA: They're peaceful, and there are some quiet pools scattered around amongst them, so you don't have to go over to the main pool.

00:28:51.328 --> 00:28:54.748
VIRGINIA: The main pool is where you would have access to that water slide, though.

00:28:54.748 --> 00:29:06.728
VIRGINIA: It can be a little bit of a walk to get over to the tower to access the food court, to access the different dining options, but there's an internal bus loop if you don't feel like walking.

00:29:06.728 --> 00:29:17.748
VIRGINIA: For somebody like me who walks a lot in New York, it's really not that bad, and especially if it's good weather, it's just a nice peaceful walk through the resort to get where you need to go.

00:29:17.748 --> 00:29:22.028
VIRGINIA: If it wasn't going to be so great weather, that might be a different story.

00:29:22.028 --> 00:29:25.248
VIRGINIA: All right, Caribbean Beach or Caribbean Beach.

00:29:25.248 --> 00:29:30.048
VIRGINIA: I still can't decide how I want to say this, so I'm just going to keep switching it up.

00:29:30.048 --> 00:29:31.688
VIRGINIA: I might change it every single time I say it.

00:29:32.148 --> 00:29:35.848
VIRGINIA: It is themed like the Caribbean, obviously.

00:29:35.848 --> 00:29:37.368
VIRGINIA: It is a huge resort.

00:29:37.368 --> 00:29:43.188
VIRGINIA: It also has an internal bus loop, and there are scattered quiet pools throughout in addition to their main pool.

00:29:43.188 --> 00:29:52.488
VIRGINIA: The food court has a lot of Caribbean-themed food in addition to the basics that you might find, like burgers and chicken fingers and that sort of thing.

00:29:52.488 --> 00:29:57.068
VIRGINIA: So if you really like those flavors, you might be very happy here.

00:29:57.068 --> 00:30:01.028
VIRGINIA: Caribbean Beach is the one moderate resort that is on the Skyliner.

00:30:01.228 --> 00:30:03.648
VIRGINIA: So a lot of people love it for that.

00:30:03.648 --> 00:30:09.488
VIRGINIA: To me though, the biggest draw of this resort is its proximity to the Riviera.

00:30:09.488 --> 00:30:11.788
VIRGINIA: So that's the biggest draw for me.

00:30:11.788 --> 00:30:20.708
VIRGINIA: That's the biggest pro that I can think of with this resort because if I were staying there, I would probably spend most of my time walking over to the Riviera, to be honest with you.

00:30:20.708 --> 00:30:26.408
VIRGINIA: Next, we have Port Orleans, which is actually divided into two separate resorts that are both New Orleans-themed.

00:30:26.868 --> 00:30:34.288
VIRGINIA: Port Orleans French Quarter is themed like the French Quarter neighborhood in New Orleans with touches of Mardi Gras throughout.

00:30:34.288 --> 00:30:39.208
VIRGINIA: If you're looking for the famous Mickey-shaped beignets, this is where you will get them.

00:30:39.208 --> 00:30:51.608
VIRGINIA: In addition to bus transportation to the parks, you have boat transportation to Disney Springs or over to visit Port Orleans Riverside, though you can actually walk very easily between those two resorts.

00:30:52.528 --> 00:31:00.008
VIRGINIA: This resort only has a quick service option and a jazz lounge, so there's no table service restaurant at French Quarter.

00:31:00.008 --> 00:31:07.888
VIRGINIA: If you want table service though, you have such easy access to Disney Springs, it really makes up for it, so don't even worry about that.

00:31:07.888 --> 00:31:10.708
VIRGINIA: French Quarter is a very small resort.

00:31:10.708 --> 00:31:16.668
VIRGINIA: It's very easy to walk to all the rooms and to get to the main building for food or to visit the shop.

00:31:16.668 --> 00:31:18.088
VIRGINIA: I love the look of this resort.

00:31:18.088 --> 00:31:20.688
VIRGINIA: It has so much wrought iron and the Spanish moss.

00:31:21.008 --> 00:31:26.108
VIRGINIA: The Spanish moss, friends, is everywhere, and I'm obsessed with Spanish moss.

00:31:26.108 --> 00:31:28.888
VIRGINIA: There's something about it that is just so pretty to me.

00:31:28.888 --> 00:31:32.008
VIRGINIA: I absolutely love it.

00:31:32.008 --> 00:31:39.908
VIRGINIA: Port Orleans Riverside is much larger, so it does have an internal bus loop, whereas French Quarter does not because it's so small.

00:31:39.908 --> 00:31:42.568
VIRGINIA: Riverside is divided into two different sections.

00:31:42.568 --> 00:31:49.328
VIRGINIA: So one section is called Magnolia Bend, and it has buildings that look like the old mansions of New Orleans.

00:31:49.828 --> 00:31:55.328
VIRGINIA: The other section is called Alligator Bayou, and that has more of a cottage feel to it.

00:31:55.328 --> 00:32:02.188
VIRGINIA: Alligator Bayou, I know for a fact, has some rooms that can sleep five, and the entire resort is dog friendly.

00:32:02.188 --> 00:32:11.088
VIRGINIA: So that is a plus if you want to bring your man's best friend, woman's best friend, your furry friend with you.

00:32:11.088 --> 00:32:20.448
VIRGINIA: If you want to upgrade your stay a little bit while you're at Riverside, and Magnolia Bend, the mansion section, features some so-called royal rooms.

00:32:20.448 --> 00:32:23.408
VIRGINIA: These are princess themed and have some magical touches.

00:32:23.408 --> 00:32:29.008
VIRGINIA: Specifically, they're very Tiana themed, but there's little touches from all of the different princesses in there.

00:32:29.008 --> 00:32:30.788
VIRGINIA: I don't want to spoil anything.

00:32:31.588 --> 00:32:38.708
VIRGINIA: It has the coolest light up headboards on the beds that you can push a button, and they just magic happens.

00:32:38.708 --> 00:32:39.628
VIRGINIA: It's a lot of fun.

00:32:39.628 --> 00:32:41.748
VIRGINIA: There's also some other hidden things in there.

00:32:42.468 --> 00:32:51.368
VIRGINIA: If you want to see those, you could certainly check those out in a resort review on YouTube, and you can easily find that.

00:32:51.368 --> 00:32:55.188
VIRGINIA: Just look up Royal Rooms, Port Orleans, Riverside.

00:32:55.188 --> 00:33:08.068
VIRGINIA: At Riverside, you will have access to a food court, but you'll also have table service restaurant there, and a lounge where you can go and watch the famous Yee-haw Bob entertain on certain nights of the week.

00:33:08.068 --> 00:33:08.928
VIRGINIA: He is a lot of fun.

00:33:09.188 --> 00:33:18.048
VIRGINIA: So whether you're staying at Port Orleans, Riverside or French Quarter, if you have time, I recommend heading over there, having a drink, watching him entertain.

00:33:18.048 --> 00:33:23.388
VIRGINIA: He is just a born entertainer and you will have the best time.

00:33:23.388 --> 00:33:30.308
VIRGINIA: I have stayed at all four of these moderate resorts, and my favorite of the four is French Quarter.

00:33:30.308 --> 00:33:34.048
VIRGINIA: I love its laid back vibe and its beauty.

00:33:34.048 --> 00:33:35.768
VIRGINIA: I love how small it is.

00:33:36.208 --> 00:33:39.968
VIRGINIA: I love that it is so close to Disney Springs.

00:33:39.968 --> 00:33:42.808
VIRGINIA: And I like having all day access to beignets.

00:33:42.808 --> 00:33:46.228
VIRGINIA: So what else is there that you could want?

00:33:46.228 --> 00:33:50.148
VIRGINIA: A close second for me though, I will say is probably Coronado Springs.

00:33:50.148 --> 00:33:52.468
VIRGINIA: And that is because of that deluxe feel.

00:33:52.468 --> 00:33:55.848
VIRGINIA: That Grandestino Tower has made such a difference for that resort.

00:33:55.848 --> 00:34:02.388
VIRGINIA: And it's just a really sophisticated place to stay in the moderate category.

00:34:02.388 --> 00:34:05.568
VIRGINIA: I would recommend it, especially if you're doing an adult stay.

00:34:05.668 --> 00:34:07.768
VIRGINIA: I mean, really, you can stay anywhere in an adult stay.

00:34:07.768 --> 00:34:16.568
VIRGINIA: But if you want that elevated feel where maybe there's not quite so many kids running underfoot, Coronado Springs might be the place for you.

00:34:16.568 --> 00:34:21.428
VIRGINIA: Next, we have the Deluxe Resorts and the Deluxe Villa Resorts.

00:34:21.428 --> 00:34:24.008
VIRGINIA: And you know, I love a deluxe.

00:34:24.008 --> 00:34:31.368
VIRGINIA: A deluxe resort refers to hotel rooms, while deluxe villa refers to DVC rooms.

00:34:31.368 --> 00:34:33.408
VIRGINIA: You don't have to be a DVC member to stay there.

00:34:33.928 --> 00:34:46.828
VIRGINIA: You can pay cash to stay in one of the DVC rooms directly through Disney, though they don't release those directly through Disney until about a month before, because they have to reserve them for DVC members to be able to use their points for.

00:34:46.828 --> 00:34:59.628
VIRGINIA: If you want to stay in a DVC room and you want to plan more than a month in advance, you can always rent DVC points through an owner or through a third party company, like David's DVC rental or DVC rental store.

00:35:00.268 --> 00:35:08.488
VIRGINIA: I highly recommend going through a third party unless it's a DVC member that you know personally, not just somebody on Facebook.

00:35:08.488 --> 00:35:10.788
VIRGINIA: I've heard about people getting scammed in that way.

00:35:10.788 --> 00:35:13.908
VIRGINIA: It should be a personal friend of yours, in my opinion.

00:35:13.908 --> 00:35:22.768
VIRGINIA: I have used David's DVC rental at times when I haven't wanted to use my own points, and I wanted to still stay in a DVC property.

00:35:22.768 --> 00:35:24.368
VIRGINIA: It will save you a lot of money.

00:35:24.368 --> 00:35:29.188
VIRGINIA: DVC rental store is another very reputable company, so those are the two I would go with.

00:35:29.688 --> 00:35:32.948
VIRGINIA: Just make sure that you read all of the terms and conditions.

00:35:32.948 --> 00:35:36.048
VIRGINIA: But they're legit companies, and they can save you so much.

00:35:36.048 --> 00:35:47.928
VIRGINIA: By renting DVC points, you can actually stay in a DVC studio for a similar price to a moderate resort, or even get a one or two bedroom villa for the price of, like, a regular deluxe hotel room.

00:35:48.348 --> 00:35:50.188
VIRGINIA: It's just so much money that you save.

00:35:50.188 --> 00:35:52.528
VIRGINIA: But, again, read those terms and conditions.

00:35:52.528 --> 00:36:05.248
VIRGINIA: Depending on what company you're going with, it might be easier or harder to cancel your stay, so you kind of want to be sure of your trip dates and make sure that you've read whether there is cancellation allowed.

00:36:05.248 --> 00:36:15.428
VIRGINIA: David's, when I've used it in the past, has kind of been final sale, but I know that there are others, and it might be DVC Rental Store, that allows you to cancel within a certain amount of time.

00:36:15.428 --> 00:36:16.968
VIRGINIA: So just something to be aware of.

00:36:16.968 --> 00:36:30.708
VIRGINIA: The other thing with renting DVC points is that typically, in my experience with David's, once you have been matched with a DVC point rental, and you're getting all that set up, you pay for it all at once.

00:36:30.708 --> 00:36:45.968
VIRGINIA: Whereas with the Disney resorts, you usually pay for one night's worth as a deposit, and then you have plenty of time to cancel, and you don't owe the rest until you've checked out, basically, although you can pay in advance, of course, but you owe it at the end of your stay.

00:36:45.968 --> 00:36:53.088
VIRGINIA: With these DVC points rentals, though, you mostly have to pay in advance, so you just need to be ready to make that purchase.

00:36:53.088 --> 00:36:59.168
VIRGINIA: Deluxe resorts and villas have water slides in their main pool, like the moderate resorts.

00:36:59.168 --> 00:37:05.008
VIRGINIA: And they also have access to table service restaurants, every single one of them, usually a lounge as well.

00:37:05.008 --> 00:37:08.868
VIRGINIA: Quick service restaurants will be in these resorts, not a food court.

00:37:08.868 --> 00:37:20.148
VIRGINIA: So a quick service, you know, something fast, you can walk up to a counter and order, but it's not going to be a gigantic food court where you have lots of options for fast food.

00:37:20.148 --> 00:37:23.808
VIRGINIA: They usually also have more than one transportation option.

00:37:24.008 --> 00:37:37.688
VIRGINIA: They also all have gyms and arcades and usually more often than not, they have more than one transportation option, not necessarily just to the parks, but maybe a transportation option to get to Disney Springs and that sort of thing.

00:37:37.688 --> 00:37:41.668
VIRGINIA: There are a lot of these in this Deluxe category, so I'm just going to move really quickly through them.

00:37:41.668 --> 00:37:47.508
VIRGINIA: And I'm going to start with the two that I have not stayed at yet, Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Yacht Club.

00:37:47.508 --> 00:37:50.928
VIRGINIA: Animal Kingdom Lodge is the closest to Animal Kingdom.

00:37:50.928 --> 00:38:00.288
VIRGINIA: Like all Deluxe resorts, you'll have access to that water slide, to a table service restaurant, actually multiple table service restaurants, a quick service, not a food court, a lounge.

00:38:00.288 --> 00:38:04.048
VIRGINIA: It's going to be hotel style, hallway access to your room.

