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Why I’m Skeptical of the Recently Announced "Nature-Inspired" DVC Resort

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Why I’m Skeptical of the Recently Announced “Nature-Inspired” DVC Resort

By this point in time, if you follow Disney Parks news or even quite possibly the news in general, you’ve likely heard that a press release this week shared a few subtle details of a project scheduled to become the next Disney Vacation Club Resort. A name for the new resort has yet to be announced and it is scheduled to open in 2022. The same press release shared that the resort will feature both villas and hotel rooms similar to the many other current DVC style resorts. The resort itself is planned to fill the land near what once was River Country. For years, the space has been untouched and while various tentative plans have circulated time and time again across the internet, this is the very first piece of definitive press release information Disney has shared of a “confirmed” project. 

At first, I was thrilled that this project and this space was finally going to be used in an entirely new way. The use of the space has been long overdue, but as I read more and more of the very short release Disney put out, I have to say my secondary and more in depth reaction was one that was almost pure disappointment. I hate to pass judgment on a project based on one conceptual image 4 years before the resort is set to debut, but at the same time this doesn’t scream “Disney” to me. That piece of the puzzle is likely my biggest concern for this project. 

I may be one of the few people that are thinking this but I cant help but notice that many of the new projects are starting to all have a distinct look. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of the look and while the projects have yet to be completed, I know I cant be the only one that feels this way. Just for reference, here’s the concept art for the new 15-story tower at Coronado Springs.   

Both of these projects, and other recent/ongoing resort projects and refurbishments, all have one thing in common. Every single resort appears to be working towards an incredibly modern look and feel while somewhat abandoning the intricate theming roots that Disney has become known for. Again, I’ll save final judgement for when the resorts officially open to guests and I get the opportunity to visit them first hand. At the same time I cant help but think that if any of these images were taken out of the Disney context of this article and the same renderings appeared on a Waldorf Astoria or even quite possibly a Four Seasons resort website, nobody would take a second look. 

Don’t get me wrong these still look like wonderful resorts, but if I’m traveling to Disney I don’t want just another luxury resort to stay in, I want something that’s memorable and uniquely different than all other resorts. When you put these renderings next to something like the Polynesian or even the Grand Floridian, there’s a piece of the Magic that appears to be missing from the equation. 

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Frankly, I hope I’m wrong and I hope we end up with a Bay Lake lakefront property complete with the awe inspiring details of a resort like the Grand Floridian or even Wilderness Lodge. This is certainly not a Boardwalk Resort level of theming in these prospective and in progress projections. Right now, the sole exception project to all of this is the Star Wars resort. That could be an experience that will transport you to an entirely different place and time! The Star Wars project as a whole certainly has it’s flaws but the resort looks like it could be the project that will be pushing the envelope, but it may also push the price point out of reach of many prospective guests.     

On a completely different side of things, I have an odd feeling that this project could have been prematurely announced. Something about it just doesn’t sit right with me and makes me question if it may be a project that gets canceled in the coming months/year. Disney is, without a doubt, looking for new and different ways to house the crowds that will inevitably be arriving in the parks once Galaxy’s Edge debuts and other pieces and parts of theme park projects unfold at Magic Kingdom with Tron and the ever developing Epcot revitalization effort. 

On a more positive note, the newly redesigned area of Caribbean Beach looks truly spectacular and the theming was very well implemented to both create a more modern look, but also retain theming aspects in a new and updated iteration. 

Something else to consider in all of this is how this resort could fit in with the current array of resorts on Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon. Will this resort get it’s own Magic Kingdom boat transportation or will it add another stop to the loop and increase the transit time to Magic Kingdom via watercraft? Will the resort affect the tucked away nature of the Fort Wilderness Campground and Cabins? Will this resort have any sort of River Country connection to the past? 

That last question leads me to my hopes for this resort. My hopes are that this resort exceeds my wildest expectations and harkens back to the natural influence that oh so many guests enjoyed at River Country. It was a place that was fun for all the right reasons and a place that continually exceeded expectations. Disney claims that the theming of the resort will be “inspired” by Walt Disney’s love of nature. In an ideal world of pure imagination (please tell me I’m not the only one who sang the song from Willy Wonka…. “Come with me… and you’ll be… in a world of pure imagination…”), this resort would feature a grand lagoon style pool with a new rendition of the classic River Country slides and waterpark elements. Of course, there’s no way it could be connected to Bay Lake today, but the reiteration itself could still take so many guests back to their childhood and be the perfect nostalgic resort in the heart of the magic. Will it happen? Probably not, but we can dream! 

On the other hand of all of this, Disney may have more details up their sleeve that could transform the project. Like I mentioned before, this is simply a slight glimpse into the design phase of the resort through a conceptual rendering. There could be, and there likely is, far more to the design than meets the eye. At this point though, I’ll remain skeptical with honest hopes that Imagineering will continue to exceed my wildest expectations as they have done time and time again in the past. 

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Your Thoughts

As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Need My Help?

Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or free-lance work at Guide4WDW@gmail.com. If you need a landscape or theme park photographer, feel free contact me with photo requests or contracts. All theme park writing and photos will be assessed on a case by case basis. 
For anyone else looking to give me a shout or to have their questions answered by me, feel free to contact me anytime via that same email address! I never charge anyone to answer a question and I do answer all of my emails personally.     

Need a Travel Planner?

If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.


Ready to Plan?

Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

     

My #1 Incredibly Simple Tip For All Walt Disney World Guests

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Over many years we’ve been asked Disney question after Disney question. What dining reservations do I make? What attractions should I ride? What resort should I stay in? While each and every one of those are valid questions, none of those answers are a part of my #1 tip for Disney World guests. 

To be quite honest with you, this may very well be the simplest of all the tips I’ve ever shared on this site and I can guarantee you it is the simplest Disney planning “secret” you will ever come across. My #1 tip for anyone, at any age, and any travel style is simply to take a moment and “take it all in.” Of course, that sounds incredibly vague and many will pass over this article calling it “click-bait”, but stick with me for a moment. 

My #1 Tip For Anyone Headed to Walt Disney World

When I say “take it all in” I’m not really recommending that you think throughout every moment of your trip about every element of what’s next and how you can keep improving your vacation and seeing more things. I’m actually recommending quite the opposite. As you tour the parks and resorts, take the time to step back form the hustle and bustle of jumping from attraction to attraction or dining reservation to dining reservation to enjoy the simple pleasures of Walt Disney World. Take a moment to glance around at your family or friends traveling with you (or if you’re traveling alone, the people around you) and record those moments in your mind. Develop those incredible memories that may very well be once in a lifetime opportunities. 
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I hate to imply anything for anyone, but none of us really know what tomorrow may bring. Enjoy your vacation with family and savor the little moments of the experience. To be quite honest with you, I’ve been traveling to Disney for years and can only recall one or two memories (out of hundreds) that involve an attraction directly. However, I can recall hundreds of memories off hand of the time spent with family and their reactions to the little things that unfolded around them at Walt Disney World. 

I’ve shared this so many times, but I truly believe that Walt Disney World memories aren’t a result of the attractions, resorts, or dining locations themselves, but rather the honest fellowship between friends and family that those attractions help develop. Walt stated a variation of this same concept very early on when he made his famous quote, “it takes people to make the dream a reality.” Obviously, Walt was referring to the people and incredible cast these parks have become known for, but the same idea can largely be applied to the Walt Disney World experience as a whole. It isn’t really about the attractions but rather the people riding the attractions and sharing those wonderful moments with you and around you that make the place magical. 

My #1 Tip For Anyone Headed to Walt Disney World

This is easily my simplest tip, but another thing worth mentioning is that as you step back and take it all in, be sure not to get so caught up in the abundance of “things to do” that you overlook the vast amount of little details Disney has built into every element of the parks. I’m a true believer in the fact that the smallest details truly make the largest difference in the end result. Learning some of the history of the parks (which you can hopefully find here on the site), uncovering some hidden gems before you go, or simply doing your research before you arrive at your resort can really set your Disney vacation apart from all other destinations. Again, this is an incredibly basic tip, but one that I recommend to anyone traveling to the Disney parks worldwide. You never know when something extremely minor could end up creating one of the greatest memories you’ve ever had.

My #1 Tip For Anyone Headed to Walt Disney World



Thanks for reading and if you enjoyed this article (which was a little change from our ordinary pace), be sure to share it with friends to help us out as we grow and develop the site for your future enjoyment!   

Your Thoughts

As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Need My Help?

Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or free-lance work at Guide4WDW@gmail.com. If you need a landscape or theme park photographer, feel free contact me with photo requests or contracts. All theme park writing and photos will be assessed on a case by case basis. 
For anyone else looking to give me a shout or to have their questions answered by me, feel free to contact me anytime via that same email address! I never charge anyone to answer a question and I do answer all of my emails personally.     

Need a Travel Planner?

If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.


Ready to Plan?

Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

GIVEAWAY: Win Two Tickets to a Walt Disney World Water Park!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

GIVEAWAY: Win Two Tickets to a Walt Disney World Water Park!  

Today we’re sharing something special! Rather than posting a trip planning article, we’re giving every one of our readers the opportunity to enter our biggest giveaway to date! Thanks to our friends over at Destinations to Travel, we have two Disney World Waterpark tickets to give away to one randomly selected reader who fills out the form at the bottom of this page and follows the instructions listed! Honestly, it’s that simple!

(Photo: wdwnews)

Why are we doing this? 

