Beat the Heat at Walt Disney World

Today, the temperature in Orlando has a high of 98 degrees. With the humidity, it will feel like 103 degrees. Let's just say it...that is HOT! As Florida Residents, we almost get used to this heat during a Disney World vacation. Here are some of our tips to help you enjoy your vacation and beat that summer heat.

Wake Up Early - I know this your vacation and you probably want to sleep in. However, a Disney World vacation is not the type of vacation to sleep in. Plan on getting up early and arriving to the Disney Theme Parks at least 15 minutes before the gates open. It is cooler in the morning and you will be amazed how much of the Disney Park you can get through before the crowds hit.

Don't Wait in Lines - Waiting in lines, makes the heat seem even even hotter! Minimize your waits by arriving early, using the FastPass system, and using the Extra Magic Hours. Even during the popular summer months, you can visit at Disney Theme Park without having to wait in those long lines.

Taking an Afternoon Break at your Hotel - One of the favorite locals tips is taking a break from 12-2 PM from the Disney Theme Parks. Head back to your Disney Resort or Orlando Hotel and enjoy a nap or take a dip in the pool. It will refresh you and get you ready to head back to the park for evening activities.

Plan on Rain - It rains almost every afternoon in Orlando! Plan for it by bringing ponchos or umbrellas. When it rains, don't leave the parks. Once the rain lets up, you can enjoy a little bit cooler weather and fewer crowds.

Wear Good Clothes - Plan on wearing a hat, Tevas or tennis shoes, and light clothing. We love Columbia clothes or exercise clothing with the dry weave. It helps keep you cooler and dryer. Many of the Theme Parks have water rides that will help keep you cool at the parks. However, you want to wear clothing that drys quickly. Wearing thick clothing light jeans or sweatshorts and you will be uncomfortable while you slowly dry. You want to wear cool clothing and clothing that can dry quickly.

Take Eating & Drinking Breaks - During your day at the Disney Theme Parks, take little stops in the restaurants to grab a quick drink and snack or just to plan your next attraction. Little 15 minute stops in restaurants will refresh your group for the next adventure.

Purchase a Battery Operated Fan - Just the other day I saw those cute little battery operated fans at Walgreens. They are $3-5 if you purchase them at home before your trip. Disney sells these same type fans, but at a much higher price. These are perfect entertainment for kids and will help keep you cool waiting for a show or in a line. Buy a fan for everyone!

Don't forget the Little Ones - The strollers can get really hot for the little ones. Plan on purchasing battery operated fans to strap onto the strollers. You may even want to pack a little screen to put over the stroller to block out the sun. Even pack a light washcloth to wet throughout the day to keep them cooler.

Most important - don't forget the sunblock! We see so many guests that get red on the first day of their vacation. Spending the days outside in the heat with a sunburn makes for a very miserable vacation. Wear hats, cool clothes and wear that sunblock. Contact us at Destinations in Florida Travel for more info about planning a Disney World vacation.

Extra Magic at the Disney World Resorts

The Disney World Resorts are surrounded by the Disney Magic 24 hours a day. One of our favorite bits of magic is provided by the Housekeeping Department. The Housekeeping Department at the Disney World Resorts do an excellent job of keeping your room clean and providing towels, bed rails, and even mini-refrigerators for your visit. Anything you may need and they are a quick phone call away. That is the typical customer service you expect when you stay at a hotel. What makes the Disney Magic are the extra touches you receive or sometimes called Magical Moments.

One of my favorite Disney Magic shines through as you walk a Disney Resort like Disney's All Star Music Resort. As you walk around the resort, you will see this magic in the form of stuffed animal displays in the guest room windows. You may even find a bunny that is made out of a washcloth or your child's stuffed animals displayed in the window looking outside. These special touches are the extras that you will see during your Disney World vacation. That extra magic that makes you and your family smile! Contact us at Destinations in Florida Travel for more info about planning a Disney World vacation.

