The Magic of Staying at a Walt Disney World Resort!

All guests at any Walt Disney Resort receive the following:

* Complimentary Magical Express airport transportation and bag pick-up

* Complimentary Disney transportation on-property including all boats, trams, monorails, and busses (no rental car needed)

* Complimentary parking at all parks with your own vehicle ($15 per day value)

* Extra Magic Hours at the parks (morning or evening park hours open only for WDW resort guests)

* Fastpass+ advance attraction scheduling

* Pool games, resort activities, nightly movies under the stars

* Complimentary package delivery to your Disney resort room

* Complimentary resort wheelchairs (first come first serve basis)

* Entrance into the parks on high capacity days (Once full capacity is reached, even resort guests are turned away.) 

Ask Katherine for more details and assistance with any of the included perks of staying at a Walt Disney World Resort.

What Katherine, an authorized Disney Vacation Planner, adds to your vacation:

* The “Authorized Disney Vacation Planner” designation is granted by Disney to agencies that demonstrate an ongoing focus and commitment to planning customized, magical trips to the Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line®, and other Disney vacation destinations worldwide.

* Every Authorized Disney Vacation Planner is a graduate of the College of Disney Knowledge, an in-depth comprehensive course that allows agents to develop their expertise regarding the Disney destinations.

* Even after you book your vacation, Katherine continuously reviews promotional offers and discounts to ensure that you get the best deal!

* Katherine makes all of your reservations from beginning to end: hotel, ground transfers, theme park tickets, dining reservations, dinner shows, special requests, and more.

* After your initial deposit, payments as low as $20 may be made as you wish with Imagination Vacations' Magical Payment Plan. Balance in full is due 45 days prior to travel for Walt Disney World & Disneyland Resort vacations; payment deadlines for other destinations vary.

* Katherine takes all of the stress out of planning, so you can have fun without worrying about the details.

*  Katherine personalizes a daily itinerary according to your family’s needs: theme park hours, parade & show times, dining reservations, etc.

* Are you an experienced Disney traveler? No worries! Katherine can help with as much or as little as you need! Also, she can assist with planning magical vacations to various Disney destinations as well as cruises!

* Katherine is only a phone call, text, or email away - before, during, and after your vacation.

* Katherine is here to make your Disney dreams come true!

*Best of all, Katherine's personalized vacation planning service is INCLUDED FREE when you book a Disney vacation through her!!!

Walt Disney World Resorts:

Value Resorts:

All-Star Movies

All-Star Sports

All-Star Music

Pop Century

The Art of Animation with Family Suites

Moderate Resorts:

Port Orleans French Quarter

Port Orleans Riverside with Royal Guest/Princess Rooms

Caribbean Beach with Pirate Rooms

Coronado Springs

The Cabins at Ft. Wilderness

Deluxe Resorts and Villas:

Grand Floridian Resort and Spa with Villas

Polynesian Resort with Villas coming soon

Contemporary Resort with Bay Lake Towers Villas

Wilderness Lodge with Villas

Animal Kingdom Lodge with Jambo House or Kidani Village Villas

Boardwalk Resort with Villas

Beach Club Resort with Villas

Yacht Club Resort

Old Key West Resort Villas

Saratoga Springs Resort Villas and Trees houses

by Jeanie Gallo-Ciscon

Follow Jeanie on Twitter @JeanieBlue114 or her Blog www.ThePrincessPapersBlog.blogspot.com or LIKE her Facebook  page www.facebook.com/ThePrincessPapers

Spring 2014 EPCOT Flower Power Concert List: FREE WITH EPCOT ADMISSION!

The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival starts soon! The dates are March 5- May 18, 2014.  The Flower Power Concert Series is just one of the many great festival activities included with Epcot park admission during this time.  Below is a list of the scheduled performers for this year's festival. Book a trip for the dates of your favorites!!

2014 Flower Power Concert Performers INCLUDED WITH EPCOT ADMISSION:

The Guess Who March 7-9

"American Woman"

Gary Lewis and the Playboys March 14-16

"The Diamond Ring"

The Orchestra starring former members of ELO March 21-23

"Don't Bring Me Down"

The Lovin’ Spoonful March 28-30

"Summer in the City"

Paul Revere & The Raiders April 4-6

"Indian Reservation"

The Village People April 11-13

"YMCA"

The Grass Roots April 18-20

"Midnight Confessions"

Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone April 26-28

"Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter"

Starship starring Mickey Thomas May 2-4

"We Built This City"

Chubby Checker and the Wildcats May 9-11

"The Twist"

Alan Parsons Live Project May 16-18

"Eye in the Sky"

Concerts are located at the American Gardens Theater. 

