Every time I visit the Magic Kingdom I like to slowly stroll down Main Street, USA and take a peek at the windows up on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the buildings. Did you know that the names up there are hidden tributes to the men and women who made the Disney parks what they are today? Walt was creative when he designed this! I like to think of it as the "ending credits" - like what you see in a movie! The first window you should notice is located in the train station, right before you walk into the park. Walt is named as the Chief Engineer, and rightfully so. Disney World was Walt's vision from beginning to end, and he was truly tasked with 'keeping the dreams on track', as the window says. Walt's brother Roy O. Disney also has a window. He was Walt's partner and planned on retiring but after Walt passed away he decided to keep the dream alive! He continued with the 'Florida Project' and saw it through to completion. Here is a list of some of the other windows on Main Street, USA:
Do you want to learn more about the hidden gems in Disney? Contact me to plan your next Disney vacation and I will share more Disney "secrets". Lisa Liptak lisa@gomdv.com www.facebook.com/mickeysdreamvacationsbylisa One of the cool things about The Wilderness Lodge is that each morning the American Flag is raised on the roof of the resort. One of the cooler things is that a family is chosen to climb to the roof with the Ranger and raise the flag. We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge in November 2014 and asked at check-in if there was availability to have this honor while we stayed there. A quick call to Ranger Jack was made and, and although the roster was full, we were asked to be the second family on a special day…Tuesday, November 11th….Veteran's Day. What a special moment this would be for our family!
That morning, we climbed the stairs with Ranger Jack, who had shared so many Disney stories with us. It was a steep climb but when we made it to the top, it was breathtaking. I was so excited for my son to help raise the flag that I didn't think about the amazing views we would be seeing. Simply phenomenal. Once my son (who was 4 at the time) raised the flag, we said the Pledge of Allegiance and he was presented with a certificate. We were allowed to take several pictures during this experience and it was truly a day we will never forget ºoº I love giving my clients some ideas on how to add a little magic to your vacation! Feel free to contact me at any time! Jen Morrison jen@gomdv.com www.mickeysdreamvacations.com www.facebook.com/MickeysDreamVacationsByJen www.twitter.com/mdvbyjen www.pinterest.com/mdvbyjen Did you know that Palo is named after the long poles used by gondoliers in Venice? Now you know!
The Brunch menu has changed and I will share that in a moment, but just in case you are not familiar with Palo. Here is a quick overview: Palo is an adults only restaurant on each Disney ship. The cuisine is Northern Italian with a modern twist aka DELICOUS!! The cost is $30 per adult for the lunch (on cruises 4 nights or more) or dinner (all cruises) -- it is well worth every penny! It's a great treat while the kids are enjoying time away at one of the Kids Clubs! A printed Palo Brunch menu has been released by Disney Cruise Line. The new menu is posted outside Palo and copies will be handed out at your table for ordering of the a la carte brunch items. The tables featuring all the treats such as breakfast pastries, breads, meats, cheeses, caviar, seafood, and desserts are all still there. There will no longer be samples of the a la carte options on display but the detailed menu description and the amazing servers are there to help! Your Dream Maker can set up your Palo reservation, just let them know it's a must do for you! If you haven't booked your dream Disney Cruise yet, let me know and I'll be glad to help you! Jen Morrison jen@gomdv.com www.mickeysdreamvacations.com www.facebook.com/MickeysDreamVacationsByJen www.twitter.com/mdvbyjen www.pinterest.com/mdvbyjen One of the questions I receive from my cruising clients is about the Disney Cruise Line's Alcohol Policy. It has changed in recent years, so I'd like to share with you the most up to date information.
