Celebrating your birthday at Walt Disney World

Celebrating your birthday at Walt Disney World

Written by Erica V. Ellis – Magical Tripcations Travel Planner Disney vacations are special and magical, no matter when you take them.  Add a birthday to the mix and it becomes even more magical!  Here are our Top 5 ways to celebrate your birthday while at Walt Disney World! Let your Magical Tripcations Travel Planner know that you’ll be celebrating a birthday while on vacation! Your planner will add that tidbit of information on to your reservation.  When you scan your Magic Bands at park entrances, for fast passes, etc., the cast members will be alerted to this.  You’ll probably get lots of extra “happy birthdays” during your stay. If you aren’t given a birthday button at check-in, make sure you ask for one at your Disney Resort’s front desk or at any of the guest service locations at the parks. Once you have it, wear it proudly!  It’s always fun to hear “happy birthday” from cast members and park goers.  Who knows, maybe you’ll get some extra pixie dust because of it! Talk to your Magical Tripcations Travel Planner about a special gift package or room celebration through Disney Floral & Gifts. It can be as simple as a small cake in your room, or a full-on room makeover to help you celebrate the special day.  Prices vary and can satisfy pretty much any budget.  For my daughter’s third birthday we ordered her a special Princess Gift Basket and a small chocolate cake that was delivered to our room the evening of her birthday.  When we arrived back to our room, the surprise was waiting for her and...
Disney World Monorail Crawl

Disney World Monorail Crawl

Written by Erica V. Ellis – Magical Tripcations Travel Planner Have you heard that Walt Disney World has started the “Highway In The Sky Dine-Around” which, according to the Walt Disney World website, allows you to climb “aboard the Walt Disney World Resort Monorail for a culinary journey where each destination offers a distinctively delicious experience.”   We at Magical Tripcations are excited to see this new Disney Dining experience being offered to guests!  For now, it is only being offered a few nights a week, so what if you can’t make your itinerary work for one of those nights but you still want to eat and drink your way around the “Monorail Loop”?  Well, don’t you worry, we have your back!   In September, during a “research” trip to Walt Disney World during the first weekend of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival four travel planners from the Magical Tripcations team took a spin on the Monorail and here we offer our findings from the evening filled with delectable foods, yummy drinks, plenty of laughs and fireworks to cap off the evening!  This journey is also sometimes referred to as the “Monorail Crawl.”  **Disclaimer, we recommend this be done with a 21 & over crowd.**   We were coming from Epcot so we disembarked the Epcot Monorail and loaded onto the Resort Monorail at the Ticket and Transportation Center.  From there we hit up our first stop, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.  We arrived at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto around 4:45pm on a Thursday afternoon and found there to be available space.  We hopped up on some bar...
Top 6 Things We Love About Disneyland

Top 6 Things We Love About Disneyland

Written by Jennifer Jamieson – Magical Tripcations Travel Planner For 60 years, Disneyland has welcomed and enchanted the young and the young at heart.  It is as charming as it is magical.  Coming up with reasons to visit is never a challenge; however, narrowing down our favorite memories and why we love Disneyland is a bit harder to do.  After much reminiscing and recent travels to sunny California, here is our list of the top 6 things we love about Disneyland. 6)  Disneyland is Walt’s park. Disneyland is the only theme park that Walt Disney himself spent time in.   The moment you walk through the gate, you can feel that you are in a happy place and you can experience it, too.  If you’re planning a visit, don’t miss Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at the Opera House.  There, you’ll not only find a special presentation by the Great Emancipator but, you will also find the park bench on display that Walt Disney sat on as he dreamed of building Disneyland. While you’re at the entrance hub on Main Street, U.S.A., be sure to look up above the Disneyland Fire Dept. where you will see a lamp in the window.  This window is in Walt Disney’s personal apartment that he built and stayed in when visiting the park.  He would turn the lamp on when he was there and today, the lamp is left on at all times in remembrance of him.  You can read more about it here: Image: ©Disney 5)  Disneyland is compact. Whereas Disney World has four theme parks, Disneyland is comprised of two and you...
Character Hunting at Disney World:  Tips to Magical Moments

