Photopass+ & Run Disney

 

Much to my surprise this past January, all the pictures taken at the Walt Disney World Marathon were taken by MarathonFoto.  Since this was my first RunDisney event, I was not aware that Magic Bands and Photopass+ were not utilized at the events.  As a long time Disney fan and guest, I thought everything on Disney property were part of the new Magic Band and Photopass+ technology.

What do you like to see on a Disney Blog?

Hello all

 

I have loved writing about Disney World and sharing information, tips, and fun experiences that my family has had at Disney.  I have also enjoyed hearing from others about how much they have enjoyed reading the blog.  As a new blogger, I have to ask a favor, please participate!!   If it was not for the feedback I have received from people I see personally, I would assume my post are boring.  Also, as a new blogger, my visitors to the site are really low (which is normal), but I would appreciate all your help in inviting friends.

So, please participate by commenting and sharing the blog with anyone you know loves Disney too.  To help you start participating more, please answer the poll below.  If you have more than one answer, you are allowed to vote multiple times.

 

Which Parks Should I go to if I only have ____ days??

So you want to go to Disney World, but you only have two days.  How do you decide which two parks to go to?   What if you are in Orlando for 10 days, will Disney occupy you for all ten days or should you do something else?  Should you get a park hopper if you are only there for two days?

Before we began to answer the questions, I think it is first important that you understand how big Disney World is.  The size of the entire Walt Disney World resort is 40 Square miles, or the size of San Francisco. Yes, you heard that right, the same size as the city of San Francisco.  The main attractions include 4 major theme parks, 2 waterparks, and Disney Springs shopping district.  And just to give you an idea of how popular the 4 major parks are, they are ranked #1 Magic Kingdom (19,332,000 visitors in 2014) , #3 Epcot (11,454,000 visitors in 2014), #4 Animal Kingdom (10,402,000 visitors in 2014), and #5 Hollywood Studios (10,402,000 visitors in 2014) on the  Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) list of top theme parks.  And the only park to beat out Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios is Disney World’s sister park, Disneyland.

If you want to see just about everything the 4 major parks have to offer, I recommend that your trip last a minimum of 5 days.  This would allow you to spend 2 days at Magic Kingdom and 1 day at each of the other parks.  Even with 5 days, there will still be many things that you will not get to see, but you will get to see most of what you are interested in.  If you are going more than 5 days, you can spend the extra day, or days going back to your favorite park another time, exploring the water parks, or maybe just taking it a little slower and finding a little extra time to rest by the pool.  If you did not know already, a Disney vacation can be very tiring.  I frequently record in excess of 10 miles a day walking on my phone’s step counting app.

So planning a trip for 5 days or more is pretty easy, what do you do if you have less than 5 days.  This is a really difficult question to provide a direct answer, as I believe every avid Disney guest may have a different answer and recommendation.  The best way to determine which park to go to really depends on the age of your children, if you have any; and your personal preference.   Let’s briefly look at each park and what they have to offer to determine which parks to select on a 2 day, 3 day, or 4 day trip.

Magic Kingdom is the most well known of the four parks and it is the park that started it all.  When anyone thinks of Walt Disney World, most thoughts revolve around Magic Kingdom and Cinderella’s Castle.  Magic Kingdom by far has the most rides and attractions and it can easily take two days to really see it all (or most of it).  There are rides for young and old, as well as shows, parades, and an amazing firework show to cap off the night.  If your trip is four days or less, I would consider a 2nd day at Magic Kingdom, even if it means skipping one of the other parks completely.

Hollywood Studios is the second favorite park for my family, but as you can see by the listing of TEA’s top theme park by attendance, it is the least favorite of most other guests.  The knock on this park is that is very small and just does not have very many things to do.  If you combine that with all the closures that have occurred over the last two years, many people are now questioning if it is worth wasting a day at Hollywood Studios at all.  I think one reason that I see this very differently than others is largely because my family is very young.  Some of the unique offerings, such as Disney Jr Live on Stage; would not appeal to anyone over 8 years old.  This park also includes many shows, which can cause your day to go by pretty quickly if you watch 3 or 4 of them.  Although, this would have no impact on any trip that you may be planning in the next year or two; Hollywood Studios is in the process of a major renovation that will include a Toy Story Land and a Star Wars land in the next several years.  Rumor is that there may also be another major addition to the park that has yet to be announced.

