The new Fastpass+ enhancements began this week! If you haven’t seen the news, you can now receive a new Fastpass+ selection once your first three have been used. But, you need to make these reservations at a FPP Kiosk in the park, not through the My Disney Experience app, at least not yet! This option gives you the opportunity to park hop and secure a Fastpass for that park. For Example: If you are at Magic Kingdom and have used your three choices, you can then hop to EPCOT and head to a kiosk to select an available Fastpass for a ride there.
In my opinion, this is a good step toward getting Fastpass+ to a level that we will all find optimal. It is my hope that Disney will get things set up so you can use these, and future options, with the use of the app OR any kiosk in any park. After all, they want everyone to be able to have a magical experience!
In the end, I think that we, the guests, will benefit from any further enhancements made to the system!
For now, have a Blessed and Magical day, my friends!!
I just wanted to go on record as stating, that the Disney Classic “Pollyanna” is still an excellent movie! As I sit here with my two daughters, I noticed that they are completely engrossed in the story. And, though my oldest began comparing it to the book, she has settled in and is now following along!
If you haven’t exposed your children to this, or any other Disney Classics, may I suggest that you consider adding them to your library, or borrow them from your Public library!
The Fort Wilderness Campground at the Walt Disney World Resort may not always get the attention it deserves! And, this IS on my short list of places to stay within the magical dome that won’t break the bank!
Fort Wilderness is the home away from home, the ‘roughing it’ part of the Disney World Complex. There are some tent sights available, but mostly sights set up for RVs of all shapes and sizes! You can have as many or as few comforts of home as you like at any given sight. Each area is called a Circle and can be a little community within the community of Ft. W.
Fort Wilderness has an internal bus system that can connect you to Disney Transport via bus or ferryboat to your desired location. If you are going to the Magic Kingdom, you may want to take the ferry from the dock directly to the entrance of Magic Kingdom Park. You can also ferry to any of the monorail resorts if you have a dining reservation. Just check times once you arrive! If you are going to EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or even Downtown Disney, you will been to use the internal system to get to the Outpost Depot to catch a bus to your destination.
One of the nice things about Fort Wilderness is the ‘away from the hustle and bustle’ feeling you can have as part of your experience! When you return to your campground, it’s quiet and far enough away that you don’t hear a lot of the road noise, guest noises, and you may actually be able to see the stars!
If you want a campfire, be aware that you will need to bring your own contained campfire pit to use. There is an approved list available, see picture to the right! Firewood IS available at the Outpost! There are also planned campfire activities offered by Fort Wilderness which includes a movie and food options. You can even make S’mores!
Approved Campsite Pits
As an example, the cost of my family of 5 to stay at Fort Wilderness would be $2529.97 including a 7-day MYW with Hopper and Water Park and More option, AND the Plus Dining Plan. The site, according to Disney Reservations includes:
Secluded Tent/Pop-Up Campsites include hookups for power and water, as well as picnic table and charcoal grill. High-speed Internet access is available. All campsites are bordered by lush green wilderness and are only steps away from Disney magic. Nearby, you will find deluxe, air-conditioned Comfort Stations with restrooms, private showers, ice dispensers, laundry facilities and pay phones. This campsite category is restricted to tents and vans or pop-up type vehicles only. Motorhomes and fifth-wheels cannot be accomodated in this category. For those and other types of RVs, please select one of our other well-appointed campsite categories.
The following equipment is best suited to our Tent Pop/Up Campsites:
Truck/Van Camper
Truck/Van Camper with Additional Tents
Pop Up Camper
Pop Up Camper with Additional Tents
Tents
A Preferred Site costs: 2604.16 for: Premium campsites include hookups for water, power, sewer and cable. High-speed Internet access is available. These secluded, big-rig-friendly accommodations are only steps away from Disney magic and provide all the room and amenities RVers are looking for, plus a little extraincluding a large level paved pad, upgraded picnic table and grill, as well as prime locations in the Resort. Nearby, you will find deluxe, air-conditioned Comfort Stations with restrooms, private showers, ice dispensers, laundry facilities and pay phones. If you are bringing your pets, be sure to request a pet-friendly campsite. (Restrictions and charges apply.)
The following equipment is best suited to our Premium Campsites:
Most big-rigs
Motor Home
Motor Home with Additional Tents
5th Wheel
5th Wheel with Additional Tents
Travel Trailer
Travel Trailer with Additional Tents
Truck/Van Camper
Truck/Van Camper with Additional Tents
Pop Up Camper
Pop Up Camper with Additional Tents
Getting to know the Layout of Fort Wilderness
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Disney Travel or your Authorized Disney Vacation Planner for more information!