Character Hunting at Disney World: Tips to Magical Moments

Written by Jennifer Jamieson – Magical Tripcations Travel Planner Do you remember the first time you met Mickey Mouse?  Or do you know someone who dreams of meeting their favorite princess or a character from a galaxy far, far away?  A trip to Walt Disney World© is as magical as it is memorable and no experience adds to the magic more than meeting your favorite character, princess, or villain.  However, quite a bit has changed over the years when it comes to meeting Mickey and the gang. Most characters do not roam the parks but have set spots or venues where they reside and you line up to meet them, grab an autograph and snap a picture. There are four Disney Parks at Disney World and not all characters can be found at one single park.  Being prepared ahead of time with an idea of which characters are at the top of the list will save you time and ensure that you capture moments with the favorites on your list. So, where do you start?  Before leaving for the house of the mouse, do a little research on where to find the characters you are most interested in meeting.  You can find information on specific park attractions, shows and character meet and greets on the Walt Disney World© website.  Or you can ask one of us!  To help you in your quest to meet Mickey, a Princess or two, Chewbacca or Winnie the Pooh, here are our go-to resources for character hunting at Disney World and tips to magical moments. Minnie is so sweet! Character Meet and Greets Each...
Which Disney Dining Plan is Right for You?

Which Disney Dining Plan is Right for You?

A trip to Disney has many moving parts beyond deciding when to go (that’s a post for another day!) There are many options to choose from in building your dream vacation from resort selection, ticket options to the dining plan. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with all of the choices in front of you, you’ve come to the right place! Your Magical Tripcations travel planner is armed and ready to assist you in each step of your Disney vacation planning. Today we’re tackling which Disney Dining Plan is right for you. If you’re debating whether or not to add a dining plan to your package or which one is right for your travel party, read on as we’ve got you covered with the ins and outs of how the dining plans work. What does each dining plan cost and what does each include?   2016 Disney Dining Plan Pricing:   Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan: 2 quick-service meals 1 snack 1 refillable resort mug Adult 10+ Years and Older Per Night:  $42.84   Child 3 – 9 Per Night:  $17.47   Disney Dining Plan: 1 quick-service meal 1 table-service meal 1 refillable resort mug Adult 10+ Years and Older Per Night:  $61.84  Child 3 – 9 Per Night:  $20.96   Disney Deluxe Dining Plan: 3 meals (any combination of table-service and quick-service) 2 snacks 1 refillable resort mug Adults 10+ Years and Older Per Night:  $111.73  Child 3 – 9 Per Night:  $32.56 Which Disney Dining Plan is Right for You?   Disney offers 5 different dining plan options so there is likely one perfect for you and your party. Dining...
Magical Tripcations Top Disney Dining Picks

Magical Tripcations Top Disney Dining Picks

When it comes to dining at Disney, there are so many wonderful options and experiences to explore.  The Magical Tripcations travel planners have put together a list of their top Disney dining picks to help you as you plan your next vacation to the Walt Disney World® Resort.  Whichever dining package you add to your Magic My Way Package, your travel planner is equipped to provide you with dining guidance and assistance.  Here are our top Disney dining picks for quick-service meals, not-to-miss character dining and table-service restaurants. Top Disney Dining Picks – Quick-Service   Quick-service dining is counter service meals much like dining at a fast-food restaurant. Most counter service locations have both inside and outside dining tables. Magic Kingdom Park Top Pick: Be Our Guest, Fantasyland – quick-service options offered at breakfast or lunch only. Gaston’s Tavern, Fantasyland – Don’t miss the cinnamon rolls and LeFou’s Brew (non-alcoholic frozen apple juice treat) Pecos Bills Tall Tale Inn, Frontierland – Great for meal sharing with their amazing fixings bar! Golden Oak Outpost, Frontierland – Don’t miss the crispy waffle fries with pulled pork on top. Columbia Harbour House, Liberty Square – Don’t miss the battered fish! And, there are plenty of healthy options, too. Cosmic Rays Starlight Cafe, Tomorrowland – Don’t miss the alien entertainment! Sleepy Hollow, Liberty Square – Don’t miss the waffles or the ice cream cookie sandwich.   Epcot World Showcase La Cantina de San Angel, Mexico Les Halles Boulangeries-Patisserie, France   Epcot Future World Sunshine Seasons, The Land Pavilion – “There is sure to be something to please everyone in your travel party because...