The Mouse Connection

Why use a Travel Agent for your Disney Vacation?

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:17:00 +0000

It is an inevitable question. It pops up at least once a week on any given message board. "Should I use a travel agent to help me with my Disney vacation?" Well, since I am a travel agent, I bet you can guess what my answer is...ABSOLUTELY! Now that I have confessed to my obvious bias, let me convince you why...

The service a travel agent provides is FREE! Really! Travel agents are paid a commission by the supplier (Disney) for the travel that is booked. There are no behind the scenes mark ups or hidden fees. Disney, in particular, has very standard pricing and they offer the same rates to all travel agents that they have on their website. You may be wondering why Disney would pay a travel agent if they could book all of the travel themselves? The answer is actually pretty simple - travel agents work to make your trip better. The more fun you have on your vacation, the more likely you are to go back.
A travel agent specializing in Disney has knowledge and experience. Not only do specialists have a love of Disney, and lots of experience, they also have taken tests to "earn their ears." (Literally! When I completed the College of Disney Knowledge Disney sent me a set of ears complete with Mortar Board and Tassel!) Specialists also work hard to keep their knowledge current. I often get calls from overwhelmed parents trying to plan the perfect Disney vacation for their families. Let's face it, there are a lot of moving parts to a Disney vacation, from transportation, to choosing from a multitude of hotels, to sorting out all of the ticket options, to finding a place to eat, to figuring out which park to visit on which day, and even down to what to do inside each park. It is a lot to figure out! I like to get to know my families a little bit, figure out the budget, and help them make the most out of their time and budget.
A travel agent knows what the discounts are and where to find them. I have worked with many clients who were very surprised when my quote was substantially less than the exact same vacation they priced out themselves. My favorite story is about a family who called and said that they wanted to meet some friends at Disney and knew exactly what they wanted and just wanted me to book it for them. My client was in a bit of a hurry, so I got the pertinent information and booked her vacation. Shortly after we hung up, I realized that what she thought she wanted was not really the best idea. I called her back and asked if she could check in 1 day earlier. She did not have much interest in the idea until I explained that if she checked in 1 day earlier, her entire vacation would cost her almost $900 less! Stay longer for less money - SURE!
A travel agent can usually retroactively apply discounts. If a discount comes out after you have booked your vacation, and you otherwise would have qualified for the discount, then a travel agent can retroactively apply it to your reservation. If you booked with Disney directly, you can do this too, but you have to make sure you constantly check for the latest discounts, and then commit to sitting on hold for an hour to get the discount applied. I was just working with a family who was ready to make their final payment and I was able to give them the good news that their trip was going to cost them $800 less than they thought! I honestly get ridiculously happy for people when that happens.
A travel agent can save you money in other ways. Personally, I try to spend my clients money like I would spend my own. Sometimes spending a little extra gives you a lot, sometimes spending a lot extra gives you very little. In addition to lots of money saving tips, I try to let my clients know where they should splurge and where they should cut corners. I have on many occasions tried to talk clients out of more expensive vacation packages. While it is absolutely true that the more you buy the more commission I may make, I am much more concerned that at the end of your vacation, you feel like you got your moneys worth. I would rather make less and have you trust me that make more and have you feel like you overspent. You will be much more likely to share my name with a friend, and I will sleep better at night.
A travel agent is a great sounding board! If you have ever called Disney directly, and asked whether you should do A or B. You will likely hear something like "Oh, they are both fabulous choices." Well, I have opinions that I will freely offer! More than that, I try to tell you why I like something or not or why I think you would like something or not.

To be fair, using a travel agent might not be for everyone. If you are an ultra type A personality in terms of vacation planning (ahem - like me) it can be a little hard to let go of the control. Not that a travel agent is going to "control" your entire vacation! But once a travel agent books your reservation, they have to make changes to the reservation. So if you decide at 9:45pm that you want to add a Park Hopper option to your ticket, then you will need to contact your travel agent to do it instead of calling Disney directly.

Also, you should have a good feeling about your agent. There is no "travel agent law" that says your agent must rebook you with a discount if it comes out. In those cases travel agents are actually doing more work to earn less money. For me, my relationship with my client is all about trust. I want my clients to know they can trust me to do the best I can for them. In the long run, I know that working harder to reduce my commission is good for my client, good for my business and good for my conscience. If you do not get a good feeling after your first conversation with your agent, just thank him or her and move on.

Now that I (hopefully!) have you convinced that using a travel agent is a good thing, let me convince you why you should use TMC Travel - The Mouse Connection for your next Disney vacation.

You deal with one agent. We do not pass you around from agent to agent. We are not a call center. We want to get to know you and use that information to make your trip better! We work for you - not Disney.
We are available outside of regular office hours. We work from our home offices, so we have great flexibility! I often meet families in person on the weekends if that is convenient. I have hung up the phone with a client at 11:45pm, once the last dining reservation was made. And if I get an email at midnight I will answer it at 12:15 if I am still awake!
We offer free gifts to all of our clients who book a 4 or more day vacation package! We have a lot of "goodies" that can make your trip a little more special and fun.
We help you tame the crowds. Believe it or not, there is some science behind which is the best park to visit on any give day. Crowds can swing wildly from day to day for any given park. We try to use our "Disney Crystal Ball" to your advantage!
We help with dining reservations or recommendations. With more and more families taking advantage of the dining plan, "Where should we eat?" is a much bigger factor to consider. We are happy to make some recommendations for you, help you find some menus to peruse, or even make dining reservations for you!
We keep you organized! We have some great tip cards that are personalized for your trip. Sized to fit in your back pocket or park bag, we will make sure you know park hours, parade times, fireworks times, magic hours, and the dining reservations we made for you for each day of your trip! We also have other great tip cards that cover everything from the best snacks in "the World" to how to enjoy Epcot's World Showcase with children.
We accept transfers. If you booked your trip yourself and are unsure about it or just need some extra help, we can transfer your reservation to our agency and help you just as if you were our client from the beginning. And you will still get all of the goodies and extras that we offer all of our clients!
We are an "Earmarked" and have EARNED the title "Authorized Disney Vacation Planner"- We are proud that Disney as awarded us with the title of Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. To be chosen as an Earmarked agency, we have attended training classes, visited the parks, cruised the seas and demonstrated a dedication to planning Disney vacations for several years. In addition, we meet benchmarks set by Disney to qualify for and retain our designation. It is truly an honor to be chosen as one of Disney's top agencies. It is a testament to our hard work and our love of all things Disney.

And to be fair, I guess I should give you a reason not to use TMC Travel for your next vacation...or at least a reason not to use me. Using me makes you a Disney-enabler. Each trip you book with me only furthers my Disney addition. If you can live with that, give me a call or send me an email and let me help you plan your next vacation!

TMC Travel - The Mouse Connection - http://www.tmctravelonline.com/

Last minute Disney Trip???

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 02:44:00 +0000

Lori Potter with TMC Travel has a great guest blog post today....

I had a family contact me this week who has simply had enough of this long, cold, wet winter. Their solution? Pack their bags and head to Disney! But, they wondered....can you do a last minute, spontaneous trip to Disney World? And I can absolutely understand their questions. We read about these crazy things like planning your meals 180 days in advance (when you don’t even know what you are having for dinner tonight), making attraction Fastpasses 60 days in advance and ordering Magicbands ahead of time. So, what does that mean for the spontaneous traveler? One, who like this family, wants to just pack up, escape the cold and head to the Happiest Place on Earth?

Good News! It IS absolutely possible to have a last minute trip to Disney! And while advance planning makes things easier you can certainly have a very magical trip to Disney World even if you plan it 7 days in advance! The biggest key to a last minute trip trip is to have flexibility. The closer you are to your travel dates may mean that your top resort choice has limited availability. I suggest having a back up choice for your resort. Flexibility also carries over to dining reservations. Some families who travel last minute opt for the Quick Service Dining Plan so they don’t need any table service reservations. However, even 5 days out there are popular dining reservations available. When you are in this window you are often getting cancellations as other folks are changing their plans. If you are willing to do a late lunch instead of a prime dinner time or an early breakfast instead of lunch odds are you’ll be able to snag some good meals! The same thing also applies to Fastpass+. Flexibility is key. Now, we’ll be real, likely you aren’t going to snag the elusive Anna & Elsa Fastpass 7 days in advance but there are so many Fastpass+ attractions to chose from that some of your favorites are sure to be included. Just try to be flexible with the times that are available and build your trip around that.

