Tips for Disney World Resort Hotel Stays

Today I just learned about a new Disney resort: the Disney Yacht Club resort.  When I say new, I don’t mean that it’s about to be built or to open, but that I had never heard of it before.  The resort’s been around since 1990.  There are just so many hotels at Disney World, it’s hard to remember them all or keep them all straight. It can be a dilemma for those looking to plan a Disney World vacation.  You may have crossed the first hurdle – deciding whether or not you’re going to stay on site – but you … Continue reading

Win a Disney World Trip in the Fantasyland Sweepstakes

Now that the new Fantasyland is up and running (though not every single aspect of the park is open yet), it’s time for Disney World to offer fans a chance to win a free trip there.  The Disney Store is currently running a sweepstakes to win a 5-day, 4-night vacation at Disney World. Although the sweepstakes is in honor of the new Fantasyland, the prize doesn’t revolve too much around it.  Guests could win and choose to spend most of their time outside the Magic Kingdom, if they wanted.  Grand prize winners get to spend one night in the Cinderella … Continue reading

Save on a Trip to Paradise

From mid-September through mid-November you can score some of the cheapest airfare to Hawaii. What’s more, once you arrive in paradise, you can scoop up spectacular fall rates on hotels and rental cars as well. The Aloha State has something for everyone, from breathtaking beaches and active volcanoes to stunning waterfalls and dozens of award-winning golf courses. Hawaii is also home to some of the world’s best outdoor adventures, including year-round paragliding, windsurfing and snorkeling. Unlike most of the continental United States, Hawaii does not experience major temperature fluctuations in the fall. That means you can enjoy incredible weather and … Continue reading

Another Santa Reprimanded at Disney World

An official Disney Santa at Epcot We’ve learned that adults are banned from wearing Disney costumes to a Disney park. We also know that any kids old enough (the cutoff is 9 or 10) also can’t do so, at least not if their costumes are too realistic. Now we have another look to add to the list of things not allowed at Disney: Santa Claus. Official Disney-sanctioned Santa Claus’s still make seasonal appearances at Disney World. What’s going to get you kicked out, or at least reprimanded, is if you too closely resemble Kris Kringle. The Huffington Post reports. Atlantan … Continue reading

Figuring Out Transportation at Disney World

One of the erroneous assumptions I always made growing up was thinking that Disney World worked just like the small local amusement parks I’d been to. Pay one fee, get access to everything on the site, and get around the park easily. We know for sure the former isn’t true, and neither is the latter. Disney World is huge. It’s basically a city unto itself. So any family doing a Disney World vacation that wants to see more than one park has to figure out transportation from one park to another, plus how to get on and off the site … Continue reading

Summer Disney World Deals

It may only just be April, and around here at least our weather finally started feeling spring-like again after some unseasonably warm temperatures, but it’s time to start thinking about summer. At least, it’s time to focus on summer if you’re thinking about planning a Walt Disney World trip for your upcoming vacation. The special offers on Disneyland’s website still pertain to their spring deals, but Disney World has started looking ahead to the warmer months. Today I’ll focus exclusively on the Disney World deals, and I’ll return to Disneyland in the future when their special offers site is updated. … Continue reading

Mousejunkies: One Man’s Life at Disney World

Today I’m looking at the second of the three books my mother bought me about Disney World vacations. This time around it’s the multi-titled “Mousejunkies! Tips, Tales, and Tricks for Disney World Fix: all you need to know for a perfect vacation” by Bill Burke. I’d call Burke’s book a proto-blog, but it was published in 2009 and thus right at the height of the blogosphere’s popularity. I want to name it that because like “Mini Mickey,” “Mousejunkies” is essentially a review of a Disney World vacation, containing looks at all the relevant restaurants, attractions, and hotels. “Mini Mickey,” however, … Continue reading

Mini Mickey: The Ultimate Disney World Travel Guide

Learn how to avoid the crowds This weekend my family and I engaged in an activity along with many others across the country: raiding the clearance sales at Borders. I’m devastated at the mega-bookstore’s demise, but that didn’t stop me from seeing what books I could obtain. Before I made a separate trip to the store with my mother, she gifted me with three books she’d bought there earlier in the day (thanks, Mom!) They’re all unofficial guides to Disney World. Between them the three contain myriad tips on taking a Disney vacation: how to find the best savings, how … Continue reading

Save on Trips to the Sunshine State

Thanks to HGTV’s newest show “My Yard Goes Disney,” my 6-year-old has started a whining campaign to get us to visit the House of Mouse this summer. Unfortunately, unless we win a spot on HGTV’s other smash hit “House Hunters on Vacation,” I highly doubt that will be shaking our tail feathers with Donald and crew before the start of the new school year. I know this because, like many parents, I want to make all my child’s dreams come true, so I crunched the numbers to see if we could afford to roam Disney’s Animal Kingdom, stay at Disney’s … Continue reading

A Trip around the World

I was brought up with homeschool, and I have very fond memories of taking trips around the world. Not in real life, but on paper. First, we chose where we wanted to go. It could be anywhere—the sky was the limit. My favorite trip was to England. Then we would get a book about that place and decide what we wanted to see while we were there. Now, with the advent of the Internet, you don’t even need to go to the library—all the information is on your home computer. After we decided where we were going, we’d think about … Continue reading