First and foremost, the Disney waterparks are vastly underrated in my opinion. Waterparks are often seen as an alternative to entering the four “main” parks. However, that shouldn’t be the case. Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are highly themed, story driven, and just as immersive as Disney’s four main Orlando area theme parks. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always visit the waterparks as often as I should, but I do have to say that I’m a little disappointed in myself for doing so.

One of my greatest memories of Walt Disney World was climbing to the very top of Blizzard Beach, hopping on a raft and sliding all the way down TeamBoat Springs. Everyone in the group had a huge smile on their face the entire ride down, and for some reason that’s always been one of those simple moments that has stuck with me for years. It wasn’t a grand spectacle fireworks extravaganza, or a once in a lifetime experience, but rather one of the simplest elements of a day in the waterparks that created a lasting memory for me and my family.

That’s what a Disney vacation is all about! You may not remember a specific attraction or a perfect fireworks viewing spot or even an iconic meal with your family years later but I will almost guarantee you that at some point during your vacation you’ll have a simple moment, when you least expect it, that will stick with for no apparent reason whatsoever. Chances are it wont be related to anything you see or do in the parks (even though it could be) but rather the result of just being there in the moment with family.

People say to “enjoy every minute” of your Disney trip, and this simple example is the perfect way to portray that oh so important concept.

The other reason we’re giving away these tickets is because, as mentioned in the intro, our friends over at Destinations to Travel offered them up to us and we can’t thank them enough for that! It’s because of them that we are even able to make this giveaway a reality. Here’s a closer look at why they’re our recommended Disney travel planner (clickable link).

How do you enter?

We made the entry process about as straightforward as we could have made it. At the bottom of this page you’ll find a form. Enter your name and email address, then visit the two Facebook pages listed. For bonus entries, look out for page two of the form before clicking away. Simple enough? The giveaway ends Saturday, November 3rd and you can enter one time per day! 

Why Should You Visit A Disney Water Park?

If you don’t win our giveaway, that’s okay! No matter what, I highly recommend visiting a Disney water park. While the story above is fairly self explanatory, I’m going to share 3 more reasons why you should visit a Disney Water Park in 2018 and 2019 just in case!

1. It’s cheaper than a park day

Believe it or not, water park tickets fall under a different cost structure than standard Disney park tickets when bought individually. With the new pricing changes and date-based cost structure officially debuted and in use, a waterpark day may be a good option if you’re looking to cut costs. You can add a waterpark option to your park ticket, but if you simply want to enjoy a day at a waterpark, stand alone tickets are relatively affordable!

2. It’s a new experience

It’s not unusual for many of us repeat visitors to Walt Disney World to get caught in a rut of doing the same thing each and every time we visit the parks. If you’re looking to try something new (which I highly recommend trying something new each and every trip) a waterpark is a great option. Even if you don’t spend a full day at the park, pair a waterpark day with a night at Disney Springs or a special table service meal and you’re set for a near ideal day on Disney property.

3. It may become a “must-do” experience

If you’ve not been to a Disney waterpark, you will likely be surprised by the depth of theming but also, and perhaps more impressed by, the entertainment value. The slides and experiences of a Disney waterpark are incomparable to other destinations across the country. They are the standard for cleanliness, the pinnacle of theming, and in my opinion the most enjoyable array of “attractions” of any waterpark I’ve been to. I’ve been to waterparks with top tier slides including Wildebeest at Holiday World’s Splashin’ Safari which was named the Word’s #1 Water Park Ride! I have to say, Disney’s waterparks still beat it in my mind time and time again. Don’t get me wrong, Wildebeest is an incredible slide, but Disney is just on a different level in various aspects. Still take the time to visit Holiday World if you ever get the chance but it’s, simply put, a different experience.

If you try a waterpark, I would almost guarantee you that you’ll return to that waterpark at some point. I may even add that it could become a “must-do” experience each and every time you visit Walt Disney World. If nothing else, they’re the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day!

Your Thoughts

As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Need My Help?

Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or free-lance work at Guide4WDW@gmail.com. If you need a landscape or theme park photographer, feel free contact me with photo requests or contracts. All theme park writing and photos will be assessed on a case by case basis. 
For anyone else looking to give me a shout or to have their questions answered by me, feel free to contact me anytime via that same email address! I never charge anyone to answer a question and I do answer all of my emails personally.     

Need a Travel Planner?

If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.

Ready to Plan?

Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way. 

8 Underrated Disney Dining Locations You Should Try!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin Kendall

8 Underrated Disney Dining Locations You Should Try! 

With the Disney parks continuously changing and growing year after year, it’s almost inevitable that a few dining locations throughout the parks and resorts will “fly under the radar” of most guests. Those little known or often overlooked dining locations tend to be some of the very best food offerings in all of Walt Disney World. 

In my opinion, dining is a huge part of any Disney vacation. It’s time to recharge after hours in the parks, a time to gather around the table with family or friends, and a time to create memories that you never quite expect. 

Disney dining, in many ways, has a unique way of bringing families together in ways in which we don’t always take the time to do when we’re at home and dealing with busy lives and different schedules that make it almost impossible to gather around the table as a family. To me, no matter how simple or how luxurious a meal is, a meal at Disney is a time to set the worries of life aside and is an opportunity to reconnect with those we care the most about. Often times it’s not about the meal itself, or the theming, or even the food (as much as I love the food!), but rather just being there in the moment.

Today’s list hinges on that thought process but we’ll also be looking at some of the lesser known or largely overlooked dining locations and meals you should consider during your next Disney vacation. Our “underrated selections” aren’t necessarily the least popular meals or even the tucked away gems of the parks, but rather the dining locations that many first time and even some returning guests walk right past or never even stop to consider before attempting to book the most popular table service locations or heading straight to the iconic counter service locations. We all have our favorites but you never know when something new may exceed your expectations and become a new favorite you return to year after year.  One of our goals when we travel is to try one new dining location each and every trip, and inevitably those new offerings become staple elements of future Disney trips.      
     
(Katsura Grill Gardens – #8)

1. Geyser Point 

Geyser Point is one of the few restaurants at Walt Disney World that I can say I’ve eaten at since it’s very first days open to the public. We loved it from day one! The location is spectacular, the views are second to none, and their cheeseburger paired with waffle fries is one of the best burgers on property. The outdoor area, which is full of fans and moving air, is perfect for a sunset meal overlooking the water and is the ideal hangout spot for warm summer nights or those perfect Florida spring temperatures. 

The location itself is a unique set up. There is a bar present, but there’s also designated seating for a table service-esque style meal. In addition to that there’s a walk up counter service area which is great for a quick meal. The food is great no matter how you order or what you order. I have yet to try anything I didn’t like. I you’re staying at the resort, consider heading to the Boulder Ridge pool where a cast member will bring your order out to you poolside! For a full look at the menu check this out.    

(Geyser Point Late Night Views)

2. Garden Grill 

Garden Grill is one of those restaurants that has undergone change after change over the years. Some changes were good, others were awful, but now the breakfast is one of the very best family style breakfasts on property. 

A few years back, we gave Garden Grill a second chance when their breakfast meal time offering debuted, and despite previous bad experiences, it exceeded our expectations. In previous years we had been really disappointed in the dinner menu, but we had always loved the unique scenery of the restaurant and the subtle rotation of the dining area so that guests could peer down on Living with the Land below. It’s an incredibly unique dining experience, but one that you hear very few things about in the online Disney community. If you’ve not tried it, be sure to add it to the list for your next Disney Vacation. The breakfast sticky bun is worth a visit all on it’s own! Here’s a closer look at the menu.     

In my opinion, this is the best table service breakfast in Epcot and while the price is fairly high, you do get the added bonus of it being a character meal for the kids in your group or those of us that are kids at heart. 


3. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn 

Moving over to a different realm of dining, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn is one of the best quick service restaurants in Magic Kingdom. The menu is relatively unique and features tacos, taco bowls, fajitas, and even nachos! The best part about all of this is that once you pick up your food there’s a large topping bar to add as little or as much as you’d like to your meal. There’s a variety of salsas, cheeses, and typical Mexican fare toppings and it is all kept incredibly neat and clean despite the massive crowds that can fill this restaurant during peak attendance days in the parks.

You may be asking why this is on our list if it’s crowded on most peak attendance days, but the answer is relatively simple. So many guests wrote off this dining location when the menu changed from burgers and fries to tacos and Mexican food. I’ve always been a huge proponent of a broader variety of food in the parks. This location is an ideal example of that! As a result, if you’re in the parks and want something other than burgers and fries, you not only have 1 alternative here but also Columbia Harbour House a short walk away with equally unique food that tastes great. Last but certainly not least, there’s no denying that Disney food is expensive, but if you’re getting food that tastes higher quality and is different than what you can find at other vacation destinations, it tends to make the cost more “worth it” in the end result. For a look at the whole menu check this out.       

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4. Kona Cafe 

Kona Cafe over at the Polynesian has notoriously been a dining location that you can typically walk up and get a reservation for. There are some exceptions to that on peak travel times, but for the most part it’s an overlooked hidden gem of a table service location. Kona often gets overshadowed by Ohana, but the food at Kona is much better than it gets credit for. The menu is unique and features a polynesian flair with the addition of pineapple and other citrus flavors into the food. It’s a pleasant change of pace when compare to some dining locations on property. 

Personally, I love Kona. Part of that is due to the atmosphere as you sit on the second floor off the lobby in the Polynesian, you can see the monorail pass outside, and you can smell the classic scent of the Polynesian resort all around you. It’s a great place to sit down and enjoy a relatively quiet meal before catching a monorail and making a quick trip over to the Magic Kingdom. 