Any wine or champagne in excess of 2 bottles or beer in excess of 6 beers Any liquors or spirits (including powdered alcohol) Guest MUST retrieve any stored alcohol at the end of the cruise. Items not retrieved will be destroyed and no compensation will be offered. It is also important to note that alcohol brought on board may not be consumed in any lounge or public area. Guests wishing to consume wine or champagne that they have brought on board in one of the dining rooms will be charged a corking fee of $25.00 per bottle. Please note that the Disney Cruise Line alcohol policy is subject to change without notice. Jen Morrison jen@gomdv.com www.mickeysdreamvacations.com www.facebook.com/MickeysDreamVacationsByJen www.twitter.com/mdvbyjen www.pinterest.com/mdvbyjen There are a lot of packages to choose from for all different budgets. You can choose something simple like a box of themed treats or go all out with decorations, that include a special themed throw and pillow! There is even an Olaf's Warm Hugs hoodie throw! Sailing at Christmas time? They even offer small Christmas tree for your room! Prices for the In-Room Goodies start at $25. Disney Cruise Line also offers Floral Arrangements, Food and Beverage Options, DCL gift packages and more! Be sure to ask your Dream Maker about these fun options! Whaaaat?? You don't have a Dream Maker?? I'd love to be your Fairy Godmother and help you plan your next magical adventure! Contact me today! Jen Morrison jen@gomdv.com www.mickeysdreamvacations.com www.facebook.com/MickeysDreamVacationsByJen www.twitter.com/mdvbyjen www.pinterest.com/mdvbyjen Did you know that you can camp at Disney and you get all of the perks of staying at any other resort (Magic Bands, Dining Plan offerings, Extra Magic Hours etc.)? My family enjoys camping, and thought it would be fun to camp at a Disney resort. The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort are a great place to camp! There are tent and Pop-up sites, as well as full hook up and premium sites. All include electric and water hook ups as well as a picnic table and a charcoal grill. There is boat transportation to the Magic Kingdom and bus transportation to all of the other parks and Disney Springs. There are bathrooms with showers (Comfort stations) offered at various locations all over the grounds. Some sites even allow for you to bring your furry friends along! Many families even decorate their campsite areas, especially around the holidays!
My family decided to tent camp! Checking in was a breeze and we set up our site before heading to Trails End restaurant on the property for dinner! We were tired after a long drive from Virginia and ordered a family fried chicken meal to go at the counter service. It was delicious and for a great value! I highly recommend it! There are SO many offerings at this resort! If your family loves the outdoors, some of the things you can do are; pony rides, archery, fishing, bike rentals, and free movies under the stars. There are volleyball and basketball courts offered as well! If you would like, you can rent a golf cart to get you where you want to go in a breeze! We loved the pool and splash pad areas! There is even a hot tub area available as well to relax in! Some evenings Chip and Dale come out for a campfire sing a long! You can even make smores in a big fire pit before the show! It is a fun way to spend an evening and it is close by the pool too if you want to take a dip while you wait! If you are down by the water in the evening, you can even catch the electric water parade go by! We loved being surrounded by all of the native wildlife in Florida and even caught a glimpse of an Armadillo roaming the grounds near the bus station. Bus travel is easy and has several color-coded lines to take you to various parts of this large resort. There are directories at every stop to help you navigate where you want to go. My youngest daughter loved looking at it and figuring out which color bus line we needed. When we booked, I took a look at the map of the resort and picked an area loop to request so we would beclose to a bus as well as a comfort station. Requests aren’t guaranteed, but we were able to get the location area we requested. The comfort stations are very clean and after 10pm you will need a magic band to access them. There are a number of showers and toilets. It was very accommodating for us! We really enjoyed our camping experience and would definitely do it again! It doesn’t sound like we “roughed it” too much, does it? Here are some tips I found helpful for camping at Disney: · Bring some Christmas lights! This was so great for us because it is quite dark in the evenings and we were able to see our tent site much easier! · Don’t forget your magic bands if you need a comfort station at night! I learned that the hard way at 2am! Ha ha! ·Get to the showers early! Mornings are busy at the campground as everyone prepares for a day at the parks. You will wait less if you arrive early! · Glow sticks are a great tool for nights in your tent! My kids loved having them in conjunction with the Christmas lights! · Bring your own smore kits! While Disney does offer smore ingredients, we loved bringing our own goodies from home. It was a fun treat for the kids and more cost effective. · Check the nights of Chip and Dale’s Campfire Sing a long! It is so much fun and kids get to meet and greet with them afterwards. It is a great time to get autographs! I would love to help you plan your next Disney vacation! Contact me today! alli@mickeysdreamvacations.com |