Pack an Extra Suitcase for a Disney World Vacation

Our tip of the day for a Disney World vacation is pack an extra suitcase for your Disney World vacation. One of the most popular activities on any vacation is shopping! There are lots of stores at the Walt Disney World Resort, so you will come home with more than you took to Disney World. You will need extra space to carry home your Disney stuff animals, unique International souvenirs from Epcot, or just Disney World t-shirts. Make sure you are prepared for your trip home by having extra space in your suitcase for souvenirs. We always suggest taking an extra suitcase, just for souvenirs for your trip home. Happy Shopping! Contact us at Destinations in Florida Travel for more info about planning a Disney World vacation.

The Magic of a Disney World Vacation

On a recent trip to Disney World I grabbed the popular turkey leg and just sat on a bench to "people watch". Ask any Disney Cast Member and this is usually one of the "attractions" at the Disney Theme Parks. It helps you see what really happens to the guests during their days at the Disney Theme Parks. As I was sitting there I started thinking about growing up and visiting Disney World as a kid. I could remember many of my fun Disney World vacations with my family. I started thinking about favorite presents that I got growing up and I could not really think of any presents. In our lives the memories tend to be what we remember, not as much things. I could not remember a single present, but I could remember many great memories of my Disney World vacations growing up.

When thinking about a way to remember a birthday, consider a Disney World vacation instead of a party with presents. Make a birthday to remember with Mickey Mouse! Click here for birthday party freebies at Disney World. Contact us at Destinations in Florida Travel for more info about planning a Disney World vacation.

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort - Newly Renovated Rooms

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort is a popular Disney Moderate Resort at Walt Disney World. This resort is going through a resort room renovations including new carpet, bedding, decorations and more. It is a beautiful renovation with bright colors and new dark woods. The renovation is incredible, but the bedding is going to be the popular update on this room renovation. The huge improvement over the older rooms are the new Queen Beds instead of Double Beds. In the past, only the Disney Deluxe Resorts offered Queen Beds. Now, the less expensive Disney Moderate Resorts have the larger beds for a more comfortable vacation.

For more information or questions at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, click here.

Walt Disney World is StormReady

Planning your Disney World vacation during hurricane season, you can feel safe knowing that Disney World is StormReady. The National Weather Service has recognized the Walt Disney World Resort for their leadership in emergency management as a StormReady community.

The StormReady program helps community leaders and emergency managers improve communication and safety procedures to protect lives and property before and during severe weather events. The Walt Disney World Resort made history in 2006 as the nation's first theme park and resort area to be recognized as a StormReady Community and remains the only acknowledged commercial site in Florida.

You should feel confident that the Walt Disney World Resort is always thinking about their guests to make sure they have a safe and magical vacation. Contact us at Destinations in Florida Travel for more info about planning a Disney World vacation.

Get 3 Nights Free at Disney World

There is still plenty of time to save hundreds or thousands of dollars on a Disney World vacation this Spring and Summer. Disney's discount package allows you to stay at a Disney Resort for 4 nights with a 4-Day Pass and you get 3 extra nights and 3 extra days at the Disney Theme Parks for free. The promotion runs from January-April 6 and then April 19-August 15. This is the best deal that Disney has ever offered on vacations, especially if you are staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort. Just yesterday, I priced a family of 4 at Disney's Polynesian Resort at retail rate and then with the Stay 4 Get 3 Promotion. We were able to save this guest over $1,300 on their trip by using this discount promotion. It is an incredible savings!

This discount package is only available for a limited time. You must book your package with a deposit by January 24. For an added bonus, book your vacation before March 27 and get an extra $200 Disney Gift Card to use during your vacation on meals, souvenirs, tours, and more. This is a nice little bonus! Click here for details.

Sparkling Seasons at Disney World

Festivities and fun fill the 2008 Holiday Season at the Walt Disney World® Resort. The spectacular celebrations will unwrap with not-to-miss merriment, as the Walt Disney World Resort is transformed into a winter wonderland. This spirited season, you can experience time-honored favorites mixed with some new features!