Thanks for reading! Without your support, I would have a hard time sitting down and working on this blog! I appreciate each and every one of you! Have a Blessed and Magical Weekend, my friends!!
Walt Disney World has announced the EPCOT After Hours Wind Down for visitors around the World Showcase after Illuminations! on Thursday through Sunday. There are four World Showcase Restaurants participating in this experience. They are: Rose and Crown Pub, Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar, Spice Road Table near Morocco, and La Cave del Tequila. The cost is $35 per person and includes one drink and a selection of light snacks. Remember, tax and gratuity are extra!
Though I have not had this experience myself, I am going to give you my take on it anyway. I am part of a family that does not drink alcohol. Personally, I don’t like what it does to me, and I choose NOT to drink it! Now, I understand that this is being marketed mostly toward adults, and I appreciate that very much! I would love to have some time to enjoy an nearly empty park with my wife! However, I wonder if Disney would consider offering a similar package with non-alcoholic drinks to consume?
As for the cost, I feel it’s a bit steep for what you get in return. I would possibly be willing to pay $20 – $25 per person for this, but $70 for two is just a little too much! And, it would be even more worthwhile if you were at least allowed to stroll the promenade after your experience at your restaurant of choice.
One more thing! As far as I can tell, there is no provision for Disney Dining Plan or Tables in Wonderland holders. It appears that this is strictly a special event ticket experience!
Let me know if you partake of the EPCOT After Hours Wind Down, I’d love to hear about your adventure!
This may be old news by now, but yesterday Walt Disney World announced that beginning Monday, April 28 that Fastpass+ will be able to get more than 3 FP+ per day and also allow Park-Hopping.
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Guests will be able to make one additional selection at a time, based on availability. After they redeem that additional selection, they can go to a FastPass+ kiosk to make another selection, and so on. (The additional FastPass+ selections must be made at a kiosk only.)
Guests will be able to make their additional selection(s) for an experience at which they already redeemed a FastPass+ selection earlier that day.
Guests with valid park-hopping privileges will be able to make their additional selection(s) at another park. Those selections must be made at a kiosk in the park where the desired experience is located.
Stay tuned to Disney Travel News for more MyMagic+ information.
In the words of my beloved wife…”That’s All I Wanted!”
The ambiance Walt Disney World, during the day, is always exciting to see for the first time on each trip. At night, however, it becomes an extraordinarily different and quite beautiful place to be, especially in the parks!
Night time at Main Street U.S.A.
Main Street U.S.A. lends itself well to the beauty of transformation as day becomes night. The lights on Main Street line the buildings and provide eye-popping glimpses at the detail created by WDW Imagineers. The view from the train station gives you a view that includes Cinderella’s Castle framed by the lighting of the buildings. And, the reverse view can be equally pleasing!
One of my favorite places to be in the evening is World Showcase at EPCOT! The lighting is not over-powering at all! It also provides a somewhat romantic setting, if you are wanting to impress your sweetheart with your timing. Throw in a nice romantic setting along the promenade, at say Spice Road Table, and you can’t lose! Top that off with Illuminations! and you may have just fallen in love all over again!
Disney’s Hollywood Studio offers a whole different scene with it’s evening lighting. For the most part, is holds up to the glamour of the Lights of Hollywood! A lot of neon and bright lights are reminiscent of the flavor of the old movie capital of the world! The main part of this lighting is found on Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd.
So, take a trip for two to the Vacation Kingdom, slow down a little and take in the scenery, and reconnect with the love of your life!
Whenever I am getting ready for a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort, I have to make sure that I plan in some time to walk at least 3 times a week for at least two months ahead of my visit. The reason is that an average day at any Disney World park you could walk 7 to 10 miles. That’s a lot of time on your feet! So, I recommend that anyone planning a vacation build in some time to prepare physically, in addition to all of the other preparations you may be making ahead of time.
You also want to make sure you have good shoes on your feet! I suggest a good walking or cross-training sneaker, and don’t be cheap about it! Make sure they are a good fit, and buy them a few weeks ahead of you WDW adventure to allow for time to break them in to add comfort to your feet while walking.
Finally, take some type of first aid just in case you do form blisters. These can be VERY uncomfortable and really put a damper on your vacation! We have found that moleskin works quite well, and is available at most drug store and other retail establishments. If you are in a pinch, the gift shops at the resorts carry it in stock, but be prepared to pay for it!
Care for your feet will add miles of enjoyment to your Walt Disney World vacation!