One word of caution is that the menu here isn’t quite as kid friendly for the less adventurous eaters out there. They do have kids offerings, but it’s not going to be quite the same experience for kids as it is adults. If you’re on the dining plan with kids, skip Kona and use your table service credit for a meal at Ohana instead. If you’re traveling with adults and want to try something unique, Kona will not disappoint!       


5. Cape May Cafe

Cape May Cafe is honestly one of my absolute favorite buffets on Disney property. It is the pinnacle of great buffets and one of the cleanest buffets I’ve ever been to. There is literally a chef at all times wiping off the bar if a piece of pasta falls out of a bowl or a shrimp tumbles off of the pile. It’s an unbelievable level of attention to detail. 

If you like seafood, and in particular crab legs, Cape May is a tucked away hidden gem dining location at Disney’s Beach Club Resort just steps away from Epcot’s rear international gateway entrance/exit. It’s a fairly expensive meal, but one that will exceed your expectations. Reservations are typically plentiful and oftentimes even “day-of” reservations are available if you’re flexible about what time you want to dine. 

We covered the entire experience in Our New Favorite Disney Dinner Buffet – Cape May Cafe article. 


6. Yak and Yeti  

Yak and Yeti is another dining review we recently put together in our article Yak and Yeti Restaurant Review – The Overlooked Gem of Animal Kingdom?. The food exceeds expectations and is a location that many guests completely overlook. The indoor table service dining is excellent and offers a great variety of asian cuisine while being a near perfect escape from the brutal heat of Animal Kingdom in the summer. Paired with the table service dining and offering some carry-over dishes, the adjacent counter service Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes is a great option for those on a tighter budget or looking for a quicker meal that is almost as unique. The outdoor seating of the counter service location isn’t ideal for the hot summer months, but if the weather is good it’s a uniquely themed area that fits quite well with the overall experience of Animal Kingdom.  

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7. Roaring Fork 

Roaring Fork over at Wilderness Lodge underwent a refurbishment rather recently and I have to say the resulting experience is a hidden gem dining location. With both typical resort dining quick service fair mixed with more unique options like chicken and waffles or a pulled pork sandwich the menu is quite varied but fits so many different tastes. As an added bonus, there is both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is quite nice and underneath of a covered overhang that sits right next to the flowing waterfalls of the resort. 

Roaring Fork isn’t quite as good as Geyser Point, a few steps down the path, it does offer a greater variety of food and is a touch more kid friendly. It is one of the more impressive resort quick service locations and one that I highly recommend visiting if you’re staying at the resort or are at Magic Kingdom and want to escape the crowds for a few minutes. Not only is the food great but if you’ve not visited Wilderness Lodge before, it is well worth making the short (free) boat ride from Magic Kingdom over to grab a meal and explore the vastly intricate theming of Wilderness Lodge.      


8. Katsura Grill 

Katsura Grill is perhaps one of the very best tucked away gems of Epcot. As a little “hut” in the gardens of the Japan pavilion, Katsura Grill welcomes guests into a relaxing environment complete with sushi that sushi fans deem incredible. Personally I’m not a huge sushi fan, but it doesn’t stop me from exploring this area. It sounds a little strange, but if you take the time to walk up the hill and to wander the gardens surrounding the restaurant, it’s surprising how authentic the whole experience feels. At times, you don’t even feel like you’re in Epcot. It’s incredibly difficult to describe in words, but the restaurant and surrounding seating area makes you feel like you’re miles from the hustle and bustle of the city. It doesn’t  make sense but it’s well worth a visit!   

Your Thoughts

As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Need My Help?

Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or free-lance work at Guide4WDW@gmail.com. If you need a landscape or theme park photographer, feel free contact me with photo requests or contracts. All theme park writing and photos will be assessed on a case by case basis. 
For anyone else looking to give me a shout or to have their questions answered by me, feel free to contact me anytime via that same email address! I never charge anyone to answer a question and I do answer all of my emails personally.    


Need a Travel Planner?

If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.

Ready to Plan?

Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.    

Disney World Budget Tips – How to Plan a Budget Friendly Disney Vacation

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney World Budget Tips – How to Plan a Budget Friendly Disney Vacation 

To be completely honest, before we really get into anything I plan on sharing today, it’s incredibly tough to plan a truly “budget friendly” vacation to Walt Disney World. Budget travel and Walt Disney World don’t entirely go together anymore and there’s a few different reasons for that on Disney’s end of the business. However, as many of you who have read these posts over the last few years may know, I don’t like to be negative when it comes to Walt Disney World. I like to be completely open and honest, but at the same time being negative and discouraging towards a company we all know and appreciate in some way or another isn’t going to get anyone anywhere and it isn’t going change anything. 
Unfortunately, the days of $100 resort rooms at the moderates have faded away and have been gone for quite some time and off-peak seasons have become so unpredictable that trying to plan around the crowds is essentially a lost cause. In essence, I don’t say that to discourage anyone from booking, but rather to share a true reality of Disney’s situation. A lot of times their pricing strategies come off as aggressive but at the same time they’re making great strides along the way that we may or may not see in the vacation experience at this time. Obviously this is just one opinion of many, but I don’t see why you can’t book a budget friendly Disney vacation still today if you go into it with some expectations.
If you’re looking for our top itineraries, be sure to check out these posts as well for that information: 


Budget friendly is relatively. For years, a budget friendly trip to Disney meant a park hopper, a moderate or value tier resort, and driving to the parks from our home in Kentucky. Today, our strategy has changed just a bit and we tend to find more creative ways to embark into the deluxe tier of resorts by creatively booking larger villas with a greater number of guests in our party. It’s not a solution for everyone, but it can occasionally minimize some costs for larger groups by spreading out the costs among guests. Honestly, our definition of a Budget Friendly Disney trip is a bit skewed in the grand scheme of things. We like to eat table service meals, and utilize the park hopper option, but while stating all of that, we haven’t always had those opportunities. We rarely make truly budget friendly Disney trips anymore and that’s largely because we’ve been spoiled by the Disney experience and will tend to save and pay more for certain add ons to our vacation. The kicker to all of this is that you don’t have to do anything and everything that many returning guests will tell you are “must-dos.”
Truth be told, a vast majority of guests will be more than happy with a value tier resort, single day tickets, and driving to Walt Disney World from their homes in order to save money. That’s the kind of guest we’re trying share some tips with today. For many of us who travel the “expensive” way, this type of write up tends to be an eye opener for a few ways that we can cut corners and potentially save a few dollars during our trips. So, without further rambling, we’ll get right into it!                           

Pick Your Resort Carefully 

As touched on briefly above, your resort hotel accommodations are going to be one of the most costly aspects of your Disney vacation. Typically, I’d recommend saving about half your budget for lodging. It can be done for less and likely can be done for more but for a budget friendly trip try to keep it at or near half your overall budget (whatever that may be). To make that a reality, consider staying at a value tier resort. 
Value tier resorts are poorly named or perhaps expertly named if you really think about it. In one way, value sounds “cheap,” but there’s nothing cheap about these resorts. In my opinion, these resort rooms will hold their own when compared to just about any Hilton Garden, Hyatt, or Hampton style property anywhere in the nation. As with anything, there will be a few exceptions, but these resorts are really quite nice considering the price tag associated with them. So, in essence these really are value resorts when considering you get a great value for the price paid for the accommodations received, but they tend to get a bad reputation in the Disney community that they do not necessarily deserve.
If I had to pick a value resort my top choice would be Art of Animation followed closely by Pop Century. The reasoning is fairly simple. The bus situation is better than other value resorts, you avoid the sports teams that are ever-present at the all-stars, and both feature more appealing theming from my point of view.     

Avoiding Off-Property Resorts

If you know me, you know this is kind of a soapbox topic for me for a few reasons. I’m a firm believer in the “Disney bubble” and how it can heavily influence the joy of a Disney vacation for many guests. Being on property and fully immersed in the Disney Magic is something that has a transformative nature to it. It makes you feel like you’ve left the worries of the world behind and for a brief second were somewhere else without a care in the world. Second, I’ve tried it myself a few times and staying off property is rarely cheaper than staying on property if you plan on staying at an equivalent property. You CAN save a few dollars if you’re very careful about where you stay, but from my experience staying a few different places, it is rarely worth the tradeoffs. When you stay off property you tend to face the following issues:

  • Resort Fees – Typically on top of parking fees
  • Transportation Costs – Uber, Rental Car, Poor Off-site bus services (sometimes free to guests)
  • No extra magic hours accept at a select few properties
  • Parking costs at the parks (unless you’re an annual passholder) 
  • Airport transportation costs

Honestly, there are many others but the biggest issue for me is the time lost during your vacation and the convenience factor that is lost. Very little beats the casual nature of Disney busses. Sure, they screw up a route from time to time, but for the vast majority of the time, you walk to a bus stop, jump on the bus, and within 15 minutes you’re back at your resort or your desired location without raising a finger. You don’t have to have a car, and you don’t have to fight the crowds of the parking lots unless you want to and it just makes life simpler and often times more cost effective in the end result. 

For another topic regarding this recommendation, be sure to check out: 

Talk to Someone Who Has Been to Disney World 

This one can be a double edged sword. It can be incredible to talk to someone who has been there before and can walk you through ways they have saved money in the past. The free water example below is one of the better tips I’ve ever received from a past guest, but other little hidden gems like that can make a huge difference in the end result. If all else fails, ignore their suggestions and you haven’t lost anything but a few minutes of your time! 

