Author:
Affording the Mouse
Oct
30
OK, so banned may be a harsh word. Let’s just say that Vanessa Carlton probably won’t be asked back to perform at any of the Disney parks in the near future.
While we were at WDW, we had the luck to be touring Epcot during the final of Ms. Carlton’s three sets of the Eat to the Beat! concert series on October 21 (part of the Food & Wine Festival). My husband had never heard of her and was pretty disinterested, but I remembered her song “A Thousand Miles,” so I stopped just long enough to snap this quick photo.
Little did we know that we had missed the excitement. Apparently, during her first set, Ms. Carlton let an F-bomb slip. At the conclusion of that set, she was warned by Disney employees to watch her language–after all, this is a family environment (can’t get much more family oriented than Disney!). While she managed to keep it clean during the second show, apparently she had a slip of the S-word during the third set. Perhaps prophetically, she uttered, “I’m so fired now.” Yes, Ms. Carlton. Yes, you are. Or, rather, asked to never perform at Epcot again. Now, whether that request extends to the other Disney parks, I can’t say. But I’d say it’s a fair guess that she won’t be hanging out with Mickey and the gang anytime soon.
Author:
Affording the Mouse
Oct
29
Today’s tip is mostly for those with small children and those who have been to Walt Disney World several times: take a day off from the parks to explore! For small kids, it’s great to have a day between touring to sleep late and get to bed early–this helps counter the break-neck pace that many of us keep, trying to squeeze in every last minute of fun at the parks (guilty!). But many frequent visitors to WDW have failed to explore what Disney has to offer outside of the four main parks. What a shame! There are so many things to do–many that are free!–that won’t take up your valuable theme park tickets but still provide lots of fun!
Some examples:
- Spend a day touring the resorts. All the WDW resorts are elaborately themed. This is a good chance to see where you might want to stay on your next visit. In addition, most have daily activities planned for kids (also mostly free).
- Shop and eat your way through Downtown Disney. Home of the ginormous World of Disney store, a Legostore, and a great fountain to play in, there’s plenty to keep you busy for an afternoon or longer.
- Have tea in the beautiful Garden View Tea Room (Grand Floridian), an inexpensive alternative to a full meal in this deluxe resort.
- Stroll on the Boardwalk. While you’re there, take a boat (or two or three) to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot, or the other resorts in the area. Better yet, rent a surrey and pedal to them!
Remember that Disney transportation is free to guests, so you can hop a bus to just about any part of Disney property and explore!
my girls wiggling their toes in the sand (Yacht & Beach Club)
Author:
Affording the Mouse
Oct
28
If you follow the Disney crowd calendar or the resort rate schedule, you know that early December, as well as most of January and early February can be an inexpensive time of year to plan a WDW vacation. (Basically, any time that most schools are still in session.)
Southwest has a deal going now with rates as low as $25 one way! Other rates are as low as $50 and $75 one way. That could make your flight to Orlando as cheap as $50 plus taxes and fees! Of course, rules apply:
- Fares do not include federal excise tax of $3.60 per takeoff and landing, airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9, and government-imposed September 11th Security Fee of up to $5 one-way.
- Purchase by October 29, 2009, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
- Travel Dec. 2 – Dec. 16, 2009 and Jan. 5 – Feb. 10, 2010.
- Travel valid every day except Sundays.
Hurry! As you can see, this rate will not last. To check rates or book your flight, click here.
Filed under:
Planning, Savings
Author:
Affording the Mouse
Oct
27
For those of you planning a Walt Disney World vacation for spring break (or any time between now and late April), it’s time to make those Advanced Dining Reservations! For some time, Disney has been operating on a 90-day system, meaning you could only call to make ADRs (or book online) for travel dates 90 days in advance. Beginning today, that time frame switches back to 180 days. This is likely the result of Disney’s “Buy 4, Get 7″ deal, as this will greatly increase the number of guests using the Dining Plan.
Well…what are you waiting for? Call (407) WDW-DINE today!
Author:
Affording the Mouse
Oct
24
My family just returned from our second WDW vacation this year! This was a rather last-minute (well, at least in terms of my usual Disney planning MO) trip. With a week off school for fall break and almost-too-good-to-be-true deals, we just couldn’t resist.
The weather was quite a change from the record temps in Lake Buena Vista just a couple of weeks ago. We weren’t as prepared for the cool weather as I would have liked, but it warmed up as the week went on, and we experienced near-perfect Disney weather on our last day in the parks.
In coming posts, I’ll share some of our new experiences, old favorites, and other impressions from our trip. I’ll whet your appetite with this: As a seasoned deal-finder and admitted cheap-o, this was a great trip for us to try out some of the money-saving practices that I share with clients. How did it go? We didn’t feel as if we missed out on anything by cutting a few corners, and our trip came in over $200 UNDER our rather slim budget!
Want to know how you can do the same for your family? Let Affording the Mou$e help you plan your next WDW vacation, and we guarantee we’ll save you money–or you get yours back!
Author:
Affording the Mouse
Oct
16
Who doesn’t love a great (free) party? On Wednesday, Oct. 21, 3:30-5:30 p.m., drop by your local Disney Store for fun, games, prizes, and a costume parade. Children three and older who wear their favorite costumes will receive a free gift!
Sadly, my princesses will have to miss this event. But don’t feel too sorry for them–we’ll be hanging out with Mickey and the gang at Walt Disney World that day! I would love to hear about the event from anyone who attends.
