We've been talking about this for quite some time and now we're that much closer to making it a reality. This is very exciting for a couple of reasons:
2.) It's been about a gazillion months (okay, maybe only seven) since I've been to Disney and I'm kinda suffering from some crazy Disney withdrawals. By the time we get there in December it will have been 11 months!! That's just far too long (and secretly I'm trying to figure out if I can make a quick weekend trip down in October. shh, don't tell anyone.)
In light of this wonderful news, I wanted to share some Disney information that I've discovered over the past few days. First, if you're a Annual Pass holder (like me) there are some amazing room discounts available right now up to 40% off. This ended up being the best option for us!
Don't despair though if you're not an AP holder, Disney is also running a promotion where they are offering the Disney Dining Plan free when you book a non-discounted room and ticket package for select arrival dates between October 2011 and March 2012. These are both great promotions that really make it worthwhile to stay on property and really plan an Disney vacation sure to loaded with some amazing memories.
While I could go on and on about the ins and outs of planning a vacation at the Walt Disney World Resort (and maybe I will in some future posts) right now I want to leave you with the simplest advice I can give: RESEARCH!
I'm continually amazed at how little guests know when they arrive at Disney considering the amount of information readily available on the internet. Two of my all time favorite sources for information are AllEars.net and the Dis Boards. I use these boards to flesh out my itinerary and get answers to questions I may have. I find the official Walt Disney World website cumbersome to navigate and only use it to book vacation elements and confirm information after I have researched on the other sites.
The first, AllEars.net is a great resource for planning every detail of your vacation. It offers information in a very organized way and is easy to navigate. You can find attendance records, current ticket prices and park hours, full resort information and restaurant information including menus updated regularly! This site is a wealth of knowledge that is necessary for the novice and acts as a trusty resource for the veteran.
The Dis Boards is also a great place to get real life information and experiences. This is a welcoming and friendly message board forum where you can get answers to many of the questions you may have about anything pertaining to Disney.
These two sites are my go-to resources when planning any of my Disney vacations. So, in the weeks and days leading up to our December trip, I'm going to be spending a majority of my time on these boards to plan an unforgettable Christmas trip to Disney. That is of course, when I'm not busy scrapbooking one of my other magical trips. Here's another layout from the 1st anniversary trip the hubs and I took in January 2009.
What about you? Have you been to Walt Disney World before? Have you been there during the Christmas season? Share your favorite Disney Christmas memory!
Maybe not WDW for the holidays, but we spent plenty of time at Disneyland during the Christmas season. True Disney style...SO MEMORABLE! The colors and sparkles and music-oh my!
ReplyDeleteIf you love Christmas-you'll love it even more after your trip. ;)
I'm so afraid it's going to make me want to spend EVERY Christmas there. How will any future Christmas live up to the time we went to Disney?
ReplyDeleteJust plan on going there every December.
ReplyDeleteYou're done for. Really. ;)
Now you've got me thinking about it... :P
That's super exciting! And no, I haven't been there during Christmas, so I'm no help as to providing any type of recommendation. Do some research on TripAdvisor. That site may have some good reviews.
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty fun there over the holidays, and if you are lucky enough to be there the week after Thanksgiving you can experiece the change from orange to red over night. They do an amazing job! But with that said I prefer cruising, but plan on doing a Disney Cruise one day.
ReplyDeleteWhooHoo! Have a great time.
ReplyDeleteJanet- I fear your assesment is spot on!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lauren - I didn't think to check out TripAdvisor.
Ashjoy - We won't be there the week after Thanksgiving so we'll miss out on that. But I'm content to be arriving when the world is already decked out for the holidays. I'm not much of a cruiser, but I definitely want to take a trip on the DCL. Maybe The Disney Dream can change my mind about cruises!
Nicole - Can't wait... I'm sure it's going to be a blast!
I'm a Passporter and All Ears follower! :) All Ears is the absolute best and the only unofficial source I trust. I used them every day when I was a travel agent to inform my clients and coworkers.
ReplyDeleteDisney is the BEST! Glad I found your blog!