Epcot is quite the opposite of Hollywood Studios in terms of my family compared to most.  With young children, I find there is very little for them to do in Epcot.  There are a few rides and attractions, but there are quite a few characters (namely princesses) around world showcase.  I believe the attraction at Epcot is the food and the countries around the world.  If you are very interested in getting a small taste of the culture and food of several different countries, all in a days time; this is the place that may capture your attention.

Animal Kingdom is quite unique compared to the other three the Disney Parks.  On my first few visits, I definitely felt that it was just a large zoo with very little attractions.  In recent years, I have learned to appreciate the park a little more.  While the number of actual attractions may be small, there are several smaller activities in the park to do.  There are trails that showcase unique animals,  and my children love earning there wilderness explorer badges for learning about the animals and nature.  The park is also very shaded and has a little more of a relaxing experience than the other parks.  I look forward to Animal Kingdom as a little bit of a rest day on our vacations now.  Whether or not you want to visit Animal Kingdom on your trip may depend on whether you want to go,go,go; or if you want a little more of a laid back day.  I would also argue that the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom is one of the best shows on the property.  Although Animal Kingdom has always closed earlier than other parks, and also lacked night time entertainment, that is all about to change.  River of Lights is a new form of night time entertainment that will debut at the park in the Spring of 2016.  There will also be a new night time Safari that will be offered when the park stays open later.

Should we buy a park hopper?  The simple answers is wait on the park hopper.  As long as you have one day remaining on your park ticket, Disney will allow you to upgrade your ticket at any ticket window for no additional fee.  You will only pay the difference between your original ticket and the park hopper ticket.  The only trick is that if you were able to buy a discounted Disney ticket, the ticket will first need to be upgraded to a full price ticket before upgrading to a park hopper.  Because the Disney parks are so big, getting in and out of the parks, into the parking lot, into your car/ boarding a bus, can take a lot of time.  If you also have children to consider, park “hopping” can be extremely challenging and tiring.  Now, if you are running around with several youthful teenagers, you might not have a problem park hopping.  In all my visits to Walk Disney World, I have only “park hopped” to see the night time entertainment in a different park, after taking a mid day break with our young children.  I may also add that, as season pass holders, the park hopping option is included in the season pass with no additional costs.  On the trips that we did park hop, I would have never considered doing so, if it would have required an upgrade fee of approximately $50.  The main advice on the park hopper, is wait until you get to Disney and complete your first day before even considering an upgrade fee.

Choosing which park to go to is largely a matter of preference.  For my family, I would consider the parks in the following order if we only had between two to four days:

Two Days : Magic Kingdom then a toss up between Magic Kingdom/Hollywood Studios

Three Days: 2 days at Magic Kingdom, 1 day at Hollywood Studios

Four Days: 2 days at Magic Kingdom, 1 day at Hollywood Studios, 1 day at Animal Kingdom

As mentioned earlier, most Disney guest much prefer Epcot to Hollywood Studios.  It is definitely a matter of personal choice.  But as long as you have fun, does it really matter?

How many times have you been to Disney World?

Disney World never seems to get old.  It can be fun whether it is your first trip or trip #100.  There are so many things to do in “the world.” And for those that are waiting to make there first trip – “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

Where do we stay when going to Disney?

Where do we stay when going to Disney?

There are more than 25 Disney Resort hotels in addition to the several other hotels on Disney property and a virtually unlimited number of accommodations outside of the property.  As with all other Disney topics, there could be books written on the subject, if they are not already.  So let’s go through the basic options.

First, what are the advantages of staying at a Disney Resort?  As a Disney Resort Guest, free parking is available at all parks and there is also free transportation offered to get you anywhere within Disney World that you would like to go.  Additionally, Disney Resort guests are allowed exclusive early access and/or late access to certain theme parks each day of the week.  Typically there is at least one park that  opens an hour early for resort guests or one park that stays open an extra 2 hours for resorts guests.  During busier times of the year, there are multiple parks that will offer either early or late magic hours each day.