My daughters made an interesting observation today! There isn’t much for guys to do in the way of meeting characters! I thought that was quite a statement from them! So, here are my thoughts on the subject…
Personally, I have no problem meeting The Princesses! But, I could see where some may have an issue with that. I would think it might be a bit of an attraction if the powers that be at Walt Disney World would maybe pair the Princesses up with the Princes. In today’s world, there are few positive role models for our boys to glean things like manors, courtesy, and chivalry! However, with every prince comes the opportunity to make an impression that could last a lifetime with our young men!
My son with Eeyore, His favorite!
At this point, I would say that the characters that might draw the smaller boys would be Pooh and friends, Mickey Mouse, Pluto, and Goofy. I suppose The Pirates League could pull the men and boys in, but at nearly $30 each, it could be cost prohibitive! Woody can be found near Splash Mountain, along with Jessie.
Now, during Star Wars Weekends (SWW), there are special Meet and Greets at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that include Star Wars characters or Disney characters dressed in Star Wars garb. These are also for a price! You may also find the Disney Characters around various venues during SWW!
Even making The Beast more available might be considered an act of good faith from Disney in the attempt to make the parks more attractive to our boys! Why? In the end, he makes the right decision and chooses to sacrifice for what is important to him. A trait that, I believe, has been watered down in recent years.
So, what this all comes down to, is I think there needs to be more of a draw for our sons, of all ages, to Walt Disney World! I’d love to hear any ideas my readers might have! Please respond in the comments below!
I’ll bet some of my fellow ‘enthusiasts’ saw the title thinking,oh joy, we’re going to talk about that old attraction at the Imagination Pavilion! Well, as much as I actually loved that movie, uh, NO, we are not talking about that Making Memories!
Today, I want to give you a quick take on the Memory Maker package being offered at Walt Disney World to help enhance your visit to the Walt Disney World Resort. To begin, Memory Maker is a new package that combines all of the elements that were previously offered separately. PhotoPass was the service where PhotoPass Photographers would greet you in the parks and snap pictures of your party near an iconic park attraction (such as Cinderella’s Castle or Spaceship Earth). Dining Photo Packages were offered at various restaurants around the resort. Chef Mickey’s and 1900 Park Fare just to name a few, were included in these venues. And, ride photos captured aboard some of your favorite, if not more terrifying, attractions. Splash Mountain and Tower of Terror are examples of those offerings.
Memory Maker combines ALL of those elements under a single umbrella for you to use during your vacation visit. You can purchase your MM package at: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/memory-maker/ BEFORE you leave for your vacation. You must make the purchase at least 3 days in advance of your first in park day. I would suggest a bit sooner just to be sure! The cost is $149.00 if you make the purchase before your leave. If you decide to purchase on site, the cost jumps to $199.00 for the package.
Memory Maker can be linked to the MagicBands of everyone in your party, and can be viewed on your Memory Maker online account beginning no later than 30 days after your first usage. You must complete your downloads no later than 45 days after your first usage. And, should pictures not find their way to your online wallet, you can call 407-560-4300 for assistance in rounding up any photos that have wandered off. And, the success rate has been pretty good from what I have heard!
Attractions that you can get pictures on are: Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Tower of Terror, Rock and Rollercoaster, Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, and Test Track.
Dining Experiences include Breakfast at ‘Ohana, 1900 Park Fare, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Chef Mickey’s, Tusker House, Akershus in Norway, Hoop-Dee-Do-Revue and Spirit of Aloha.
You can also find photographers at Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, as well as Downtown Disney! You may even come across some during Holiday Parties or in the Resorts during the holidays near the Christmas Tree.
I’d love to hear of your experiences, so please feel free to leave comments at the bottom of this post!
In all of the stories I have heard about how Walt Disney began his business, his brother was always a part of the equation! Roy Disney was a money man! He knew how to make a dime seem like a dollar and he also knew how to raise the funds needed for any project Walt could come up with in time. One of the stories I have heard says that at one point, Walt looked at his brother, Roy, and said just make it happen! Walt was a dreamer and Roy was a doer!
As much as we owe our thanks to Walt Disney for dreaming up all of these ideas that we, as Disney enthusiasts, get to enjoy, we owe Roy O. Disney thanks for helping those dreams to become reality! Especially after Walt’s death on December 15, 1966. After much debate, and deliberation, Roy Disney agreed to step up and finish “The Florida Project”! He brought together the right team of people to get the job done, and WOW, could they build!
Roy’s Window Main Street U.S.A. from WDWRadio.com
Roy has two remembrances at The Magic Kingdom. One is a bench in Town Square that portrays Roy seated with Minnie, and the other is in one of the windows on the second floor of a building on Main Street U.S.A. Make sure to look up and pay a moment of tribute! Without Roy, there may very well have NEVER been a Walt Disney World!
threestrandswdw 