On the flip side, be careful when you talk to repeat park guests (including me). Over the years we’ve been spoiled by “unnecessary” experiences that have inevitably become must-do experiences for us that we find ways to do time and time again. Perhaps the best example of this is resort transportation. Before I stayed at the Contemporary resort, I always loved the bus transportation. As a kid, I thought it was the coolest thing ever and enjoyed every minute of it. Today, after falling into the monorail and boat transportation trap, resorts offering such a thing are typically the ones I tend to book. Part of that is my personal motion-sickness issues presenting themselves over time, but at the same time it wont make or break your Disney experience. It’s a “nice to have” not necessarily a “need to have” for most guests. If you’ve not experienced it before, you wont even know what you’re missing so don’t worry about making it a huge priority.       

Do Some Reading 

When it comes to Disney travel, there’s always something to learn. I’d be lying to you if I tried to claim that I knew all that there was to know about Disney planning, and I’ve been touring the Disney parks my entire life. Guests share new things with me literally daily and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Head to social media, or to your favorite yearly guidebook publication, and you may be surprised at what you may uncover. It’s no exaggeration when people say that Walt Disney World changes every day. Truth be told, it likely changes faster than that, and even being immersed in the industry daily, so many things slip past me from time to time. 

In a similar way, you may uncover something you’ll want to try out along the way that you otherwise never would have known about. 

Consider Driving (If It’s Your Cheapest Option)

Unfortunately, this isn’t an option for everyone but if you live within a 15 hour drive from Walt Disney World, you may want to consider attempting to drive to the parks. Depending on when you travel and who you travel with, a good old fashioned road trip may be a great option for your situation and could save you money along the way. Personally, I always recommend looking into the budget airlines just to see what may end up being cheaper in the long run than driving. There’s a few different things to consider when attempting this. First and perhaps most importantly is if you will need to stop for an overnight stay during your drive. Also worth noting is that you should check all bag fees and airline fees before taking advantage of what may seem like a bargain ticket for air travel. From my experience, very few current rates beat Southwest airlines for honest rates and on time service if they fly in your area.     


Avoid Table Service Meals or Be Very Selective 


This point is incredibly difficult for me to make because I genuinely love eating at Disney World Table service locations. It tends to be a highlight of my trips time and time again, but if I really wanted to save money, I’d avoid this completely. Personally, that is incredibly difficult for me to do in practice, but it could save you some money. If you choose to go the strictly quick service route, you’ll be happy with your decision because there really are some excellent quick service options that go well beyond cheeseburgers and chicken tenders you’d typically find at other theme parks. The food is great across the board a vast majority of the time, but if you’re looking to get in a table service meal at a more budget friendly price I highly recommend looking into the following lists: 


//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Drink Lots of Water 


If you’re thinking, “it’s Florida, I know that!” that’s not entirely the extent of my point on this one. At Disney it is vastly important to drink a lot of water. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in the parks and seen the medical staff responding to a guest that has suffered a heat related dehydration issue of some sort. It’s not something you want to happen to you and it’s something that Disney does an excellent job preparing for and dealing with. But… nobody wants to face that concern during their vacation.

However, the budget friendly part of this is that water is free anywhere on Disney property that has a fountain machine for beverages. You walk up to the counter, ask for a cup of ice water and the cast member will hand one to you (no purchase necessary) with no questions asked. I’ve never really heard the reasoning behind this but from a guest perspective I can only assume it is an effort to keep guests from getting dehydrated or an effort by Disney to really cater to their guests in a fairly meaningful way. 

At quick service locations, this can save you around $3 per guest at times and if you’re traveling with a larger family, it can add up quickly. Even with a four guest family, you’re looking at saving $10 per meal. $10 per meal for a week long vacation is a pretty significant 
savings!
          


Shorten Your Number of Park Days


By mentioning this last I am saving the very best savings tip for last. It’s hard to do, but if you can shorten your park days you can save a shocking amount of money. Skipping park days doesn’t necessarily mean you have to avoid Disney. Enjoy your resort free of any additional charges, head to Disney Springs and enjoy a meal or some shopping, or go explore the Boardwalk over near Epcot and you may be surprised at how relaxing yet enjoyable your day can turn out to be without ever stepping into the parks. One of the most memorable trips I’ve ever taken to Disney was a trip that only involved 2 park days. It seems crazy and looking back on it now, I can honestly say it was likely one of my top 4 trips ever taken to Walt Disney World and it’s among some tough competition. The “competition” even includes a club level stay, our first contemporary resort stay, and even our most recent 2 bedroom villa experience at the Boardwalk and it cost less than half as much overall.

This list isn’t an all inclusive foray of options by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a great place to start! 

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!


How Do I Create These Posts? 


Every once in a while I get questions about my gear. This is what I use and highly recommend at the moment in the realm of content creation. This list is varied and tends to change from time to time, but this is my current set up of gear used to create these posts. If you have any questions or need some tips in the site building process, feel free to message me on Facebook!

Computer: Macbook Pro  
If you get one of these you’ll inevitably need dongles (The USB-C Struggle): 
Main DSLR Camera: Nikon D3400 (kit lens currently)
Tripod for Night Photography: PrimaPhoto Traveler 
Photo Editing Software: Lightroom 6 Stand Alone Version (Not Creative Cloud) 
Secondary Camera: iPhone 7 (Older Photos on the Site) 


Ready to Plan?


Let our friends over at Destinations to Travel (FREE – no obligation quote request form below) help you out at no additional cost to you! Here’s a closer look at why I recommend an Authorized Disney Travel Planner!

Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

    

How to Ride 6 or More Attractions in 90 Minutes or Less: With Only 1 Fastpass+!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

How to Ride 6 or More Attractions in 90 Minutes or Less: With Only 1 Fastpass+! 

For many Disney resort guests, making the most of every minute they have in the parks is of utmost priority. So, on one particular trip to the parks we set out on a mission (as we usually do) to ride as many attractions as we could at the Magic Kingdom. Of course this strategy isn’t for everyone, but if you want to ride as many attractions as possible during your vacation, this is certainly one tried and true method of doing so. 


In our particular scenario, we had roughly 90 minutes to work with. The park opened it’s gates at 9:00am and we had a dining reservation at the Crystal Palace at 10:35am. We didn’t really have a lot of time to work with so our first goal was to get there when the park opened. Of course, that detail of this report may be a little obvious to seasoned Disney guests who also use this or similar methods, but it truly does make all the difference. 

At nearly any Disney Park, the first 2 hours of the day are your best opportunity to really flow through attraction queues and ride many attractions without long waits. As always, there are a few exceptions to this rule, but generally this holds true. 

Considering the park we were working with, we planned our day based on a simple examination of typical crowd levels. For the Magic Kingdom in particular, the park is typically quite busy on Mondays and Fridays as a result of guests beginning their stay at that park or ending their time at Walt Disney World. As a result, your best bet for touring Magic Kingdom is to arrive at the park on Wednesday or Thursday. It won’t make a drastic difference, but it will likely be a noticeable difference in wait times and the crowd building timeframes. 
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In our situation, we chose July 6th as our park day as a result of avoiding the park due to insane crowds on the Fourth of July and it was Caitlin’s birthday (our other occasional writer) on the 6th. All in all, the day worked out great, but here’s what we did to achieve 6 attractions in 90 minutes beyond simply picking the park day.


First and foremost, as a result of the new opening procedure, which allows guests entry into the Main Street area before the official opening of the lands, we headed all the way up to the castle then claimed a spot near the rope blocking off Liberty Square. Many of you may be wondering why Liberty Square? Well, the general consensus is that most guests head to one of three areas when the park officially opens: Tomorrowland for Space Mountain, Frontierland for the Mountains (Splash and Thunder), or straight back to Fantasyland for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Our thought process was essentially to avoid the big mobs of people and it worked out flawlessly. 

When the ropes fell, we were standing in a group of roughly 15 people. We made our way through Liberty Square and around to Peter Pan’s Flight before a vast portion of the crowd had waited for the walkway through the castle to reopen after the welcome show. As a result, we walked right on the attraction with no wait (marked 5 minutes). After that, we headed over to The Many Adventurer’s of Winnie the Pooh and it was also a walk on, followed by a short journey over to the Barnstormer for another walk on (they were even letting some guests stay on the attraction and ride again – a practice which is becoming more and more rare). After that experience, we headed straight over to New Fantasyland, a few steps away, and rode Under The Sea – Journey of The Little Mermaid. It was also a walk on. 

At this point, these four attractions each had a virtually non-exist wait time on one of the busiest weeks of the year. Personally, I see the key to the success of riding multiple attractions quickly is to avoid the more popular attractions with slow queue lines. A great plan is to pick one “big ticket” attraction to do first thing and then move on to attractions that are less popular and have fast moving queue lines. Save your 3 fastpass+ selections for the more popular attractions (in parks that are not tiered in fastpass+ sections). Avoid crowd hotspots in quick succession, like Space Mountain or Mine Train, and just pick one favorite attractions and then bounce through many less popular attractions quickly. As many of you may know from experience these “less popular” attractions can also reach peak wait times of well over an hour at certain points throughout the day.  

At this portion of our plan, we had previously scheduled a Seven Dwarfs Mine Train fastpass for 9:35 to 10:35 and decided to go ahead and use it early on in our fastpass+ window. At this point, it was only around 9:55 and we had completed 4 attractions and were in line for the 5th. After the attraction ended, (believe it or not our fastpass+ was our longest wait time of the morning) we had a few minutes to walk down the hill to the Haunted Mansion for a quick ride through before breakfast. As we left that final attraction we got the chance to see The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History show before making our way to breakfast. 

Honestly, if we passed on the show, we probably still could have rode it’s a small world (believe it or not the attraction title is not capitalized) and easily made it to our reservation with the suggested few minutes early arrival. 