Disney Resorts

Disney resorts are divided into categories: Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villas.  Although each category offers several different resorts, the cost and types of amenities are similar within each category.

Value Resorts – These resorts are the most budget conscious.  The entrances to the room are from the outside, each resort has a food court, and there is one main bus stop.  Value resorts also tend to be further from the theme parks than the other categories

Resorts in this category are as followed: All-Star Music, Movies and Sports; Pop Century and the newest member of the resort family, Art of Animation.

Moderate Resorts– These resorts offer a little more.  The entrances to the room are from the outside, each resort has a food court and one sit down restaurant and there is one bus stop for each section of the resort.  The rooms are a little larger, and usually contain two queen beds.  The locations of the resorts are usually near resort activities (Disney Springs, Disney Boardwalk)

Resorts in this category are as followed: Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter; Coronado Springs; and Caribbean Beach.  Disney also includes the Cabins at Fort Wilderness

Deluxe Resorts– These resorts can be quite fancy and offer the best of accommodations.  The entrances to the room are

Fly or Drive?

Do we fly or do we drive?
This can be a very personal decision and easy for some to make, but it can be a toss-up for others. Obviously distance and flight prices may be the biggest determining factor. I am not sure those living in the West Coast or those living in Florida will find this blog post very useful; but for all others, here we go… Before we start, I must first admit that the Western family has never flown to Disney World; however, that does not mean that my objective is to convince you that my way is best. As stated originally, it is really a personal decision and there are many pros and cons to each.
Distance – As stated originally, this is likely the biggest factor and it is different for every person. There is not much advice I can give you on this factor.
Staying on Property or off Property? –
Let’s first discuss the arguments for flying if you are staying on property?

• Disney has done a great job of making it extremely convenient to stay on property. If you are staying on property, Disney has a “Magical Express” that will pick you up from the airport and drop you off at your resort as part of your vacation package. They even take your luggage for you and it will be sitting in your room when you arrive. Pretty magical I would say. You can also use Disney transportation to get to all parks, and areas inside the resort including tons of restaurants of every shape and size. If you elect to get the Dining Plan, there is really no need to ever leave Disney property, and therefore no reason to have a car.
• If Disney makes it so easy, why would you drive? If you elect to stay off property in order to save money, get larger accommodations, visit other attractions in Florida, or whatever the reason may be, you just might want to have your own car. If you live close enough to consider driving, you may be able to save substantially by avoiding airfare tickets and the need to rent a rental car. The other perk of having a car is that you do not have to eat inside Disney. Although dining at Disney is a special part of a Disney vacation, it does come at a price.

So why do the Western’s drive? Since we have timeshare-like property that is paid for yearly, we never stay on property. For that reason, I like having my own car. We have tried using Disney transportation and while many Disney fans love it (please do not let me discourage you), I struggle to let someone else determine when I can come and go. (We even avoid the parking lot trams because I am so hard headed). Additionally, I am just not a fan of dragging four children through an airport with more luggage than I have hands to carry. We also eat on Disney vacations very similar to the way we eat at home, we go to the grocery, stock our refrigerator, and cook. Although we do enjoy a few meals in the park we keep them to a minimum. At this point, you may be saying, “you guys are boring, I thought you were Disney fans, you skip all the fun.” Well, let me answer that like I explain to my children. We each have personal preferences on how we do things and what we enjoy. Some people would like to Stay at Disney, Eat at Disney, and do everything else possible at Disney for the 5 most magical days of their life. The Western family likes to try to be a little frugal and have a little less fun for 20-30 days a year.

The other question I get, “How in the world do you continue to drive from Houston, Texas to Orlando, Florida multiple times a year with FOUR KIDS?” Our normal travel consists of leaving Houston in the afternoon after school/work to drive to New Orleans. We always stop in New Orleans to visit my family and drop our puppies off with their incredible babysitter (my mom). We gerenally try to leave New Orleans around 10 or 11 PM in order to make it to park opening. We drive straight through the night, alternating drivers if necessary until we arrive at Disney. And yes, even though I cannot seem to stay awake at home past 8 PM most nights, I somehow manage to drive straight through the night with little difficulty (not to mention the time I am running through the parks on no sleep on the first day). We can call it just a little bit of Disney magic.