Cinderella's Castle in Magic Kingdom® Park sparkles with 200,000 twinkling lights as part of the return of our newest holiday tradition—Castle Dreamlights! Donning their holiday finest, Cinderella and friends take to the Cinderella Castle stage daily for a dream-come-true, light-the-night moment. This glistening spectacle will signal the start of Disney’s holiday season.

By late November, festivities will cover the Walt Disney World Resort, as Epcot®, Disney’s Hollywood Studios™, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® and Downtown Disney unwrap merry, magical moments for Guests.There is sure to be a galore of astounding spectacles in store for you!

Here are the holiday highlights:

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
From 7 p.m. to midnight on select evenings during November and December, Guests can experience special holiday entertainment at a special after-hours party inside the Magic Kingdom Park. The event features “Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade,” Mickey's "Twas the Night Before Christmas" Show, the festive fireworks spectacular of Holiday Wishes—Celebrate the Spirit of the Season, Disney character greetings, and cookies, cocoa and “snow” on Main Street U.S.A.® Plus, you can use some of the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions! Admission to this event requires a separately priced ticket.

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights
As "snow" falls overhead, the Streets of America backlot cityscape at Disney's Hollywood Studios comes alive Nov. 28, 2008-Jan. 4, 2009. With millions of holiday lights that “dance” to a high-energy holiday symphony, Guest will see animated sparkling displays that create twirling carousels, marching toy soldiers and even Santa and his reindeer taking flight. The “dancing lights” musical moments occur every 10 minutes and are included with Disney's Hollywood Studios admission.

Holidays Around the World and Candlelight Processional
An Epcot tradition continues Nov. 28-Dec. 30, 2008, with holiday customs from around the globe, international storytellers, a nightly tree-lighting ceremony featuring Disney characters, a stunning display of snow-white and colored lights, and Candlelight Processional. One of the most beloved holiday traditions at Epcot is the Candlelight Processional – a joyous retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and a glorious mass choir. It takes place nightly at World Showcase, America Gardens Theatre at 5:00, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m.

The World Showcase Promenade comes alive nightly at 9:30 p.m. with the brilliance and splendor of music, lights, lasers, water fountains and custom pyrotechnics in our signature nighttime spectacular: llumiNations: Reflections of Earth. Every night presents a unique, holiday finale. All of the Epcot holiday fun is included with regular theme park admission.

Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade
Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade blends the spirit of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park with the spirit of the season for a Holiday offering full of jump, joy and jive!Mickey has invited a special group of friends to join him on a Holiday adventure! The parade is filled with the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings of the Holiday Season. They’ve added Holiday accessories to their safari costumes with seasonal music for a combination that celebrates the Holidays as only Disney’s Animal Kingdom can.

Festivals of the Seasons at Downtown Disney Area
Holiday shopping is easier than ever at Downtown Disney! From Nov. 28-Dec. 24, 2008, it features shopping adventures for every age, interest and budget, including Once Upon a Toy, filled with exclusive playthings from Disney and Hasbro; World of Disney, the world’s largest character emporium, plus Virgin™ Megastore, LEGO Imagination Center and Disney’s Days of Christmas holiday shop. Holiday-themed décor, colorful light displays and photo opportunities with old St. Nick himself offer yuletide cheer. Also, little princesses can get decked out for the holiday’s finest at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

For more information, click here to visit Destinations in Florida Travel.

On December 1, you can start booking Birthday Celebrations at Goofy's Candy Co at Downtown Disney Marketplace. These new birthday celebrations give you one more way to celebrate a child's birthday during a Disney World vacation. Some of the birthday celebrations include Goofy's Scien-Terrific Birthday Bash and Disney's Perfectly Princess Party. Goofy's Scien-Terrific Bash will include crazy science experiments that turn into tasty treats. They even have glow glasses for the kids. Very cool! For those little Princesses, you can enjoy your own Princess Birthday Party with royal treats and games. The birthday party includes a private party room, hosts, invitations, thank you cards, decorations, games and treats. This is a fun way to celebrate your child's birthday at Walt Disney World with family and friends.