00:38:04.048 --> 00:38:07.548
VIRGINIA: But every Deluxe resort has something special about it.

00:38:07.548 --> 00:38:10.788
VIRGINIA: And at Animal Kingdom Lodge, it's the animals.

00:38:10.788 --> 00:38:16.588
VIRGINIA: There is a savanna right outside that you can see directly from your room if you book a savanna view.

00:38:16.588 --> 00:38:20.708
VIRGINIA: That's right, you can have coffee on your balcony while you watch the animals.

00:38:21.568 --> 00:38:24.728
VIRGINIA: Animal Kingdom Lodge does only have bus transportation.

00:38:24.728 --> 00:38:29.208
VIRGINIA: As I'm talking here, I'm realizing this is the only one, I think, that only has bus transportation.

00:38:29.208 --> 00:38:31.368
VIRGINIA: All the others should have a second form of transportation.

00:38:31.368 --> 00:38:33.968
VIRGINIA: We'll see as I go through the list.

00:38:33.968 --> 00:38:39.108
VIRGINIA: The next one that I have not stayed at, the next and last one that I have not stayed at is the Yacht Club.

00:38:39.108 --> 00:38:44.828
VIRGINIA: The Yacht Club is closest to Epcot, and it's also walking distance to Hollywood Studios.

00:38:44.828 --> 00:38:48.148
VIRGINIA: You have access to the Skyliner in case you don't feel like walking.

00:38:48.848 --> 00:38:50.988
VIRGINIA: Or again, if you want to visit the Riviera.

00:38:50.988 --> 00:38:57.968
VIRGINIA: But it would probably just be faster to walk or about the same amount of time as to walk all the way over to the Skyliner top on it.

00:38:57.968 --> 00:39:02.148
VIRGINIA: The theming here is that of a yacht, if that's not obvious.

00:39:02.148 --> 00:39:06.528
VIRGINIA: So you're going to be thinking lots of wood, lots of nautical touches.

00:39:06.528 --> 00:39:08.848
VIRGINIA: It's very she-she.

00:39:08.848 --> 00:39:13.728
VIRGINIA: I have not stayed at either of those resorts, so Animal Kingdom Lodge or Yacht Club.

00:39:13.728 --> 00:39:16.428
VIRGINIA: I am most excited to try Animal Kingdom Lodge.

00:39:16.748 --> 00:39:25.368
VIRGINIA: I feel like Yacht Club feels a little stuffy to me for some reason, but Animal Kingdom Lodge is just so different than anything you can experience anywhere else.

00:39:25.368 --> 00:39:29.868
VIRGINIA: So I am really looking forward to getting to try that sometime soon.

00:39:29.868 --> 00:39:33.868
VIRGINIA: Right next door to the Yacht Club is the Beach Club.

00:39:33.868 --> 00:39:46.468
VIRGINIA: These two resorts do share a gigantic pool called Storm Along Bay, and pool is maybe too small a word to use for it because there's so many parts to this pool, if you have not seen it.

00:39:46.468 --> 00:39:48.828
VIRGINIA: Part of it has a sand bottom.

00:39:48.828 --> 00:39:55.148
VIRGINIA: There's a section that is a lazy river, but just beware, it is super deep for whatever reason.

00:39:55.148 --> 00:39:55.868
VIRGINIA: So just be careful.

00:39:55.868 --> 00:40:02.528
VIRGINIA: Like literally, if I went and put my feet on the bottom, I think I'm not sure that my head would still be above the water.

00:40:02.528 --> 00:40:05.928
VIRGINIA: It is that deep and lazy rivers are not usually that deep.

00:40:05.928 --> 00:40:08.228
VIRGINIA: So I have no idea what's going on there.

00:40:08.228 --> 00:40:10.408
VIRGINIA: They also have the water slide.

00:40:10.408 --> 00:40:13.348
VIRGINIA: It comes out of a shipwreck, which is really super cool.

00:40:14.048 --> 00:40:25.208
VIRGINIA: If you are a parent of a small child listening though, I do want to warn you that you have to exit the entire pool area and cross over the sidewalk there to access the entrance to the water slide.

00:40:25.208 --> 00:40:31.748
VIRGINIA: So if you have a kid that is not old enough to do that by themselves, you're going to be schlepping back and forth a lot.

00:40:31.748 --> 00:40:34.188
VIRGINIA: The Beach Club has a beachy theme.

00:40:34.188 --> 00:40:36.248
VIRGINIA: Again, these themes are pretty obvious.

00:40:36.248 --> 00:40:40.408
VIRGINIA: And it has a table service that has a character meal right there at the resort.

00:40:40.568 --> 00:40:44.808
VIRGINIA: So you can book that if you want easy access to eating with the characters.

00:40:44.808 --> 00:40:47.708
VIRGINIA: It's about as close as you can get to Epcot.

00:40:47.708 --> 00:40:52.888
VIRGINIA: So you will have easy access to the restaurants in the park also if you have a park ticket.

00:40:52.888 --> 00:40:57.048
VIRGINIA: Hollywood Studios is walkable from the Beach Club for sure.

00:40:57.048 --> 00:41:05.808
VIRGINIA: I'd say probably about 20 minutes if you are walking at a leisurely pace, like a very leisurely pace, and 15 minutes if you kind of speed walk it.

00:41:05.808 --> 00:41:09.668
VIRGINIA: Across the lake from the Yacht and Beach Club is the Boardwalk Resort.

00:41:10.468 --> 00:41:14.048
VIRGINIA: This resort is made to feel like the New Jersey Shore.

00:41:14.048 --> 00:41:22.368
VIRGINIA: The lobby has a carousel vibe and you have easy access to several great bars and restaurants down there on the Boardwalk.

00:41:22.368 --> 00:41:30.368
VIRGINIA: From here, you can also very easily walk into Epcot or to Hollywood Studios, and you can access the Skyliner if you don't feel like walking.

00:41:30.368 --> 00:41:37.508
VIRGINIA: Again, it's probably going to be faster for you to walk to Hollywood Studios than to walk over to the Skyliner and then take it from there.

00:41:37.648 --> 00:41:44.068
VIRGINIA: And depending on where you're staying within the resort, it might be faster from one end than the other.

00:41:44.068 --> 00:41:51.268
VIRGINIA: But I just always feel like if you're able to, walking is a great option from any of these three resorts.

00:41:51.268 --> 00:41:59.928
VIRGINIA: One thing I do want to note about the Boardwalk, if you're thinking about staying there, is that you have to go outside to access the quick service.

00:41:59.928 --> 00:42:02.368
VIRGINIA: So in bad weather, that's going to be a downer.

00:42:02.368 --> 00:42:11.808
VIRGINIA: You're not going to have that at Yacht Club and Beach Club, which I think share their quick service between the two, sort of in the pass-through area.

00:42:11.808 --> 00:42:13.208
VIRGINIA: I could be wrong about that.

00:42:13.208 --> 00:42:16.048
VIRGINIA: There might be two, I think there's two separate now that I'm saying it.

00:42:16.048 --> 00:42:20.228
VIRGINIA: But either way, you get to stay indoors to access that quick service.

00:42:20.228 --> 00:42:26.408
VIRGINIA: Even if you're staying, say, in the villa section of the Beach Club, you're in a covered walkway.

00:42:26.408 --> 00:42:29.028
VIRGINIA: So you go outside, but it's covered.

00:42:29.028 --> 00:42:33.228
VIRGINIA: So if it's raining, you still have a way to get there without walking through the rain.

00:42:33.228 --> 00:42:34.588
VIRGINIA: Boardwalk, that is not the case.

00:42:34.788 --> 00:42:39.888
VIRGINIA: If you want to go to the quick service, you are heading outside in the weather to access that.

00:42:39.888 --> 00:42:46.168
VIRGINIA: So just something to think about when you're thinking about staying at the boardwalk.

00:42:46.168 --> 00:42:51.008
VIRGINIA: Now let's move over to the Magic Kingdom area deluxe resorts.

00:42:51.008 --> 00:42:56.308
VIRGINIA: The Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, the Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge.

00:42:56.308 --> 00:43:01.088
VIRGINIA: Besides Wilderness Lodge, the other three are located on the Monorail.

00:43:01.248 --> 00:43:07.408
VIRGINIA: So let's start with the Grand Floridian, which is the flagship resort of Walt Disney World.

00:43:07.408 --> 00:43:12.188
VIRGINIA: The theme here is Victorian and it is beautiful.

00:43:12.188 --> 00:43:16.808
VIRGINIA: It's also home to the Wedding Pavilion and to the Grand Floridian Spa.

00:43:16.808 --> 00:43:19.908
VIRGINIA: The table service restaurants here are a plenty.

00:43:19.908 --> 00:43:37.268
VIRGINIA: You have the Grand Floridian Cafe, you have 1900 Park Fair, Narcosis, Citricos, and of course, there is the famous and insanely expensive, Victoria and Albert's, which is a bucket list meal for all true Disney fans.

00:43:37.268 --> 00:43:45.068
VIRGINIA: I'm going to link to my friend Elizabeth in the show notes because she was lucky enough to experience a meal there and it was fascinating to hear about.

00:43:45.068 --> 00:43:54.508
VIRGINIA: The Grand Floridian also has the Enchanted Rose Lounge, which is themed after Beauty and the Beast, but in a very classy and subtle way.

00:43:54.508 --> 00:44:00.248
VIRGINIA: Like if you really weren't thinking about it or paying too close attention, it just looks like a beautiful lounge.

00:44:00.248 --> 00:44:10.168
VIRGINIA: If your kids are like most kids and like to spend time in the pool, the kids splash pad section of the main pool has an Alice in Wonderland theme, which is so cute.

00:44:10.168 --> 00:44:13.548
VIRGINIA: I also really love the quiet pool at the Grand Floridian.

00:44:13.548 --> 00:44:16.248
VIRGINIA: It is so peaceful and it has a really good bar.

00:44:16.248 --> 00:44:18.168
VIRGINIA: So something to think about.

00:44:19.008 --> 00:44:28.768
VIRGINIA: In addition to the monorail, you will also have boat access to the Magic Kingdom, or you can easily walk over to the Magic Kingdom from the Grand Floridian.

00:44:28.768 --> 00:44:34.968
VIRGINIA: If you walk from the Grand Floridian away from the Magic Kingdom, though, you will come to the Polynesian.

00:44:34.968 --> 00:44:38.528
VIRGINIA: The Polynesian is themed like the South Pacific.

00:44:38.528 --> 00:44:42.088
VIRGINIA: The pool at this resort is so much fun.

00:44:42.088 --> 00:44:47.828
VIRGINIA: It has a really wonderful bar right there, and the splash pad is just insane.

00:44:48.308 --> 00:44:53.448
VIRGINIA: This is another resort where I also actually really love the quiet pool, though.

00:44:53.448 --> 00:44:59.328
VIRGINIA: What I love the most about the Polynesian, though, is just the vibes and also the food options.

00:44:59.328 --> 00:45:02.948
VIRGINIA: There is something about the food there that is just so good to me.

00:45:02.948 --> 00:45:06.068
VIRGINIA: Even their quick service, Captain Cook's, is amazing.

00:45:06.068 --> 00:45:09.208
VIRGINIA: That's where you're going to find those pulled pork nachos that I always talk about.

00:45:09.328 --> 00:45:12.028
VIRGINIA: Oh, so good.

00:45:12.028 --> 00:45:13.668
VIRGINIA: Or the coconut meatballs.

00:45:13.728 --> 00:45:15.728
VIRGINIA: Oh, to die for.

00:45:15.728 --> 00:45:17.288
VIRGINIA: Chef's kiss.

00:45:17.288 --> 00:45:25.388
VIRGINIA: In addition to the monorail at the Polynesian, you will also have boat access to the Magic Kingdom, just like the Grand Floridian does.

00:45:25.388 --> 00:45:33.148
VIRGINIA: You can also technically walk to the Magic Kingdom from the Polynesia, but you will have to go past the Grand Floridian to get there.

00:45:33.148 --> 00:45:38.948
VIRGINIA: There's also a third option in addition to the monorail and the boat.

00:45:38.948 --> 00:45:43.788
VIRGINIA: You could technically walk over into the Ticket and Transportation Center and take the ferry.

00:45:43.788 --> 00:45:47.008
VIRGINIA: I'm not sure why you would do that, but it's an option.

00:45:47.008 --> 00:45:52.668
VIRGINIA: The last monorail resort is the Contemporary, which is modern theming.

00:45:52.668 --> 00:45:58.368
VIRGINIA: The hotel rooms within the Contemporary actually have an Incredibles overlay to them.

00:45:58.368 --> 00:46:05.108
VIRGINIA: There are some DVC rooms there too in a tower section called Bay Lake Tower.

00:46:05.108 --> 00:46:16.128
VIRGINIA: You can walk from the Contemporary over to the Magic Kingdom, and you do have access to a boat that will take you over to Fort Wilderness Campground, where you can visit the Hoop-Doo-Doo review if you want.

00:46:16.128 --> 00:46:21.548
VIRGINIA: That is a dinner theater performance, or you can take the boat over to the Wilderness Lodge.

00:46:21.548 --> 00:46:32.808
VIRGINIA: There are several table service options at the Contemporary, including character dining at Chef Mickey's, and you'll also have access to California Grill, Steakhouse 71.

00:46:32.808 --> 00:46:38.388
VIRGINIA: If you're DVC, you'll have access to Top of the World Lounge, if you have that blue card membership.

00:46:39.128 --> 00:46:42.788
VIRGINIA: So there are a lot of great things about the Contemporary.