As you can see, you can follow as many crowd charts and special plans for touring the park all you want, but nothing really beats setting a plan of your own and doing a little bit of research before your day in the parks. Get there early, jump from ride to ride, and avoid any long queue that may have already built up a wait time. Keep moving for the first 2 hours the park is open, and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish! 
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As always, this is simply what has worked for us, and there are many “guides” across the internet that can help you create a plan for your day in the parks. Some guests may just want to go with the flow and relax through their park day and that’s completely okay! This is simply a plan we’ve used many times and we thought we’d share it here with you! 

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Need My Help?


Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or free-lance work at Guide4WDW@gmail.com. If you need a landscape or theme park photographer, feel free contact me with photo requests or contracts. All theme park writing and photos will be assessed on a case by case basis. 
For anyone else looking to give me a shout or to have their questions answered by me, feel free to contact me anytime via that same email address! I never charge anyone to answer a question and I do answer all of my emails personally.      

Need a Travel Planner?


If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.

Ready to Plan?

Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the   

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My Disney Story -The Article I Never Thought I’d Write

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

My Disney Story -The Article I Never Thought I’d Write 

“If you believe in it, try it. At the very least, you can say you’ve done something that 98% of people have never done.” 

That’s the simplest, yet perhaps most influential piece of advice I’ve ever received. 

Two and a half years ago, those two sentences genuinely changed my life. Today’s story is how the journey that started that day slowly unfolded.      

Honestly, this was an article I never thought I’d write. I never thought there would be a story to share or a lesson to be learned, but life has a way of changing your thoughts and your interpretations of what’s important and, frankly, what’s not. That’s inevitably where this story begins.

I’ve been blessed to grow up in a family where Disney trips are and where an important of our yearly routine. We went to the parks every year, and even as those $99 Caribbean Beach rates turned into $150 rates, and even $200+ rates, we always managed to find a way back to the parks. For us, the memories were more than worth the months of saving and preparing and cost cutting wherever possible. One of my earliest memories of Disney is packing up the mini van (we’ve all had one of those at some point lol) and finding a simple surprise coloring book or light-up fan, or unique toy hidden in the car to keep us occupied for at least a portion of the long drive down from Kentucky. We were hooked and our theme park trips became more and more frequent. 



For some reason, I can distinctly remember rounding that corner on Main Street and seeing the castle at age 12 or so and deciding in my mind that this is what I wanted to do every day. I had no idea how it was going to happen or if I was going to work for Disney or something else, but I just knew something felt right. That trip was different than all the others.   

Skip scene to college, and I had roughly 17 years of experience touring the parks. It was a weird point in life where I didn’t know what was next or what was the plan for the future. So many of us have been there and faced those same questions. I decided to become a business major with a focus in management. I was a Freshman in college and after a year of studies, I decided I wanted to do something else along the way. 

I wanted to write a Disney Guide Book. I knew nothing about writing or publishing or really anything to do with the book making process. As a result, I reached out to a friend in a Disney community I’d recently started participating in with hopes of getting a piece of advice on where to begin. I knew I had an idea, and I knew I wanted to make something of that idea, but I didn’t know how. The advice convinced me to take take the first step. 

Late one night, I just started writing. About six months later and a lot of incredibly late nights doing homework and then staying up to the early hours of the morning writing content, I started sending out emails to publishers. Looking back on it, that probably wasn’t my best decision, but I had one publisher interested in my book out of roughly 10-15 emails I sent out. They requested a copy of the work in progress guidebook, and then nothing happened. I heard absolutely nothing for upwards of five weeks and an option that seemed so hope filled at first started slipping away. I wanted a straight answer (yes or no), so I sent the publisher one more email. The reply I got back essentially stated that the book brought nothing new to the table and that they no longer had an interest in the title (and that’s the nice re-wording of their email response). 



At that point I had no idea what to do. I reached back out to that same friend in the Disney community and got back an answer suggesting that I self publish the book and with that suggestion he shared, “If you believe in it, try it. At the very least, you can say you’ve done something that 98% of people have never done.” That small piece of advice stuck with me and a few months later I had generated a cover, put the pieces of the book into the right formats, and slowly but surely put together a self published book. The resulting book was “The Adventurer’s Guide to Walt Disney World.” 

The somewhat bitter sweet fact of the matter was that I had no marketing budget, no social media following, and somehow failed to realize that unless I put out a new book every year, the content of the current book would be out of date immediately. I’m not ashamed to admit that the book wasn’t an incredible success like I had hoped. Looking back on it now, it’s easy to see why I had to make that step in the wrong direction. After I finally realized that a guidebook could never stay up to date, I had the idea to start a website. I started small and can vividly remember staring at the page view numbers of my first few articles and being thrilled when an article received over 100 views. It was mind blowing to me. Someone, somewhere in the world, potentially thousands of miles away could read what I typed here in Kentucky. While the site has grown in unbelievable ways since then, the conceptualization of thousands of people having any interest in what I type on a computer and post to the internet still exceeds even my wildest expectations. 

I never was the “popular guy” growing up and honestly I never had a ton of friends, but now I get to share what I love talking about with thousands of people every month. If you told me that 4 years ago, I never would have believed you. If you would have went a step further and told me I would get to know complete strangers, meet up with them at a Disney park or resort, and have a conversation with them like a friend I’ve known for years, I would have laughed in your face. It’s a concept that I still cant wrap my mind around but I wouldn’t have it any other way. 



Today, I’m a senior in college finishing up a degree in Business Management, work a part time job, and truthfully have no idea what’s next. This site isn’t my full time job and it’s not my “career” at this point, but you never know what the future may hold. Am I one step closer to that goal I had as a kid walking down Main Street? I like to think so. Either way, the journey has been worth every hour put in, every late night, and every tough decision along the way. I’ve had the unique opportunity to help people each and every day for the last two and a half years. The feedback I get back and the kind comments that pop up from time to time make everything worth it and make me incredibly appreciative of all that this has become. It hasn’t all been a walk in the park, and inevitably I’m the Disney obsessed guy among friends and family, but you’d be surprised how many people support you when you take a small step towards doing what you enjoy and whatever goal you may have.    

Why do I share this? Truthfully, I hope this encourages someone to take that first step. Your goal may not be to start a blog, or a website, or a new business, but whatever your dream is, take that first step today. I’m not an image of “success” and I certainly have a lot still to learn, but that’s the fun in all of this. Every day you get to try something new, and you get to meet new people, and potentially play a small role in sharing your passion with someone around you. It’s a feeling you can’t describe, and one that can truly change your life.

My one piece of advice out of all of this is simply a re-wording of that same piece of advice that was given to me. If you believe in something, give it a shot. Start today and you may be surprised what will unfold tomorrow. It wont be easy, it will take time, but remember first and foremost that even what looks like failure, may simply be the door you’ve been looking for waiting to be opened. Try something new today that could change your life tomorrow.     

If you’re one of those people that have been here since the beginning, you may never know how much I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read even a few words of what I write. It means the world to me and I don’t say that lightly. If you’re one of the people that helped me get into Disney photography, I owe you an entirely different set of thanks. If you’re one of the people I’ve met up with in the parks, please recognize how much your friendship means to me. And even for those who I’ve never met, thank you for being a friend and being a part of the readers that truly are like family to me.     
Lou, if you happen to be reading this, I owe you a thank you that I have no idea how to convey.     

Your Thoughts

As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Need My Help?

Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or free-lance work at Guide4WDW@gmail.com. If you need a landscape or theme park photographer, feel free contact me with photo requests or contracts. All theme park writing and photos will be assessed on a case by case basis. 
For anyone else looking to give me a shout or to have their questions answered by me, feel free to contact me anytime via that same email address! I never charge anyone to answer a question and I do answer all of my emails personally.      

Need a Travel Planner?

If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.

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Ready to Plan?

Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way. 

4 Reasons to Consider A Disney Travel Agent – Who Do I Recommend?

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

In all honesty, I’ve spent years planning Disney trips for groups of all sizes. I’ve helped friends and relatives plan their ideal vacation and given countless people recommendations, but I’ll be the first to say even I miss something from time to time. Of course, in the realm of Disney news and special events or other items of the sort, I tend to keep up but in the realm of Disney, very little stacks up to the planning knowledge of a true Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and my highest recommendation goes to our friends over at Destinations to Travel.

In my opinion, their agency is one of the best of the best, and the quality of their planning expertise shines through in a variety of different ways which we’ll take a closer look at today. However, before we start I wanted to share a simple thought process of my own. For years, we planned every little detail of our Disney vacations on our own and while that worked out fairly well over the years, we started booking with Destinations to Travel last year and it’s been a much more cohesive experience from start to finish. 

While that may sound like an over-exaggeration from someone in my situation, I have to say that having someone there and willing to help us at a moments notice (quite literally) was one of the highlights of the booking experience. Sure, we probably didn’t need the extra help every step of the way, but it just goes to show that having that option (No matter your booking experience) can be helpful in ways that you never expected. So, with that we’ll jump into a few more details and a few personal experiences. 

Things You Tend to Overlook

Disney is always changing and that means that the fine print and little elements of the booking experience can get completely overlooked for those of us not booking vacations on a daily basis.   