For more information, call 407-WDW-BDAY or talk with your Disney Specialist at Destinations in Florida Travel.

Fall Activities at Disney World

Did you know Disney isn’t just for families and children? Guests traveling without children are able to vacation during non-peak periods to enjoy a variety of activities. Fall is full of special rates and exciting activities your family may enjoy at the Walt Disney World®.

Whether you are looking for a reunion with friends, a romantic getaway or anything in between, there is sure to be something to suit your tastes this fall. Guests looking for a challenge should look no further than Disney’s championship golf courses. These critically acclaimed courses feature all the magic of Disney and play host to the pros during the PGA Tour’s Children’s Miracle Network Classic. These courses offer Guests a range of difficulty, so every golfer has the perfect combination of challenge and fun for their skill level.

For a more relaxing vacation, be sure to enjoy the world-class spa and health clubs located at the Walt Disney World Resort. Indulge yourself in rejuvenating treatments for the face, body and spirit while enjoying full-service spa offerings, including an array of massage therapies, facials, aromatherapies, signature services and workout machinery.

Your can sample the finest regional cuisine from around the world or learn from renowned winemakers while enjoying the magic of Disney at the 13th Annual Epcot® International Food and Wine Festival from Sept. 26 – Nov. 9, 2008. Special opportunities, like programs, demonstrations and dining experiences make this festival one your taste buds will never forget!

Experience the magic of Disney your way this fall!

Disney World Deal - Stay 4 Nights Get 3 Nights FREE

It is true, for 2009 Disney is offering free nights and free tickets to Disney World. If you book a Disney Resort and a 4 Day Pass, you will get 3 extra nights and 3 extra days worth of tickets for FREE! For guests staying at a Disney Moderate or Disney Deluxe Resort, this is the best deal that Disney has ever offered. For those guests who always wanted to stay at a Disney Deluxe Resort, now is your chance. Or, you can just save some money and stay at one of the favorites like Disney's All Star Resorts. This promotion is good for vacation dates from January 4-April 4 or April 19-June 27.

To make this promotion even better, book your trip between the dates of January 4-March 29 and get an additional $200 Disney Gift Card to use during your vacation on merchandise, recreation, meals and more. Talk about savings! Hurry - this discount promotion ends on December 20. You do have to have a package booked with a deposit before this date. For more information, click here.

Buy Disney World Tickets - Get FREE Stuff

Destinations in Florida Travel is offering two promotions this summer on Disney World tickets! If you purchase Disney World tickets for 3-Days or longer and add the Park Hopper Option or Waterparks, Fun and More Option, you will get a free Disney Gift Cards. For each ticket ordered, you will receive a $5 Disney Gift Card to use on shopping, recreation, or dining during your Disney World vacation. If you order (4) Disney World tickets, you will get (4) $5 Disney Gift Cards for a total of $20. It is a great little bonus to use during your Disney World vacation!

Besides the Disney Gift Cards, each Disney World ticket purchase will also include the Timesavers Guide to Disney World ebook. This ebook is valued at $29.95 and is FREE with every Disney World ticket purchase. The Timesavers Guide to Disney World is a great way to save time during the busier summer months. This guide includes tips from Disney Cast Members who work at the Theme Parks and even planned itineraries to maximize your vacation. This free gift is included with every Disney Ticket this summer.

Buy your tickets with Destinations in Florida Travel to save money, save time, and get FREE stuff! For more information on Disney World tickets, click here.

