Blog - Mickey's Dream Vacations

Some Disney Do's and Disney Don'ts

3/31/2016

AUTUMN’S TOP 10 DISNEY DO’S AND DON’TS

DO NOT forget to make your fastpass+ selections. DO make fastpass+ selections for some of the more popular rides; Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train, Splash Mountain, Soarin’, etc.

DO NOT pay for water. DO ask for a cup of water at a quick service location for FREE. This is a no brainer and big money saver!

DO NOT leave the park when it starts to rain. DO take a poncho to stay dry. The parks tend to clear out when the weather turns bad. Shorter lines and lots of fun!

DO NOT stay at a value resort. DO stay at a moderate or deluxe resort. The accommodations and pools are so much nicer, bigger, and there are more restaurant options. Value resort transportation to the parks is bus only and shared between resorts so buses fill fast and you could end up waiting longer to get to the parks.

DO NOT sleep in. DO be at the parks when they open and don’t miss out on magic hours.

DO NOT wait in long lines to meet characters. DO book a character meal. The characters come to you while you eat.

DO NOT try to eat at peak times. DO grab a snack to hold you over and eat your meals at slower times.

DO NOT try to get it all done in one day. DO, if your schedule permits, take a day to relax at your resort. There are so many fun options like renting boats, swimming in your resort pool, taking naps, and avoiding melt downs on the park days.

DO NOT forget to take a lot of pictures to capture those family memories. DO have a lot of FUN! Life can be busy for most families when they are home. Spend quality time together building long lasting memories.

AND

DO NOT book your vacation on your own. DO use me as your travel agent. Let me worry about the details while you have a stress free and relaxing vacation from the beginning planning until your arrival home.

I want to help YOU plan the vacation of YOUR dreams! I plan ALL types of vacations, NOT just Disney! Contact me TODAY to get your next vacation started. autumn@gomdv.com

Universal Orlando Epic Savings Event

3/31/2016

EPIC SAVINGS EVENT - VACATION PACKAGE

4-Night Vacation Package from only $99 per adult, per night, tax inclusive.
Get a Quote Now!

Vacation Package Includes:

4-Night Hotel Accommodations a Universal Partner Hotel
3-Day Park-to-Park Ticket
Early Park Admission one hour before the theme park opens to one (1) Universal Orlando® theme park as determined by Universal Orlando
Access to select live entertainment venues at Universal CityWalk®

Upgrade to an On-Site Resort Hotel.

Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort:
Package starting from $145 per adult, per night, tax inclusive
Complimentary shuttle transportation to the parks, and more

Loews Royal Pacific Resort:
Package starting from $219 per adult, per night, tax inclusive
Includes FREE Universal Express Unlimited ride access, and more

Hard Rock Hotel®:
Package starting from $239 per adult, per night, tax inclusive
Includes FREE Universal Express Unlimited ride access, and more

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel:
Package starting from $249 per adult, per night, tax inclusive
Includes FREE Universal Express Unlimited ride access, and more

Get a Quote NOW!

Our Top Tips to Making your Disney Vacation even more Magical

3/30/2016

Use an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner like us!
We do all the work, you have all the fun!

Get to the park at least 45 mins before it opens to avoid the crowds, then leave mid-afternoon to enjoy the resort.

Don't forget to do your fastpasses ahead of time, you can avoid the long lines with a simple click of the button on the App from your phone.

Reserve character meals 180 days ahead so you can get the best times and meet your favorite characters without waiting in line.
Secret pro tip:
Schedule your character breakfast before park opening - Entering the park before opening lets you see the park in a different way without all the people. Once your breakfast is done you are already admitted into the park so you do not have to wait in the long park entrance lines and can immediately start having fun!

Take advantage of Extra Magic Hours – The nighttime ones are the best! People leave after the fireworks and wait times are low for most of the attractions.

Families with little ones make sure to use Rider Swap so both mom and dad can ride with the older kids.

If you've already seen the parades, take advantage of that time to get on rides with shorter lines.

