A Disney Mom's Thoughts

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Archives for June 2014

102 Ways to Save Money for and at Walt Disney World by Lou Mongello {Review & Giveaway}

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This review for 102 Ways to Save Money for and at Walt Disney World by Lou Mongello is part of a Magical Blogorail sponsored campaign. Copies of the book were received free of charge for a review. Opinions are those of the reviewer and do not represent those of the author.  Your opinion may vary.

When I think of people who are known to be Disney Experts, Lou Mongello is one of the first people that comes to mind.  Lou has been a Disney fan his whole life.  He’s logged over a hundred Disney vacations and is an internationally known Disney expert and historian.  He’s been podcasting for almost a decade and has written several books, including 102 Ways to Save Money for and at Walt Disney World. When I have a question about Disney, Lou is the one I turn to for answers!


In the 102 Ways to Save Money for and at Walt Disney World book, you will get exactly what the title says: 102 ways to save money!  This book is for all families or individuals planning a trip to Walt Disney World.  Even if you have been a dozen times and think you have it all figured out- I guarantee you’ll find something new in this book that will help you save money!  I did!  


In this amazing book, you’ll find ways to save before you go, when to go, how to go, where to stay, which tickets to buy, where to eat, and more!  

While reading this book, I was reading through the eyes of a mom who is actually planning a trip right now!  While all of the information was not new to me, I found it all very helpful.  For people who have never been to Walt Disney World and have no idea how to plan a trip or save the most money, this book is a must!  

Some of the information that was helpful or new to me was the information on ways to save at the Food & Wine Festival, the savings from being a AAA member, and getting “the same for less” throughout the parks.  One new tip I learned was when ordering from a counter service restaurant, consider skipping the sides to save money or split a meal with a family member.  He details how to do this at several restaurants throughout the parks.

I think my favorite part of the book is the Bonus section!  He shares “40 Free Things to Do, Get, See, Eat and Collect” at Walt Disney World.  I’m always looking for freebies on vacations.  This list is so extensive and thorough.  There are tips for resorts, parks and Downtown Disney.  My favorites are:

#10- Watch the Polynesian Torch- Lighting Ceremony
#16- Celebrate Spring, which includes Easter activities
#36- Business Cards from Main Street Characters
#38- Free Training for kids
free Jedi Training at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

This book is a great resource for Walt Disney World travelers and provides beautiful photographs and images. Being an e-book, you can easily take it with you on vacation on your iPad or iPhone.  You can bookmark your favorite tips and ways to save to access while in the parks or at the resort.  Another great part about being an e-book are the links throughout the book.  Lou links back to his website, WDW Radio show podcast, and the Disney web site.  If you need or want additional information on the topics he covered in the book, the links will provide that for you.

I hope you have enjoyed this review and if you are interested in buying your own copy, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it and find ways to save money!  If you don’t, Lou provides a guarantee:

“And I guarantee that if you use even just a few of the tips in this book, that you will be able to save money for and during your next Walt Disney World vacation.  If you don’t, let me know what you did and why it didn’t work, and I’ll gladly refund the purchase price of your book.”

Disney expert and podcasting pioneer, Lou Mongello, shares 102 ways you can have the most magical Disney vacation without breaking the bank in this comprehensive, detailed, 197-page guide.  102 Ways to Save Money For and At Walt Disney World guide is a MUST HAVE for any family planning toward a Disney vacation.

Purchase the Book Here 

 

Enter to Win a Copy of Your Own + a Walt Disney World Audio Tour from Lou Monghello

If you would like a copy of Lou Mongello’s 102 Ways to Save Money at Walt Disney World please enter to win our giveaway below.  Please click here if the entry widget is not shown below.

Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Review

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  Today I get to welcome my friend and fellow Magical Blogorail buddy, Heidi!  Heidi is the owner/ author of Heidi’s Head.  She inspires me each time I visit her blog with her passion for faith, family and Disney!  Today she is sharing her love of Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort.  I’ve visited this resort before, but have never had the chance to stay there.  Thanks Heidi for this awesome review! 🙂

I’m so excited to be able to join Beth here at a Disney Mom’s Thoughts and share some of MY thoughts on Port Orleans Riverside. It is definitely one of my family’s favorite Disney resorts, and has become our home away from home since it’s one of the only resorts on Disney property that will accommodate a family of 5.

Our first experience with Port Orleans Riverside was in May of 2011. We had plans to spend a week in the Orlando area on business, so we decided to go down a few days early and stay on Disney property (for the first time ever). After talking with a Disney travel agent, we decided that Port Orleans Riverside would be our best option. We enjoyed those few days so much that we made plans to go back again in January of 2012. And, we stayed there for the third time in December of 2013.

Originally known in the Disney resort community as Dixie Landings, this resort was renamed Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside in 2001 when it merged with its “sister resort” – Port Orleans French Quarter. Riverside is the larger of the two resorts and sits along the banks of the Sassagoula River, just north of Downtown Disney.

Port Orleans Riverside boasts 2,048 guest rooms, which are divided into two distinct sections. Magnolia Bend is made up of 3-story plantation-style mansions (think “Gone with the Wind”), while the 2-story buildings in Alligator Bayou are more rough in nature (giving a lodge-type feel).

All the rooms at the resort are 314 square feet in size. The rooms in Magnolia Bend are described as “antebellum rooms . . . with cherry furniture and brocade settees.” (credit: Passporter’s Walt Disney World) We are a family of 5, so we’ve always stayed in the Alligator Bayou rooms. These rooms are equipped with 2 queen-sized beds, as well as a twin-sized Murphy bed. The beds are made of logs and covered with patchwork quilts. We especially appreciate the bathroom spaces in these rooms because they all contain double sinks. Another great feature is the privacy curtain that separates the bathroom from the bedroom space.

The Lobby area of this resort is the Sassagoula Steamboat Co. Inside you’ll find the check-in desks, Boatwright’s Dining Hall (a table-service restaurant), Riverside Mill (the food court), River Roost (a bar), the Medicine Show Arcade, and Fulton’s (the resort gift shop).

We have yet to eat at Boatwright’s (the Southern, Cajun-style menu hasn’t appealed to my picky eaters), but we love the food court. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and features various stations – the grill, pizza and pasta, the specialty station (my favorite because of the create-your-own salad), the carving station (open only for dinner), and the bakery. We’ve enjoyed all the food that we’ve tried here.

Swimmers will enjoy Ol’ Man Island, a “swimmin’ hole” complete with water slide, a water fall, and a geyser! This pool also boasts a hot tub and kids’ wading area. In addition, Port Orleans Riverside also has 5 quiet pools.

If swimming isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other recreational activities available. For-a-fee activities include:

· Bayou Pirate Adventure – a 2-hour cruise for kids available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Cost is $34+tax for children 4-12 years old.

· Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides – a 25-minute ride through both Port Orleans resorts. Cost is $34. Carriages can accommodate up to 4 adults, or 3 adults and 2 small children.

· Bicycle and Surrey Rentals – cost depends on the time (prices range from $9-24). Bikes can be rented by the hour and the day, while surreys can be rented in 30-minute increments.

· Cane Pole Fishing – the Fishin’ Hole is open daily from 7:00am – 1:45pm. A family (up to 6) can fish for $13.32 per ½ hour.

· Guided Bass Fishing Excursion – at $270 for a 2-hour or $455 for a 4-hour, these excursions take place along the Sassagoula River, departing from Downtown Disney.

In addition, hairwraps, braiding, and caricature drawings are available for purchase in the marina area of the resort.

Free recreational activities include:

· Movies under the stars – shown nightly, dependent upon weather.

· Campfire on de’ Bayou – the campfire itself is free, but S’mores kits are available at an additional charge.