In a more personal example, as we were booking our most recent trip (Scheduled for mid March) we ran into a small issue in booking a reservation at the Boardwalk that popped up on the reservation system online but continuously kept showing up and then moments later disappearing. Our agent, (Jamie) made every effort to secure that reservation for us despite the online issues and went above and beyond to call Disney on a Friday night to personally check for us to see if the room type and resort was still available. To our surprise, she successfully secured the room and along the way gave us updates in quick succession on top of responding to our original email about the room within minutes. It wouldn’t have been the end of the world if we didn’t get that particular resort, but she could tell that it meant something to us to stay there and took that extra effort and went that extra mile to make that experience happen. It’s a little difference, but one that could make all the difference when booking your personal vacation and one outstanding thing that sets a travel agent apart from simply booking with Disney’s online reservation system.

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Of course, we tend to scan the online booking system from time to time just to see what’s available, but in a typical booking circumstance their agents could check and recheck for that one special requested accommodation you’re looking for and book it for you. It wouldn’t even require you to touch the Disney site unless your’e just like us and want to be apart of the “search.”    

Additionally, when booking that stay we had no idea of the somewhat hidden details and cancellation policies that are available for packages versus stand alone tickets, but our agent did and lead us in the right direction.


What They’ll Help You With

The great part about a travel agent that so many overlook is that they’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you would like. Personally, I tend to enjoy the planning process, so for me they worked with that and offered up many services, but were more than willing to let me do whatever I wanted to do myself during the planning phases. Of course, whenever I needed their help or had a question to ask, a quick answer was just an email away. On the other hand, if you want to sit back and let them plan every detail for you, they are more than willing to set up your dream vacation in the following ways: 
  • Resort Accommodations
  • Fastpass+ Selections and Booking
  • Dining Reservations and Recommendations  
  • Special Events or Tours During Your Stay
  • Special Occasions (Birthday’s, Anniversaries, Engagements, Weddings, etc.) 
  • And so much more!   
Your goals and enjoyment is their utmost priority! Here’s a few words from Shannon about her team and their commitment to their clients: 

“Vacations are meant to be exciting, adventurous and full of wonderful memories. Sometimes planning the perfect vacation can be overwhelming. While working with the experienced, knowledgeable team at Destinations to Travel, we take that stress away and only leave room for the things that matter. We are a dedicated team that works together to make every vacation magical for our guests and their individual needs. It is important to us to understand what each client is looking for in their vacation. We take the time to get to know what you are looking for and enjoy building lasting relationships.

At Destinations to Travel, we are always looking out for the best interest of our clients. We work diligently to get our clients the best deals, whether it be a room discount, free dining or a new promotional package, our agents track client’s reservations and work hard to get them the best deal possible. Our agents anticipate when new deals might be released and are always on top of these new promotions. We understand the importance of saving money.

We know how important the details are in making the perfect vacation. Our agency can help you get the hotel room you want or secure those special reservations that mean so much. Our agency tracks client’s reservations, and are able to alert our clients when it is time to make advance dining reservations, fast pass + reservations and other special reservations such as Bibbity Bobbity Boutique, a firework cruise, and special events. Some of these reservations open up early in the morning. Dining reservations open at 7:00 a.m. (EST) or 6:00 a.m. (CST), 180 days in advance. Popular restaurants often book up within minutes of that timeframe. Why not have an experienced agent take care of these special details?

Destinations to Travel recognizes that not everyone has the same needs. Our agents help specialize vacations for families with young children, older children, couples, large groups and guests with disabilities. We have agents that have first-hand knowledge of the disability procedures and can help make a plan for each park. Our agents can help families understand and utilize the ride swapping service so you can make the most of your park time. We love planning group trips that bring everyone together for some amazing magic.

Sometimes even the perfect vacation has an issue come up. Our team can help while you are on vacation as well. For example, if an issue comes up with your hotel or someone gets sick, we can work with the hotel and get you the help you need. Every so often weather changes for the worst, we monitor those situations as well and are ready to make any changes necessary. If your dining reservations need adjustments, your agent can take care of that while you are out enjoying the park!”

You see, their agency is committed to making your vacation the most memorable experience you’ve ever had at Walt Disney World no matter what your situation may be and thats the main reason we recommend a Travel Agent. A Disney trip should be adapted as the best possible vacation for your situation. No two guests are the same and recognizing that fact makes all the difference.


Special Loyalty Program Gifts

One of the more interesting options when booking with our recommended agency is the opportunity to participate in their unique rewards program. Not only do you get to book your dream vacation but during your trip you may be able to take part in the following special gift offer on repeat stays! The special gift is a perfect way to welcome you to your resort and shares that special personal touch that makes all the difference when you arrive at your resort.

The best part of the booking experience is the fact that Destinations to Travel’s services are completely free to use! Of course, you’ll still be paying Disney prices for your stay, but the travel agency experience costs you absolutely nothing extra and may even save you a little money along the way (through special offers you may have overlooked!) I can share my experiences time and time again, but the true test of any business is what customers are saying. 
Disney Travel Agency

The Feedback Speaks For Itself 

Beyond my personal booking experiences with Shannon and her team, it’s great to hear feedback from guests that have just returned from their vacations. 

“WOW! It had been 20 years since I had last visited Disney world, so deciding on where to go or what to see was slightly overwhelming. Megan was so helpful from finding the perfect resort, to giving advice on the best time to plan my visit. She help craft a perfect weekend getaway that was much needed. We had an absolutely incredible time and using her tips and tricks for the fast passes was amazing! We got to experiencethe best of each park without ever waiting in line. I am so happy I relied on her expertise to help make this vacation a trip to remember! Thank you Megan for making this the most carefree vacation I’ve ever been on!” – Danielle 


“We just wanted to thank you for all the help you gave use in planning our 5th family vacation to Disney World. We had an amazing time. We appreciate you being available for all the changes & questions.  This was our first time using a travel agent & we were very pleased. We look forward to working with you for our next trip planned for late 2019! Thank you.” – Nikki 

How to Try It For Yourself

It doesn’t matter if you have a group of 2 or a group of 200, a Disney Travel Agent is something you can use and use to your advantage to truly get the most out of your Disney vacation. I recommend an agent because it’s the way I’ll be booking my future Disney vacations. Honestly, I was one of the skeptics, but you my be surprised at how much you enjoy the option of having someone there to help along the way.

As a last word of advice, if you choose to use our recommended agency or not, just make sure that you utilize an Authorized Disney Travel Planner. They’re trained by Disney and have certain connections that other agencies simply don’t have.

If all of that sounds like an ideal situation for you and your travel party, be sure to check out our quote request form below. Simply fill out the information and they’ll contact you as soon as possible. We wish you the best in your booking experience and if you need any extra information along the way or want to check out some hidden gems of the Disney experience, we’ll be right here sharing as often as we can! When you book through them, it not only helps you book your vacation but also helps out the site along the way! We truly appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you in the parks some day!  
      

Disney World 4 Day Itinerary – Making the Most of a Short Disney Trip

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney World 4 Day Itinerary 

Our most recent Walt Disney World trip was a bit unusual compared to a typical stay. Instead of our typical 7 day itinerary, our trip consisted of a four day itinerary which was honestly something we’ve only done on a select few trips to the parks. In the long run it was an excellent trip, and while it wasn’t the ideal situation, you can really make the most of a trip with the 4 day itinerary we used for our vacation. 

There’s no perfect plan for any particular Disney stay and there’s certainly no “one size fits all” solution for every guest’s needs. Fortunately, that’s part of the fun of the planning experience and a part of customizing your trip to your given needs and wants. In the long run though, it does help to go into your vacation with a plan or an iteration of that plan to help make the most of the time that you have available. 

Truth be told, that was the goal of our entire trip and our entire itinerary for this trip. We arrived in Orlando on a Wednesday afternoon and left the following Sunday morning. So, when you really think about it we had around 3 and a half days in the parks. To many, that sounds like a short trip and it really did come and go quite quickly, but I can say that we achieved just about everything we intended to. That’s the key to this whole itinerary. Inevitably you’re going to have to pick and choose what you want to do most. So, before you arrive select your: 
  • must do attractions 
  • must do dining locations 
  • must do activities (pool time, miniature golf, etc.)
Cinderellas Castle


Choose What’s Most Important to You 


If you have each member of your group select their “must-do’s” of the trip, everyone will get their favorite things accomplished and at the end of the stay, at the very least, you all did something you wanted to do more than anything else. It sounds quite simple but it works. Beyond that tip, here’s a closer look at our recommended 4 Day Disney World Itinerary. You’ll have to modify it some to fit your needs, but at the very least if you follow this plan you’ll get a ton of things done on your 4 day Walt Disney World trip!  
    

Consider Your Budget First 


Before we get into the specifics, as you prepare for your trip planning, really consider your budget. I know that sounds obvious, but the type of resorts you can afford and travel expenses can play a big role in the length of your stay and the type of things you may consider during your vacation. Instead of eating table service meals, you may want to look into quick service options. If you’re looking at flying to the parks, maybe you can save money by driving and stay in a deluxe resort instead of a value or moderate tier as a tradeoff. In the big picture, this is what we tend to decide first. The budget may change a little as the planning progresses, but starting with a basic idea of what you can spend and how you plan to spend it will play a role in how your itinerary is altered or changed in comparison to ours.

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One last thing you’ll want to consider is that our Disney trips tend to be pretty fast paced. With the exception of really long trips 7+ days, we tend to spend long hours in the parks, and make the most of the park hopper option. Also worth noting is that we’ve almost mastered Disney’s transportation systems and as a result it makes our park hopping a bit more efficient than many first time guests. I don’t say that to discourage anyone, but it’s something to consider as you attempt to jump from park to park. Don’t let that missed bus or missed fastpass+ selection destroy your trip. Unfortunate circumstances are inevitable at Walt Disney World every once in a while, but above all else try to enjoy every little moment of the experience and don’t let the trivial problems be what you remember long after your trip draws to a conclusion. 