There are a few housekeeping items around last minute trips that should be noted. First, those little booklets that Disney sends you with your “Magical Extras” likely won’t be able to be printed if your trip is within 10 days of booking. It will, however, be sent to the resort for you to pick up at check in. And Magicbands! If you book your trip and order your bands up to 10 days in advance the bands will be sent to your home. If you book your trip between 9 – 5 days in advance you can still customize it on My Disney Experience and they will be waiting at the resort check in desk for you. If you book your trip within 5 days of arrival you will still get a Magicband at the resort it just may or may not have time to be customized!

Of course, I recommend you working with a Travel Agent specializing in Disney Destinations for all your trips, including last minute ones! We are here to assist with finding dining reservations and guiding you through the Fastpass process and anything else you may need to make your trip a magical one!

So, if you are like me and have absolutely had enough of this winter – let’s go to Disney!

Need help planning your last minute trip? Contact Lori at lori@goTMCtravel.com for more information.

Magic Band Decorating 101

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 15:47:00 +0000

I have the blessing of being a pretty creative person…but the curse of being both a terrible artist and craft impaired. In my head I have all of these great ideas that I cannot make my hands do. I have finally learned the hard way, after flushing many a dollar down the drain on failed craft projects ( and that was BEFORE Pinterest!) that I need to focus my creativity on figuring out what I can actually do and make look good. So when I decided to decorate my Magic Bands, I had to scrap all of my grand artistic ideas of characters and swirls and glitter for something that I could actually execute.

So I present…MAGIC BAND DECORATING 101: HELP FOR THE CRAFT CHALLENGED

I was really surprised at how easy it was to decorate the bands and how well they stood up to being used in the parks.

First of all, here are some of the supplies that I used for the project:

The directions are so simple; I do not even need to show photos! It really is that easy, y'all!

The solid pink and the solid blue bands have a few coats of glittery nail polish that I scored on a Target run. I used the color “Fairy Dust” by China Glaze (how appropriate that?). I put a few coats of nail polish on, avoiding Mickey’s head so that it would be highlighted. Keep layering coats of polish until you achieve a level of bling that you are satisfied with. I finished with a few coats of a nail top coat. In this case, it was Orly Glosser.

The green band, is use a few coats of OPI’s “Charged up Cherry” and a clear top coat over Mickey’s head. I set of Mickey’s head with a micro point sharpie in Black (correct color not pictured). It does look better if you Sharpie first and then paint the pink over top. A few lighter coats of nail polish are better than heavy gloppy ones.

My “Tribute to Frozen” band in blue was probably the easiest of all. I hit up the scrapbook sticker section of my local craft store and then did a little peel and stick. I decided Mickey’s head needed a little something extra, so a few coats of a light blue nail polish (I raided my daughter’s stash and I am unsure of the specific color or brand) and a few coats of “Pixie Dust” did the trick.

At this point, I started to feel a little smug over my results thus far, so I tried my most ambitious band to date….the “Minnie Polka Dot”. The white dots were made with simple acrylic craft paint that cost $0.99. I used a stylus as my polka dot maker. You can Google “polka dot stylus”, check your craft store, or check in the nail art section of a beauty supply store. The major key to success is to PRACTICE before you start. While I was running a bunch of polka dots across my practice page, I learned that I needed to dip the stylus straight into the paint and then dot it straight on the band. No wiggling, no odd angles. I also learned that to get the most consistent results, I needed to dip the stylus back into the paint after every dot. I was concerned about a clear coat smudging the dots, so I opted to use the top coat brush and did clear polka dots over my white dots once they were totally dry. Once the clear dots were dry, I painted the entire band with a tip coat for a nice finish.

Other ideas to try:

Mickey head jewels that you can stick or glue on
Temporary tattoos or stickers of your favorite characters sealed with clear polish
Swarovski crystals
A nod to your favorite sports team
A seasonal band for the time of year you are visiting
An "I'm Celebrating" band to share your special day
A family themed band

And there you have it, an easy-peasy Magic Band Craft for the craft challenged. Hope it helps get your creative juices flowing!

Disney for the Expectant Mama….

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 22:41:00 +0000

A little over a year ago, we decided to take one more trip as a family of 4 before our littlest guy joined us in April. I am just now reporting on this trip because, well, the baby is now one and I finally have time.

We chose to visit Disney in December for several reasons: 1. It would not be too hot. 2. It was my son’s (and my) birthday. 3. We would be able to see the parks decorated for the holidays. 4. I was well into my 2^nd trimester, but still far enough from my 3^rd to not have to worry about giving birth at Magic Kingdom. And 5. The crowds were low. We made a last minute decision to switch from Art of Animation to The Contemporary so it would be more convenient for me to come back and rest. Best decision ever. Listen here all you mamas-to-be…that was worth every extra penny. If you’re going to splurge on something for your Disney vacation as a pregnant woman, a Deluxe resort convenient to Magic Kingdom (and maybe a prenatal massage at the Grand Floridian), is where it’s at. We absolutely loved the Garden Wing rooms at Contemporary. The first floor rooms have patios, and if you splurge for a Garden View room, you can sit out and watch the water parade go by at night! If this is out of your budget, a trip to Disney while pregnant is not out of the question, you just may need to call it quits well before your tired feet/legs/back/butt/family gives out on you so you have the energy to board the bus and make it back to your resort before you crash and burn.

One of my concerns when planning the trip was whether or not I could even enjoy Disney while pregnant. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of activities and rides I could experience! There were very few rides in each park that I couldn’t do, and I didn’t mind resting when the other three rode something that I couldn’t. Hubby’s splurge of choice was to do the Pirates and Pals Fireworks tour that leaves from the Contemporary. This was an awesome way for us all to see the Christmas party fireworks at Magic Kingdom. It was extremely entertaining for the kids, and I could sit in the boat comfortably and not have to risk getting bumped or jostled in a crowd. On a side note, the beach at the Polynesian is another great spot for viewing the fireworks without too much of a crowd, or, if you are in Magic Kingdom, we sat in Town Square on the train station side so that we could jet out in front of the crowds when the fireworks were over.

I can’t go without stating the obvious…wear comfortable shoes, layer clothing so that you won’t get too hot/cold, take breaks throughout the day and for goodness sakes, stay hydrated and nourished! Don’t overdo it and make sure to know when to say when. Having a sweet and understanding hubby who will take the kids swimming while you nap helps too (thanks babe!). Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and enjoyable Disney can be to a mom-to-be. The only thing I missed was the glass of wine to end the day as we watched the water parade float by!

Rainbow Loom Mickey Mouse

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 15:23:00 +0000

If your house is like mine, Rainbow Loom has taken over. For the uninitiated, Rainbow Loom is a
(relatively) inexpensive craft involving tiny rubber bands...you know....the kind your orthodontist used to give you.

I think Rainbow Loom is great for hand to eye coordination and figuring out spatial relationships. I am sure it is somehow enhancing the math faculties in my kid's brain. I not sure, however if my vacuum cleaner is ever going to recover from this trend.

My oldest has become quite the Rainbow Loom whiz and has created a fantastic Mickey Mouse pattern. I am not sure exactly how she figured it out, but in terms of ~~leaving rubber bands everywhere~~ this craft, I think she is darn near a genius.

I hope you enjoy the video, in two parts.

Free Dining Alert! Room Discount Alert!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Mon, 06 May 2013 17:53:00 +0000

Attention Disney Visa holders! Ready...Set...Go! Some great new discounts have officially been announced. Look for FREE DINING if you for check in dates from September 2-25. Look for a ROOM DISCOUNT from August 15 - September 28.

Attention everyone else! Ready....Set....and get ready to go later this week when we expect the same announcement for the general public!

Free Dining

It looks very similar to other free dining promotions. A free quick service dining plan will be available for guest staying in Value resorts. You can upgrade to the regular dining plan for just the cost difference between the two plans.

Guest staying in a moderate or deluxe will get the regular (plus) dining plan free.

The Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation, the campsites at Ft Wilderness, and the 3 bedroom villas are excluded from this offer.

Room Discount

5% off – all Deluxe suites, All-Star Movies, Animal Kingdom Lodge (Savannah view and Club Level), Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas, Bay Lake Tower, Contemporary (theme park view & Club Level), Port Orleans-French Quarter

15% off - Art of Animation (family suites)

20% off – All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, Contemporary (standard rooms), Grand Floridian, Pop Century, Polynesian

25% off - Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans-Riverside, Ft. Wilderness Cabins

30% off – Animal Kingdom Lodge (standard/pool view rooms) Beach Club, Beach Club Villas, Boardwalk Inn, Boardwalk Villas, Old Key West, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, Saratoga Springs, Wilderness Lodge, Yacht Club

The Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation, the campsites at Ft Wilderness, and the 3 bedroom villas are excluded from this offer.