· Children’s Playground

· Live Entertainment – “Ye Haa” Bob Jackson performs in the River Roost Lounge Wednesday – Saturday evenings. Get there early for a good seat – he’s pretty popular and seats fill up fast!

· Jogging Trails – 2 routes are available – a one-mile route throughout the resort, and a longer 1.7 mile route that also include French Quarter.

We have really enjoyed our experiences at this resort and will definitely stay again in the future. I also recommend this resort to friends. We haven’t experienced any issues with noise in the room. And, whether or not we drive or fly (and utilize Disney transportation), we’ve been happy with both parking and the bus stops at this resort. Buses come and go fairly frequently, so we haven’t had long wait times.

Probably my only complaint with this resort (which is true of most Disney resorts) is the sheer size of it. Unless you upgrade to a preferred room, the walk from your room to the lobby/food court can be quite long. And sometimes it takes a few days to get your bearings (as the paths tend to be very maze-like in nature).

Thanks again to Beth for letting me share! If you have any questions about Port Orleans Riverside, you’re welcome to contact me via e-mail. I also hope you’ll stop by and visit me over at Heidi’s Head.

Disney Freebie Friday: Hidden Mickeys

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While Hidden Mickeys are “free,” it helps if you have paid for theme park admission to find some of the best ones!  So, what are “Hidden Mickeys?”  According to Steven Barrett, the Hidden Mickey Guy, it’s “a partial or complete impression of Mickey Mouse placed by the Imagineers and artists to blend into the designs of Disney attractions, hotels, restaurants, and other areas.” 

Hidden Mickeys can be in the traditional three circle shape of Mickey, ÂşoÂş , or it can be a profile silhouette of Mickey’s head.  There are some “Hidden Mickeys” that aren’t even Mickey at all!  

You can find these Hidden Mickeys all over Walt Disney World and Disneyland.  In fact, they are in all Disney parks, Disney property and Disney movies!  Google it.  It’s amazing!

Hidden Mickey at Disney’s Hilton Head Resort

One of my favorite Disney books, by Steven M Barrett is Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide To Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets, 6th ed.  This book will help you locate most of the Hidden Mickeys at Walt Disney World.  Later this summer I’ll be providing a review of this book!  

So while you are waiting in line for an attraction, walking down the sidewalks or eating a meal, look around.  You can entertain yourself and pass the time for FREE by looking for Hidden Mickeys!

What’s your favorite Hidden Mickey?

Celebrate 20 Years of “The Lion King” with Wet Seal

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HAKUNA MATATA!  This summer is all about Simba and The Lion King.  It’s been 20 years since “The Lion King” was released.

To celebrate this anniversary, Wet Seal has launched a fashion-forward collection of apparel and accessories including tanks and tees, dresses and leggings, beanies and scarves to totes and cell phone cases that incorporate artwork pulled from the Disney archives. The price points span from $11.99-36.99 and will be available in Wet Seal stores and www.wetseal.com beginning TODAY! 
What products would you like to help share your love of Simba and The Lion King?

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Review

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One of my dear Disney friends is Melissa from Rolling with the Magic (Disney on Wheels).  Melissa and I “met” through the Magical Blogorail and I was lucky enough to meet her in person several years ago at Walt Disney World.  I liked her before we met in person and I like her even more since we’ve met!  Melissa writes about Disney from a very unique perspective as she is a wheelchair user.  She has stayed at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort in the past and was willing to write a review for “A Disney Mom’s Thoughts” this week!  Thanks Melissa for this awesome review- one day I hope to stay here! 

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa is a Victorian inspired resort located near Downtown Disney. While is is a DVC resort it’s open to anyone. My husband and I rented points and stayed at Saratoga Springs a few years ago and had a really great time. There are of course some cons to the resort but we thought the pros outweighed them.