Pizza Planet at Disney's Hollywood Studios

It seems like Disney has Pixar Characters throughout the Walt Disney World Resort from Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom Park to Finding Nemo - The Musical at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Did you know that Disney even has a restaurant called Pizza Planet themed after the restaurant in the Toy Story movie? You and your family can have lunch or dinner at Pizza Planet located at Disney's Hollywood Studios. This counter service/quick service restaurant features pizza (of course), salads and desserts. After you enjoy your meal, you can play some fun arcade games. Pack some cash because the arcade games are extra. You can plan your meal around the Toy Story Characters Meet & Greets outside the Pizza Planet. This is a favorite restaurant for kids of all ages.

O'Hanas at Disney's Polynesian Resort at Disney World

One of my favorite activities during a Disney World vacation is Character Dining. The main reason I like the Character Dining is because this is a LINE FREE way to visit with your favorite Characters. At your Character Dining experience, the Characters come directly to your table to spend time with your family. You can get pictures, autographs, or just goof around with your favorite Character. These are usually the memories your family will remember about your trip to Disney World!

One of the most popular restaurants for Character Dining is O'Hanas at Disney's Polynesian Resort. This restaurant is near the Magic Kingdom Park, so this is a great restaurant for a day at Magic Kingdom. This restaurant sits on the top floor of the Ceremonial House overlooking the Seven Seas Lagoon and Cinderella's Castle. O'Hanas serves breakfast with some of your favorite Disney Characters. The Characters include Lilo, Stitch, Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Pluto. The Characters are subject to change, but these are the usual Characters at this breakfast.

O'Hanas Character Breakfast features the typical breakfast favorites including scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, fresh fruit, island style potatos, and assorted breads including the ever popular Hawaiian bread. The meal is an all-you-can-eat served family sytle. As you are enjoying your breakfast, one Disney Character at a time will wander up to your table. Take your time getting your family pictures and autographs. The Characters will stay at your table for as long as you need them. You will get some of the best family pictures during your meal.

This Character Breakfast is $18.99 per adult plus tax/tip and $10.99 per child (3-9) plus tax/tip. This is the only downside of a Character Dining experience is the price. This is one of the most expensive breakfasts you will probably ever eat. However, it is certainly worth the price. You will have a wonderful breakfast in a fantastic location overlooking Cinderella's Castle. Plus, you will get some amazing pictures of the Disney Characters with your family. We highly recommend O'Hanas at Disney's Polynesian Resort.

For more information about O'Hanas, click here. Destinations in Florida Travel is a Authorized Disney Vacation Planner specializing in Disney vacations including Disney World, Disney Cruise, and Adventures by Disney. Our company is based in Orlando, Florida and many of our agents work at the Disney Theme Parks. We are experts in planning Disney World vacations!

Save Money this Summer on a Disney World Vacation

Come to Disney World this summer to see the new Toy Story Mania attraction and save money! Disney recently kicked off a new discount for guests visiting Disney World this summer from May 26-June 7. This promotion is a room only discount that includes your room/tax and some free perks including Magical Express transfers and baggage handling and Extra Magic Hours.

The discount is based on availability at the Disney Deluxe Villas including Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort, Disney's Old Key West, Disney's Beach Club Villas, Disney's Boardwalk Villas, and The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort. This discount is a good savings on Disney Deluxe Resorts. The starting price in a Deluxe Studio is just $15 more per night than a Disney Moderate Resort. For just $15 more per night, you can upgrade to a nicer Disney Resort with Queen Beds (instead of Double Beds) and enjoy more resort amenities and in room amenities. This is a great way to enjoy a Disney World vacation!

Here are some sample prices with this discount promotion:

Disney's Saratoga Springs in a Deluxe Studio: $204 per night plus tax
Disney's Saratoga Springs in a 1-Bedroom Villa: $319 per night plus tax
Disney's Saratoga Springs in a 2-Bedroom Villa: $519 per night plus tax
Disney's Boardwalk Villas in a Deluxe Studio: $259 per night plus tax
Disney's Boardwalk Villas in a 1-Bedroom Villa: $384 per night plus tax
Disney's Boardwalk Villas in a 2-Bedroom Villa: $684 per night plus tax

Plus, receive an extra perk when you book with Destinations in Florida Travel! Book at least 5 nights and receive a $50 Disney Gift Card to use during your vacation. This Disney Gift Card is good on meals, merchandise, recreation, and more. Click here to request a quick quote for your Disney World vacation this May or June.