Reminders

Only one discount per room, so let us crunch the numbers to figure out which discounts are best for you!

Not all room types are available for any given set of dates.

There are a limited inventory of rooms available for the discounts! The sooner you book, the better chances of finding what you are looking for!

And as always...

Please let me know if I can help you plan your vacation! We have the same prices that you find on Disneyworld.com with no extra charges or fees. In addition to our free planning services, we also offer free gifts as a thank you for booking with us! I would love to help! ginger@tmctravelonline.com

Details for Fast Pass +? It is in the fine print!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:38:00 +0000

The internet rumor mill has been all aflutter for MONTHS concerning the so called "Next Gen" project, subsequently referred to as X Pass, then FastPass +, and now officially My Magic + . There as been much speculation about how FastPass+ is going to work, and I think I have some pretty good scoop on the subject, but first...

My Magic+ consists of three enhancements:

My Disney Experience - My Disney Experience is the collective name for the revamped internet presence. You can view this new site via the same old website that has been updated with a nice new look and feel as well as a Smartphone app. Both have a new modern look and feel and appear that they will offer a more customizable approach to planning and tracking your vacation details. I will warn you, as with all new technology, there are still a few kinks that need to be worked out, but the site as a whole seems to be geared toward getting guests information they need when they need it. All parks now have free Wi-Fi access making it much easier to get online.
The Magic Band - We have heard rumors of "the bracelet" for some time and it appears that it is coming to fruition soon. The bracelet will be worn for the duration of your stay and will replace your park tickets. You will get a bracelet as part of your ticket purchase, but it appears that you can "upgrade" your boring bracelet to a fancier version with your favorite character. Well played, Disney. So what will the Magic Band actually mean? A simple wave of your wrist and you can:

Open the door to your resort
Make a retail purchase
Enter a theme park
Store your photopass photos
Obtain a FastPass
Store your FastPass + selection

FastPass+ - Disney has done a fair amount of testing of the FastPass Plus system, but there has been very little information about how it is going to actually work. We've known that you are going to be able to schedule your FastPasses, but not much else.Well, you know that fine print that pops up when you sign up for an account on a website? I am the nerd that actually reads it (well, sometimes). When I signed up for a new My Disney Experince account, I did read the find pring and found some really interesting information.

ONLY ONE FASTPASS+ PER RIDE PER DAY AND ONLY ONE PARK PER DAY - "You may make FastPass+ selections for one park per day. You may only select and redeem aFastPass+ selection for a particular attraction, entertainment or restaurant experience once per day." EDITED: This is not one pass per day, but one pass per attraction per day. This will actually make things more inflexible for guests that know how to effectively use FastPasses.

Free for RESORT GUESTS ONLY? - "A confirmed FastPass+ selection is not valid for admission to any theme or water park and valid park admission is required to make a selection and redeem a FastPass+ selection. To make aFastPass+ selection for you or your Friends, you must retrieve a Resort package reservation including valid park admission through your account or associate valid park admission to your account. "
A PAID ADD ON FOR OFF PROPERTY GUESTS? - "Ticket holders holding passes or tickets with block-out dates may not make FastPass+ selections for any block-out date without the purchase of separate valid park admission and assigning that admission entitlement to your account. " I am not sure exactly what that means!
AVAILABLE AT SOME QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANTS - "A FastPass+ selection for dining at a FastPass+ designated table service or quick service location secures your arrival window and allows you to order meal prior to your arrival window. Each guest who has ordered ahead must have a FastPass+ selection for the same arrival time and location confirmed by the Site/App." I am not sure that I would bother using my sole FastPass+ for the day on a quick service meal, but maybe it is worth it to some.
THE SUPER FINE PRINT - You can start booking 60 days prior, the number of Fastpasses is limited and subject to availability, FastPass+ times will continue to be strictly enforced, can be used for shows, special viewing areas for fireworks, attractions and dining, times or attractions may be changed due to operational issues related to a particular attraction.

So what you you think? I think I am on board with FastPass+, I think it will be a nice enhancement without feeling you have to schedule every second of your vacation. I like the Magic Band idea, but I am not sure how much I would enjoy a semi permanent plastic bracelet on my wrist in the heat of summer. I think it is going to take a while for me to warm up to the My Disney Experience website. While it is pretty, the glitches are driving me a bit crazy. I am hopeful that they will be resolved sooner rather than later. It is a little more cumbersome to set up but gives a nice reward for the effort.. The "vacationer" in me will ultimately enjoy it. I am not sure the "travel agent" in me will ever love it in it's current format. "A little more cumbersome" times many, many families really adds up. That said, I am looking forward to taking it for a spin for my family's vacation this spring!

No Free Dining for Early 2013? Disney Discounts Announced for Early 2013.

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:39:00 +0000

Today not one , but two discounts were announced for select dates from Jan 2 to March 7. One of the promotions is the typical Room Discount that we all know and love. The second offer is for a discounted package that includes dining. While the "Stay Play and Dine" discount is more substantial than the room only discounts for the resorts I priced out, they are not quite as good as a free dining discount would be. This leads me to believe that we might not see free dining this time around, folks. My guess is that Disney feels they can fill the rooms with a more modest discount based on the buzz surrounding the Fantasyland expansion - and I have a feeling they are right.

As a reminder the discounts announced today can only be booked by Disney Visa holders at this time. This offer will be made available to the general public beginning on October 10. (Not October 14, as I was mistakenly told this morning.)

I would recommend that you take advantage of these offers while you can and not hold out for free dining, as I do not think that is in the cards for this winter. If you are not a Disney Visa holder, but would like to go ahead and book you trip in anticipation of the discount rolling out on the 10th we can certainly get started, and I will just apply the discount that morning to your existing reservation.

If my gut is wrong and they roll out free dining later, I will simply change your reservation to take advantage of it!

Here are the details...hot off the Disney Visa website.

PS - I have no idea how the Stay Play and Dine offer is actually being calculated. Is it a flat discount on a total package? Is it a free day? Is it a discount on a component? I can't seem to put my finger on it and nobody that I have spoken with at Disney has been able to tell me. Once I get my head around it I will let you know if there is any way to structure you trip to take better advantage!

Free Dining for 2013, not yet! Room Discounts are here for Jan-Mar!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:26:00 +0000

There is still no official news, or even a reliable rumble about if or when free dining is coming for 2013.

Room Only Discounts are out today for Disney Visa Holders, in varying amounts up to 35% for stays Jan 2 - March 7.

Offers to the general public will be available on Oct 14.

These offers are available through the end of the year, subject to availability.

Please let me know if I can help plan your Disney vacation. As always if we get you booked on one offer and a better offer becomes available, we will automatically switch you over to maximize your savings!

Email me today!

Free Dining is Back for Fall! 2013 Packages are on the way!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 22:38:00 +0000

***5/6/2013 NOTE***
We have some offical news! http://www.themouseconnection.net/2013/05/free-dining-alert.html

***3/7/13 NOTE**** This blog post was from last fall. Disney announcd free dining for fall at the same time they announced that they were releasing 2013 vacation packages. Google has unhelpfully combined the two separate headlines. As of this writing, no dates for free dining has been released for 2013. If you would to to be added to our free dining watch please email ginger@tmctravel or better yet start planning your vacation.

I hope that we will hear about free dining in September in March or April. We will likely not hear anything about free dining in October-December until mid to late July. That said, I really do recommend that you go ahead and get the ball rolling in terms of planning. Because that time frame is typically a "free dining" period there is a run on dining reservations as soon as the announcement is made. (IF an announcement is made! :)) I like to have my families already booked and ready with their dining reservations made. That way the morning any discount is announced I am able to just apply it to their reservations. If we guess the dining window accurately, we are all set. If we miss by a day or two we just make a few minor adjustments. If we totally miss then we can go back to the drawing board and are no worse off than if you waited until the announcement to book.

As a reminter, there is absolutely no charge or fee for my services. I have the same prices and discounts that you find on Disneyworld.com, and I have to abide by all of their booking rules. Just like booking with Disney there is a $200 deposit required to hold your package and that is FULLY REFUNDABLE AND CHANGEABLE until your final payment date 45 days prior to check in. That means that if your trip is dependent upon a free dining announcement that never comes, you can cancel your reservation and have your deposit fully refunded as long as you do so 45 days prior to travel.