00:46:42.788 --> 00:46:49.088
VIRGINIA: The last of the Magic Kingdom resorts, and the one that is not on the monorail is Wilderness Lodge.

00:46:49.088 --> 00:46:55.688
VIRGINIA: It's rustic, it's homey, and it really gives you that feel of being away from everything.

00:46:55.688 --> 00:47:06.648
VIRGINIA: The trees are pine trees, and you just feel a million miles away from Florida and a million miles away from the Magic Kingdom, even though you are a short seven minute boat ride away.

00:47:06.908 --> 00:47:08.288
VIRGINIA: And I've timed it.

00:47:08.288 --> 00:47:09.868
VIRGINIA: It's seven minutes.

00:47:09.868 --> 00:47:14.768
VIRGINIA: I have said it before, and I will say it again, Wilderness Lodge is my favorite resort.

00:47:14.768 --> 00:47:22.148
VIRGINIA: I absolutely love the vibe and the coziness of it while feeling like I'm getting away from it all.

00:47:22.148 --> 00:47:27.988
VIRGINIA: You cannot beat it during the holiday season with the Christmas trees that are up and the decorations.

00:47:27.988 --> 00:47:29.888
VIRGINIA: It is just gorgeous.

00:47:29.888 --> 00:47:40.688
VIRGINIA: There's really nothing better to me than grabbing a cocktail from the territory lounge and sitting in that upper balcony area of the lobby in front of one of those fireplaces.

00:47:40.688 --> 00:47:45.188
VIRGINIA: Just sipping my beverage, reading my book, and people watching.

00:47:45.188 --> 00:47:50.408
VIRGINIA: That is a non-park day from heaven.

00:47:50.408 --> 00:47:51.968
VIRGINIA: So good.

00:47:51.968 --> 00:47:57.168
VIRGINIA: Last, I'm going to run through the deluxe villa resorts that are all villas and no hotel rooms.

00:47:57.168 --> 00:48:01.068
VIRGINIA: Those would be Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, and the Riviera.

00:48:01.968 --> 00:48:06.448
VIRGINIA: Old Key West and Saratoga Springs are both very large resorts.

00:48:06.448 --> 00:48:08.508
VIRGINIA: They are older DVC properties.

00:48:08.508 --> 00:48:10.508
VIRGINIA: In fact, they are the oldest.

00:48:10.508 --> 00:48:12.768
VIRGINIA: And they both have internal bus loops.

00:48:12.768 --> 00:48:16.128
VIRGINIA: They both also have boat access to Disney Springs.

00:48:16.128 --> 00:48:21.128
VIRGINIA: From Saratoga, you can actually walk to Disney Springs from some of the rooms that are close.

00:48:21.128 --> 00:48:23.488
VIRGINIA: But from both, you can have that boat access.

00:48:23.488 --> 00:48:28.388
VIRGINIA: So it's an easy way to get over to those wonderful table service restaurants.

00:48:28.488 --> 00:48:32.168
VIRGINIA: Now, both of these resorts do have table service restaurants.

00:48:32.168 --> 00:48:38.748
VIRGINIA: But they are not the best, in my opinion, except for perhaps brunch at Olivia's, which is at Old Key West.

00:48:38.748 --> 00:48:41.248
VIRGINIA: The rest of the restaurants, I can take them or leave them.

00:48:41.488 --> 00:48:44.528
VIRGINIA: They're there if you need something, if you need an option.

00:48:44.528 --> 00:48:52.868
VIRGINIA: But when you are that close to a boat to Disney Springs, in my opinion, that's what you should be doing for your meals while you're staying at those two resorts.

00:48:52.868 --> 00:48:56.608
VIRGINIA: Old Key West is going to have that Old Key West Florida vibe.

00:48:56.968 --> 00:49:04.668
VIRGINIA: While Saratoga is themed after Saratoga Springs, New York, with a big emphasis on horse theming.

00:49:04.668 --> 00:49:11.488
VIRGINIA: And that is because Saratoga Springs is known for being a place where there are a lot of race horses and lots of racing.

00:49:11.488 --> 00:49:17.408
VIRGINIA: So it is also Saratoga home to one of the Disney golf courses.

00:49:17.408 --> 00:49:23.008
VIRGINIA: Between those two, Old Key West and Saratoga Springs, I strongly prefer Saratoga Springs.

00:49:23.248 --> 00:49:27.788
VIRGINIA: That is because I like being able to walk over to Disney Springs if I want.

00:49:27.788 --> 00:49:30.628
VIRGINIA: Old Key West, I just wasn't vibing with it.

00:49:30.628 --> 00:49:32.448
VIRGINIA: The rooms were very old feeling.

00:49:32.448 --> 00:49:35.428
VIRGINIA: They desperately need a renovation sometime soon.

00:49:35.428 --> 00:49:36.648
VIRGINIA: I just wasn't feeling it.

00:49:36.648 --> 00:49:46.568
VIRGINIA: So between those two, Saratoga Springs would always be my top choice if I'm having to choose from Old Key West and Saratoga Springs.

00:49:46.568 --> 00:49:49.488
VIRGINIA: The last villa property is the Riviera.

00:49:49.488 --> 00:49:50.848
VIRGINIA: And you want to talk about bougie.

00:49:51.388 --> 00:49:57.668
VIRGINIA: The Riviera, in my opinion, is one of the most luxurious of the Disney resorts.

00:49:57.668 --> 00:50:04.648
VIRGINIA: It's gorgeous and it has so many good restaurants and bars and access to the Skyliner.

00:50:04.648 --> 00:50:06.288
VIRGINIA: I love the style of this resort.

00:50:06.288 --> 00:50:09.788
VIRGINIA: It is swanky but also chill.

00:50:09.788 --> 00:50:15.848
VIRGINIA: I love seeing people outside enjoying the pool or playing chess with those giant lawn chess sets.

00:50:15.848 --> 00:50:19.708
VIRGINIA: And I'll just say it, it has the best coffee on property, in my opinion.

00:50:20.408 --> 00:50:29.728
VIRGINIA: If I have to rank my top three deluxe resorts, I would say Wilderness Lodge number one, Polynesia number two, and Riviera number three.

00:50:29.728 --> 00:50:34.008
VIRGINIA: I didn't talk about the campgrounds before, but I think they do have to be mentioned.

00:50:34.008 --> 00:50:39.828
VIRGINIA: The campgrounds are available if you want to rent a spot for your tent or for a camper that you have.

00:50:39.828 --> 00:50:48.048
VIRGINIA: You can always rent a camper to rent for use on the campgrounds if you want, but I think a lot of people who stay there actually own their campers.

00:50:48.048 --> 00:50:48.408
VIRGINIA: Who knows?

00:50:49.168 --> 00:50:55.648
VIRGINIA: They also have cabins that you can stay in there and those recently became DVC cabins.

00:50:55.648 --> 00:51:14.688
VIRGINIA: I haven't had a chance to stay at the campgrounds or a Fort Wilderness cabins, but the one thing I've gathered from my research and from talking to people like my friend Kate, who stayed, is that you really want to rent a golf cart if you're staying at the Fort Wilderness campgrounds or at the cabins.

00:51:14.688 --> 00:51:17.908
VIRGINIA: It will just make your life so much easier to get around.

00:51:19.148 --> 00:51:21.288
VIRGINIA: All right, that is all the resorts.

00:51:21.288 --> 00:51:26.328
VIRGINIA: I'm going to link the Touring Plan Room Finder into the show notes.

00:51:26.328 --> 00:51:30.208
VIRGINIA: It has a database of the view from thousands of Disney Resort rooms.

00:51:30.208 --> 00:51:40.188
VIRGINIA: So I'd like to provide that to you in case you want to get a better sense of what your view would be from a different room and help you decide if you want to make specific room requests.

00:51:40.188 --> 00:51:46.828
VIRGINIA: If you are a paid subscriber to Touring Plans, you can also have them send your room request over to Disney a few days before your trip.

00:51:47.208 --> 00:51:50.908
VIRGINIA: That way, you can request a specific room type if you want.

00:51:50.908 --> 00:51:58.048
VIRGINIA: There are no guarantees, obviously, but it doesn't hurt to ask for what you want, and maybe you'll get it or something comparable.

00:51:58.048 --> 00:52:12.548
VIRGINIA: I often use the room finder just to look and see like, oh, will this room on this floor be staring directly into a tree, or will I be able to see the rest of the resort easily and have maybe a slightly better view?

00:52:12.548 --> 00:52:19.968
VIRGINIA: So I find it to be very helpful as long as you understand that your request will not necessarily be honored.

00:52:21.368 --> 00:52:23.688
KRISTEN: Hey, this is Kristen Gallagher with Mickey World Travel.

00:52:23.688 --> 00:52:29.488
KRISTEN: I have a travel tip for how to decide whether you should stay in value, moderate or deluxe.

00:52:29.488 --> 00:52:34.428
KRISTEN: Obviously, when you are choosing a Disney resort, you want to make sure that you are staying within your means.

00:52:34.428 --> 00:52:38.348
KRISTEN: Disney can be expensive, but it doesn't have to break the bank.

00:52:38.348 --> 00:52:44.628
KRISTEN: When we are choosing a resort, we kind of look out what type of vacation we are going on.

00:52:45.008 --> 00:52:54.668
KRISTEN: If it's a quick weekend trip where we know we are going to be spending majority of the time in the parks and we are just looking for a place to sleep, then we will go with a value resort.

00:52:54.668 --> 00:53:05.208
KRISTEN: If it's a longer vacation, a week where we know we are going to be doing some rest days, maybe taking some midday breaks and using the pool, then we definitely like to stay deluxe.

00:53:05.208 --> 00:53:08.768
KRISTEN: The deluxe resorts have some amazing amenities.

00:53:08.768 --> 00:53:11.788
KRISTEN: If you know you are going to use them, then it's totally worth it.

00:53:12.468 --> 00:53:23.008
KRISTEN: So basically, if you know you are going to be in the parks from open to close and you're just looking for a place to rest your head, then go with the value resort.

00:53:23.008 --> 00:53:34.728
KRISTEN: If you're looking for some rest time and some fantastic pools and dining options, then a deluxe resort would be the way to go.

00:53:36.028 --> 00:53:43.628
KELLY: Hi, this is Kelly from Wishlist Travel, and I want to talk to you about finding the perfect resort on the Walt Disney World property.

00:53:43.628 --> 00:53:49.608
KELLY: One of the things that I really like about Walt Disney World is there's lots of options in terms of where to stay.

00:53:49.608 --> 00:53:53.908
KELLY: I typically think about three different things when choosing my Disney resort.

00:53:53.928 --> 00:54:02.268
KELLY: One is budget, two is location on the property, and three is Disney transportation options.

00:54:02.268 --> 00:54:03.848
KELLY: So let's start with budget.

00:54:03.848 --> 00:54:08.588
KELLY: Disney has three resort categories, value, moderate, and deluxe.

00:54:08.588 --> 00:54:12.388
KELLY: My family tends to like the value and moderate options.

00:54:12.388 --> 00:54:21.888
KELLY: We spend a lot of time at the parks when we're at Walt Disney World, so ultimately our resort is a place to crash at night, and sometimes do a pool break during the day.

00:54:21.888 --> 00:54:25.148
KELLY: So those options end up working really well for us.

00:54:25.148 --> 00:54:29.388
KELLY: The deluxe resorts are absolutely amazing, and they have all the bells and whistles.

00:54:29.388 --> 00:54:33.148
KELLY: If that's something that's important to you, then those are a great choice as well.

00:54:33.588 --> 00:54:42.548
KELLY: When you're thinking about location at Walt Disney World, somebody once said to me that the property is the size of the city of San Francisco, and that really put it in perspective for me.

00:54:42.548 --> 00:54:49.508
KELLY: So one of the things to think about is where is your resort located on the property, and what are you closest to?

00:54:49.508 --> 00:54:51.088
KELLY: Do you want to be near Disney Springs?

00:54:51.088 --> 00:54:52.628
KELLY: Do you want to be near Magic Kingdom?

00:54:52.628 --> 00:54:55.268
KELLY: Do you want to be near Epcot, Animal Kingdom?

00:54:55.268 --> 00:54:59.088
KELLY: Then ultimately, how long will it take you to get to the various places?

00:54:59.088 --> 00:55:01.808
KELLY: That brings me to the last one, which is Disney transportation.

00:55:02.328 --> 00:55:09.008
KELLY: At Disney, you can take boats, you can take the Skyliner, you can take Disney buses, and you can take the monorail.

00:55:09.008 --> 00:55:11.348
KELLY: Our favorite is the Skyliner.

00:55:11.348 --> 00:55:19.828
KELLY: So really, these days, our two favorite resorts are Pop Century, which is a value option, or Caribbean Beach Resort, which is a moderate option.

00:55:19.828 --> 00:55:27.288
KELLY: And again, we like those two options because of the Skyliner, which will take us directly to Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

00:55:27.288 --> 00:55:34.428
KELLY: Ultimately, my goal is to stay at every Disney resort and I'm getting close, which is exciting.

00:55:34.428 --> 00:55:38.468
KELLY: And we really have never stayed any place we didn't love for one reason or another.

00:55:38.468 --> 00:55:47.828
KELLY: So when talking to your travel agent, really think about those three key components, location, Disney transportation, and of course, your budget.

00:55:49.028 --> 00:55:53.508
MIRANDA: Miranda here again from 101 Vacations Travel Agency.

00:55:53.508 --> 00:55:58.848
MIRANDA: A question I get a lot as a travel agent is, is it worth it to stay deluxe?