Eat when people ride; ride when people eat

Eat at off times to avoid the crowds and lines in the restaurants.

Wear comfortable shoes that you have broken in pre- trip! And even then bring pre- cut moleskin strips or band aids in your pack. Also shoes that air/dry out quickly are a plus.

Don't pay for water, all of the quick service spots will give you ice water for free.

Pro-Tip: Stay hydrated and make sure you keep little ones hydrated - fresh cut fruit makes not only for a great snack but items like watermelon and grapes are great hydrated. A reusable water bottle can be refilled with fresh water throughout the parks

Time saver tip- Download the disneyworld app. Use this to check for ride wait times to help you strategize your next rides/shows before walking from one side of the park to the other.

Stay in a monorail resort so it's easier to get back and forth to your hotel mid-day for a break or a quick swim.

Most important: HAVE FUN!

Should I Add Travel Insurance to My Vacation?

3/29/2016

There are definitely some advantages to having insurance on your vacation. But why pay extra when you don’t think anything could go wrong?

At Mickey’s Dream Vacations we have a few options for booking insurance on your trip- one is through the vendor directly (Disney, Disney Cruise, etc.) Those must be selected and booked before Final payment on your vacation.

We also have a third party coverage option with various levels of coverage. This needs to be booked within 15 days of booking your trip.

Here are some reasons to add on insurance with your vacation.
*Weather unpredictability in your area or where you are traveling- hurricane, blizzard, etc.
*Extra car rental collision coverage
*Medical coverage while traveling out of state, your insurance may not cover any or all expenses.
*Trip cancellation or interruption due to work related reasons- loss of job included.
*24/7 assistance with travel and more

Trip insurance can mean the difference between getting $2000 back and being out $200 or losing everything.
Your Mickey’s Dream Vacations travel agent would love to go over your options with you. Enjoy your trip more when you can be stress and worry free.

Lindsey
linds@gomdv.com

Agent Spotlight featuring Autumn Begay

3/25/2016

We thought it would be fun to feature one of our agents each month so you can get to know us better. This month get to know Autumn!! She is one of the newest members of our team, and a great new addition.

Where do you live? Albuquerque, NM

Tell us about you and your family…… I was born and raised on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii. After meeting my King in college, we moved to New Mexico and we now have 2 princes and 3 princesses.

What is your kids favorite part of Disney? My kids love every detail about Disney. When we’re not there, they are constantly watching Disney rides on YouTube and are continually asking when we are going again. I have one daughter who even wants to be an actress because she wants to be on the Disney Channel.

What is your favorite Disney Destination and Why? We LOVE Disneyland. It’s the original! The rush of excitement, yet peaceful feeling I get while walking down Main Street, USA never goes away no matter how many times we go.

What is your favorite NON Disney Destination? Anywhere I can find the sun and the beach! It’s a great place to spend a day with the family without the crazy. The soothing sounds of the waves crashing and building sand castles is a way we love to build family memories.

Favorite WDW Resort, DL Resort? BEACH CLUB is awesome. It’s quiet and within walking distance to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Favorite Disney:

Ride Expedition Everest
Snack Anything at the Cozy Cones in Car’s Land at Disneyland
Restaurant Goofy’s Kitchen / Tusker House
Treats Anything in the Pooh Store at Disneyland / Minnie’s Bake shop Character cookies
Shows Aladdin was always our favorite. We are SO sad it’s gone! I LOVE the Main Street Electrical Parade at WDW and the Paint the Night Parade at DL.
Experiences My favorite memory or experience was this past year when my 3 year old walked down main street and got SO excited to see the Castle. She had been asking to see it for months. It was truly a priceless moment.
Character Cinderella
Movie Cinderella, Mary Poppins and a ton of the old classics like Pollyanna.

When was the first time you went to Disney? When I was 10 years old

Where all have you traveled? ALL over the United States. Some of our favorite places are Disneyland and Yellowstone.

What destinations are on your bucket list? ITALY!!! Adventures by Disney to Italy would be AWESOME!