Once we get you booked, we need to wait until about 6.5 months before you travel for the crowd estimates park hours to come out. Once it does, we can use that information to map out a plan. Crowds can fluctuate SIGNIFICANTLY at that time of year, particularly at Magic Kingdom. So we make sure we make the most out of your time. Once we know which park you will be in each day we can plan your dining reservations around that. I will be happy to make your reservations for you or give you all of the information you need to handle it on your own.

There are a lot of extra perks for using TMC Travel to book. First of all we offer worry free booking. If a discount comes out after you book, we automatically apply it to your reservation. You do not have to keep up with the latest and call to ask me to apply it to your reservation...I just "handle it". If another discount comes out, I crunch the numbers and make sure we have your family on the best possible discount. I have changed discounts 3 times for some families to insure they have the best deal!

Other perks include a free gift for everyone in your travel party, a referral program ($20 gift card for anyone that is not traveling with you that books with me), tip cards to keep you organized, and finally I can help with last minute questions you may have.

Please let me know if I can help!

Ginger
***END OF NOTE***

This week looks to be a busy one! As hotly rumored on the internet, Free Dining is back for fall. If you are a Disney Visa holder...Congratulations! You can start booking your trip today. If you are not a card holder then your booking window is set to open on Thursday.

That is the good news....the bad news is that the dates seem a little more limited than they have in years past. Here is the scoop:

Free dining is available to guests checking in on the following dates:

9/30/12–10/4/12
10/19/12–11/1/12
11/9/12–11/15/12
11/23/12–11/29/12
12/10/12–12/13/12

As long as you check in during free dining, you will have it for the duration of your stay. There is a minimum of a 3 night stay with a 2 day ticket, and a maximum stay of 14 days. You must book by 9/29, pending limited availability. Little Mermaid rooms at the Art of Animation resort are excluded from the offer.

The guests at value resorts will get the quick service plan free, but can upgrade to plus dining for just the cost difference between the two plans. Guests staying a moderate resorts, deluxe resorts, and deluxe villas will get the plus dining plan free.

In other news...
2013 Vacation Packages will be released on Wednesday. If you have been waiting to book next year's vacation, it is almost "go time"!

As a reminder, I am a no-fee travel agent specializing in Disney. I would love to help you plan your free dining Disney extravaganza, your 2013 trip, or anything in between. There is no additional cost for my services, and I offer free gifts for everyone in your travel party with a 4 or more day package. Please feel free to contact me at ginger@tmctravelonline.com .

December Dining News!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 15:28:00 +0000

Chef Mickey's for Christmas lunch anyone?
It appears that Disney has opened up lunch reservations during the Christmas crush. I think a nice later lunch with Mickey on the way back to the resort for an afternoon break sounds like a FANTASTIC idea!

Candlelight Processional News
The popular Candlelight Processional Dining Package will be available for booking tomorrow. You will be able to book these reservations ONLINE! In case you missed last week's announcement about narrators:

November 23 to November 25, 2012 — Isabella Rossellini
November 26 to November 29, 2012 — Neil Patrick Harris
November 30 to December 1, 2012 — Whoopi Goldberg
December 2 to December 4, 2012 — TBA
December 5 to December 7, 2012 — TBA
December 8 to December 10, 2012 — TBA
December 11 to December 13, 2012 — Jodi Benson
December 14 to December 16, 2012 — Olivia Newton John
December 17 to December 19, 2012 — TBA
December 20 to December 22, 2012 — Trace Adkins
December 23 to December 25, 2012 — Gary Sinise
December 26 to December 28, 2012 — TBA
December 29 to December 30, 2012 — Marlee Matlin / Jack Jason

As a reminder there are 3 shows 5:00, 6:45, and 8:15. The 5:00 show will have late lunch times available for dining. The 6:45 will have very early dinner times. More "reasonable" early dinner times will be available for guests attending the 8:15 show.

Shoud I Buy a No Expiration Ticket at Disney?

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:13:00 +0000

Question from the mailbag:

(Okay, so it is not officially a letter, I mean, who actually writes letters anymore? But "mailbag" is much catchier than "people call and ask me this question a lot", so work with me.)

We are are going to Disney World for 5 days this summer. We know that we want to go again next year, so should we just by a 10 day ticket and add on the No Expiration Option? I think we can save $57 per ticket, that sounds like a good deal. Is it?

The No Expiration option can be a good deal, but it is not without it's pitfalls! When considering this option, there are a few things to consider. When you look at the pricing of the No Expire tickets, be aware that the price of the ticket is based on the total number of days on your original ticket, not the number of days that you want to "save" or carry over to your next trip. So if you want to break up a 10 day ticket for use on two 5 day vacations, you would need to purchase a 10 day ticket for $318 and then add $275 for the 10 day no expire option, for a total of $593. This is a savings over the $536 you would pay for a pair of 5 day tickets.

Saving money is good, so no expiration it is! Right? Hold on...there is more you need to know....

The Pros

Saving Money - In the example above, you would save about $57 per ticket with the no expiration option. Depending on how your family vacations, the savings can be even more significant. I have a friend who visits family in Florida several times a year. She often tacks on one or two Disney days. Over a period of 2 years, she will visit the parks a total of 10 days, going 1 or 2 days at the time. In that case a 10 day No Expiration ticket is REALLY good deal for her. She would save $291 per person purchasing a 10 day non expiring ticket instead of purchasing three 2 day tickets and 4 single day tickets.
"Savings Account" - You can consider the remaining days on your ticket as a little Disney savings account. Your tickets are paid for and ready to go when you are. That next trip seems a little more affordable, right?
Price Protection - As we saw over the weekend, Disney raises prices every year. If you hold your No Expire tickets over a period of a few years, you have hedged yourself against the inevitable price hikes.
Kids Grow Up - If you purchase Junior a No Expire ticket when he was 8 and you return when he is 10, you can still use that ticket, even though Junior is technically considered an adult.

The Cons

You May Miss a Discount - Several times a year, Disney offers a free dining plan with the purchase of a room and ticket package. If you already have a ticket, you are out of luck. You can work around this buy buying a ticket with a minimum number of days (usually 1 or 2) for everyone in your party in order to get the free dining discount. This often ends up being the better deal than not taking the discount at all. However, it completely eliminates the savings that you got from purchasing the No Expire option in the first place.
No Upgrades - Once you are 14 days past the first use of your ticket, you can no longer upgrade your ticket. So if you purchased a base ticket on your first vacation and decide you want to park hop on your second, you are out of luck.
Tic-Tac, No Tradeback - You cannot apply the remaining value of your tickets to any other vacation package.
Don't Lose That Ticket - If you are like me and you organize your world by using the "Stack System" then this could be an issue for you. When you get home, put those tickets in a safe spot and don't forget! If you loose your ticket you are out of luck.
Keep Count - You need to remember the number of days remaining on your ticket. I would put all tickets in an envelope and label the number of days remaining. Wouldn't it stink to get there thinking you had 6 days remaining only to find you have 3?!?
It May Not Be the BEST Deal - Let's hop back up to the example above....the family planning a pair of 5 day vacations. If they schedule their trips within the same year (For example, Trip 1 October 25, 2012 and Trip 2 October 15, 2013) then the Annual Pass would be the way to go. Instead of $593 for the 10 Day No Expire, they would only pay $574 for the Annual Pass. That would also allow them to better take advantage of "half days" on arrival and departure day...possibly give them 4 more days in the parks on the same 2 vacations. Plus they could take advantage of the other Annual Passholder Discounts.
Time Value of Money - It is a little known secret that this mom turned blogger turned Disney Travel agent, actually started out with a degree in Finance with a concentration in Financial Management (believe it or not, I used to design, test, and train mortgage lending software!). As I look through this conundrum through the lens of my Finance degree, I am reminded about the old "Time Value of Money" issue. I will not bore you with the math, but needless to say, you have to think about the opportunity cost of having the extra cash sitting in your bank account vs having a cute pair of tickets sitting in your underwear drawer for safe keeping. Money in tickets is money that is not working for you. This is compounded if you hold your tickets for a longer period of time. If you are purchase your tickets using a credit card that you do not immediately pay off, you are eating up your savings in interest.

The Bottom Line

Disney offers these tickets because on average, they make more money doing so. They do not offer them out of the kindness of their hearts. That is not to say that these tickets are not a good deal for some people. If you pop in for a day or two at the time over a period of a year or more, then you should strongly consider this option. Otherwise, take what you would have spent, and start saving for your next trip!

Work the system, don't let the system work you!