Shows are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Showtimes each evening are 5:30, 6:45, and 8:00 PM.

Fun Facts:

*Gary Lewis is the son of comedian/actor Jerry Lewis.

*Gary Lewis and The Playboys were regular performers at Disneyland when they first started.

*During their early career, ELO was billed as "The English guys with the big fiddles".

*The Village People have sold nearly 100 million records worldwide.

*The Grass Roots' original name was spelled as one word Grassroots.

*Chubby Checker was born Ernest Evans.

*Source:Wikipedia

by Jeanie Gallo-Ciscon

You can follow Jeanie on Twitter @JeanieBlue114 or Facebook Page The Princess Papers.

Overlooked Attractions: Adventureland

The prime attractions at Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom have long been the Jungle Cruise and the Pirates of the Caribbean (especially after the newest addition of Captain Jack Sparrow).

However, there are other attractions in Adventureland that are often overlooked. This post will give more information on two of those attractions in particular.

Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse

The Swiss Family Treehouse is based on the book

The Swiss Family Robinson

, written by Johann David Wyss and adapted into a Disney live-action movie in 1960. This attraction recreates in detail the treehouse built by the Robinson family in the movie version.

Kids love the treehouse because of the rope bridges and 116 steps, and the science and nature lovers enjoy the creativity of using natural elements to create the treehouse. At the top of the tree, there is a terrific view of the Jungle Cruise river and the rest of Adventureland.

It's easy to pass this attraction by because it is not a ride or a show. However, it is a very interesting sight, and highly recommended, especially for those who have read the book and/or seen the movie!

Enchanted Tiki Room

Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room is now in its third incarnation at the Magic Kingdom, but is an original attraction that opened on the first day in 1971. The new show more closely resembles the original, having been shortened to about 10 minutes. In this show, audio-animatronic birds, flowers, and more sing and entertain.

This classic show is enjoyable for all ages; however, there are a few dark moments. It is a great break on a hot day, and there is very rarely a line. Fair warning: Be prepared to sing the theme song for the rest of the day!

Conclusion

Adventureland can sometimes be one of the overlooked lands in the Magic Kingdom, but there are many fun sights to explore.

What is your favorite overlooked attraction?

Baby Time at Disney World: It Can Be Done!

Taking a baby to Disney World sounds like an insurmountable task, but you may be surprised at how many things Disney has in place to make it easier. After all, Walt Disney's dream was to build a place for families, and families have babies!

At Chef Mickey's

If you have a child who is old enough to enjoy Disney World, but are skeptical about going because of your younger baby or toddler, read more for tips on making it work!

Cost

Did you know that children under age 3 are free at Disney World? If your child has not yet turned 3 on your arrival date, he/she will be free for the entire stay! This includes theme park admission and all-inclusive dining experiences (though if you want to order your child a meal at a quick service or other table service restaurant, you will have to pay). In addition, your child under 3 does not contribute to the maximum room allowance at resorts, so if you have a family of 5 (and one is under 3), you can stay in a room for 4.

At Akershus

Baby Care Centers

Disney has Baby Care Centers at each of the four major theme parks. These centers include:

• nursing areas
• changing tables
• high chairs
• microwaves
• purchase of limited selection of baby care items (formula, diapers, food, etc)
• child activity areas for older children

These centers are air-conditioned, and much more comfortable than sitting in the hot sun or waiting in a restroom to take care of your baby! These Baby Care Centers saved my sanity when I took my 10-month-old!

Animal Kingdom in the summer!

Rider Switch

Do you want to ride Rock 'n' Roller Coaster or Space Mountain, but someone has to stay with the baby? That's what the Rider Switch is for!

Rider Switch allows one adult to stay behind with the child(ren) who do not meet the height requirement for the ride. Everyone goes to the entrance of the line together, and tells the Cast Member there that there is the need for a Rider Switch Pass. The adult staying behind gets the pass, while everyone else goes through the line and rides the ride.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios

When the first riders return, another adult stays behind and the first adult can use the Rider Switch pass to bypass the line (usually through the Fast Pass line, if there is one). The Rider Switch Pass allows up to 3 people to use the pass. My girls love this because the older 2 can ride twice: once with dad and once with me! (Please note: this is for those who do not meet the height requirement, not those who don't *want* to ride.)

Conclusion

Having a baby or toddler doesn't have to mean that you can't enjoy Disney World! It's so much fun to watch the little ones enjoy the magic. Age doesn't seem to matter at Disney World; that's one of the reasons I love it so much!

Meeting Tinkerbell at the Magic Kingdom

What do you think?