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...
Tips for Traveling to Disney World with a Toddler

Tips for Traveling to Disney World with a Toddler

Written by Erica Ellis – Magical Tripcations Travel Planner; Photos provided by Magical Tripcations Travel Planner Team Are you contemplating a trip to Walt Disney World with a toddler?  Has the idea of taking someone under the age of 3 also made you question your sanity?  Fear not, there are some great reasons why taking your toddler to Walt Disney World before they turn 3 is an awesome idea.  We have polled our Magical Tripcations Travel Team and come up with tips that will help you not only stay sane but have a very memorable and magical time!   FREE TICKET – Did you know that children under the age of 3 do not require a park ticket? That’s right, they are considered an infant until they turn 3 and are free of charge to enter any of the Disney Parks.  Please note, if you work with one of our Magical Tripcations Travel Planners to create a vacation package that includes a dining plan, they will NOT be included in that plan, so your child would either eat off of your plate or you would need to pay out of pocket for them during meal time.     5 Can Stay for the Price of 4 – Did you know that a portion of Disney’s Resorts have a maximum occupancy of 4 in a room?  If you are a Party of 5, in which one is under the age of 3, you still have the option of staying in resort room with a maximum occupancy of 4.  Your toddler (under the age of 3) does not count towards the...
10 Tips For Your First Trip to Disney World

10 Tips For Your First Trip to Disney World

Written by Jennifer Jamieson – Magical Tripcations Travel Planner Your first trip to Disney World can be a truly magical and memorable one but take it from us, planning is a must!  Even if you’ve been before but it’s been a few years, read on as so much has changed that you might find yourself bewildered and late for a very important date!  Disney World is huge and spans 40 square miles (roughly the size of San Francisco) and has 4 theme parks (6 if you count the 2 water parks).  And navigating through the transportation, parks, FastPass+, My Disney Experience App, restaurants, fireworks and shows can be a little daunting and a big waste of time if you’re not prepared!  Good news is there are lots of tools that can help you along the way and we hope that our tips and tricks can help you get started.  Having the honor of planning countless trips for our Magical Tripcations clients has given our team an edge when it comes to the ins and outs of heading to the most magical place on earth.  Check out our top 10 tips for your first trip to Disney World. 10. Stay at a Disney World Resort   With more that 25 unique Resort hotels, there is likely one that will fit your needs and budget.  Staying on property is well worth it and not as expensive as you may think.  Our team of travel planners have stayed at hotels both on and off property and hands down recommend staying on the resort property. Disney has various resort levels ranging in price from...
Top 12 Disney World Tips & Tricks

Top 12 Disney World Tips & Tricks

Coming up with a list of top tips & tricks to assist you on your first or next magical Disney World vacation is no small order.   You know it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it and the team at Magical Tripcations is thrilled to offer up a few of our tried-and-true tips to make your park experience a little easier and a lot more magical.  Let’s dig in with our top 12 Disney World tips & tricks! 1. Go Left! When faced with a fork in the road or standing in the hub of the park, take the road less traveled and go left!  It’s human nature to go right for whatever reason and same is true at Disney Parks.  Even when there’s a choice in a queue to go right or left, go left, and you’ll find yourself saving a little time waiting in line. 2. Free Water! Did you know that you can request a cup of ice water at any counter service restaurant or snack location that serves fountain drinks in any Disney Park?   It’s so important to stay hydrated while touring the parks and ice water really helps you cool down.   We’ve even carried flavored drink packets in our park bags to mix with the FREE ice water.  Truly FREE and you don’t have to be ordering a meal and it’s ok to ask for a large cup! 3. The Early Bird Catches the Worm! Want to beat the crowds?  Arrive 30 minutes to an hour (in peak season) prior to official park opening or ‘rope drop’ and you’ll be well on your...
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party:  See What the BOO is All About!

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: See What the BOO is All About!

Written by – Jennifer Jamieson, Magical Tripcations Travel Planner Holidays are celebrated in a big way at Walt Disney World.  The parks are decked out with beautifully themed decorations and some holidays even have a special party.  One of the most spooktacular and hauntedly rated events is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party held at Magic Kingdom on select nights in the fall.  The party is a special ticketed event and takes place after hours when Magic Kingdom closes to all except those that have a party ticket.  Have you ever thought about attending the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP)?  Or, not even sure what it is?  Is it worth the additional cost?  Is it scary for kids?  What’s included?  Let’s dig in and find out what the BOO is all about!     Even though park visitors can enjoy the lovely decorations displayed throughout the park in September and October, only Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party attendees can enjoy and experience the special Halloween themed entertainment and take part in special activities.   On select nights, the party starts at 7 p.m. after non-party guests exit the Magic Kingdom park; however, party guests can enter Magic Kingdom as early as 4 p.m.  The party ends at midnight giving you plenty of time to take in all the special entertainment, attractions and activities.  In true Disney style, the tone of the event is “not-so-scary” which means children of all ages can enjoy all of the party fun!  Let’s take a look at some of the special activities that take place at the party:   Trick-or-Treating Each attendee upon entering the event will be...
Top 16 Things You Must Do This Summer at Disney World

Top 16 Things You Must Do This Summer at Disney World

Written by Jennifer Jamieson – Magical Tripcations Travel Planner Of course there is always so much to see and do at Disney World; however, this summer or early fall promises to bring some truly amazing new attractions, entertainment and more to all four parks!  Disney has been releasing so much information on coming attractions, updates and new offerings that they are keeping our team of travel planners on our toes!  So, we decided to highlight the best of what is to be unveiled during Awaken Summer 2016.  Here’s our top 16 things you must do this summer at Disney World. The Force is Strong at Disney’s Hollywood Studios     There’s so much in store for Star Wars fans this summer at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!  The force is definitely strong and will bring new shows and updated experiences to the park.  Here’s a breakdown of what’s ahead for Awaken Summer 2016: 1. The new Star Wars Fireworks show – “Star Wars:  A Galactic Spectacular” is set to debut in June at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  This new nightly show is the next generation of the current Star Wars inspired fireworks show and will be the biggest show ever to light up the skies over Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  The show will combine fireworks, pyrotechnics, special effects and video projections that will turn the skies over the Chinese Theater into multiple Star Wars destinations. 2. The Live Stage Show “Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away” debuted April 4, 2016 and celebrates iconic moments for the Star Wars Saga with live vignettes featuring fan favorites BB-8, Kylo Ren, Chewbacca, Darth Vader and Darth Maul.  Be sure to stop by center...