With all those little things out to the way, here’s a closer look at the plan we recommend in order to get the most out of 4 days at Walt Disney World!   

Day 1 – Partial Day at Magic Kingdom


For most four day stays a majority of guests will lose either part of the first day or part of the last day traveling. If you’re arriving on any other day than Monday I would recommend heading straight to Magic Kingdom after dropping off your luggage at the hotel (Mondays are incredibly busy at Magic Kingdom). Magic Kingdom is typically the park that most guests want to accomplish the most attractions, shopping, and shows in throughout their stay. By utilizing this partial day, you can really accomplish quite a few things in a short amount of time. 

If you make your fastpass+ selections far enough in advance you can manipulate the times in My Disney Experience so that each of your selections fall in the afternoon/nighttime hours of the day. If you can work out the times just right you’ll guarantee yourself rides on some of the most popular attractions even if the park is ridiculously crowded. 

In a simliar way, if you can manage to stay late (near park closing time) you can catch a few more attractions as many guests leave directly after the nighttime performance of Happily Ever After concludes. You wont find a short wait for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, but you may catch a short queue at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin or Dumbo before the park officially closes. If you’re staying till close you wont want to miss these two articles: 
Our plan for our first day consisted of an early dinner at the The Plaza Restaurant at around 3:45, followed by our first fastpass+ selection of the day, Peter Pan’s Flight. After that experience we hopped on the train for a quick ride around (considering on this particle day even the Peoplemover had a 20 minute wait) the entire loop starting and ending in Storybook Circus. At that point, we checked a few wait times in Fantasyland but ultimately ran out of time before our second fastpass, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Upon exiting the attraction (one of our favorites) we headed to Frontierland for our final fastpass of the day, Thunder Mountain Railroad. 


As if it were planned that way, we headed to Fantasyland for one final attraction, Mickey’s Philharmagic, before going to pick out a viewing location for the Happily Ever After fireworks spectacular. By that time of night, the hub area was beyond full so we retreated to Main Street near Casey’s in the middle of the street. It wasn’t the perfect location, but it did set up a great opportunity to grab some photos before calling it a night after a long day of travel.    
                          

Day 2 – Full Day at Epcot 


Day two tends to be the most productive day on a short vacation. A majority of guests have a ton of energy at this point in their stay, and Epcot is the ideal place to spend that second day. The park is large and requires quite a bit of walking, but to start the day off right I recommend grabbing a fastpass for Soarin, Test Track, or Frozen Ever After. If you can time it right and set your first fastpass about an hour after the park opens you can head straight to whichever attraction you didn’t get a fastpass+ for first and avoid the lines leaving just one attraction that you’ll have to face the queue for. 

Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

From our experience, the best case scenario for our needs is to head straight to Soarin and get a fastpass+ reservation for Test Track. After riding Soarin you may have a few minutes to ride Journey Into Imagination with Figment, The Land, or even the Seas with Nemo and Friends before your designated fastpass+ timeframe. If you’re looking for a great breakfast options to throw in the mix, we highly recommend Garden Grill!   

Once you complete the attractions you would like to experience, head to the World Showcase to spend the afternoon or to eat your way around the countries and take your time exploring the little details as they unfold before your eyes. While a more in depth plan of our ideal day at Epcot can be found in the article – Our Tried and True “Epcot in a Day” Touring Plan this should give you a quick idea of what to expect out of day two! 

Day 3 – Split Day at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom… And Even Animal Kingdom!  


As day three arrives, you’ll really start to make the most of the park hopper option. In our case, we started our day with early extra magic hours at Magic Kingdom. If you get there when the gates open, you’ll be shocked at how much you can get done in a very short amount of time. The first 90 minutes will be your most successful and productive time of the entire day and quite possibly the entire trip. If you’re careful about managing your time, you can Ride 6 or More Attractions in 90 Minutes or Less: With Only 1 Fastpass+! That particular article is one of my favorites because it really puts into perspective how important those early hours can be for those looking to ride as many attractions as possible.
After making that grand 6+ attraction run, take a break and head to breakfast. In our plan we went to Crystal Palace because it truly is one of our favorite breakfasts on property. It even made our list of top character dining options on property. If you want to follow our plan step by step, at this point we left Magic Kingdom and went over to Hollywood Studios. It feels like a short time at Magic Kingdom, but you’ll be surprised by what you can get done in a few short hours.
For that particularly day, we avoided using our fastpasses in Magic Kingdom in order to guarantee rides late in the day at popular attractions and shows in Hollywood Studios. Our first fastpass was Voyage of the Little Mermaid, but before that experience began we made a quick trip into Star Wars Launch Bay for a quick look at the exhibits and to make a pass through the gift shop (a great place to pick up unique merchandise) before enjoying the Little Mermaid show. As soon as that was finished we were ready for our Toy Story Mania Fastpass. Toy Story Mania is a fairly quick attraction, so once it concluded we caught a quick show and still had plenty of time to head to our final fastpass for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular.

I know that sounds like a quick trip through Hollywood Studios, and in all reality it is. However, we did leave the park at this point in order to arrive at a Whispering Canyon reservation for dinner that night. Truth be told, if you spent a few more hours at Hollywood Studios you could really accomplish nearly every attraction and show offered in that park currently (Even if you include the newly debuted Slinky Dog Dash and Alien Swirling Saucers). Later that night we decided to pass on Fantasmic and went straight to Animal Kingdom to take in the miraculous spectacle that is Pandora – The World of Avatar at Night!        

Day 4 – Split Day at Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, and Magic Kingdom 


The final day always bring two things. First and foremost you’ll start to feel the fatigue of long hours, early mornings, and late nights. Second, thoughts of heading home will start to creep into your mind. Both are inevitable, but one thing to think about is that the one day you have left may be the only day another guest may have to experience Walt Disney World altogether. It’s not the ideal solution but it does help put things in perspective and allows you to make the most of every minute of your stay.

On our final day we started at Animal Kingdom and made every effort to enjoy our favorite attractions early on in the day. For years, Animal Kingdom was a half-day park for us. It wasn’t that way because you could do everything in half a day, but rather because we wanted to spend more time at Epcot or Magic Kingdom. To an extent, that concept remains true in this length of stay. We spent the morning and recommend riding Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, catching breakfast at Yak and Yeti (their quick service option), enjoying Na’vi River Journey, and of course Festival of the Lion King! To an extent, the order you complete these attractions and shows doesn’t entirely matter, but I highly recommend going to Na’Vi River Journey first if you can secure a fastpass for Flight of Passage. If not, go straight to Flight of Passage when the gates open. 

We had a fastpass for Flight of Passage, so we managed to avoid the line for that attraction, but it was the last thing we did in that park before leaving and heading to a late lunch reservation at Homecomin’ Kitchen over at Disney Springs. After the meal (or any other number of dining options at Disney Springs you would like to choose) we explored the area a bit and went in a few of our favorite stores before moving locations one last time and heading to Magic Kingdom to end out the vacation with a few last minute attractions.

At the end of that last day I recommend one final thing that so many guests overlook. Take a moment upon returning to your resort to find a quite place and reflect on the vacation. Our accommodation of choice for this trip was the Boardwalk Resort. In my opinion, it was the ideal place to think back on the events of our short stay. No matter what resort you’re at, find a quite place, and just sit and enjoy the moment and reflect upon the memories you’ve created with friends and family. In my opinion, it is the very best way to end a trip of any length.                 


Things to Consider: 

Check Park Hours Before Planning Days 


Unless you want to follow this itinerary word for word, look up the park hours for your stay and selected dates before you pick your park days and what park you will go to on each day. Extra Magic hours can be vastly beneficial in squeezing in a few extra experiences, so you’ll want to try and plan around those hours as much as possible.  


Park Hopper is a Necessity


If you want to use our plan or a variation of it, the park hopper option is a must when buying tickets. If you don’t buy it you’ll be limited to whatever park you start in for the day and will have to visit just that one park for the day. You can come and go as you please, but any other park is off the table. 


Let Someone Guide You


If this sounds overwhelming, don’t let it discourage you from booking a trip. If you have questions feel free to message me on Facebook anytime and I’ll personally get back to you as soon as possible. Additionally, consider an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner like our fiends over at Destinations to Travel (link to no obligation quote request form). When you support them it also helps support us in return and as an added bonus its absolutely free!      


Modify The Plan as You Go!


Even if you follow every single element of this plan, you will have to modify it along the way. Alter your plans as you go and do what works best for you as the situation unfolds. Be a bit spontaneous in your travels and the results may genuinely surprise you!   

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

How Do I Create These Posts? 

Every once in a while I get questions about my gear. This is what I use and highly recommend at the moment in the realm of content creation. This list is varied and tends to change from time to time, but this is my current set up of gear used to create these posts. If you have any questions or need some tips in the site building process, feel free to message me on Facebook!

Computer: Macbook Pro  
If you get one of these you’ll inevitably need dongles (The USB-C Struggle): 
Main DSLR Camera: Nikon D3400 (kit lens currently)
Tripod for Night Photography: PrimaPhoto Traveler 
Photo Editing Software: Lightroom 6 Stand Alone Version (Not Creative Cloud) 
Secondary Camera: iPhone 7 (Older Photos on the Site) 


Ready to Plan?


Let our friends over at Destinations to Travel (FREE – no obligation quote request form below) help you out at no additional cost to you! Here’s a closer look at why I recommend an Authorized Disney Travel Planner!

Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

Disney Dining Plan Tips for 2018 – Is It Worth It?