First, it is a large resort. There are multiple bus stops throughout the resort so if you take Disney transportation you could be on the bus a while just to get around the resort. We drive so we decided not to use the busses during our stay. Since the resort is so large there is plenty of parking though and we never had a problem finding a space near our building. Also, since the resort is so large you could end up being really far away from the main part of the resort. If that is important to you make sure it is noted on your room requests.

Since the resort is so close to Downtown Disney there are parts that are close enough for you to walk. There are also two water launches, at the Treehouse Villas and a short walk from the lobby, that have water taxis to Downtown Disney. Once the expansion at Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs) is complete I think staying at Saratoga Springs will be more enticing.

Another pro for us was the dining. There is a table service location, the Turf Club Bar and Grill, which we didn’t try but I’ve heard good things about it. The Artist’s Palette is the quick service spot and it is now one of our favorite places on property. Breakfast was always delicious and I really enjoyed the vegetable omelette. My husband still talks about how good the Lobster Club sandwich was. The flatbreads were also really good.

Saratoga Springs has studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom villas. We stayed in a one bedroom and had more than enough room. The decor has changed since we stayed and they have added a few more Disney details which was something I missed during our stay. The rooms were nice but they aren’t my favorite.

The Treehouse Villas are also located at Saratoga Springs. They are lifted 10 feet off of the ground and are three bedroom villas surrounded by the forest on the Sassagoula River. I think it would be so much fun to stay in one of these!

photo credit: Darren Wittko via photopin cc

Another pro is that since the resort is so large there are multiple pools to enjoy. The main one is the High Rock Spring pool and is zero entry. It is located near the main lobby and features a 128 foot slide. There are also 2 whirlpool spas and a Donald Duck water play area with a miniature slide for the little ones. The On the Rocks pool bar was nice and has a few snacks but it was also really easy to get to the Artist’s Palette.

The Paddock Pool also has a waterside, it’s a 146 feet long, and is zero entry. There is also a horse shoe shaped whirl pool spa nearby. The kids water play area has two small slides. And since the pool is farther away from the main area of the resort the Paddock Grill offers more options.

In addition there are three quiet pools located at the Treehouse Villas, the Grandstand, and Congress Park. We visited the one at the Grandstand and had a nice relaxing afternoon. It was less crowded than the two main pools and had some nice shaded areas. There was also a pool bar and kids area.

Overall we really enjoyed our stay at Saratoga Springs. It is a large resort but it was also somehow very quiet and peaceful. We ended up hanging out at our room and lot and relaxing, which is not something we typically do on Walt Disney World vacations. I think it’s location to the new Disney Springs will make it more appealing.

Disney’s Old Key West Review

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Today I’m happy to welcome another Alabamian to my blog!  Mike, aka “DisneyDad”, from Growing Up Disney is here to share about his experiences at Old Key West Resort at Walt Disney World.  While I have not met Mike in person, I feel a strong connection to him since we are both from Alabama and have ties to Auburn.  His daughter, Amy, and I have been online Disney friends for several years now.  I hope one day to 1) meet the Growing Up Disney family in person and 2) to be able to stay at Old Key West!


Thanks to Mike for sharing these thoughts on this awesome resort.  When I read part of this post to my husband, who is not at all the Disney nut that I am, he even commented on how cool it sounded and said, “maybe we’ll try it out some time!”  A girl can only wish!
If you look on Walt Disney World’s website, you won’t find the “Disney Vacation Club” resort listed. The name and logo have long been changed. Disney Vacation Club at Walt Disney World Resort was the original name for Disney’s Old Key West Resort until the second Vacation Club resort was built at Vero Beach and The Disney Vacation Club became a family of resorts. (The original 3-mountain logo is seen above. You can see the current logo and find out more information at www.disneyvacationclub.com)

Opened in 1991, Disney’s Old Key West Resort (OKW) was the first Disney Vacation Club property at Walt Disney World. It is quiet and laid back much like the town in the Florida Keys for which it is named. It has the ambiance of the turn-of-the-century buildings of Key West. We fell in love with it the first time we saw it in 1992. Although Old Key West has grown since we first visited, as construction on all the units was not completed until later, it has still managed to maintain its Key West charm. The resort is built around the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course that goes around and through Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and OKW.