When do we go????

When to go to Disney….
I must first warn you, if you ask the Western kids when to go to Disney, the answer is most likely NOW, or EVERYDAY. I am sure you have all heard the phrase, “bad day fishing is always better than a good day at the office;” the same idea applies to Disney as well. There are upsides and downsides to each time of year on the calendar, and there are also a few general concepts that apply.

Crowds & Discounts – The crowds at Disney are always much larger when children are out of school. As the general rule of supply and demand, this also means that Disney will also not offer discounts at these times, and the park hours are likely to be extended. If you are interested in having low crowd levels and the best discounts available, it is best if you take your family when school is in session. But, it is important to remember that park hours are likely to be reduced at these times as well. As an example, Magic Kingdom may have extra magic hours as late as 3 am in summer months, but may close at 9 pm the first week of February.

Weather– The weather in Florida can be fairly predictable. It is hot often and rains a lot. The heat in the middle of summer in Florida can be quite unbearable. If you do decide to travel to Florida during the hottest part of the year, careful planning can still lead to a great time. Early morning times and late evening visits can keep you out of the hottest part of the day and avoid the crowds as well. Also, I like to look at rain as an opportunity instead of a bad thing. Rain normally drives many away from the parks and typically makes for lighter crowds. Disney has many indoor attractions that can be enjoyed during rainy weather. My favorite is Mickey’s Philharmagic.

Events– Disney has several events all throughout the year that provide a little uniqueness to your trip. If you like to go to Disney often, like my family, the events allow every trip to be unique.

• RunDISNEY Events – Disney has several events throughout the year that are a lot of fun for runners. In 2016, the following are on the calendar: Walt Disney World Marathon (January 6-10), Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend (February 18-21), Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend (April 14-17), Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend (November 4-5). All events include kids races, 5k, as well as a half marathon. The Wine and Dine event is the only even that does not include a 10k, and the Marathon is only offered at the first event of the year. These events all take place on Disney property, and include race courses that wind through the parks. There are also plenty of unique characters at these events as well as special parties and festivities. I was able to run the Marathon and Half Marathon (called the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge) January of 2016, and I can honestly say it was one of the greatest Disney experiences I have had. It was amazing.

• Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival – This occurs each March and continues until the end of May. During the Festival there are 3 concerts held each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. There is a different performer or band each weekend during the event. There are also additional food booths added around Epcot world showcase with unique food offerings. And of course, flowers are in full bloom and plentiful, including many topiaries that depict Disney Characters.

 

• Halloween Party – Halloween parties are separate ticketed events that occur on select nights in the Magic Kingdom. The parties typically begin in mid-September and usually end the first day or two of November. Since the parties are separately ticketed events, the crowds for the parties are limited; with that being said, the park can still be pretty crowded on some party nights. Party participants can begin entering the park at 4 pm on party days with their party ticket (separate park ticket is not needed). Regular day guest will begin to be escorted out of the park at 7 pm when the party officially starts. The Halloween party is a great opportunity to meet special characters that may not regularly appear at the park and there are regular characters that are dressed up in Halloween costumes or festive Halloween attire. As you can imagine, the Disney Villains are popular at the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Also on party nights, a unique Halloween parade occurs twice a night and a special firework show “Hallowishes” is performed. Additionally, the children are provided tiny bags (you are also welcomed to bring your own larger bag) for trick-o-treating around the park. Although children can wear costumes to Disney world at any time of year, this is one of the only times that adults are welcomed to dress up as well. Of all the times my family has visited Disney World, the Halloween parties are definitely some of the best experiences. This event is definitely one that surprised me the first time I attended.

 

• Christmas Party – Christmas parties are separate ticketed events that occur on select nights in the Magic Kingdom. The parties typically begin a day or two after the last Halloween Party and usually end the first week of January. Since the parties are separately ticketed events, the crowds for the parties are limited; with that being said, the park can still be pretty crowded on some party nights. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party participants can begin entering the park at 4 pm on party days with their party ticket (separate park ticket is not needed). Regular day guest will begin to be escorted out of the park at 7 pm when the party officially starts. Much like the Halloween party, the Christmas Party is a great opportunity to meet special characters that may not regularly appear at the park and there are regular characters that are dressed up in in festive Christmas attire. Early in the night, the castle is lit with amazing Christmas lights in a short ceremony/show by Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. Also on party nights, a unique Christmas parade occurs twice a night and a special firework show is performed. Additionally, hot coco and cookies are handed out to all guests at several locations around the park.

