Past Posts: Making New Friends & Hummingbird Basics

2012-05-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

A couple favorite posts, from the past:

See ya Monday!

Me, Instagram, & Motivating Kids to Do Chores

2012-05-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Eeek! Is this the busiest week of your life, too?!? Between just getting back from a trip to the Oregon Coast, 3 kids in baseball, end of school festivities, dance recital madness, and a baby with a fever...I'm pooped.

It almost looks like my son is in jail, in his orange jumpsuit.

My sweet baby Joe, burning up with a fever.

Yay for graduating Kindergarten!

So, today's post is a little poopie. Well, not really. I actually wrote a post for Marie, at Make and Takes, about motivating kids to do their chores, and pulling yourself out of a house-cleaning depression. So, I'm thinking you should jump on over and check it out. You might like it. :)

In other news, I'm now an official Instagram junkie, as you can see by the photos above. So fun, I love it! Anyway, if you're feeling the love, follow me at 'orsoshesays'. I have a whopping total of 9 pictures, so far. But, go easy on me. I just started.

What's New At Disneyland?? ~ Besides a Price Increase (she: Kimberly)

2012-05-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

BREAKING NEWS: Disneyland Ticket Prices Have Gone UP!

At Get Away Today, we are Disneyland specialists, which means we always know what’s going on at the Disneyland Resort. However, this week we were thrown for a little loop. The Disneyland Resort has raised prices effective immediately on all tickets including Park Hopper Tickets, the new 1-Park/Day ticket introduced this year, and Annual Passes. While yearly price increases are not unexpected at the Disneyland Resort, the amount of the increase and lack of notice has caught a lot of families (and us!) off guard. Normally when Disney raises their prices midyear, we are unaffected because of our contracted rates. This year, that wasn’t the case. However, Get Away Today provides an option to lock in the lower ticket price, which can save families an average of $200 per vacation package.

We know how important it is for families to save money. So, when we found out that the Disneyland Resort has raised their ticket prices by up to $49/ticket, our team got together and started working on anything we could do to help families save money. Because we’re committed to offering the lowest ticket prices, we will be offering our discount tickets for travel through December 31, 2012, but you MUST BOOK by June 7, 2012. We don’t want anyone to pay more than they have to for their Disneyland vacation. Here is a table showing all of the new pricing so you can see how much you’ll save by booking by June 7:

You’ll notice that with the minimum ticket increase being $39, a family of five would pay nearly $200 more! We really don’t want that to happen, so we are highly encouraging families to book now rather than later.

One obvious reason for the price hike is the Grand Opening of Cars Land and the re-invention of Disney California Adventure Park. For those of you that haven’t heard, Disney California Park has been undergoing a complete transformation for the past five years starting with Toy Story Mania (a super fun interactive 3D game and ride all in one). World of Color (probably my favorite of ALL Disney shows I’ve ever seen), The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure (my new favorite attraction), and Goofy’s Sky School (the only Wild Mouse type roller coaster I’ll ride) are all part of the transformation that have been very popular.

If you’ve been to Disney California Adventure Park recently, you have definitely noticed some construction. Beginning June 15, Disney California Park will reopen with a whole new land and a whole new look. The entire park entrance will be transformed into Buena Vista Street, echoing Hollywood in the 1920s when Walt first came to California. Buena Vista Street will feature rides on the Red Car Trolley as well as architecture, fountains, and foliage reminiscent of that time. The highlight of Buena Vista Street will be Carthay Circle Theatre, a reproduction of the theatre where Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered. The theatre will host the Carthay Circle Restaurant, a fine dining experience headed up by award winning Napa Rose chef, Andrew Sutton.

Most of the buzz is centered on Cars Land, an all-new 12 acre re-creation of Radiator Springs. I can hardly wait to experience it all firsthand! It’s been kind of a tease, because you can see the red rocks (patterned after those found along Route 66) and get a bird’s eye view of Cars Land when you’re riding California Screamin’ and the Mickey Fun Wheel. A few months ago I was able to sit in on a panel with John Lasseter, the Chief Creative Officer at Pixar and Principal Creative Director for Walt Disney Imagineering. Cars Land has been his baby and he detailed the new shops, restaurants, and most importantly, attractions. In addition to putting an incredible amount of time and artistry into the décor and theming of the land itself, the attractions are going to be spectacular.

First is Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree – and whose kids don’t love Mater?! This ride, geared towards smaller tykes, will load riders into a trailer where you’ll be pulled around by a baby tractor square dance style. Cute, right?

Luigi’s Flying Tires pays homage to the original Flying Saucers attraction from Disneyland. You’ll board your own flying tire and glide along as if you’re on a giant air hockey table.

And for the grand finale, Radiator Springs Racers is, in John Lasseter’s words, “the most E-ticket attraction Disney has ever done.” I mentioned that Cars Land is 12 acres. Radiator Springs Racers takes up six of those acres! Riders will begin with a peaceful road trip through Ornament Valley with views of Radiator Falls. You’ll then race alongside another car through steep banks, quick turns, and dips past stunning red-rock formations. It combines classic story telling with the adventure of thrilling Disney attractions like Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain.

There has always been a ton to do at the Disneyland Resort, and with Disney California Adventure Park’s new addition of Cars Land, there’s more now than ever before. We really want families to be able to experience everything! Of course, with the Disney ticket prices increasing, we want to make it as affordable for families as possible. Get Away Today has made a business of making travel affordable for families for the last 22 years.

Because of the price increases, we at Get Away Today are encouraging families to book all 2012 travel ASAP. Remember, you don’t have to travel by June 7, just make your reservations for travel anytime through 2012! To make it a little easier, we offer payment plans for as little as $125 down for families that would like to reserve their vacation and lock in our discount pricing now, but are unable to pay the balance in full. By combining these discount ticket savings with Get Away Today’s free night hotel specials, we’re still able to offer substantial savings on Disneyland vacations. Reserve your Disneyland vacation by calling 800.523.6116 or visiting www.getawaytoday.com – and be sure to mention you saw us on Or So She Says!

For even more Disneyland tips and tricks, check out these posts:

Our Disneyland Family Vacation, Part 1
Our Disneyland Family Vacation, Part 2
Our Disneyland Family Vacation, Part 3
Guide to Disneyland and California Adventure
Our Favorite Disneyland Tips and Tricks
More Disneyland Tips and Tricks
Disneyland Thoughts & Tips from a Real Pro
Avoiding the "Gimmies" While Vacationing at Disneyland
Visiting Disneyland During the Busy Season

Or so she says...

Past Posts: Making New Friends & Hummingbird Basics

Me, Instagram, & Motivating Kids to Do Chores

What's New At Disneyland?? ~ Besides a Price Increase (she: Kimberly)