00:55:59.248 --> 00:56:02.248
MIRANDA: Well, it's definitely up to you and your family.

00:56:02.248 --> 00:56:10.488
MIRANDA: And that is where we as travel agents come in to really help dial in to the most important parts of your trip.

00:56:10.488 --> 00:56:24.568
MIRANDA: So particularly if you are a family who is made up of maybe little kids or if you have grandparents coming on the trip, sometimes that quick return to the resort is more important than ever.

00:56:24.568 --> 00:56:32.248
MIRANDA: If you have teenagers and you're more interested in having a bit more space, it may not matter quite as much.

00:56:32.248 --> 00:56:39.288
MIRANDA: But what I will say is staying deluxe truly gives you a different experience.

00:56:40.308 --> 00:56:42.948
MIRANDA: Each resort is a bit different as well.

00:56:42.948 --> 00:56:49.128
MIRANDA: So I love helping to decide which is the best resort with my clients.

00:56:49.128 --> 00:56:59.308
MIRANDA: I love having conversations on the phone to nail down which resort has the best pool or the best room layout or which park are you going to be spending the most time at.

00:56:59.308 --> 00:57:03.168
MIRANDA: So which resort makes the most sense for you.

00:57:03.168 --> 00:57:04.968
MIRANDA: Or maybe your kids really like animals.

00:57:04.968 --> 00:57:07.868
MIRANDA: So maybe Animal Kingdom Lodge really is the best option.

00:57:07.868 --> 00:57:14.788
MIRANDA: These are all the things that I have discussions with my clients about before we choose a resort for their trip.

00:57:20.445 --> 00:57:23.025
ALEX: Step five, consider transportation.

00:57:25.705 --> 00:57:31.485
VIRGINIA: If you are able to drive to Orlando, that's the best, and you will definitely save some money there.

00:57:31.485 --> 00:57:38.745
VIRGINIA: If you're coming from far away and driving, you'll have access to your car, which is nice, but you do have to build in that driving time into your trip.

00:57:38.745 --> 00:57:40.765
VIRGINIA: Many people don't want to use vacation days for that.

00:57:40.765 --> 00:57:43.105
VIRGINIA: So we're going to talk about flying.

00:57:43.105 --> 00:57:46.065
VIRGINIA: Not very much, this is a very personal choice.

00:57:46.065 --> 00:57:52.285
VIRGINIA: If you are flying, you will need to compare all your options, obviously, to get that best price and to get the best times for you.

00:57:52.285 --> 00:57:56.885
VIRGINIA: And then you'll need to also arrange for how you will get to the airport from your resort.

00:57:56.885 --> 00:58:02.825
VIRGINIA: I know the Mears bus service has mixed reviews, but I've mostly had great experiences with it.

00:58:02.825 --> 00:58:05.685
VIRGINIA: Uber and Lyft are also always an option.

00:58:05.685 --> 00:58:12.265
VIRGINIA: And there are a number of private car services that you can book so that you know that they'll be there and waiting once you land.

00:58:12.265 --> 00:58:18.605
VIRGINIA: I'm not really going to spend any more time on this because this is a very personal choice based on your preferred airlines.

00:58:18.605 --> 00:58:24.465
VIRGINIA: Any episode of the podcast that someone has used a car service that they like, I always link to it in the show notes.

00:58:24.465 --> 00:58:32.565
VIRGINIA: So if you're ever listening to an episode and you hear me talk about a car service or you hear a guest talk about a car service, those will be linked in the show notes.

00:58:32.565 --> 00:58:40.225
VIRGINIA: My best recommendation when it comes to transportation, and this is not going to surprise anybody, is just make sure you have TSA pre-check.

00:58:40.225 --> 00:58:52.405
VIRGINIA: I think it's always worth having, but anyone who has tried to fly out of Orlando can tell you that the lines of security, particularly in Terminal A and B, can get very long.

00:58:55.005 --> 00:58:56.145
ALEX: Step 6.

00:58:56.145 --> 00:58:57.865
ALEX: Book Your Dining Reservations.

00:59:00.325 --> 00:59:06.325
VIRGINIA: Disney has a dining plan that you can utilize, and I encourage you to really think about it before you sign up for it.

00:59:06.325 --> 00:59:16.345
VIRGINIA: If you like paying in advance and knowing that you don't have to worry about it, that's great, but you have to work really hard to so-called get your value out of it.

00:59:16.345 --> 00:59:28.245
VIRGINIA: If you're talking about dollar amounts alone, you'll want to order the more expensive items on the menu and always take advantage of the included alcohol if you're old enough to drink, to get your bang for your buck.

00:59:28.245 --> 00:59:39.125
VIRGINIA: The Main Street Dish Podcast has a wonderful episode where they break down the dining plan with someone who works with data and statistics and that sort of thing, and it was so interesting to hear.

00:59:39.125 --> 00:59:45.845
VIRGINIA: For some families, the dining plan is 100% worth it because of what they're getting their value from.

00:59:47.745 --> 00:59:48.825
HAILEY: Hi, everyone.

00:59:48.825 --> 00:59:53.085
HAILEY: My name is Hailey and I'm with Smart Moms Travel.

00:59:53.085 --> 01:00:05.685
HAILEY: My piece of advice is if you have little kids or yourself who loves to do character dining, I think the dining plan is 100% worth it.

01:00:05.685 --> 01:00:10.665
HAILEY: I know for my family, we love to do at least one character meal a day.

01:00:11.385 --> 01:00:21.225
HAILEY: My husband is not a huge fan of waiting in character lines and a character meal is 100% the way to go.

01:00:21.225 --> 01:00:42.905
HAILEY: I can distract everybody with food while the characters come around and if you get the dining plan, you get to do the character meals and a snack and you get a little alcoholic drink and a quick service meal every day of your trip and then you don't have to worry about the big price tag for each individual character meal.

01:00:44.465 --> 01:00:48.425
VIRGINIA: As you heard, Hailey has a solid reason for loving the dining plan.

01:00:48.425 --> 01:01:00.445
VIRGINIA: She gets her value out of the dining plan by utilizing character meals, which can be pricey and based on the fact that she and her husband enjoy the alcohol that's included in the dining plan, this makes perfect sense for her.

01:01:00.445 --> 01:01:10.365
VIRGINIA: For me, my value is placed more on the total dollar amount that I'm spending, not on the prepayment aspect of it or getting that all-inclusive feel.

01:01:10.365 --> 01:01:23.585
VIRGINIA: So, I have done my own casual testing over the years where I keep track of all of my food and drink costs and basically just buy anything I want to eat or drink when I want to eat it or drink it.

01:01:23.585 --> 01:01:27.705
VIRGINIA: And I also purchased the resort refillable mug out of pocket.

01:01:27.705 --> 01:01:33.645
VIRGINIA: And when I've totaled all that up, it still came out to be less than what I would have paid if I booked the dining plan.

01:01:34.545 --> 01:01:40.905
VIRGINIA: I always say it's sort of like in gambling, the house always wins, but in this case, the mouse always wins.

01:01:40.905 --> 01:01:45.225
VIRGINIA: But I also recognize that not everybody's going to be dollar driven like me.

01:01:45.225 --> 01:01:51.985
VIRGINIA: And to some, the experience of just being able to swipe and not think about it is worth a lot.

01:01:51.985 --> 01:02:01.905
VIRGINIA: If you're hooked on that dollar amount like me though, the dining plan actually takes more thought than not having it, because I would always be trying to beat the system.

01:02:02.865 --> 01:02:19.045
VIRGINIA: My recommendation is always that anyone who wants that prepaid deal but isn't really sure about the dining plan, put the amount of money that would have cost you to get the dining plan onto a Disney gift card and then use that to make all your food and beverage purchases.

01:02:19.045 --> 01:02:29.265
VIRGINIA: At the end of your trip, you're probably going to have money left over and then you can use it for souvenirs or you can save it for your next trip or a trip sometime in the future.

01:02:30.065 --> 01:02:32.645
VIRGINIA: All right, on to dining reservations.

01:02:32.645 --> 01:02:37.185
VIRGINIA: Dining reservations can be made 60 days in advance of your trip.

01:02:37.185 --> 01:02:47.165
VIRGINIA: So another benefit for staying on property is that at the 60-day mark from the first day of your trip, you can book all of the days for your trip that you're staying at that resort.

01:02:47.165 --> 01:02:55.925
VIRGINIA: Meaning, if you are staying at one resort for the whole time, you can book your whole vacation's worth of dining plans on that 60-day mark.

01:02:55.925 --> 01:03:07.225
VIRGINIA: If you're doing a split stay, however, you can book your first whole part of the split at the 60-day mark, and then you'll need to wait for the 60-day mark to happen for the next part of your trip.

01:03:07.225 --> 01:03:20.645
VIRGINIA: So for example, if I am staying at one resort for two nights and then moving to a second resort, my 60-day mark for those first two nights is going to be different than the 60-day mark for the next part of my stay.

01:03:20.645 --> 01:03:22.285
VIRGINIA: So you just have to be aware of that.

01:03:22.285 --> 01:03:26.605
VIRGINIA: If you're staying off property, your 60-day mark will be every single day.

01:03:27.065 --> 01:03:33.405
VIRGINIA: So you will need to hop on to the dining reservation system and each day try to book those.

01:03:33.405 --> 01:03:44.565
VIRGINIA: That can make it kind of competitive if you are trying to get dining reservations and they've already been taken up by people who are staying on property and you're staying off.

01:03:44.565 --> 01:03:54.925
VIRGINIA: Also, if you're doing that split-stay thing, you will not have access to make dining reservations for the end part of your trip, whereas you would if you were staying at one resort the entire time.

01:03:55.525 --> 01:03:57.705
VIRGINIA: So, it's just something to consider.

01:03:57.705 --> 01:04:02.065
VIRGINIA: What I find is that people tend to get really stressed out about the dining reservation.

01:04:02.065 --> 01:04:04.605
VIRGINIA: So, here's my tips for you.

01:04:04.605 --> 01:04:12.605
VIRGINIA: Number one, determine which reservations you want that will be the hardest to get, and book those first when you sit down at that 60-day mark.

01:04:12.605 --> 01:04:29.625
VIRGINIA: You may also want to book them for towards the end of your trip time so that there will be more availability in those later days of the vacation, whereas some of the beginning days might get taken up by people for whom that was the end of their vacation, if that makes any sense at all now that I'm saying it.

01:04:29.625 --> 01:04:35.805
VIRGINIA: Number two, I recommend no more than one table service reservation per day max.

01:04:35.805 --> 01:04:39.665
VIRGINIA: Table service reservations take up a lot of time and they're pricey.

01:04:39.665 --> 01:04:48.645
VIRGINIA: Also because it's a reservation, you have less flexibility because you actually have to step away from the opportunity to do other things to go sit down and have your reservation.

01:04:48.805 --> 01:04:56.785
VIRGINIA: So I recommend no more than one per day and I actually recommend having some days where you don't have any dining reservations.

01:04:56.785 --> 01:05:00.885
VIRGINIA: That will give you maximum flexibility on those days.

01:05:00.885 --> 01:05:08.945
VIRGINIA: If you have a no table service day and in the middle of the day you decide you'd like to sit down somewhere for a nicer meal, you will find something.

01:05:08.945 --> 01:05:12.985
VIRGINIA: Just check in the app and there will be plenty of dining options for you across property.

01:05:12.985 --> 01:05:16.825
VIRGINIA: So I'd guarantee you're going to get something at the last minute if you want to.

01:05:17.385 --> 01:05:19.025
VIRGINIA: So just keep that in mind.

01:05:19.025 --> 01:05:24.465
VIRGINIA: But having that day of flexibility where you can say, oh yeah, sure, let's make a dining reservation.

01:05:24.465 --> 01:05:27.525
VIRGINIA: Or you can say, you know what, we're happy here at the pool.

01:05:27.525 --> 01:05:32.425
VIRGINIA: Let's just keep doing the pool and when we're done, we'll walk over to the quick service, that sort of thing.

01:05:32.425 --> 01:05:40.885
VIRGINIA: So it's nice to have that flexibility and that will give you a more relaxed feeling on your vacation than trying to run to make that.

01:05:40.885 --> 01:05:45.105
VIRGINIA: There's so many things to run to on a Disney vacation.

01:05:45.585 --> 01:05:52.545
VIRGINIA: The last thing you want to do is to be running to get to your reservation for a ride and running to a dining reservation.

01:05:52.545 --> 01:05:54.985
VIRGINIA: There's just so much running around that's happening.

01:05:54.985 --> 01:05:59.845
VIRGINIA: Having a day where you don't necessarily have to be somewhere at a certain time is really nice.

01:05:59.845 --> 01:06:04.805
VIRGINIA: And number three, if the reservation you want is all booked up, just keep checking.

01:06:04.805 --> 01:06:11.305
VIRGINIA: New reservations will pop up as people change their plans, particularly the closer you get to your trip.

01:06:11.305 --> 01:06:14.925
VIRGINIA: There are even websites where you can have it keep an eye out for you.

01:06:15.385 --> 01:06:18.285
VIRGINIA: And then it will email or text you when it finds one.

01:06:18.285 --> 01:06:20.145
VIRGINIA: So you can just jump in and try to get it.

01:06:20.145 --> 01:06:25.725
VIRGINIA: The ones that I have used the most that I will link in the show notes are free or have free options.

01:06:25.725 --> 01:06:35.185
VIRGINIA: So the ones that I've used mostly have been called Stakeout, Mouse Dining, and the Touring Plans Dining Reservation Finder.

01:06:35.185 --> 01:06:43.785
VIRGINIA: At the end of the day, I just want everyone to know that you can have a magical trip, even if you don't end up getting all of the dining reservations you were hoping for.