Favorite part of your job? Finding ways to help families build memories is my favorite thing to do.

Being able to have a hand in helping families plan vacations, creating unforgettable experiences, and building long lasting memories is SO special. I want to help YOU plan the vacation of YOUR dreams!

I plan ALL types of vacations, NOT just Disney! Contact me TODAY to get your next vacation started. autumn@gomdv.com

The Craftsman Club at Disneyland's Grand Californian

3/24/2016

3 weeks ago I decided (fairly last minute) that it would be fun to take a quick jaunt over to Disneyland for the long weekend at the beginning of my girls’ spring break. One of the only room options left was a club level room at the Grand Californian...twist my arm. We’ve never stayed club-level (also referred to as concierge) before with Disney and I thought it would be fun but frankly I didn’t think we’d get much use of the Craftsman Club lounge. Boy was I wrong!

The Craftsman Club is located just to the left after you exit the 6th floor elevators. It’s a large lounge room with lots of tables. There’s a TV that was on occasionally and a small computer work area that had games for kiddos. The lounge was open most of the day with a short time it was closed as they changed out the types of food available:

Continental Breakfast - meats & cheeses, bagels, muffins, cereal, fruit, yogurt, oatmeal (with fixings), hard boiled eggs, juice.
Tea Time - finger sandwiches (veggie, salmon & turkey), goldfish, Chex mix, Uncrustables, fruit, scones, cookies and other yummy desserts.
Dinner Appetizers - various hot appetizers (egg rolls, wontons, empanadas), gorgeous veggie platters, fruit, cheese, nuts, breads, hummus & pita bread.
Dessert - wonderful desserts that changed nightly...chocolate covered strawberries, cake pops, cookies, cupcakes, moose.
Throughout the day there is a wonderful coffee/tea/hot cocoa bar with several choices of syrups for your coffee. And there’s a great Nespresso machine with steamed milk if you’d rather make something else...like the cortado I made myself several times. You’ll also find water stations with an infused water option that changes, cans of soda (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite) and juice boxes in the refrigerator ready to be grabbed. They do not offer bottles of water any longer but you can take a cup (with lid) to go.
Also available (by request) was red, white, and sparkling white wine, and several beer (ie: Blue Moon, Dos Equis, etc.) options available as well. During the dessert time they offered Baileys, Amaretto, Kahlua & Grand Marnier.

The best part of the lounge was the outdoor balcony which was rarely in use much to my surprise and delight. It overlooks part of the resort and the Monorail track. The weather was beautiful and it was a great place to enjoy the resort. It’s also a hidden little gem of a place to watch the fireworks from Disneyland during the evening. Grab some cake pops, chocolate covered strawberries and a Baileys, sit back and enjoy the fireworks complete with the music piped in. It was a great way to relax and unwind without the crazy rush of Disneyland.

We found that getting up early for breakfast at 6:30 before the Extra Magic Hour worked well. We got in tons of rides during that hour and shortly after the park opened. Later in the day we went back and grabbed some lunch during the Tea Time and then we relaxed/napped at the resort for a bit. We grabbed a bite to eat of the appetizers as we headed back in to the parks for the evening and then popped in a couple times for dessert late in the night. We found that we ate little in the actual parks and enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere of the Club with the yummy treats. And it was so easy to pop in and out of the Grand Californian.

We also enjoyed *renting* a couple of complimentary DVD’s from the Concierge desk and their assistance with a little hiccup during our stay.

After this stay we HIGHLY recommend The Grand Californian AND staying Club-Level. If I can help you with your stay, I’d love to do so! Email me at shar@gomdv.com for your personalized trip planning!

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party Dates Released!

3/24/2016

The dates for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party have been released! They are as follows -

November 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 27 and 29
December 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18 and 22

This is my FAVORITE event in Disney! You can sip hot chocolate and enjoy some cookies while snow trickles down on Main Street, U.S.A. Cinderella's Castle shimmers and your favorite Disney characters don their holiday attire.