Kiddo Control: Or how not to lose your children in a theme park!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:28:00 +0000

It is every parents fear. Just the thought of loosing a child in a busy theme park is enough to make any parent's heart pound and palms sweat. Our daughter was a very independent 4 year old on our last visit to Disney World and I was terrified of loosing my grip on her little hand after a parade and being separated as the crowds surged. Fortunately, there are a few common sense steps you can take to help keep your kids safe.

Label them - If you read my previous blog entries, you know I am a fan of my label maker. When it comes to my children I take it a step further. I ordered a dog tag for each child...not military...canine. I put their names on one side and my name and cellphone number on the other. I attached the tag to their little shoes. This insured that my "late talker" would not need to try to communicate any information should she get lost, and my fearful 4 year old would not have to try to remember our contact information when she was already scared. You could also use an id bracelet, or, if your child is a little older a Sharpie and their little forearm will work just fine.

Match them - I am lucky on this front. I have 2 little girls that love to coordinate their outfits. If can find a matching outfit for them to wear to a park, pool, or playground I will definitely have them wear it. If matching outfits are not an option, a shirt in a similar color is a good alternative. It really helps you locate your children in a crowd. Scanning a crowd or an play area is much easier when your eye is looking for only one color. If one child gets separated, you won't be put on the spot trying to remember what they put on that morning...you can show any cast member what your other child is wearing.

Photograph them - What else are you going to to when you are waiting for the bus or for rope drop? Snap a quick picture as you start the day and then you have a current picture of your child in the outfit they are wearing. Hopefully, this will be photograph you will never need.

Teach them - Talk about what they should do if they get lost. Show them what a cast members name tag looks like and let them know that is a good place to start if they need help. If a cast member is not nearby or if they are uncomfortable asking a cast member tell them to ask a mommy. Most mommies will drop everything for a child in need and will not leave them until they are back where the belong. If your child is not especially verbal, be sure you show them where your contact information is located.

Corral them - A stroller is great for keeping a little one (or even a not so little one safe). Encourage your child to use a stroller for as long as you can safely stuff them in one. If your child must walk, have a hand holding rule. If your child is young, or prone to go darting off consider a backpack type tether. I must admit that I hated the thought of a "leash" before I had children. They are children not dogs. Then I realized I put my dog on a leash for the sole purpose of keeping her safe...suddenly the "leash" did not seem like such a bad idea. I promise if you have your child on a leash I will not judge you...unless you are jerking him around like a misbehaving pup...then I will judge you...HARSHLY.

Drill them - A great thing to teach your child is to stay put if they get lost. You can quickly back track your last steps and find them. Practice "losing" a parent. Once you notice Daddy is missing you can back track your steps and find Daddy waiting calmly. When you discover him, he can confirm he was scared, but knew you would be back for him. Have him reiterate that was staying right where he was when he realized he was lost while he was looking for a cast member or a mom to help.

Prepare them - Tell them to answer your calls. This sounds totally ridiculous, but it is absolutely true. I remember a little boy named Michael getting lost on the beach. His mother became frantic. The entire beach moved into action. People formed human chains to "drag" the ocean floor. I can still remember the chilling screams of his mother as she called his name. After about 20 minutes we really began to fear the worst. About a half hour into the ordeal Michael was located. He was sitting in a tidal pool about 20 feet from his mother. He heard her frantic screams and ignored them. Why? He thought he was in trouble. He figured if he just laid low for a little while she would cool off and he would not be in trouble anymore. Tell you kids they will not get in trouble.....just answer your calls!

Should the worst happen and you find your self separated from your child, take a deep breath and don't panic. Hopefully, they will remember the stay put rule and if you back track a few steps you will find them waiting for you - perhaps never even knowing they were lost in the first place. If you cannot find your child within a minute, notify a cast member immediately. Cast members deal with lost children every day and they are pros at handling the situation. Children who have misplaced their parents are taken to the Baby Care Center or Guest Relations. A cast member will show you the way. If you have two adults, send one to the Baby Care Center and have the other stay in the general vicinity. Also, be sure to have you cell phone in hand. Hopefully, whoever locates you child will spot the id tag and call you immediately.

When it comes to keeping track of your children I am a firm believer that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Hopefully, these tips will help keep your kiddos with you, or at least speed up the the reunion should you get separated.

Disney Visa Discounts for Art of Animation!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Attention Disney Visa Card Holders!

Disney Visa Holders can save 15% at Disney's new Art of Animation Resort from June 18 - September 27. You must book by 6/14 to take advantage of this offer.

As of right now, only the Nemo themed Family Suites are open, with other areas of the resort schedule to open in phases.

	Finding Nemo Family Suites Opening May 31, 2012

	Cars Family Suites Opening June 18, 2012

	The Lion King Family Suites Opening August 10, 2012

	The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms Opening September 15, 2012

As a reminder, this may not be the best discount, if you are traveling in September, be sure that you look for free dining first to make sure that you find the best deal...or better yet...Give TMC Travel a call and we can crunch some numbers for you! While it is not necessarily the best discount Disney has ever announced, I think getting any sort of discount over the popular summer season or at a new resorts is a good deal - combined, it is a good as it gets! Give us a call if we can help!

More than Four (or Five)? Disney Accomodations for Larger Families

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:34:00 +0000

Hi folks! I would like to welcome back our very first guest blogger Lori Potter. Since her first blog post with us, she has officially joined the TMC Travel family. Lori is a mom of four and has great experience travelling with a larger brood!

New Innova Bed at Art of Animation. Is it a table or a bed?
Photo courtesy of Disney

We have a family of 6, which according to Disney it makes us a large family. And because of that it makes our accommodation options at Disney a bit more limited. Thankfully Disney is finally realizing that more and more families have more than 2 kids and has just built the beautiful Art of Animation resort which adds a ton more family suites into their inventory at a more affordable price. So what are the on-property resort options for a family of 6?

The most economical way to go is actually 2 rooms at a Value resort. If you are a family traveling together with one adult in each room then Disney will give you priority on adjoining rooms. If you don’t mind Value accommodations this is a great option. However, there are some more options if you want to all stay in one room.

The Value resorts All Star Music and Art of Animation have Family Suites that are specifically designed for a family of 6. My family just stayed in a Family Suite at the All Star Music and we really enjoyed our time there. It is a Value resort so the doors open to exterior hallways and the linens are well, not as nice as some resorts but all in all it was a great fit for us. When you open the door you walk into the family room. There is a sofa (that turns into a double bed), a chair (which makes a twin size bed) and an ottoman (that folds out into a bed!). Off to the side there is a vanity area with good storage for suitcases and a bathroom. There is also a “kitchenette” which has a microwave, small fridge and a counter area. There is a bedroom (with a door) that has a double bed, TV and desk area. Across from the bedroom is another bathroom. So two bathrooms, beds for 6 and ample storage space! Our suite was in Jazz Inn 9. It was sort of in the middle of the resort. We didn’t have to walk too far to the pool or the main building which houses the food court and the bus stops. There was also parking close to our room which was convenient for us since we drove. Art of Animation is a brand new resort and will have a similar layout for their family suites. However, instead of an ottoman there will be table that folds out into a bed! A table! Can’t wait to see these in person and hopefully stay there at an upcoming trip.

In the moderate resort category the Cabins at Fort Wilderness are a great option. The cabins are individual buildings set at the beautiful Fort Wilderness campground. They are equipped with a full kitchen, one bathroom, bedroom with a double bed and a set of bunk beds and a family room that has a pull down double Murphy bed. Each cabin also has a private patio. We love this option as we don’t have to worry too much about the kids being so loud they disturb neighbors. We also love having the bedroom for the kids so we can stay up later (well that’s the though anyways..we are usually more tired than the kids!). Fort Wilderness is a fun place to stay – there are always tons of activities going on around the resort like nightly movies and a Chip and Dale Sing-a-long by the campfire. It has a great restaurant – Trail’s End and a fabulous dinner show – The Hoop De Doo. Transportation can be a little bit of challenge – the resort is very large so there are buses to take you around to different spots around the resort as well as to the Disney transportation areas. It is a quick boat ride to the Magic Kingdom and you take buses everywhere else.

If you are looking for a little more luxury in your resort stay Disney has several Deluxe Villas that will accommodate a family of 6. There resorts are part of the Disney Vacation Club are designed with luxury and comfort in mind. There are 8 villas that have 2 bedrooms that will fit a family of 6: Saratoga Springs, Beach Club, Boardwalk, Old Key West, Animal Kingdom (both Jambo and Kidani), Wilderness Lodge and Bay Lake Towers. Fair warning – these resorts can be very pricey and the two bedrooms at some of them (Bay Lake Towers) are pretty hard to come by since Disney Vacation Club members have priority for them. However, the villas are spacious, beautiful and very comfortable (and they have washers and dryers!). A great option if it fits your budget. These resorts all have full kitchens and at least 2 bathrooms.

