The discount I mentioned in this post is now available. Here are the details:

• For most travel dates November 1-December 24, 2009 and January 3-March 27, 2010
• Book by December 20, 2009
• Purchase a 4-night resort stay and a 4-day Magic Your Way ticket for each member of your party, and receive 3 nights and 3 additional days of tickets free (7 days/nights for the price of 4)
• Offer does not include dining, although this can be added at the regular prices

This discount is not yet listed on Disney’s online booking system. To book your package, call and request the “Buy 4, Get 3 free” deal. Or, go here for a specific code, based on your travel dates and resort class.

Rumors are spreading about a possible discount that will be available next week. It is thought to be a “Buy 4 days, Get 7″ deal, much like one that was available earlier in the year, meaning you would purchase tickets and resort stay for 4 days, and you get three more days of tickets and resort stay for free. Value resorts would have a similar “Buy 5, Get 7″ deal. Travel dates are rumored to be October 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010, with booking through December 31, 2009.

For those needing both a room and tickets, this is one of the most valuable discounts offered–much better than the free dining that is currently being offered, in my humble opinion. Stay tuned for confirmation and details.

So you’re going to Disney World in the fall, and you purchased the free dining. (Incidentally, the free dining isn’t exactly free–it precludes you from getting better room discounts, so you actually “pay” a price to get that free perk. Still, it’s often the best deal, depending on your family’s eating habits.) But I digress.

Back to Thursday’s Tip: So you had the dining plan and you find yourself at the end of your vacation with leftover snack credits. What’s a family to do? Down six Mickey ice cream bars as you exit the park? No need to do that (although, it sounds fun!). Just hop into a gift shop and purchase a few prepackaged goodies for the trip home. Most gift shops in both the parks and resorts have cookies, candies, pretzels, etc., that can be purchased with dining snack credits. It’s always a good idea to ask before purchasing, as some items are considered “novelties” rather than food items. And when all else fails, buy a bottled water or soft drink. Don’t let those snack credits go to waste! After all, you paid for them–even if they were “free.”

It was a rough summer for safety at Walt Disney World. Three employee fatalities within weeks of each other. Perhaps the most notable being young monorail driver Austin Wuennenberg. Two weeks later, two Disney buses collided with each other. And just last week, bus service was disrupted due to a suspicious tracking device. It’s no wonder Disney has decided to shake up management. (Of course, the official word is that these changes are in no way related to the aforementioned “issues” with Disney transportation.) Read details of staff changes/additions here.

After 38 years with Disney, Dick Cook is stepping down from his role as President of Buena Vista Pictues. Read the full story here.