Check-in is at the Hospitality House. Here you will also find a sitting room called Papa’s Den. (Hey, this is Key West after all so Hemmingway must be somewhere.) From there you can wander to the main pool area (there are 3 other pools each with a whirlpool spa) complete with a kid’s pool, hot tub, sauna, and a big sandcastle slide. The exercise room – R.E.S.T. Beach Recreation Department – is near the pool as is the Electric Eel game room. At Hank’s Rent ‘N Return, you can rent bikes, surreys, and watercraft. The Community Hall is also where activities are held daily.

There are 49 buildings housing 761 villas. OKW has the largest rooms of all the DVC resorts. These accommodations are Deluxe Studio, One, Two and Three Bedroom villas. The Studio is 390 sq ft with 2 queen beds and a small kitchenette with microwave, toaster, coffeemaker, under-counter refrigerator and a wet bar sink and sleeps 4. The One Bedroom Villa is 942 sq ft with a king bed, bath with a large Jacuzzi tub, full kitchen, laundry room, and a queen sleeper sofa in the living room and sleeps 4. The Two Bedroom Villa is 1395 sq ft and sleeps 8. The Two Bedroom Villas are either a lock-off comprised of a One Bedroom Villa plus a Studio or a dedicated Two Bedroom Villa. The two-story, three bedroom, four bath Grand Villa is 2375 sq ft and sleeps 12. The master bedroom has a king bed and bath with Jacuzzi tub, the second bedroom has 2 queen beds and private bath, the third bedroom has 2 full beds and private bath, and the living room has a queen sleeper sofa with the fourth bath off the hall. It has a large full kitchen and a dining room with a table for eight.

If you want to cook, all but the Studios have a full kitchen (but who wants to cook on vacation?) and the Conch Flats General Store at the Hospitality House has some basic groceries. You can order in advance and have many more grocery items delivered to your villa if you can’t or don’t want to shop at a local grocer. Olivia’s is the resort’s table service restaurant or there is Good’s Food to Go for fast food and the Gurgling Suitcase for your adult beverages. Seasonally, there is also a snack bar and arcade at the Turtle Pond pool.

We have now stayed in all of the different accommodations. If it is just my wife and I, we normally stay in a one bedroom. When we have our family with us, we reserve a two bedroom villa. We had never stayed in the three bedroom Grand Villa until 2010 when we celebrated my granddaughter’s first birthday. It is a very spacious open floor plan that was great for celebrating a birthday. When we first walked in I turned and asked my wife “can we keep it?” We’ve kept our DVC for over 21 years now and intend on having it quite a while longer.

Her Universe and Marvel {Press Release}

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Fangirls Assemble! Her Universe and Marvel Team Up to Launch the Ultimate Fangirl Fashion Apparel Line. 

 New York, NY (June 19, 2014) — Her Universe™, the leader in female genre merchandise, announced today a breakthrough collaboration with Marvel Entertainment and Disney Consumer Products to create a fashionable collection of empowering Super Hero apparel for the ever-growing female fan base of Marvel comics, films and television series. The Marvel by Her Universe line of “geek couture” is premiering with an action-packed assortment of Captain America fashion items along with fan favorite Marvel characters on fashion tops, tanks, dresses, cardigans, hoodies, skirts, leggings and more that will inspire fangirls of all ages to channel their inner Super Hero.

Along with Spider-Man and Avenger characters like Loki, Thor and Iron Man, there are also strong female characters such as Black Widow, Elektra, She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel being spotlighted in their own comics and Marvel’s new “Characters and Creators” initiative which aims to speak directly to an audience of women and girls, the Marvel by Her Universe line will celebrate this effort by creating fashion forward products exclusively for the female Marvel fan.