01:06:44.525 --> 01:06:48.305
VIRGINIA: Try not to stress too much about it.

01:06:48.305 --> 01:06:54.285
MOLLY: Hi, I'm Molly at Magic Memories with Molly, and I have a way to save some money on your next Disney trip.

01:06:54.285 --> 01:06:58.325
MOLLY: Something I do is order grocery delivery to my resort.

01:06:58.325 --> 01:07:08.385
MOLLY: Case of water, breakfast foods, snacks, just a few odds and ends to kind of keep us from having to buy every single thing in the parks, and it really does help.

01:07:08.385 --> 01:07:14.945
MOLLY: Another money-saving idea when it comes to food is to order a kid's meal at quick-service restaurants.

01:07:14.945 --> 01:07:20.545
MOLLY: I find that it is typically plenty of food for me, especially when we're walking around the parks all day.

01:07:20.545 --> 01:07:25.085
MOLLY: You don't always want a big sit-down meal with every single meal.

01:07:25.085 --> 01:07:29.585
MOLLY: So those are my two money-saving tips when it comes to food at Disney.

01:07:29.585 --> 01:07:32.545
MIRANDA: Thanks.

01:07:32.545 --> 01:07:35.905
MIRANDA: This is Miranda at 101 Vacations Travel Agency.

01:07:35.905 --> 01:07:48.125
MIRANDA: One of my biggest tips for dining at Disney is it is completely okay if you go and split entrees and appetizers at restaurants.

01:07:48.125 --> 01:07:57.045
MIRANDA: This does not include your character dining or your buffets, but for some of your pricier sit-down dinners.

01:07:57.045 --> 01:08:01.125
MIRANDA: So for example, Sanaa is one of our personal favorites.

01:08:01.125 --> 01:08:05.265
MIRANDA: Also great for gluten-free dining if you have an allergy.

01:08:05.265 --> 01:08:08.745
MIRANDA: We find that their food is a little bit heavier.

01:08:08.945 --> 01:08:11.025
MIRANDA: It's a bit more savory.

01:08:11.025 --> 01:08:18.985
MIRANDA: And so we like to go and split bread service and then maybe split butter chicken and get some drinks to go with it.

01:08:18.985 --> 01:08:26.885
MIRANDA: That is a great way to not only control, you know, how much you're spending on dinner, but also to be able to try some more items.

01:08:26.885 --> 01:08:30.945
MIRANDA: So we love splitting dishes at dinner.

01:08:30.945 --> 01:08:32.865
MIRANDA: I also love hitting up a lounge.

01:08:32.865 --> 01:08:35.245
MIRANDA: So one of my favorite lounges is Citricos.

01:08:35.845 --> 01:08:43.945
MIRANDA: I love going to grab their side salad with some chicken on it, and then picking another appetizer to go with it, paired with a fun cocktail.

01:08:43.945 --> 01:08:52.125
MIRANDA: So don't be afraid to try some of the other sit down restaurants at Disney without having to order a full three course meal.

01:08:56.445 --> 01:08:59.225
ALEX: Step seven, book add on experiences.

01:09:01.105 --> 01:09:10.285
VIRGINIA: When I say add on experiences, I'm talking about things like the Dolphins In Depth Tour that my friend Molly did, which I actually think went extinct within the past year.

01:09:10.285 --> 01:09:17.825
VIRGINIA: The experience, I should say, not Dolphins, Dolphins still exist, or the Behind the Seeds Tour that Amy recently did.

01:09:17.825 --> 01:09:30.525
VIRGINIA: These can usually be booked up to 60 days in advance of your trip, just like the dining reservations, and some of them will fill up very quickly, like the Up Close With Rhinos Tour that my friend Krista did.

01:09:30.525 --> 01:09:36.045
VIRGINIA: And by the way, I'm going to link to all these people's trip reports in the show notes for you if you're interested.

01:09:36.045 --> 01:09:45.785
VIRGINIA: While others, I'm thinking like the Behind the Seeds Tour that I mentioned that Amy did, can be easier to book closer to your trip time, or I've even heard about people booking those on the day of.

01:09:45.785 --> 01:09:50.865
VIRGINIA: All of these add-on experiences are cool, but they're just that, an add-on.

01:09:50.865 --> 01:09:53.325
VIRGINIA: You don't have to have them to have a wonderful trip.

01:09:53.805 --> 01:10:03.505
VIRGINIA: I think they are better suited for people who are not visiting for the first time, or maybe a first-timer who has a trip that is a week or longer, and you just have the time.

01:10:03.505 --> 01:10:13.625
VIRGINIA: Since you will have decided on your budget, and presumably have booked your resort and major transportation plans by now, you should have a sense of whether any of these extras may fit into your budget.

01:10:13.625 --> 01:10:17.765
VIRGINIA: But don't spend any money on them yet, because we need to go to the next step.

01:10:20.645 --> 01:10:21.625
VIRGINIA: Step 8.

01:10:21.625 --> 01:10:24.405
ALEX: Consider whether you want to use the Lightning Lanes.

01:10:26.045 --> 01:10:27.945
VIRGINIA: And now the big question.

01:10:27.945 --> 01:10:31.365
VIRGINIA: To Lightning Lane or to not Lightning Lane?

01:10:31.365 --> 01:10:37.185
VIRGINIA: Depending on the time of year you go, you may not actually need Lightning Lanes to have lower wait times.

01:10:37.185 --> 01:10:43.425
VIRGINIA: But if you're going during a busy time like spring break or during the holidays, I think it's really worth budgeting for it.

01:10:43.425 --> 01:10:50.365
VIRGINIA: My recommendation is the checkout trip report episodes of this podcast from the time of year that you're planning to go.

01:10:50.365 --> 01:10:57.185
VIRGINIA: You can use the search bar function on my website, which is whereilongtobepodcast.com and search for a month.

01:10:57.185 --> 01:10:59.805
VIRGINIA: It will pull up all the episodes with that in the title.

01:10:59.805 --> 01:11:03.445
VIRGINIA: And I always put the month of the trip in the titles.

01:11:03.445 --> 01:11:05.965
VIRGINIA: There are several different ways to use Lightning Lanes.

01:11:05.965 --> 01:11:10.105
VIRGINIA: So I'm going to start with the most expensive way and work my way down to the end.

01:11:10.105 --> 01:11:13.485
VIRGINIA: So it won't seem so bad for us regular folks by the time we get there.

01:11:13.485 --> 01:11:17.165
VIRGINIA: So the most expensive way is to book a VIP tour.

01:11:17.325 --> 01:11:22.445
VIRGINIA: And that is because on a VIP tour, they walk you to each ride through the Lightning Lane.

01:11:22.445 --> 01:11:25.085
VIRGINIA: These are super pricey though.

01:11:25.085 --> 01:11:32.005
VIRGINIA: It's $450 to $900 per hour with a minimum of seven hours required.

01:11:32.005 --> 01:11:34.605
VIRGINIA: Now that does get you 10 people into the tour.

01:11:34.605 --> 01:11:35.885
VIRGINIA: So that's a lot of people.

01:11:35.885 --> 01:11:37.605
VIRGINIA: Maybe you could split it with friends.

01:11:37.605 --> 01:11:46.585
VIRGINIA: The cheapest that would be if we're talking about $450 would be $3,150 for seven hours of fun.

01:11:46.585 --> 01:11:51.545
VIRGINIA: And my understanding is that most people tip at the end the rate of one hour of service.

01:11:51.545 --> 01:11:55.025
VIRGINIA: So really it would be more like $3,600 minimum.

01:11:55.025 --> 01:11:57.305
VIRGINIA: And that would be talking about seven hours.

01:11:57.305 --> 01:12:00.485
VIRGINIA: The maximum number of hours you can do is up to 10 hours.

01:12:00.485 --> 01:12:11.585
VIRGINIA: If you're talking about the higher end of the $900 per hour for seven hours, that's going to be $7,200 for the seven hours plus a tip.

01:12:11.585 --> 01:12:14.545
VIRGINIA: You can book your VIP tour up to 60 days in advance.

01:12:14.765 --> 01:12:25.885
VIRGINIA: When you're walking around the parks and you see someone wearing plaid, fondly referred to as the plaids, walking around with a group of people, those are the people that are on a VIP tour.

01:12:25.885 --> 01:12:29.105
VIRGINIA: VIP tour, you are not restricted to staying in one park.

01:12:29.105 --> 01:12:33.205
VIRGINIA: You kind of work out with Disney what you want to do with your seven hours.

01:12:33.205 --> 01:12:36.705
VIRGINIA: So you want to spend all seven hours in Magic Kingdom, you can do it.

01:12:36.705 --> 01:12:42.365
VIRGINIA: If you want to do all four parks and you want to hit all the top rides in all four parks, you can do that too.

01:12:42.945 --> 01:12:49.385
VIRGINIA: So when you're booking one of these tours, you'll be able to tell them what you would like to get done within your seven to ten hours.

01:12:49.385 --> 01:13:03.465
VIRGINIA: I do know because I've seen them doing it is that if you book your hours towards the end of the day and you have it coincide with the beginning of Happily Ever After, they will deposit you into a special VIP section to watch Happily Ever After.

01:13:03.465 --> 01:13:10.125
VIRGINIA: So take that for what it's worth if you want to try to plan around that if you're able to afford one of these tours.

01:13:10.285 --> 01:13:14.565
VIRGINIA: Because for most of us, this would be like a once in a lifetime thing.

01:13:14.565 --> 01:13:21.165
VIRGINIA: I have considered it in terms of thinking about, could I find nine other people who would want to split it?

01:13:21.165 --> 01:13:26.245
VIRGINIA: Because if you're splitting with nine people, it would not be as bad if it were the lower end.

01:13:26.245 --> 01:13:34.625
VIRGINIA: So we're talking $4.50 an hour, you know, splitting that between between nine other people, and between 10 people total.

01:13:34.625 --> 01:13:39.045
VIRGINIA: That might be doable to have the opportunity to do it at least once.

01:13:39.045 --> 01:13:43.425
VIRGINIA: Or maybe you just have somebody who wants to invite you on one for free.

01:13:43.465 --> 01:13:46.005
VIRGINIA: You know, a friend who's very generous.

01:13:46.005 --> 01:13:50.265
VIRGINIA: I would really like to do a VIP tour at some point in my life.

01:13:50.265 --> 01:13:53.825
VIRGINIA: To this date, it has not happened yet, but it will one day.

01:13:53.825 --> 01:13:54.585
VIRGINIA: I'm sure it will.

01:13:54.585 --> 01:13:55.945
VIRGINIA: I'm sure it will.

01:13:55.945 --> 01:14:01.445
VIRGINIA: The next most expensive way is to do a Lightning Lane Premier Pass.

01:14:02.345 --> 01:14:09.845
VIRGINIA: If you're staying on property, you can book this up to seven days in advance of your stay or three days in advance if you're not staying on property.

01:14:09.845 --> 01:14:18.725
VIRGINIA: Premier Pass is a cost that you pay for per person in your party, and it's good for one day's access to all of the Lightning Lanes in one park.

01:14:18.725 --> 01:14:20.945
VIRGINIA: So you cannot use it to park hop.

01:14:20.945 --> 01:14:25.645
VIRGINIA: The good thing about this pass is that you don't have to book any rides in advance.

01:14:25.645 --> 01:14:29.385
VIRGINIA: You can do each ride one time, and you can do them when you want to do them.

01:14:29.525 --> 01:14:35.925
VIRGINIA: So you have the whole day to hit every ride that has a Lightning Lane or attraction that has a Lightning Lane that you want.

01:14:35.925 --> 01:14:39.425
VIRGINIA: The catch is that you can only do it one time, right?

01:14:39.425 --> 01:14:45.485
VIRGINIA: So if you love a ride and want to do it again, you have to find another way to ride it, like riding it standby.

01:14:45.485 --> 01:14:51.625
VIRGINIA: Your ride photos are going to be included in this, but this is a really pricey way to get Lightning Lanes.

01:14:51.625 --> 01:14:54.845
VIRGINIA: It's going to depend on the day how much it will actually be.

01:14:54.845 --> 01:14:58.585
VIRGINIA: They base the price on how busy the parks are going to be.

01:14:59.225 --> 01:15:04.185
VIRGINIA: The range per person is $129 to $449.

01:15:05.305 --> 01:15:09.625
VIRGINIA: So if you're doing that for a party of people, that's a lot.

01:15:09.625 --> 01:15:10.905
VIRGINIA: That is a lot.

01:15:10.905 --> 01:15:21.885
VIRGINIA: I mean, I could see myself maybe splurging one day on a solo trip if it were $129, not if it were $449.

01:15:21.885 --> 01:15:26.805
VIRGINIA: Can I see myself splurging on this on a family trip with a three of us?

01:15:27.105 --> 01:15:33.445
VIRGINIA: I mean, at this point, because we have annual passes and we've been so many times, no, I really can't.

01:15:33.445 --> 01:15:38.965
VIRGINIA: But it's a hard amount to swallow when you're talking about a family.

01:15:38.965 --> 01:15:43.585
VIRGINIA: Because when you got multiple people in there, it just adds up and you're the only one paying for it.

01:15:43.585 --> 01:15:49.125
VIRGINIA: If it were a group of friends or a solo trip, maybe I could see that.

01:15:49.125 --> 01:15:57.705
VIRGINIA: Lightning Lane access that most people take advantage of if they're going to pay for something like this is called Lightning Lane Multipass.