You won't want to miss this holiday party! Contact your MDV Dream Maker for more info!

~Lisa
lisa@gomdv.com

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Dates Released

3/23/2016

Today Disney released the dates for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. They are as follows -

September – 2, 8, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 29, 30
October – 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31

Disney also changed their costume guidelines for the party. While costumed attire may be worn, guests ages 14 and older are strongly discouraged from wearing layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body as they may be subject to additional security screening. Additionally, costumes may not contain any weapons that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.

Tickets are not on sale yet. Contact your MDV Dream Maker for more information!

~Lisa
lisa@gomdv.com

Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure

3/22/2016

Who wants to have fun? Who wants to try something new?

Let’s go to Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure!

Universal is movies based and Islands of Adventure is a book based theme park. The parks are within walking distance of each other, City Walk (a shopping an dinning area) and the Universal Resorts. Both parks offer roller coasters, 3D rides, shows and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

In our recent trips to Disney we’ve taken time to do these two parks because, we were wanting to ride faster rides, new adventures, and more thrill. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure definitely deliver on all fronts. From Jurassic Park (an 85ft. drop) to the Incredible Hulk Coaster (ZERO to 40mph in two seconds flat… let that sink in!). Both rides were unlike anything we had ever experienced and so much fun! For everything they have to offer the concepts of their rides and lands are so immersive, unique and simply captivating.

Some tricks we learned:

Stay on property - convenient and you get in to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter an hour earlier

Get the Express Pass - a front of the line ticket for the majority of their rides. Worth it. Seriously. From little kids, big kids, teens and adults this is a way to get more done in a day without waiting or rushing.

Utilize Child Swap - this is different than Disney’s. Everyone stays together through the line. The waiting area is at the end of the line (with games or movies for the kids). Then, as soon as the others finish the ride, Swap and the adults can get back in the front of the line. Huge time and energy saver!

Park-to-Park is the only way to ride Hogwarts Express & to see the night time show at the other park

Drink the Butter Beer!

And for the love of everything eat at LARD LAD’S DONUTS.

For your next fun vacation contact me today!
These thrills will never disappoint!
Lara
(903) 815-0562
lara@mickeysdreamvacations.com

Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort

3/17/2016

A few trips ago my family had the chance to stay in one of the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs resort. First, some information about the rooms:

The Treehouse Villas sleep 9 and the sleep configuration is: 2 Queen Beds, 1 Queen Sleeper Sofa, Bunk Beds, and 1 Sleeping Chair.

The in-room amenities include:

Alarm Clock with mp3 Player
Balcony/Patio
Ceiling Fan
Charcoal Grill
Coffee Maker & Setup
Dining Table & Chairs
DVD Player
Hair Dryer
In-Room Safe
Iron and Ironing Board
Crib: Pack 'N Play
Kitchen
- Full-size Refrigerator, Microwave, Stove, Oven, Toaster, Blender, Dishwasher, Plates, Flatware, Glasses, Cookware, Sink, Tea Kettle
Living Room Area
Telephone
Television
Washer/Dryer
Vanity Area
Voice Mail
Wireless Internet

The Treehouse Villas opened in 2009. They literally sit on stilts that have them elevated about 10 feet off the ground. During construction, the villas were brought in to the area with cranes that lifted the section of each villa above the trees and then lowered it into place. The modular pieces of the villas were then connected to form the villas that we see now.

We loved staying in the treehouse villas! The area was secluded and quiet and it had an outdoorsy feel to it. The villa had plenty of room for us and the kids really loved the bunk beds. Even though we loved staying in the treehouse villas, I do have to admit, that we wouldn’t stay there again unless we had a rental car. The villas are pretty far from the main resort so there are buses to transport guests to the Carriage House. From there you would then have to board one of the theme park buses. This can add a significant amount of time to your travels to the parks.

If you’re looking for a unique resort hotel to stay in, and you don’t mind renting a car then I would definitely recommend the Treehouse Villas for your next Walt Disney World visit.

Jerry Daly
jerry@gomdv.com

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