“At Marvel we actively seek innovative opportunities to leverage our iconic characters in the marketplace and expand our storytelling to a larger audience,” said Paul Gitter, senior vice president, licensing, Marvel at Disney Consumer Products. “This collaboration with Her Universe presents our brand in exciting new ways at retail while reinforcing Marvel’s values of empowerment and strength amongst our female demographic.”

Actress and entrepreneur, Ashley Eckstein, who launched Her Universe with her business partner, The Araca Group, in 2010, is well-known to sci-fi fans as the voice of Dagger on the animated series, Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man.

“I am so excited to announce that we have joined forces with Marvel for a Her Universe line of apparel,” said Eckstein. “The fans have been asking us to make Marvel merchandise and it’s been on my wish list for a long time! There are so many compelling characters in the Marvel Universe and it is a dream come true to be able to collaborate with Marvel and design with these celebrated Super Heroes and villains!”

“As long time devoted fans of the Marvel Universe,” added Michael Rego, Chief Executive Officer of The Araca Group, “we feel incredibly humbled to work alongside this most iconic brand – ‘Nuff said!'”

Marvel apparel and accessories from the Her Universe collection will be available in the U.S. at both HerUniverse.com and through national retail outlets such as Hot Topic and online with ThinkGeek.com. Throughout the year, Marvel merchandise will also be available at select conventions including San Diego Comic-Con.

Listen to Her Universe Founder, Ashley Eckstein, talk about Fangirls and Marvel on “The Nerdist Comics Panel” podcastSaturday June 21st at http://www.nerdist.com/podcast_channel/nerdist-comics-panel-channel/.

About Her Universe
Her Universe was launched in 2010 by actress and entrepreneur Ashley Eckstein and The Araca Group, a leading theatrical production and brand management company. Ashley and Araca created Her Universe to address the expanding market of female sci-fi and fantasy fans. They entered their first agreement with Lucas Licensing to develop and produce a line of female-centered Star Wars apparel and accessories. The success of that line was followed up with a collection for BBC Worldwide for Doctor Who, CBS Consumer Products for Star Trek and AMC for The Walking Dead. You can learn more about Her Universe and purchase the current line of fangirl apparel and accessories by going towww.heruniverse.com and by following Eckstein & Her Universe on Facebook (facebook.com/HerUniverse) and Twitter (twitter.com/HerUniverse).

About Marvel Entertainment, LLC
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information, visit marvel.com.© MARVEL

About Disney Consumer Products
Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) that delivers innovative and engaging product experiences across thousands of categories from toys and apparel to books and fine art. As the world’s largest licensor, DCP inspires the imaginations of people around the world by bringing the magic of Disney into consumers’ homes with products they can enjoy year-round. DCP is comprised of three business units: Licensing, Publishing and Disney Store. The Licensing business is aligned around five strategic brand priorities: Disney Media, Classics & Entertainment, Disney & Pixar Animation Studios, Disney Princess & Disney Fairies, Lucasfilm and Marvel. Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world’s largest publisher of children’s books, magazines, and digital products and also includes an English language learning business, consisting of over 40 Disney English learning centers across China and a supplemental learning book program. DPW’s growing library of digital products includes best-selling eBook titles and original apps that leverage Disney content in innovative ways. The Disney Store retail chain operates across North America, Europe and Japan with more than 350 stores worldwide and is known for providing consumers with high-quality, unique products. Disney’s official shopping portals online are www.DisneyStore.com and www.DisneyStore.co.uk. For more information, please visit Disney Consumer Products www.DisneyConsumerProducts.com or follow us at www.YouTube.com/DisneyLiving, www.Facebook.com/DisneyLiving,www.Twitter.com/DisneyLiving and www.Pinterest.com/DisneyLiving andwww.Instagram.com/DisneyLiving.


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