01:15:57.705 --> 01:16:06.045
VIRGINIA: Multipass can also be purchased up to seven days in advance of your trip if you're staying on property or three days in advance if you're staying off property.

01:16:06.045 --> 01:16:12.825
VIRGINIA: If you're staying on property, you can book for all the days of your trip that you want to use it at that seven day mark.

01:16:12.825 --> 01:16:21.185
VIRGINIA: So reminder, just like with the dining reservations, if you're doing a split stay, your seven day window will open up in portions as well.

01:16:22.485 --> 01:16:26.985
VIRGINIA: With multi-pass, you'll be able to book three rides or attractions in advance.

01:16:26.985 --> 01:16:41.265
VIRGINIA: And when you've tapped into one experience, and I mean completely tapped in because there are some rides or attractions that have two touch points you have to tap into in the queue, you can book other rides or attractions one at a time from there.

01:16:41.265 --> 01:16:46.265
VIRGINIA: How you're able to pre book your first three lightning lanes is going to vary depending on the park.

01:16:46.465 --> 01:16:53.705
VIRGINIA: So, for Animal Kingdom, you simply pick three things from the list of everything that's available for that park for your booking day.

01:16:53.705 --> 01:17:06.905
VIRGINIA: The other parks, you'll get to pick one thing from a top tier of the most popular attractions, and then you'll get to pick two other reservations from a second tier list of experiences.

01:17:06.905 --> 01:17:14.365
VIRGINIA: Or you can always pick all three of your choices from the tier two list, but the ones that are in that top tier are the ones that most people are trying to ride.

01:17:15.285 --> 01:17:24.565
VIRGINIA: Because you can book your fourth and subsequent Lightning Lanes as you go one at a time, it does benefit you to book one Lightning Lane earlier in the day.

01:17:24.565 --> 01:17:36.025
VIRGINIA: On a park-heavy day, for me, I like to rope drop and get at least one thing in with little to no weight, and then I like to have my first Lightning Lane window be around like the 930 timeframe.

01:17:36.025 --> 01:17:41.085
VIRGINIA: You get a whole hour to tap in to that experience plus a 15-minute grace period.

01:17:42.085 --> 01:17:51.645
VIRGINIA: If you have a 930 Lightning Lane, you actually have between 930 and 1045 to tap in to it, so it's not nearly as early as it sounds.

01:17:51.645 --> 01:18:04.385
VIRGINIA: If you get there for rope drop, you can ride that big ticket item with hardly any weight, and then you can go and have some breakfast or coffee or whatever before you go and use that Lightning Lane experience.

01:18:04.385 --> 01:18:09.985
VIRGINIA: The good news about Lightning Lane Multipass is that it's good for the whole day and you can use it to park hop.

01:18:10.485 --> 01:18:26.085
VIRGINIA: That means if you rope drop Animal Kingdom and you have your first three pre-booked experiences there, once you tap in to one Lightning Lane and you start booking your fourth and subsequent Lightning Lanes for the day, that fourth Lightning Lane doesn't have to stay in Animal Kingdom.

01:18:26.085 --> 01:18:29.885
VIRGINIA: You can do it for the park that you know that you're going to hop to.

01:18:29.885 --> 01:18:31.945
VIRGINIA: It's nice to have that flexibility.

01:18:31.945 --> 01:18:37.705
VIRGINIA: The price is going to vary for this Multipass service also based on how busy they anticipate it will be.

01:18:38.525 --> 01:18:43.385
VIRGINIA: The price range is going to be much more easy to swallow than the Premier Pass.

01:18:43.385 --> 01:18:50.025
VIRGINIA: Lightning Lane Multipass is going to run you between $15 to $39 per person per day.

01:18:50.025 --> 01:18:52.725
VIRGINIA: That is not cheap when you're talking about a family.

01:18:52.725 --> 01:18:57.005
VIRGINIA: If you plan for that expense in advance, it's not going to break your bank either.

01:18:57.005 --> 01:19:02.185
VIRGINIA: Also, there's nothing that says you have to get it for every day of your trip or even for every park.

01:19:02.185 --> 01:19:08.145
VIRGINIA: You're going to pick and choose based on your budget, based on the time of year, based on your priorities for your travel group.

01:19:08.145 --> 01:19:21.805
VIRGINIA: For example, on our annual family trip this year, even though we were there for almost nine full days, and we went into each park multiple times, I booked multi-pass for my family once per park.

01:19:21.805 --> 01:19:24.365
VIRGINIA: We paid for four days of multi-pass.

01:19:24.365 --> 01:19:32.465
VIRGINIA: On those days, we focused on the rides in that park, and then sometimes we park-opt, of course, to take advantage of another park as well.

01:19:32.465 --> 01:19:39.685
VIRGINIA: But we did one day of multi-pass for Animal Kingdom, one day of multi-pass for Magic Kingdom, one for Epcot, one for Hollywood Studios.

01:19:39.685 --> 01:19:42.865
VIRGINIA: On our non-multi-pass days, we did other things.

01:19:42.865 --> 01:19:48.225
VIRGINIA: We enjoyed the resort, we rode a couple of things, we soaked in the vibes.

01:19:48.225 --> 01:19:53.205
VIRGINIA: In my opinion, multi-pass is worth it for at least a couple of days of your trip.

01:19:53.205 --> 01:19:55.365
VIRGINIA: You just have to make the most of it on those days.

01:19:55.365 --> 01:20:02.945
VIRGINIA: So when you purchase it, you paid that price and you just dive in and get as much done as you can with the multi-pass.

01:20:02.945 --> 01:20:04.065
VIRGINIA: That's how I do it.

01:20:04.165 --> 01:20:09.205
VIRGINIA: And then the days that you don't have multi-pass, you can have a more laid back feel.

01:20:09.205 --> 01:20:16.225
VIRGINIA: You ride what has a low weight or just take it easy and don't do much in the park that day anyway.

01:20:16.225 --> 01:20:23.905
VIRGINIA: Lastly, there are up to two rides in each park that are not included in multi-pass and that you can book as an individual Lightning Lane.

01:20:23.905 --> 01:20:27.745
VIRGINIA: Those are called Lightning Lane Single Pass.

01:20:27.745 --> 01:20:29.585
VIRGINIA: Those do not have to be in the same park.

01:20:29.585 --> 01:20:40.185
VIRGINIA: So for me, that means I'm booking a Lightning Lane Single Pass every day for Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind in Epcot, even if I'm spending a majority of my day at Hollywood Studios, say.

01:20:40.185 --> 01:20:43.205
VIRGINIA: That's just how we roll in our family.

01:20:43.205 --> 01:20:47.825
VIRGINIA: For Epcot, the Single Passes are only available for Cosmic Rewind.

01:20:47.825 --> 01:20:50.865
VIRGINIA: In Animal Kingdom, it's going to be Flight of Passage.

01:20:50.865 --> 01:20:53.845
VIRGINIA: For Hollywood Studios, it's Rise of the Resistance.

01:20:53.845 --> 01:20:58.705
VIRGINIA: And in Magic Kingdom, you have the two, Seven Dwarfs Mind Train and Tron.

01:20:58.705 --> 01:21:04.745
VIRGINIA: To me, Single Passes will always be worth it for Cosmic Rewind, and probably Flight of Passage, too.

01:21:04.745 --> 01:21:09.845
VIRGINIA: For the others, if you've never ridden them before, it's nice to have so that you can skip the line.

01:21:09.845 --> 01:21:13.305
VIRGINIA: But I probably am not personally going to buy them again.

01:21:13.305 --> 01:21:16.985
VIRGINIA: Never say never, but it really does add up, and you have to pick and choose.

01:21:16.985 --> 01:21:23.045
VIRGINIA: The reality, though, is that you can find ways to ride all of these rides with a low wait time.

01:21:23.045 --> 01:21:33.805
VIRGINIA: If you rope drop, if you plan your day accordingly, maybe you ride it at the very end of the night while fireworks are going off, so it's a lower wait time.

01:21:33.885 --> 01:21:34.985
VIRGINIA: There are ways to do it.

01:21:34.985 --> 01:21:38.105
VIRGINIA: You don't have to pay this price in addition.

01:21:38.105 --> 01:21:44.165
VIRGINIA: These single pass lightning lanes will range in price.

01:21:44.165 --> 01:21:47.665
VIRGINIA: I'm trying to think how much they normally are.

01:21:47.665 --> 01:21:55.725
VIRGINIA: I'm going to say anywhere between $15 to $22.

01:21:56.465 --> 01:21:57.465
VIRGINIA: I don't know.

01:21:57.705 --> 01:21:58.645
VIRGINIA: It's about that.

01:21:58.765 --> 01:22:01.645
VIRGINIA: It would add up, especially if you're buying for a whole family.

01:22:01.645 --> 01:22:04.745
VIRGINIA: You really have to decide what's worth it for you.

01:22:04.745 --> 01:22:08.305
VIRGINIA: Just remember, you don't necessarily have to get any lightning lanes.

01:22:08.305 --> 01:22:10.725
VIRGINIA: You can have so much fun.

01:22:10.725 --> 01:22:13.265
VIRGINIA: You can have your magical vacation without it.

01:22:13.265 --> 01:22:14.445
VIRGINIA: No doubt about it.

01:22:14.445 --> 01:22:23.265
VIRGINIA: You just have to plan if you're going to get on some of those more popular rides by taking advantage of the times when it will be a lower wait time.

01:22:23.265 --> 01:22:24.665
VIRGINIA: It's just something to think about.

01:22:25.005 --> 01:22:36.365
VIRGINIA: If it's within your budget to get multi-pass, I think it's completely worth getting that because then you can at least have a few rides that you know you're going to be able to get on without lightning lane.

01:22:36.365 --> 01:22:38.565
VIRGINIA: I don't love waiting in line.

01:22:38.705 --> 01:22:40.925
VIRGINIA: I don't know anybody who loves waiting in line.

01:22:40.925 --> 01:22:42.965
VIRGINIA: But to me, my time is more precious.

01:22:42.965 --> 01:22:44.745
VIRGINIA: I'd rather be doing other things.

01:22:44.745 --> 01:22:46.625
VIRGINIA: That's why it's worth it to pay for it for me.

01:22:46.625 --> 01:22:48.645
VIRGINIA: But you don't have to have it to have a magical time.

01:22:48.645 --> 01:22:52.765
VIRGINIA: You can always have a magical time in Disney with or without any of these extras.

01:22:56.085 --> 01:22:56.985
ALEX: Step 9.

01:22:56.985 --> 01:22:59.685
ALEX: Order Things You Need For The Trip And Get Packed.

01:23:02.285 --> 01:23:06.085
VIRGINIA: Okay, you have your trip booked and you're basically ready.

01:23:06.085 --> 01:23:08.185
VIRGINIA: Now you have to pack.

01:23:08.185 --> 01:23:12.745
VIRGINIA: What you will pack is really time of the year dependent and it's personal.

01:23:12.745 --> 01:23:18.485
VIRGINIA: If it's a hot time of the year, you're gonna want your fans and your cooling tiles and your sun hat and all that stuff.

01:23:18.485 --> 01:23:23.365
VIRGINIA: If it's December or January or February, you don't know what kind of weather you're gonna have.

01:23:23.365 --> 01:23:24.845
VIRGINIA: So you're gonna want layers.

01:23:24.845 --> 01:23:27.605
VIRGINIA: It could be 40 degrees or it could be 75 degrees.

01:23:27.605 --> 01:23:29.005
VIRGINIA: You just don't know.

01:23:29.005 --> 01:23:41.045
VIRGINIA: There is a lot to consider with a Disney trip because in addition to the usual things that you need, like toiletries and your medication and things like that, you may also want to plan your outfits to go with your workday.

01:23:41.045 --> 01:23:43.025
VIRGINIA: You might want to bring an autograph book.

01:23:43.025 --> 01:23:47.105
VIRGINIA: You might want to pack your pin collection to do some pen trading.

01:23:47.105 --> 01:23:49.585
VIRGINIA: So you might want to think about all of that in advance.

01:23:49.945 --> 01:23:52.205
VIRGINIA: Are you a family that's going to order matching shirts?

01:23:52.205 --> 01:23:54.945
VIRGINIA: If so, you need to take care of that in advance of the trip.

01:23:54.945 --> 01:24:01.945
VIRGINIA: Or maybe you just want a different fun shirt or an outfit or Disney bound for a specific park.

01:24:01.945 --> 01:24:09.445
VIRGINIA: If you're new here, Disney bounding means that you're planning your outfit to give a subtle nod to a character.

01:24:09.445 --> 01:24:15.585
VIRGINIA: You can't wear a costume as an adult in Disney, but you can give a subtle nod.

01:24:15.585 --> 01:24:27.965
VIRGINIA: So maybe if you are doing a Disney bound as Cinderella, you might be wearing some blue and some silver and maybe doing your hair with a ribbon, like that sort of thing.

01:24:27.965 --> 01:24:29.825
VIRGINIA: Just a very subtle nod.

01:24:29.825 --> 01:24:36.205
VIRGINIA: If you are planning to order shirts for your park days, this is where I'm going to remind you that I have a shop linked on my website.

01:24:36.205 --> 01:24:38.625
VIRGINIA: Again, that's Where I Long To Be podcast.com.

01:24:38.625 --> 01:24:41.365
VIRGINIA: And I have been doing some custom designs.

01:24:41.365 --> 01:24:47.825
VIRGINIA: I just, I don't have a ton there yet, but I have a little bit of stuff and I have shirts for every country in Epcot.

01:24:47.825 --> 01:24:48.865
VIRGINIA: That is what I do have.