We’d love to help you find a great resort fit for your family of 6 or more! Call us today!!

Good things are happening!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:17:00 +0000

Over the past week there have been lots of good news coming from Disney. Nothing so earth shattering that I felt compelled to drop everything and start typing, but if you look at the whole picture there are a lot of little changes that will add up to a much better guest experience. So here goes...

WI-FI-nally - All Disney resorts now have wifi available in guest rooms and most public spaces including pools and lobbies. Finally. I have taken some flack on some message boards for criticizing Disney for not having Wifi available in the resorts. (Perhaps it had something to do with me asking if there was indoor plumbing and if the toilets flushed - I was feeling unusually snarky that day.) Yes, it is a vacation and some people like/want/need to unplug. However, sometimes you just have to keep in touch with your real life, even at Disney World....not to mention that wifi is often involved with how people spend their leisure time. I always felt that it was a bit incongruous that they did not have wifi long ago, for a company that is often on the leading edge of technology, this took awhile. But it is done, so good for you Disney!
The Fridges are coming! The Fridges are coming! - Value resort guests are getting an extra perk in the form of refrigerators included in the room. Formerly, Disney charged an additional $10 for the night to have a refrigerator in the room. The cynic in me wonders if they just got tired of playing Frigidaire Shuffle. What ever the reason, it is a meaningful upgrade to a lot of families!
Improved Channel Lineup - While I don't go to Disney with the goal of sitting in front of the television, it is certainly nice to have something to do when the kiddos fall asleep. So now you can visit Mickey and not miss out on what ever crazy stuff the Real Housewives are into.
Story Book Circus - The first section of the Fantasyland expansion is open. The newly re-themed Barnstormer is open (same track, new look) as well as half of the "Dueling Dumbo", complete with a cool water feature. The new train station is open as well. The reviews and photos look great. I am excited to see what more is in store for the former footprint of Toon Town. Technically, the area is in a "soft opening" stage, meaning that it can open and close on a whim. I will be hitting the park Thursday and this area will be my first stop!
Kim is out and Perry is in! - The Kim Possible Missions at Epcot will be getting a face lift this summer. Kim is out and Perry is in, or should I say Agent P is in! The Kim Possible Wold Showcase Adventure is a very well done attraction. It is a great use of technology and is a perfect distraction for the kids while Mom and Dad enjoy the World Showcase. The only problem? Who is Kim Possible? It was a bit surprising that Disney chose the less than popular franchise to begin with. Phineas and Ferb seem to be growing in popularity, and Perry is a big hit in our household. We are excited to see what Agent P has in store!
The Fantasy - Disney's newest ship has its inaugural sailing at the end of the month. I am excited to be going on a preview cruise later this week. Stay tuned for more information, or even better hop on over to Sail Disney and enter their very first GIVEAWAY!

Disney Cruise Review - Girls Gone Goofy - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:36:00 +0000

IT WAS FANTASTIC!

I could stop right there, but I think some supporting documentation is in order!

As you may remember, a few weeks ago I left my sweet girls with my husband and skipped off to Florida for a "Girls Gone Goofy" cruise. I have to say, as I shared the news of my trip, everyone had the same initial response..."Without your KIDS?!?!" At my confirmation, there was one of two follow up responses..."Why do a kids cruise with another adult?" and "Good for you!" Since the ladder requires no further comment, I will address the former. Yes, I did a Disney Cruise, without my children. Yes, I was on a boat with a lot of other children. No, this did not bother me in the least. You see, Disney knows that grown ups want to have fun, too. Whether you are with your kids and they ditch you for the kids clubs, or you are traveling sans kiddos there is so much to do!

The check in process was a piece of cake! We arrived at the terminal, a nice gentleman took our non-carry on bags and scolded us to stop smiling. "Whadda ya think this is? The happiest place on earth, or what?" Cue bigger smiles. Before we entered the terminal, they did a quick check to make sure we had the proper travel documents. We stood in the shadow of the ship (it is HUGE...and BEAUTIFUL!) as followed a quickly moving line to enter the terminal. As soon as we entered the building we went through an "old school" style airport security check (keep you shoes on!) and headed up the escalator to the main part of the terminal.

The terminal itself is cavernous, and very blue. We headed straight to the line to check in, and within minutes were cleared to board the ship. I did stop for a quick picture of Mickey standing in front of the model ship. As we entered the big yellow Mickey ears to board the ship, two lines quickly formed. One for pictures and the other to just get on the ship. Quick tip: Just get on the ship. There are plenty of other photo ops later.

My first of many Mickey sightings!

As we boarded the ship, our names were announced over a loud speaker..."The Disney Dream would like to welcome Ginger and Kelly!". We walked through a "tunnel" of smiling applauding cast members. While I knew that was part of their standard protocol, and that they do it for every family, I was surprised at how welcome it made me feel....like a total VIP! Immediately, we were impressed at the huge 3 story lobby, exquisitely decorated and crowned with the most amazing crystal chandelier.

Is it me or does this look like a painting?

As soon as we embarked, we headed right up to Cabana's for a great buffet lunch. We found a nice little table outside and enjoyed our lunch with a great view of the port and even the NASA launch pad. I had no sooner sat down when a cute waiter in white shorts appeared with a tray full of Bahama Mamas - the drink of the day. Cabana's proved to be one of my favorite dining spots!

A bathtub full of shrimp -
YUM!

Bahama Mama

In general, your stateroom will not be ready until about 1:30pm. Since it was just before 1:00 we decided to wander around the ship and take lots of pictures. I quickly found what would be my favorite spot. (Head all the way up to Deck 13 and walk all the way forward.) It is a cool lounging bench that allows your legs to stretch out in front of you. And do you notice the little brown drink ledges? They thought of everything!

After our impromptu ship tour we headed to our room. Since this was a bit of a budget trip, we opted for an ocean view room on Deck 2. It was a fairly small, but efficient space. It was great for a pair of friends. While technically our room would sleep 4, I think I would find it pretty tight sharing the space with 3 other adults or friends. I think it would be a cozy fit for a family with a few kids. The split bath was really nice. There was a toilet and sink in one room and a tub and sink in the other. This made it much easier for us to get ready. We unpacked our stuff and checked out the Daily Navigator. The Navigator is your daily calendar of events. It is your key to all shipboard activities. We noticed that they were offering a Spa Tour, so we headed on up!

The Senses Spa, is a pretty and quiet little place. We did a quick tour and learned about all of the services they offer...mani, pedi, haircuts & styles, massage, facials, personal training, and all kinds of other treatments. We were tempted by the Rainforest Experience. At only $15 per day, it seemed like a very reasonable treat. We went ahead and booked the experience and we were so glad we did. We enjoyed the aroma showers, the saunas, and the hot tubs. I also found another favorite spot...the heated tile loungers...HEAVEN!!! More to come on our spa day...

We finished up our Spa Tour in time for the Assembly or Muster Drill. It is quick, painless and absolutely necessary. We met at our assigned spot, our names were checked off a list and we were given instruction as to what to do in case of an emergency. If you want to get this done quickly SHOW UP ON TIME! I think we spent more time waiting on stragglers than we did on the drill itself.

After the drill we headed up to the pool deck and enjoyed the Sail Away party. There are some catchy songs, some choreographed dances, and lots of characters. Before you know it, the ships horn blasts the first few notes to "When you wish upon a star" and you are off! At that point, the deck party continues with regular dance music and lots of movin' and groovin'. I have to say that pulling out of port felt a little disconcerting. You cannot feel any movement, so it seems as if the rest of the world is moving by. It is a bit of an odd feeling, but you get used to it quickly. Aided by the fact that you loose sight of land and all reference points fairly quickly!

Since we had a VERY early wake up call around 4am, we decided to head down to our room, have a glass of wine, relax and get ready for dinner. Our dinner time was not until 8:15 and we were feeling a bit hungry. We decided to order a cheese tray from room service to enjoy as we got ready. It ended up being a GREAT decision, and one we repeated every evening.

The first night of our dining rotation sent us to Animator's Palate. We enjoyed a little time with Nemo's friend Crush as we enjoyed a delicious dinner. I loved the theme of the restaurant, and the food was good, too!