Review of Toy Story Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios

There was lots of excitement last weekend at Disney's Hollywood Studios as thousands of Annual Passholders got a sneak peek at the new attraction called Toy Story Mania. Several of our agents at Destinations in Florida Travel, headed off to Disney's Hollywood Studios to see this new ride. The whole area surrounding Toy Story Mania was closed off, so many guests did not even know this new ride was there hidden behind the walls. We showed our ID's and headed into the Toy Story Mania area to find out there was a 90 minute wait for this new ride. Not wanting to miss this brand new ride, we waited the 90 minutes that actually turned out to be 2 hours.

Even though it was a 2 hour wait, the queue line was incredible. There were so many Toy Story toys to look at from game boards, Andy's house, Lincoln Log house, barrel of monkeys to an interactive Mr. Potato Head (life size). Disney is making the waiting experience more and more enjoyable with each new ride. All of the adults were entertained. We even had a preschooler with our group (age 4) and he was actually happy during the whole 2 hour wait.

The ride is themed with the Toy Story Characters as you play midway carnival games. You are on a car that moves around while you play these games. One game is a ring toss, a different game involves shooting darts, another game involves breaking plates. Each game is centered around carnival games. You earn points during the whole ride. To make the ride more fun, you wear 3-D glasses and the whole ride is in 3-D. It is a really fun way to enjoy a ride!

The official grand opening is this week for Toy Story Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We highly recommend this ride for families of all ages. It is fun for preschoolers, kids, teens, and adults. For us, it was worth the long wait. However, for guests visiting Disney World we suggest taking advantage of the FastPass with this ride. With Fast Pass and the Extra Magic Hours, you should never have to wait more than 30 minutes for a ride at Disney World. Take advantage of the FastPass for this ride.

You can experience the new Toy Story Mania right from home. Check out our video from the preview this weekend at Toy Story Mania. Enjoy!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtCza2-zvOc

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Ultimate Pet for Disney Fans

Over the weekend one of our agents found the ultimate pet for Disney fans! There is a fish called a Mickey Mouse Platy. This small fish that looks like a goldfish, but with a little black Mickey Mouse head on the tail. This is a freshwater fish, so there is very little care involved with this pet. It is a fun pet for Disney fans of all ages! Check out your local pet store for this fun pet.

Plan a Last Minute Trip to Disney World

A perfect time to come to Disney World is this April or May. The weather is beautiful and it is the slowest times for crowds until Fall. You can also save money with a discount Disney World package and lower prices on airfare. Disney has a discount package saving you money on a Magic Your Way Package that includes your room and theme park tickets. Plus, you can save an extra 30% off your meals by adding the Dining Plan.

This time of year is a great time to visit for airline discounts. Even with the rising fuel costs, the airlines are offering some low priced discounts for the end of Spring. Jet Blue is offering prices from $39 each way while Southwest is offering prices from $49 each way. Beat the summer heat and crowds and plan a last minute trip to Disney World! Hurry - these discounts are booking up quickly and Disney's discount package ends on April 19.

Coca Cola or Pepsi at Disney World

It is funny that we are actually writing a blog about beverages at the Walt Disney World Resort. Our agents get a lot of strange questions about the Disney World Resorts and Theme Parks. We are surprised that one of the more popular questions is what beverages are served at Disney World. Since this is such a popular question, we decided to write a blog with this answer for all to view. The soda company of the Walt Disney World Resort is Coca Cola. This includes Coke, Sprite and Diet Coke. If you are a Pepsi fan, sorry! Mickey Mouse is a fan of Coca Cola!