01:24:49.365 --> 01:24:55.425
VIRGINIA: And I have shirts that are dedicated to my two favorite in-park bars, La Cava del Tequila and the Nomad Lounge.

01:24:55.425 --> 01:24:57.805
VIRGINIA: So I encourage you to take a look at those.

01:24:57.805 --> 01:25:03.845
VIRGINIA: I also have one shirt that's dedicated to Terminal C at MCO because you know how much I love Terminal C.

01:25:03.845 --> 01:25:07.125
VIRGINIA: So anyway, do check those out if you have a second.

01:25:07.125 --> 01:25:08.965
VIRGINIA: I would appreciate it.

01:25:08.965 --> 01:25:10.485
VIRGINIA: Make your packing list early.

01:25:10.485 --> 01:25:13.585
VIRGINIA: That is my advice for you so that you have time to think of everything.

01:25:13.585 --> 01:25:16.005
VIRGINIA: It is so easy to forget something.

01:25:16.005 --> 01:25:20.305
VIRGINIA: There are a lot of Disney packing lists out there available to you on the Internet.

01:25:20.305 --> 01:25:28.705
VIRGINIA: So I'm just going to tell you a couple of things that I have on my personal list that I think are a little bit more unique or off the beaten path so you can consider them.

01:25:28.705 --> 01:25:30.785
VIRGINIA: I'm going to link them in the show notes.

01:25:30.785 --> 01:25:33.165
VIRGINIA: None of these are affiliate links or anything like that.

01:25:33.165 --> 01:25:36.165
VIRGINIA: So I'm not making anything off of these links.

01:25:36.165 --> 01:25:39.505
VIRGINIA: These are just things I actually use and find helpful.

01:25:39.505 --> 01:25:46.525
VIRGINIA: Number one, I mentioned this earlier, but if you use a MagicBand, you're going to want those MagicBand locks to keep it on your wrist.

01:25:46.905 --> 01:25:52.005
VIRGINIA: I've heard of too many people losing their bands on a ride or in a pool.

01:25:52.005 --> 01:25:56.005
VIRGINIA: The ones I'm linking to in the show notes, again, are from Amazon.

01:25:56.005 --> 01:25:58.685
VIRGINIA: So hopefully you're okay shopping in Amazon.

01:25:58.685 --> 01:26:00.505
VIRGINIA: And I've used them personally.

01:26:00.505 --> 01:26:01.925
VIRGINIA: So I know that they're good.

01:26:01.925 --> 01:26:03.345
VIRGINIA: They're very, very cheap.

01:26:03.345 --> 01:26:05.085
VIRGINIA: And I think you get like 10 or 12.

01:26:05.085 --> 01:26:06.565
VIRGINIA: You get a bunch in a pack.

01:26:06.565 --> 01:26:07.825
VIRGINIA: There are a lot of different colors.

01:26:07.825 --> 01:26:13.105
VIRGINIA: So you can match it to your MagicBand and you can have enough for your whole family with one order.

01:26:13.105 --> 01:26:14.705
VIRGINIA: I don't know how much they are quite yet.

01:26:14.785 --> 01:26:18.745
VIRGINIA: I'm going to put the link in after I'm done recording this.

01:26:18.745 --> 01:26:23.205
VIRGINIA: But I think I remember them being about $8 for a pack of 10 or 12.

01:26:23.205 --> 01:26:25.945
VIRGINIA: So super affordable.

01:26:25.945 --> 01:26:29.605
VIRGINIA: Number two, I love to use a phone lanyard when I'm at Disney.

01:26:29.605 --> 01:26:31.905
VIRGINIA: I do not use one in my everyday life.

01:26:31.905 --> 01:26:35.725
VIRGINIA: But at Disney, it is way too chancy to just have it in your pocket.

01:26:35.725 --> 01:26:38.125
VIRGINIA: I like to have it strapped across my body.

01:26:38.125 --> 01:26:41.685
VIRGINIA: And what I usually do is I will strap it, you know, cross body style.

01:26:41.685 --> 01:26:43.865
VIRGINIA: And then I tuck the phone into my back pocket.

01:26:43.945 --> 01:26:56.585
VIRGINIA: So instead of just having it in my back pocket, it's in my back pocket, but also cross body strapped to me so that I can pull it out easily, take a photo, check my My Disney Experience app, put it back in my pocket.

01:26:56.585 --> 01:26:59.045
VIRGINIA: Let's say I accidentally drop it.

01:26:59.045 --> 01:27:02.225
VIRGINIA: It's not hitting the floor because it's attached to my body.

01:27:02.225 --> 01:27:06.125
VIRGINIA: I also, when I get on rides, I will put my phone in my pocket.

01:27:06.125 --> 01:27:10.585
VIRGINIA: I don't have to go putting it in my bag because I know it's in my pocket, but it's also strapped to me.

01:27:10.725 --> 01:27:14.045
VIRGINIA: So it's not going anywhere on a ride either.

01:27:14.045 --> 01:27:19.645
VIRGINIA: The one that I use is very affordable, but it's a thicker material.

01:27:19.645 --> 01:27:22.025
VIRGINIA: So it's not like some of the cheap ones.

01:27:22.025 --> 01:27:24.425
VIRGINIA: Again, I haven't looked up this price yet.

01:27:24.425 --> 01:27:29.985
VIRGINIA: I feel like I remember it being like $25 or $30, as opposed to one of the $10 ones.

01:27:29.985 --> 01:27:32.505
VIRGINIA: But this one is nice and thick.

01:27:32.505 --> 01:27:41.285
VIRGINIA: It's got some loops that you can hook some things to if you need to, like if you have headphones or something that are on a little carabiner type clip, you can just hook it on there.

01:27:41.285 --> 01:27:43.445
VIRGINIA: So very, very nice.

01:27:43.445 --> 01:27:47.165
VIRGINIA: I love the one I have and I would recommend it to everybody.

01:27:47.165 --> 01:27:56.645
VIRGINIA: Number three, a few years ago, I got some small collapsible bins from Amazon and I used my label maker and I put each of our names on one.

01:27:56.645 --> 01:27:59.825
VIRGINIA: We bring them now to use in the bathroom on our trips.

01:27:59.825 --> 01:28:01.265
VIRGINIA: We use them at Disney.

01:28:01.265 --> 01:28:03.345
VIRGINIA: I took them with me to London.

01:28:03.345 --> 01:28:08.085
VIRGINIA: So on the bathroom sink area, sometimes you have limited space.

01:28:08.325 --> 01:28:13.665
VIRGINIA: It can get very cluttered with everything for a family sitting out.

01:28:13.665 --> 01:28:16.445
VIRGINIA: I don't like the visual chaos of clutter.

01:28:16.445 --> 01:28:19.625
VIRGINIA: It makes me feel so anxious.

01:28:19.625 --> 01:28:21.345
VIRGINIA: I need it to be corralled.

01:28:21.345 --> 01:28:23.125
VIRGINIA: I need it to be contained in some way.

01:28:23.125 --> 01:28:29.105
VIRGINIA: So by having these collapsible bins, they fold flat and they pack very easily into our suitcases.

01:28:29.105 --> 01:28:36.185
VIRGINIA: But then you pop them out and it's a place for each family member to keep the things that they would normally just have sitting on the counter.

01:28:36.365 --> 01:28:45.565
VIRGINIA: So my toothbrush goes in there, my toothpaste, my floss, my retainer case, because yes, I have a retainer.

01:28:45.565 --> 01:28:48.545
VIRGINIA: I'll throw my deodorant in there.

01:28:48.545 --> 01:28:51.265
VIRGINIA: Charles will have his razor in there.

01:28:51.265 --> 01:28:55.105
VIRGINIA: Just anything that would be sitting out on the counter, it is corralled.

01:28:55.105 --> 01:29:00.005
VIRGINIA: These little collapsible bins can stack on top of each other as well.

01:29:00.005 --> 01:29:05.245
VIRGINIA: So if you have very limited counter space, you can even just have them sitting there stacked, which was the case for us in London.

01:29:05.705 --> 01:29:08.165
VIRGINIA: I just had all three stacked.

01:29:08.165 --> 01:29:19.245
VIRGINIA: I believe if you go into the highlight bubble on my Instagram for the London trip, I think I took a photo of it because I was like, people need to see these little bins.

01:29:19.245 --> 01:29:30.645
VIRGINIA: Number four, big binder clips, and that is not something you probably would have guessed that I was going to say, but I bring big binder clips with me on trips like this.

01:29:30.645 --> 01:29:33.365
VIRGINIA: I have two for each family member.

01:29:33.365 --> 01:29:34.465
VIRGINIA: Ours are color-coded.

01:29:34.545 --> 01:29:37.125
VIRGINIA: I got the very colorful big binder clips.

01:29:37.125 --> 01:29:43.185
VIRGINIA: The pink ones are mine and I think the orange ones are Charles and the green ones are Alex.

01:29:43.185 --> 01:29:49.865
VIRGINIA: But I also use my label maker because I'm a Virgo and I love a label maker, and I put our names on them as well.

01:29:49.865 --> 01:29:54.305
VIRGINIA: What I use these for is to mark our towels in the bathroom.

01:29:54.305 --> 01:30:00.545
VIRGINIA: When you have a family staying in a hotel room, it's really easy to get confused about whose towels, who, whatever.

01:30:01.025 --> 01:30:14.865
VIRGINIA: So we have these and when you pick up a clean towel and you use it for the first time, we hang it back up, you put just clip the binder clip to the side of it, and then we can very easily identify whose towel is whose.

01:30:14.865 --> 01:30:19.885
VIRGINIA: And we are people who, I mean, if we stay for a longer trip, we might get like a refresh on the towels.

01:30:19.885 --> 01:30:25.345
VIRGINIA: But, you know, they always have those signs in the hotel rooms about saving water and saving the earth and everything like that.

01:30:25.385 --> 01:30:30.625
VIRGINIA: And I am perfectly fine doing that, hanging ours up and continuing to use the same one.

01:30:30.625 --> 01:30:35.045
VIRGINIA: So we do this, it's super small to pack into your bag.

01:30:35.045 --> 01:30:39.565
VIRGINIA: It's a very cheap way to organize your towels.

01:30:39.565 --> 01:30:43.545
VIRGINIA: So maybe not necessary to some people, but necessary to me.

01:30:43.545 --> 01:30:53.085
VIRGINIA: And number five, lastly, I got some multicolored stickers, like some dots that you might see, like marking something that's on sale in a store.

01:30:54.605 --> 01:30:58.885
VIRGINIA: I use them in the same way I use the clips, but I use them for drink bottles.

01:30:58.885 --> 01:31:00.765
VIRGINIA: So each of us has a color.

01:31:00.765 --> 01:31:06.345
VIRGINIA: And if we start a drink and we don't finish it, you just slap one of your little stickers on it, so we know who's whose.

01:31:06.345 --> 01:31:11.605
VIRGINIA: And really this comes into play because I order bottled water in advance on our trips.

01:31:11.605 --> 01:31:12.925
VIRGINIA: And you know how it is.

01:31:12.925 --> 01:31:20.765
VIRGINIA: If you have a bunch of bottled water and people start drinking bottled water, setting it down, you don't know who's whose, they all look exactly the same.

01:31:20.765 --> 01:31:26.585
VIRGINIA: And you can't always rely on like, oh, I took my, I pulled the paper off mine.

01:31:26.585 --> 01:31:35.545
VIRGINIA: I pulled the label off of mine so that you know that one's mine because there's only so many combinations of what you can do with a bottle to identify the drawers.

01:31:35.545 --> 01:31:38.125
VIRGINIA: So we just have these small little stickers.

01:31:38.125 --> 01:31:39.885
VIRGINIA: You just put them on there.

01:31:39.885 --> 01:31:41.265
VIRGINIA: Again, mine is pink.

01:31:41.265 --> 01:31:46.065
VIRGINIA: So if I just put that on an unfinished bottle of water, then everybody knows it's mine.

01:31:46.345 --> 01:31:55.145
VIRGINIA: It's super easy and it's something cheap that you can just get in the school supply section of your local Target, Walmart, pharmacy, whatever.

01:31:55.145 --> 01:32:04.465
VIRGINIA: A couple of other things I always like to have in my bag that I'm not going to link to are a Sharpie, because you never know when you're going to need one, and not just for autographs.

01:32:04.465 --> 01:32:06.005
VIRGINIA: It comes into handy.

01:32:06.005 --> 01:32:12.185
VIRGINIA: I always bring various sizes of Ziploc bags, and those are mostly to wrap up snacks that I haven't finished.

01:32:12.185 --> 01:32:24.865
VIRGINIA: So I'll have some in my park bag, and like if I buy a cookie or something, and I only eat half of it, I'll put the other half in a Ziploc bag, and pack it away to be able to munch on it again later.

01:32:24.865 --> 01:32:30.145
VIRGINIA: Then finally, I always have a pair of scissors with me on a trip, and that's to cut tags.

01:32:30.145 --> 01:32:39.865
VIRGINIA: If I buy something and I want to cut the tag off of it, so I don't worry about accidentally ripping it, or if you have moleskin with you for blisters, you can use the scissors to cut that down.

01:32:39.865 --> 01:32:41.885
VIRGINIA: You never know when you're going to need scissors.

01:32:42.545 --> 01:32:45.545
VIRGINIA: The ones I have are actually the mini size that fold up.

01:32:45.545 --> 01:32:51.365
VIRGINIA: You can buy them in the traveling sewing kits area of your store.

01:32:52.485 --> 01:32:57.525
VIRGINIA: Those actually come into the park with me as well in my park bag, just in case I need a tiny pair of scissors.

01:32:57.765 --> 01:33:02.905
VIRGINIA: I have often needed a tiny pair of scissors on my park day.