After dinner we enjoyed a few minutes of a lovely evening breeze and then headed back to our staterooms to turn in. We had a long but fun first day on board. When we returned to our stateroom, we found that our Stateroom Hostess had been busy in our absence. Our beds had been turned down, a chocolate treat was left for us to enjoy, and the next day's Navigator was awaiting our perusal. After a quick look and discussion of our plans for Day 2 we were off to Sleepytown!

Stay tuned for "Girls Gone Goofy" Part 2!

Free Dining on the Way???

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 20:06:00 +0000

Thanks to a tip from an on the ball client (Love you, Suzanne!) I just checked my email from my Disney Rewards Visa. Inside, I found an offer for Free Dining from August 25th - September 29th with the purchase of a 5 day Magic You Way Package. It appears to be the same promotion offered in years past with the quick service dining plan included with the Value resorts, and the regular dining plan included with all other resorts.

As you may know, his usually means a similar offer is on the way for the general public. So grab your calendar, pick some dates and give me a call! We can get your trip planned and apply the discount as soon as it becomes available!

UDATED: Sources indicate that this offer will be available for the general public beginning March 5th.

Check out SailDisney.com for the latest in Disney Cruise News!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:32:00 +0000

I think it is safe to say that I have been bitten by the Disney cruise bug. I recently returned from a girls only weekend getaway on the Disney Dream. In a few weeks I will be lucky enough to check out the Disney Fantasy on a preview cruise before the inaugural sailing. A week after that I will be taking the husband and kids on the Disney Dream for a Spring Break cruise.

I am all boned up with Disney Cruise knowledge to share, so I have joined forces with some of the other members of the TMC Travel crew and we are launching SailDisney.com today! Our goal is to provide you with all the latest news, tips, and tricks for all things Disney Cruise.

I will share some of my cruise experiences over here, but in a more limited manner, as this little corner of the web is reserved primarily for my Disney World obsession. For those that are interested in reading a little more about cruising, please hop on over to Sail Disney. Oh...and be sure to like The Mouse Connection and Sail Disney on Facebook! We have some great giveaways on the way, so stay tuned!

Changes coming to the unofficial FastPass policy

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:49:00 +0000

Disney diehards have long been aware of Disney's official unofficial FastPass policy, namely to honor a guest FastPass anytime after the return time printed on the ticket. This policy would allow guests to squirrel away FastPasses during the less crowded morning hours and then ride them whenever it was convenient (or crowded) later in the day.

As of March 7, 2012, a new FastPass policy will go into effect. The new policy will more strictly enforce return times. The new policy will allow guests to ride as early as 5 minutes before their window opens, which will hopefully alleviate some of the milling around in front of attractions for those that arrive a little early. The policy will also allow a 15 minute grace period for the stragglers.

As you can imagine the Disney-geek universe is buzzing about the changes. The strict rule followers feel are either neutral to the changes or even happy to have a level playing field. Those that have always taken advantage of the never closing window feel slighted. After all, the current policy for the most part works and people are happy. Why mess with it?

No, really. Why mess with it? Most think the answer lies with the rumored Next Gen / X-Pass initiatives. While much of the NextGen stuff sounds SUPER cool (read more here), the X-Pass concept (think premium FastPass) is getting a much more luke warm reception. Theme Park Tourist has a harsh, though not unfair critique here. I am anxious to see how the X-Pass is actually implemented. I am not a fan of creating a class based Disney park experience based on how much you are willing to spend. Although I have no problems creating a "class" based system between folks who are willing to do a little research for their trip before they go. I always am amazed at the people willing to wait in line 90 minutes for an attraction that has FastPass open and available. If they had done even 30 minutes of reading they would know that FastPass (in it's current incarnation) is free and fantastic!

But I digress...back to the implications of the anticipated policy change. So here are some issues that are bound to come up.

ADR's - If you get held up waiting for Pooh to visit your table, or if you have an unusually long time to wait to be seated you could miss your window. So make sure you pay attention to the return times before you grab the FastPass....any allow for things to go wrong.
Unexpected Delays - What happens if you get stuck on Splash Mountain for 45 minutes? By the time they get you off, your window may have closed. Will there be some sort of grace period?
Unexpected Downtime - What happens when the ride that you are holding a FastPass goes down? I can only assume that they will give you a open pass to return anytime later in the day?
The Meltdown / Or Planned Afternoon Break - I must admit that I was most likely to take advantage of the late return when I had to leave the park in the afternoon. Sometimes, it was for a planned break and others it was because someone in my party (child or adult - ahem - me) hit the meltdown point. So if now parents are in the position of pushing an exhausted toddler an extra 15 minutes so they can use their FastPass, or they have to give it up. That is not good for anyone in the parks! :)
Grace Period - With a 15 minute "grace period" being offered what happens if I show up 16 minutes late? Am I out of luck? What if my watch says 14 minutes? What if the reason for the delay is that there was only one poor security guy checking bags at 5pm when I tried to re-enter the park. (Yes, I am still bitter about almost missing my Le Cellier reservation over that!)
Bad Manners will abound - Can you imagine the poor cast members that are going to have to explain the policy. "I know that you have arrived late for every FastPass you ever had, but now you can't. Now you must wait 95 minutes to ride Toy Story Mania standby or you are out of luck." As badly as I feel for the verbal assault that that castmember is going to take, I will feel equally as bad for the FastPass holder immediately behind that guest who just wants to get on the darn ride!

Whether or not you favor the changes or not...whether you are a fan of NextGen / XPass or not....there are sure to be some growing pains. It will be interesting to see exactly how the new policy is implemented and if it will "stick". Stay tuned....

I am going on a Disney Cruise!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:42:00 +0000

Hi friends! First of all, let me apologize for the long break. Life has just gotten in the way. It seems that as soon a folks pack up the last holiday decoration they are ready to think Disney for spring! And who can blame them - I have the Disney Dream on my mind.

First of all, I have the best job ever. Helping people plan vacations is just plain old fun....and the fact that Disney pays me to do it is even better. If there is any downside to my job, it is that I have to do a lot of talking...and after awhile I am truly sick of my own voice. So after a fabulously busy and productive January (in a good way!) I am sneaking off to Disney with a girlfriend for a 3 day cruise on the Dream. It will be my first sailing on the Dream (she just celebrated her first birthday, you know!) and I am beyond excited.

My girls were a little annoyed that I was leaving without them, but when they realized that that meant they had their favorite manservant (their father) at their beck and call for the weekend, they decided it was not so bad after all. So they are sending me off with their blessings. I am trying not to take offense.

So what am I looking forward to the most?

Fabulous company aside, I am looking forward to ridiculously sweet and expensive cocktails served in the DCL hurricane glasses as we leave Port Canaveral. I am anxious to see what my friend Crush has been up to at Animator's Palate. I am ready for the warmth of sunshine on my face and sand between my toes - even if it means that there is a bathing suit involved. I am hoping that the water is warm enough for some snorkeling on Castaway Cay. I am anticipating a delicious dinner in the relative peace of Palo. I want to wander around the Straw Market in Nassau to find some treasures to bring home to my babies and the hubs, whom I will miss terribly.

As for said babies and the hubs....they will get their time on the Dream in April. I am excited to be able to take 2 cruises in such a short period of time wearing two different hats. This cruise is all about the grown up stuff, I want to try a mixology class, check out Serenity Bay and all there is for grownups to do. Next time it will be about the kids - the characters, the clubs, the pools. This trip is an oceanview stateroom, on deck 2...next is a veranda on deck 8. This trip we are flying in and out and pushing the time limits to do so. The next we will drive and check out a hotel near the port. This trip is 3 days...is it enough? Next trip is 5...will it be too much?

I will find out and let you know! I have a lot of work to do as soon as I land in Orlando in only a few short hours. I know, I know...It is a tough job. But by know you know that my dedication to my job is boundless! :) Also, keep checking back for news about our new blog dedicated to Disney cruises. It will be launching soon!

Pick a Pearl at Epcot!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:18:00 +0000

I was a tomboy growing up. A hardcore tomboy. I never played with dolls, saw no point in playing dress up, and would not be caught dead in fancy clothes. Ever. Well, along the way things changed. I still enjoy football, but playing in the creek gave way to hair product. I still love my power tools, but I gave up wrestling for makeup. I hung up my cleats and high tops and traded them in for killer heels. And jewelry...I love jewelry! While I enjoy the chunky funky jewelry that is fashionable now - I mean who doesn't love a good "statement necklace"? - I still find myself drawn to the classics. Which is why my heart is all a flutter each time I step into the Mitsukoshi department store.