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney Dining Plan Tips for 2018 – Is It Worth It?

Today we’re talking about the Disney dining plan. One of the very first questions potential Disney parks guests tend to ask is, “Should I add the Dining Plan?” Sadly, it’s not a one size fits all answer and for a variety of reasons. If you do choose to buy the dining plan, for a family of four (adults) booking a four night stay at Disney resort hotel it is going to cost you around $1200 to add the dining plan. In my opinion, that begs the question, “Is it worth it?” and, “How can you make the most of the plan if you choose to purchase the Disney Dining Plan?” Those are the two main questions we hope to answer for you today.  

 (D-Luxe Burger at Disney Springs)

To start off, there are three dining plan tiers at this point in time: 

1. The Quick Service Dining Plan [Price Per Night: $52.50 for Adults – $21.74 for Kids (ages 3-9)]

-The Quick service plan includes 2 quick service meals per night, 2 snacks per person per night, and one resort refillable drink mug (to be used only at the resorts).
  
2. The Disney Dining Plan [Price Per Night: $75.49 for Adults – $25.75 for Kids (ages 3-9)]

-The Disney Dining Plan is what most guests choose to go with if they choose to purchase the add-on and is the plan we’ll be offering tips for today. This option includes 1 quick service meal, 1 table service meal, and two snacks per person per night of your stay. You also receive the refillable mug. 

3. The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan [Price Per Night: $116.25 for Adults – $39.99 for Kids (ages 3-9)]

-The last plan is perhaps the least utilized simply because of the sheer amount of food the plan includes. Honestly, unless you’re going to Disney solely with the intent to eat all the time, I do not recommend this option. It includes 3 meals per person per night (quick service or table service), 2 snacks, and the refillable drink mug once again.    

Each plan has it’s strengths and price differences but inevitably which plan is best for your situation is something that has to be considered on a case by case basis. Personally, we have always opted for the standard Disney Dining Plan option (#2). As prices climb and more filling and diverse offerings arise in the realm of quick-service, option #1 is getting more and more intriguing with the Quick Service Dining Plan. At the same time, we rarely use the dining plan and I’ll explain why at the bottom of this article.  

While keeping that in mind, we’re going to move into some of our top tips for utilizing the dining plan to the best of your ability. 

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Don’t “bankroll” Your Snacks 

I know this tip sounds somewhat ridiculous, but far too many guests hoard their snack and meal credits and then end up having to rush to a gift shop or resort dining location at the last minute to utilize all their leftover snack credits the night before they check out. For those of you who may not know, you’re given your “daily allotment” of meals and snacks in one big lump sum on the first day of your trip. It doesn’t matter if you use 5 counter service credits on the first day and none the next day, or 2 table service credits in one day and then none the next. It’s a running total for your length of stay. Inevitably, many guests think to save their snack credits for another day of their trip. Trust me, I’ve learned this one the hard way and the best way to overcome it is that if you see something you want to eat, just use the snack credit and eat what looks good in the moment. If you try to carefully plan it out, you’ll be thinking back on this article as you scourer the gift shop for travel stable snack credit purchases. 

(Garden Grill Breakfast) 

Get Creative  

Building on the last tip, if you do get stuck with extra snack credits or meal credits at the end of your stay, get creative about what you choose to buy. One of our go-to tips for getting rid of those snack credits is to stock up on shelf stable items. For example, the little metal mint containers almost every gift shop sells are considered a snack credit. They don’t go out of date, they travel incredibly well, and they’re not liquids that the TSA will take when you get to the airport. A few other great options are Disney themed PEZ dispensers, wrapped Mickey-Shaped Rice Krispy treats, and the Chip and Dale trail mix bags. In a normal situation there are far better snack offerings than these and this the only time I would recommend using snack credits for these type of items, but if you’re in a  pinch it’s far better than trying to eat 6 cupcakes the night before you leave (or is it???).

Pick Better Meal and Snack Items 

From a guest experience perspective this seems relatively obvious but for first time guest you may have no concept of the diversity in Disney dining offerings. Particularly at the quick service tier, try and avoid options like Starlight Cafe or the Electric Umbrella in favor of a more creative dining options like Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn in Frontierland or Katsura Grill in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot. The variety of food and the quality of food available at this point at Walt Disney World vastly exceeds the old days of simple amusement park cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets. 

Snacks follow a similar frame of thought. Avoid the ice cream carts unless you’re looking for that classic Mickey Bar and instead make your way to the Main Street Confectionary for a fresh baked treat. Over at Epcot, the same is true. Pass up the simple frozen and packaged foods you can get anywhere around the country and use your snack credit for an incredible French pastry at Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie in the France pavilion. The possibilities are endless but knowing you have options is a huge key to making the most of your dining plan selections. 

(Garden Grill Breakfast) 

Order What’s Expensive 

One of the true highlights of actually using the dining plan is that in many cases you can order just about anything you want on the menu. Some places you have more options than others, but there’s really no price cap on what you can order. If you want to order something you’d otherwise shy away from due to price, the dining plan gives you that freedom because, in essence, it costs you nothing more!      

Try Something New 

Along the same lines as the above tip, the dining plan gives you a certain freedom to try something you otherwise would have never tried. Inevitably, this is only a perception in your mind because you already paid for your meal in a different way, but there is a different thought process when you look at a menu when you’re on the dining plan. It’s relatively difficult to explain but if you’re looking at the menu you may see an item like a New York Strip Steak. Maybe you’re not typically a fan of that type of meat for the cost, or quality, or any number of reasons, and you may prefer a filet instead. Well, if the menu has a 10 ounce New York Strip Steak or an 8 Ounce Filet at a similar price you might just order the New York Strip even though you typically wouldn’t. At times, the whole dining plan ordering process messes with your mind and makes you think about ordering in an entirely different way. In my opinion, it’s a good change of pace and creates a new level of freedom when dining in the parks. 


Consider the Costs of Gratuity

When many guests book a dining plan they tend to assume that gratuity is included in the plan. Unfortunately that is not true. Instead, gratuity is paid by the guest at each chosen dining location for table service meals. You can add a source of payment to your Magic Band to use to pay the gratuity, but it is not included in your package price. 

Typically the cost of gratuity isn’t something you necessarily budget for, but at Disney you almost have to in order to have a reasonable estimation of what your vacation will cost in total. Gratuity can be higher at Disney dining locations due to the overall face price of the meal (especially if you order the most expensive items). At a minimum, expect to pay around $30-$40 per table service meal in gratuity at Disney’s recommended 18%. Some meals may be higher and some may be lower but at $30+ dollars per meal, it’s something you should certainly consider when budgeting out your trip. 

Is it Worth It?

Truthfully, this is one of those questions I’ve been asked more times than I can count. I love answering this question because most people don’t entirely realize what the dining plan costs until they see it laid out in their package and, more importantly, many assume they’re saving money. In nearly every situation, you are not going to save money by buying the dining plan. Each plan, when you do the math, is within cents of what you would pay out of pocket to buy the same items that are included in the dining plan. I’ve done the math more times than I care to admit but it is shockingly close to what you would be spending out of pocket, even if you order the most expensive items on every menu. 
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On the other hand, if you go at purchasing it from the perspective of convenience, it is worth every penny for most guests. It is the most convenient and least stressful way to pay for dining in the Disney parks. That’s what it was designed to do and it does so near flawlessly. For a typical guest, that isn’t overly concerned about saving money during their trip, I do recommend buying the dining plan. For the guest looking to save money on your Disney trip, avoid the dining plan. 

Chances are (at least when we travel to the parks) you wont eat everything that would have been included on the dining plan. In that situation you are automatically saving money. Multiply that small savings each day times each member of your group and your length of stay and you may be surprised at how much you can save. 

Personally, I no longer use the dining plan unless it is part of a promotional offer. The reasoning behind it is simple. First, it tends to allocate more food than you need to or even want to eat. It’s great for the first few days but if you’re maxing out your choices on the dining plans you tend to be miserable by the end of a week long vacation. Second, and more importantly, it doesn’t really fit the way we dine at Walt Disney World. We split meals, park hop all the time, and have been known to do two table service meals in a day and then the next day just eat snacks throughout the day at Flower and Garden Festival or something of the sort. The logistics of keeping up with it just isn’t worth it for us. Long story made short, we simply eat sporadically and a “plan” just isn’t the best option for us. 

That’s the key to the dining plan in general. You have to figure out if it is going to work for your given situation and your individual needs. Do you have a kid that is a picky eater? The dining plan is great for that because of the options it provides. Do you travel solely for the culinary experience? This might be perfect for you! Do you travel with a massive group that is going to be near impossible to keep track of doing credits within? The dining plan may not be the best option of you! 


Hopefully, if nothing else, this article helped you think through the dining plan as a whole. If you’re still lost, feel free to drop a comment on this post on your favorite social media platform or feel free to email me directly! Additionally, consider giving our friends over at Destinations to Travel a shout (using our quote request form below). They know these plans like the back of their hand and they help us out in return in various ways. It also helps you support the site at no cost to you! Their services are completely free to utilize and are who we recommend because it is who we have personally used! 

Your Thoughts

As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Need My Help?

Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or free-lance work at Guide4WDW@gmail.com. If you need a landscape or theme park photographer, feel free contact me with photo requests or contracts. All theme park writing and photos will be assessed on a case by case basis. 
For anyone else looking to give me a shout or to have their questions answered by me, feel free to contact me anytime via that same email address! I never charge anyone to answer a question and I do answer all of my emails personally.      

Need a Travel Planner?

If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.

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Ready to Plan?

Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.