01:33:02.965 --> 01:33:12.545
MOLLY: Hi, I'm Molly with MagicMemoriesWithMolly, and I have kind of an odd thing that I pack when I go to Disney, and it has changed my life.

01:33:12.545 --> 01:33:14.905
MOLLY: I pack a foot roller.

01:33:14.905 --> 01:33:30.105
MOLLY: So there's just nothing better than coming back to the room after a sweaty day in the parks, getting washed up into my jammies, and rolling my feet that are so sore from walking around all day while just watching Safety Smart on the Disney hotel room TV.

01:33:30.905 --> 01:33:35.125
MOLLY: So consider packing a foot roller for your next Disney trip.

01:33:36.465 --> 01:33:41.105
MIRANDA: Miranda here again from 101 Vacations Travel Agency.

01:33:41.105 --> 01:33:49.725
MIRANDA: One of my biggest tips for park bag packing is to pack cheap, disposable ponchos.

01:33:49.725 --> 01:34:07.445
MIRANDA: They are the best for if there is a quick rain shower, and either you need to throw them on, or if you want to ride Splash Mountain and not get soaked, or if it's come a shower and you want to take a seat on the bench up in Tasmic, now you have a dry place to sit.

01:34:07.445 --> 01:34:21.165
MIRANDA: So I love using ponchos, and I normally order a 20-pack on Amazon for like $20, so highly recommend lots of disposable throwaway ponchos for your trip, especially in the summer.

01:34:27.905 --> 01:34:30.545
ALEX: Step 10, Enjoy Your Trip.

01:34:32.805 --> 01:34:35.765
VIRGINIA: The final step is to enjoy your trip.

01:34:35.765 --> 01:34:39.345
VIRGINIA: Even with the most careful planning, not everything will go perfectly.

01:34:39.345 --> 01:34:48.645
VIRGINIA: And that's one thing I love about all the trip reports I do here, is hearing about how people's plans changed, how they dealt with something that went wrong.

01:34:48.645 --> 01:34:50.465
VIRGINIA: Try not to stress too much.

01:34:50.465 --> 01:34:58.385
VIRGINIA: Sometimes the best memories come from the things that you don't expect, or from the hilarity of something that totally went off the rails.

01:34:58.385 --> 01:35:03.985
VIRGINIA: Getting upset on your trip isn't going to make your vacation any better or that of the people that you're with.

01:35:03.985 --> 01:35:07.625
VIRGINIA: So try to go with the flow as Crush likes to say.

01:35:07.625 --> 01:35:23.085
VIRGINIA: Before I wrap up this extremely long episode, I've got some more tips for having a great trip to share from my wonderful friends who are travel agents who have boatloads of experience in planning Disney trips for other families as well as planning their own trips.

01:35:25.565 --> 01:35:30.525
MIRANDA: Miranda here again from 101 Vacations Travel Agency.

01:35:30.525 --> 01:35:36.525
MIRANDA: My next tip is to carry on the magic as you leave Walt Disney World.

01:35:36.525 --> 01:35:42.965
MIRANDA: I highly recommend picking up a couple snacks to either take for the flight or the drive home.

01:35:42.965 --> 01:35:48.985
MIRANDA: My personal favorites, build your own popcorn bowl over at the Confectionery at the Magic Kingdom.

01:35:48.985 --> 01:35:55.985
MIRANDA: I also love the Werther's popcorn from Epcot in Germany and a Rice Krispie Treat.

01:35:55.985 --> 01:36:04.345
MIRANDA: Another favorite for many of my clients is taking a stop at Gideon's and grabbing some cookies there.

01:36:04.345 --> 01:36:10.045
MIRANDA: They freeze really well in the freezer, so take a little bit of Disney magic home with you.

01:36:12.605 --> 01:36:13.385
RENEE: Hey, Virginia.

01:36:13.385 --> 01:36:14.625
RENEE: Thanks for having me.

01:36:14.625 --> 01:36:19.825
RENEE: I'm Renee at Magical Travels by Monte, and I'm a Disney-focused travel agent at Main Street Travel.

01:36:19.825 --> 01:36:24.725
RENEE: I wanted to give some advice if you're traveling with a large party that might have competing priorities.

01:36:24.725 --> 01:36:39.705
RENEE: I would say have everybody in your group make a list of the top one, two, or maybe three things that they really want to accomplish on their trip, whether that's riding a certain ride, trying a particular snack or eating location, or a certain type of entertainment that they really want to see.

01:36:39.705 --> 01:36:48.905
RENEE: Let those list of priorities be your guide as you're planning out your days, keeping in mind that it's impossible to do everything that you want to do on every single trip.

01:36:48.905 --> 01:36:50.005
RENEE: That's the beauty of Disney.

01:36:50.385 --> 01:36:53.745
RENEE: It always gives you something that you want to come back for.

01:36:53.745 --> 01:36:59.645
RENEE: Another piece of advice for traveling in that sort of a group would be, you don't have to do everything together all the time.

01:36:59.645 --> 01:37:08.605
RENEE: It might be a good idea to split up in the morning and have a dining reservation for lunch or dinner that you want to meet back up at, either in or around the parks.

01:37:08.605 --> 01:37:14.745
RENEE: That way, you can really divide and conquer and make sure that your trip is tailor-made for each person in your group.

01:37:17.965 --> 01:37:20.045
KATE: Hey, Virginia, it's Kate Andrews.

01:37:20.045 --> 01:37:28.305
KATE: I'm a travel agent with Placation Travel Limited, and I'm also a registered nurse, and I live and work in Ontario, Canada.

01:37:28.305 --> 01:37:36.025
KATE: The tips that I wanted to share today are about flying with someone who has some special needs.

01:37:36.025 --> 01:37:40.005
KATE: For me, specifically, it's in that neurodivergent area.

01:37:40.005 --> 01:37:47.005
KATE: My son does have an intellectual disability, which really affects his executive functioning.

01:37:47.005 --> 01:37:58.905
KATE: So all of the things that you need to be able to do in an airport, like wait patiently, follow instructions, be comfortable around a lot of people with lots of different sounds, can be really difficult for him.

01:37:58.905 --> 01:38:06.045
KATE: My biggest takeaway for folks would be doing that hard work at home before you travel.

01:38:06.045 --> 01:38:11.805
KATE: So not expecting that the travel is going to make people happy in your family, make things easier.

01:38:11.805 --> 01:38:20.465
KATE: So really do some skill building, some counseling, things that would really apply to whatever your child's and your family's needs are.

01:38:20.465 --> 01:38:24.485
KATE: Working on communication, there's social stories, different things like that.

01:38:24.485 --> 01:38:31.565
KATE: But there also is sunflower lanyards, and that is recognized at the Orlando Airport.

01:38:31.565 --> 01:38:35.225
KATE: So those are just lanyards that you wear around your neck.

01:38:35.225 --> 01:38:41.945
KATE: And what they do is identify you as having some special needs, but you may not be able to see that you do.

01:38:41.945 --> 01:38:44.425
KATE: So that really fits perfectly for my son.

01:38:44.425 --> 01:38:51.405
KATE: And then my other piece of information would be for people to fill their cup first.

01:38:51.405 --> 01:38:57.525
KATE: So knowing for myself, when I'm traveling with him, I really do try to get sleep.

01:38:57.525 --> 01:39:02.865
KATE: I try to make sure I have food as well, expecting some challenges.

01:39:02.865 --> 01:39:09.085
KATE: So thinking about all of that and making sure I have what I need to be able to support him.

01:39:09.085 --> 01:39:11.365
KATE: Thanks so much for taking some advice from us.

01:39:11.365 --> 01:39:12.845
KATE: Have a great day.

01:39:14.325 --> 01:39:21.545
MOLLY: Hi, I'm Molly with Magic Memories of Molly, and my advice for a great Disney trip is to slow down.

01:39:21.545 --> 01:39:27.065
MOLLY: I know it can be really tempting to rush and fit as much in as possible when you're there.

01:39:27.065 --> 01:39:38.125
MOLLY: But I definitely think that the most memorable moments I have are from when the times when I just took a moment to sit down, slow down, and enjoy just being there.

01:39:38.125 --> 01:39:42.145
MOLLY: Just being in the magic is really wonderful.

01:39:42.325 --> 01:39:45.905
MOLLY: Just make sure you take a moment to do that while you're rushing around.

01:39:47.505 --> 01:39:50.305
KRISTEN: Hey, this is Kristen Gallagher with Mickey World Travel.

01:39:50.305 --> 01:39:54.305
KRISTEN: My travel tip is for anyone that is traveling with young children.

01:39:54.305 --> 01:40:02.805
KRISTEN: My advice is to keep the routine and structure as similar to what it would be at home while you are on your Disney vacation.

01:40:02.805 --> 01:40:08.405
KRISTEN: For example, my boys, when they were in their napping phase, were not on the go-nappers.

01:40:08.405 --> 01:40:10.065
KRISTEN: They would not nap in strollers.

01:40:10.065 --> 01:40:14.305
KRISTEN: They would not nap on somebody being held.

01:40:14.305 --> 01:40:17.785
KRISTEN: They were only napping if they were in their crib.

01:40:17.785 --> 01:40:21.525
KRISTEN: So while we were on our Disney vacations, that is what we did.

01:40:21.525 --> 01:40:23.305
KRISTEN: We would go back to the hotel.

01:40:23.305 --> 01:40:25.505
KRISTEN: They would nap in their crib.

01:40:25.505 --> 01:40:27.825
KRISTEN: And this is what worked for us.

01:40:29.065 --> 01:40:39.825
KRISTEN: We also made sure that when we traveled, we packed sound machines, OK2Wake cloth, a sheet from their crib so that they felt comfortable and like they were at home.

01:40:39.825 --> 01:40:41.705
KRISTEN: And thankfully we never had any issues.

01:40:41.705 --> 01:40:45.145
KRISTEN: They both slept through the night, all nights of our vacation.

01:40:45.145 --> 01:40:48.285
KRISTEN: They get their routine stays the same.

01:40:48.285 --> 01:40:52.765
KRISTEN: So they get dinner, a bath, a book, a song, and they go to bed.

01:40:52.765 --> 01:40:54.545
KRISTEN: And that is what we do on vacation.

01:40:54.545 --> 01:41:02.485
KRISTEN: Still to this day, and they're six and four, and they get dinner, a bath, a book, a song, and they go to bed.

01:41:02.485 --> 01:41:04.625
KRISTEN: And it's like they don't even miss a beat.

01:41:04.625 --> 01:41:12.565
KRISTEN: So it definitely keeps the tantrums to a minimum, and it keeps everybody happy on our vacation.

01:41:14.525 --> 01:41:20.505
KELLY: Hi, this is Kelly Gray from Wishlist Travel, and I want to talk to you about beating the heat at Walt Disney World.

01:41:20.505 --> 01:41:27.645
KELLY: Obviously, when you travel down to Florida, especially during those summer months, it is going to be hot, and there's no way to avoid it.

01:41:27.645 --> 01:41:34.505
KELLY: So the first tip that I want to give you is if you're staying on Disney property, plan in that afternoon break.

01:41:34.505 --> 01:41:37.485
KELLY: My family often goes to the park when it first opens.

01:41:37.485 --> 01:41:40.385
KELLY: We stay until noon or 1 p.m.

01:41:40.385 --> 01:41:45.125
KELLY: We head back, we go for a swim, we take a nap, and we go back out in the evening.

01:41:45.125 --> 01:41:54.545
KELLY: And it may seem like you're losing time, but I think when you're coming back rejuvenated, you're really getting a chance to kind of maximize and really enjoy your time in the park.

01:41:54.545 --> 01:42:01.545
KELLY: The second thing is know the attractions in each park that bring you inside and give you a chance to cool off.

01:42:01.545 --> 01:42:08.005
KELLY: Every single park has attractions like this, and I try to prioritize those attractions midday.

01:42:08.005 --> 01:42:13.305
KELLY: And then finally, just be thoughtful about what you're wearing, that it's cool and comfortable.

01:42:13.305 --> 01:42:19.145
KELLY: Maybe bring cooling towels, make sure you have your sunblock, and of course, stay hydrated.

01:42:21.565 --> 01:42:23.945
VIRGINIA: Spectacular advice from Kelly.

01:42:23.945 --> 01:42:28.525
VIRGINIA: There's nothing that can ruin a trip faster than being dehydrated or overheated.

01:42:28.525 --> 01:42:35.705
VIRGINIA: My personal goal I set every trip is that I finish at least one bottle of water before I ever set foot in a park each day.

01:42:35.705 --> 01:42:43.725
VIRGINIA: Usually that means I start drinking one as we're heading out the door, and I finished it by the time I'm getting off the bus, the boat, the monorail or the skyliner.

01:42:43.725 --> 01:42:47.105
VIRGINIA: That way I'm starting the day with at least one bottle down.

01:42:47.105 --> 01:42:56.005
VIRGINIA: I also like to bring little electrolyte packets and keep a few in my park bag so that if I start feeling like I need the extra boost, I can add it to my water.

01:42:56.005 --> 01:42:56.805
VIRGINIA: Okay.

01:42:56.805 --> 01:43:00.385
VIRGINIA: I have talked your ear off, so I should wrap this up.

01:43:00.385 --> 01:43:11.365
VIRGINIA: Enjoy your Disney trip, enjoy your Disney trip planning, and remember that there's magic to be found around every corner, as long as your heart and your imagination are open to it.

01:43:12.125 --> 01:43:16.625
VIRGINIA: Thank you so much for listening, and keep daydreaming about where you long to be.