 

• Christmas – In addition to the Christmas party held, Christmas is a very festive time around the entire Walt Disney World Resort. Each Park has a huge Christmas tree and tons of decorations as well. The Disney Resorts also participate in decorating and have incredible displays. The Grand Floridian Resort is famous for the Gingerbread house that is the size of a real house.

As you can see, there are really not any bad times to go to Disney World, but you have to know what to expect. Our family really enjoyed attending the Halloween parties before the oldest children were in school. Now that the oldest two are in school, it is much more difficult to attend. If you really want to attend a Halloween Party and a Christmas Party, plan to arrive the day of the last Halloween Party. This will allow you to attend the Halloween party, then watch as the park magically gets redecorated alost overnight, to prepare for the Christmas Party a few nights later.

For others that have school age children, my secret tip is to try to go the first week they get out of school or the last week before they go back. Since schools around the country have different start and end dates, you may find that the crowds are much smaller than the times when all schools are out. Another good time to plan for a trip is any special time of year that your child’s school may be out, but other schools are not. Since I originally grew up in New Orleans, Mardi Gras was a great time of year that anyone in south Louisiana can visit without interfering with school.

We want to go to Disney, what do we do?

The most famous question I receive from friends that are considering a trip to Disney – “We want to go to Disney, what do we do.” To be honest, I can spend the next 5 years blogging on this topic and still not completely answer the question. With that being said, most people who ask that question are looking for the basics; they want to make sure they don’t leave out something really important in the process that they will regret later. Since Disney has become a place that, over the years, has demanded that visitors plan more and more; it is very important to know a few key points before even beginning the planning process. The basic steps to planning the trip are as follows:

1. Go to Disney’s website and order the vacation planning CD. This disc will help you get excited about your upcoming trip and also help answer some of the other questions below. Not to mention, it is absolutely free.
2. Is there a specific time frame or time of year that you want to go, or would you like to plan around crowds, weather, or holidays? The basic advice for this topic is that Florida is really hot in the summer, and the parks are considerably more crowded when kids are out of school. This does not mean that you cannot have fun at Disney when it is crowded; you just have to make sure you have the right expectations for the time of year you are going.
3. Do you plan on driving to Disney or do you plan on flying? This subject is a matter of personal preference and personal circumstances, but it is very important to decide before considering step #4.
4. Do you stay on Disney property or off? If you are flying to Disney, it is likely that staying on Disney property tends to be a better option. Disney has made it very convenient to get you from the airport, and to everything you could want to do in Disney without every needing a car. If you are driving to Disney, I would argue that you could save considerably by staying off property and also getting much larger accommodations for a fraction of the cost. With that being said, there are a lot of personal matters and preferences to consider. I know many that would never consider to stay anywhere other than on property. My family on the other hand has never stayed on property. As a family of six, we would either be required to get two rooms and split up the family, or we would have to get deluxe accommodations that are very expensive. My family also has access to a timeshare type property, that is paid for yearly (whether we use it or not), so we rarely even need to consider this question for our personal trips.
5. Once you make the decision about the dates you want to go to Disney World, set up a calendar appointment for 180 days prior to your trip. This is the date that you can begin booking any dining that you would like to plan. This is very important, because dining at Disney is becoming increasingly popular and many restaurants are booked immediately when the reservations open.
6. Now make a calendar appointment for 60 days prior to the trip if you decided to stay on property and 30 days prior to the trip if you are off property. This is the day you can begin to book your Fastpass+ for rides. Fastpass+ allows you to ride 3 rides (at a minimum) on each day with a minimal wait. Fastpass+ can be intimidating for a first time Disney visitor and the topic needs an entire blog post of its own.

These are the first six steps I recommend for anyone considering making a trip to Disney. Many of these steps are worthy of a blog post of their own (or two or three) to help narrow the decision. Please stay tuned for more to come on each topic.