Tucked back in the Japan pavilion at Epcot is the Mitsukoshi department store. Just inside, you will find a nice Japanese lady standing behind a huge tank of oysters. For less than $20 you can have your pick of oysters. So why would you want a ugly, stinky, old oyster? For the beautiful pearl inside, sillies!

On our last trip to Disney World I decided that both daughters and I should experience the fun. We waited for our turn and then we scoured the tank looking for the perfect oyster. I heard rumors that the uglier the oyster the prettier the pearl, so knowing that my daughers would choose pretty shells, I chose and ugly one - strictly for scientific purposes, of course. The official "oyster opener" opened my oldest daughter's pearl first. Inside she found a lovely little pearl. She dug it out, cleand it up, and used a gage to measure the pearl. It measured 7mm. Not too bad! The little table drum was banged with great fanfare and applause. Then she picked up my oyster next. In a matter of a few seconds she had managed to locate and squeeze out my pear that measured 7.75mm. That is a pretty big pearl! After more drumming and clapping we were finally down to one oyster and a very excited 4 year old. That little stinker got a pair of perfectly matched 6.5mm TWINS! They were absolutely beautiful. Each pearl was placed inside a tiny ziptop bag and labeled with the correct size.

I am not a mind reader, but I can imagine that you are thinking. OK, so now what?!!? Well, of course the Mitsukoshi department store has all sorts of settings that you can purchase for your pearl. But we came prepared. I got a Cinderella carriage necklace that doubles as a pearl cage. The cage is hinged at the bottom and the bale closes in a way that when the chain is fed through it stays securely closed. Now my princesses and I have matching necklaces.

I recommend this for boys and girls of all ages. Of course, the girls will love the end result, but the boys love the idea of having something rather gross looking disected for their pleasure. Boys especially like picking out something special for their mom - and if it can be a little gross along the way, then all the better!

So think about trading in the plush for a little something different next time. My girls call it their "real" jewelry and I agree. It is neither chunky, nor funky, but it is a beautiful keepsake from our trip.

PS - You can find the carriage necklaces online or you can get them as a thank you for booking your Disney travel with TMC Travel. You can also find pick a pearl locations at the Beach Club and Downtown Disney, but the Mistsukoshi Department store is the most fun!

It is Small Business Saturday!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:53:00 +0000

What is Small Business Saturday, you ask? Well, it is a day set aside to remind people to support the small businesses owners, help fuel the economy, and energize your local community.

How can you support a small business while planning your Disney vacation? It is super easy!

Use a Travel Agent that specializes in Disney Vacations - Using a travel agent to plan your vacation will not cost you anything extra, in fact, he/she may even be able to save you some money.
Check out Etsy.com - There are lots of crafty folks out there! Use someone else's sewing expertise to have a pillow case embroidered for your cruise, or make a cute t-shirt or outfit for your kids.
Check out your local screen printer. - Want some great family reunion shirts printed up? Find a local t-shirt shop to create something special for you family.
Order dog tags for the kids. Visit your boutique pet store and order tags with your child's name and your cell phone number. I have seen some local artisans make beautiful stamped metal charms or stamped leather bracelets that will serve the same purpose.
Subscribe to Touringplans.com. They can save you tons of time waiting in line. Their plans are not only based on anecdotal evidence, but cold hard facts. Io consider myself a Disney geek, but I am nothing compared to these guys. What ever Kool Aid they serve up, I am drinking!
There is an app for that! Check out some of the great Disney apps out there. Some are created by Disney, but many are created by small businesses who hope to earn enough money to pay for their next Disney vacation.

Those are a few of the ideas that I came up with. How about you? How are you going to support a small business today - or whenever you plan your next Disney vacation?

The Perk of Early Planning: The "Must Get" Disney Reservation!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:21:00 +0000

My "must get" Disney reservation is not made for a particular restaurant, made to enjoy a particular food, or even to visit a particular resort. My reservation is made for a partiular time.

One of the perks to planning your Disney vacation far in advance is that you are ready to go at the 180 day mark, when Disney opens the Dining reservations window. Planning early means that not only do you get your choice of restaurant, but even your choice of dining time.

For my family that means one thing - a breakfast reservation in the Magic Kingdom before the park opens. WHAT, you say? Before the park opens? Can you even do that? Absolutely, and it is just magical!

Imagine strolling through the turnstiles of the Magic Kingdom with out a stroller nipping at your heels. Enjoying the relative coolness of the morning hours, as you enter the park. Have your camera ready to snap a picture of your child's face as you round the square and the castle comes into view. Stop for a moment and enjoy - it is the only time you can do so in the morning without the risk of a mini stampede running you over. Wave a cheerful good morning to all of the PhotoPass photogs ready to snap your picture as you walk down Main Street. Don't be tempted to stop too soon...keep walking to the hub and find that last photographer. He or she will be ready to snap your picture in front of the castle in the empty park. Or by the Partners statue with nobody in the background. Get ready to snap away and get some of the best pictures of your entire vacation.

The Photopass photographers are usually just standing around waiting for families to stop buy, so they have lots of time to take pictures. We had a mini photo shoot the last time we were there first thing in the morning - complete with costume change!

As we continued across the hub to the castle, we found other photog with a different angle of the castle. Since we planned for picture time and still had several minutes before our reservation, I handed over out PhotoPass card. The photographer, said, "Let's do something a little different. We have the time and the space!" She snapped some pictures of us as we walked up to the castle holding hands and then some more as we walked back. How cool is that? My oldest said she felt like we were shooting a commercial. I'll bet not many folks have similar pictures in their Disney scrap books!

Once our picture taking was done, we strolled back up the ramp, into the castle and dined with the princesses. A bonus feature of the early morning reservation is that we finished our meal at 8:55, 5 minutes prior to the park opening. So as the masses were trucking down Main Street, we were hopping on Dumbo and getting a jump on the day!

So how you can you re-create this experience? It is actually pretty easy. On the 180 day mark, make a breakfast reservation on a day that the park opens at the usual 9am. Do not schedule breakfast on an early opening day or if there are Extra Magic hours. This could mean folks traveling at peak times may be out of luck. Aim for a breakfast reservation at or before 8:20. This will usually give you enough time to get a jump on the day by being at the back of the park when the park opens. Make sure you arrive with plenty of time before your reservations - allow for slow buses, security bag checks, walking time, and of course, plenty of picture time!

There are two restaurants that offer breakfast prior to park opening. The Crystal Palace with Pooh and Friends, which is the more affordable option, requires a credit card guarantee, and costs 1 dining credit on the Disney Dining Plan. You can expect, but are not guaranteed Pooh, Tigger, Eyeore and Piglet. Cinderella's Royal Table is the other option. You can expect, but again are not guaranteed, some combination of Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, and Ariel. Cinderella's Royal Table requires either prepayment in full or 2 table service credits and a credit card guarantee if you are on the dining plan. The princess meal also includes gratuities and a photo package which somewhat offsets the eye popping price tag.

So what if you can only find a reservation 10 minutes before park opening? I say go for it! You will miss much of that coveted first hour the park is open with super low crowds, but the experience and pictures are probably worth it - particularly if you have another morning set aside to get an early spin on Dumbo!

So what if you waited to long to book and the early morning time are completely booked up? All is not lost! Cancellations happen all the time. Just be diligent and troll for reservations regularly. You just might get lucky!

Are you DREAMing of a FANTASY cruise in 2013? Then now is the time to get started!

noreply@blogger.com (Ginger) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:17:00 +0000

Well now is the time! Disney just opened their booking window today for 2013 cruises on the Dream and the Fantasy.

As expected, the Dream will continue 3,4, and 5 night cruises to the Bahamas and Castaway Cay. The Fantasy - whose maiden voyage is this spring - will continue 7 night cruises to the Eastern and Western Carribbean as well as Castaway Cay.

QUICK CRUISE TIP #1- If you are thinking of a 2013 cruise, now is the time to book! Prices on Disney cruises tend to go up and up as they reach capacity!

QUICK CRUISE TIP #2 - If you would never consider a Spring Break or Holiday trip to Disneyland or Disney World because of the crowds - think cruise instead! The cruises have a fixed capacity and they always sail at or very near full capacity. So a spring break cruise will not "feel" any different than a late September cruise in terms of crowds. Prices are a bit higher during these peak travel times, but since you are a smart Disney shopper (and read tip #1) you already know that you can mitigate the extra cost by planning ahead.

As always, I would love to help plan your Dream-y Cruise! Please let me know if I can help ginger@tmctravelonline.com!