Epcot - Not Just For Adults Anymore

"We won't be going to Epcot...there's nothing there for the kids."

I can't begin to tell you how many times we hear that statement from families who are planning their Disney vacations.  I believe that nothing can be further from the truth !!  In fact....

EPCOT IS FOR KIDS !!!

When Epcot opened in 1982, it really wasn't very kid friendly.  Most of what is now Future World was very, let's say, scientific.  And the World Showcase offerings were pretty slim, too.  Over the years, the Imagineers at Disney have been working quite successfully to add attractions that are more Kid Friendly.  Unfortunately, Epcot has had a difficult time shedding that image of so long ago.  Let me help a little bit, as I believe that everyone needs to know that Epcot is VERY kid friendly......

I thought I'd share some of my kids' favorite attractions and "things to do" at Epcot.

1.  The Rides.  Not your mainstream "amusement park" rides, the attractions at Epcot are unique, fun, and can take your breath away.  Imagine gliding over the mountains of California, or the dessert, or the surf.  Our favorite attraction is Soarin', an exhilarating scenic view of the best of California's beauty from a simulated hang glider.  Test Track is another of our favorites.  Ride a simulated proving ground for the newest General Motors vehicles.  End your ride with a 60+ MPH trip around the track.  Weeeeee.  (Test Track will soon be undergoing a total refurbishment and will re-open in the fall)  For a more calmer journey, ride through the seas with The Seas With Nemo and Friends.  Afterwards, make sure you hang out with Turtle Talk with Crush.  Kids get to hold a real conversation with Crush from Finding Nemo.  See a real aquarium with your favorite Finding Nemo characters swimming right along.  There are plenty of fun attractions that we haven't even mentioned here.  If your kids are into exploring their senses.....

2. Innoventions East and Innoventions West are areas where kids of all ages can explore sight, sound, and so much more.  Just opened this week is Healthy Habits, an exhibit of healthier lifestyle and activities.  Kids have so much fun that they don't even realize they are learning at the same time.  One of the coolest activities in Innoventions is.....

3.  Sum of All Thrills.  Here, kids (and adults) get to create their own roller coaster on a computer, and then the ride comes to life as they get to ride their very own creation in a roller coaster simulator.

4.  I know that we've all heard that the World Showcase is snoozeville for the kids.  Well....no more.  Thanks to the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, kids can now get their own "Kimmunicators", high-tech communication devices that use state of the art technology, to help find Kim Possible characters who will give them clues to stop the villains.  Each "scene" is located in a country in the World Showcase, so the kids are now seeing these countries in a whole new way.  Very entertaining for the kids !!

5.  Dining options vary for the kids, too.  From fun themed restaurants such as Biergarten in Germany (reminiscent of a German village, complete with an Oom-pah band and other entertainment), to fine dining with a little special chef in France, there is enough to keep the youngest of kids enthused.  Character dinners are plentiful, too with Mickey and friends at Garden Grill.  One of my favorite dining experiences in all of Walt Disney World is the Princess Storybook meal at the Royal Banquet Hall in Norway.  If you kids are into princesses in the slightest way, then this is a "can't miss".  Imagine having a meal and being visited by Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Mulan or Mary Poppins.  If your little girl is in her princess outfit, a special "fuss" will be made over her, I can assure you.  Other than the beaming smiles on the kids' faces, I especially like that this experience is still only one table service credit on the Disney dining plan.





6.  Another great idea to keep the kids excited at Epcot is with the various KidCot Fun Stop areas.  With over 14 locations, KidCot areas are places where kids can take a break and enjoy drawing, stamping, writing and much more.  Our favorites are the locations in the various countries where the kids are lead by a native of that country.  Kids can also complete a Passport at each location.  See if you can fill your book for a special souvenir.

As you can see, Epcot has come a long way in making sure that kids of all ages have a great stay.

Our guests with kids will see many of these suggestions in their planning documents and daily park itineraries.  Have fun at Epcot...and bring the kids with smiles on their faces !!!

Karen
karen@mymickeyvacation.com
www.mymickeyvacation.com

Disney Dining Plans Part 2 - How the Plan Works

Yesterday, we started our Disney Dining Plan chat with a look at the terms that are commonly used (http://mymickeyvacation.blogspot.com/2012/02/disney-dining-plan-primer.html).

Today, we are going to talk about the different plans that are available. 
--------------------
Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan -  This plan includes only the  Quick-Service locations and Snacks.  Table Service locations are not included in this plan.

For each night's stay, every member of your party ages 3 and over receive:  2 Quick Service Meals, 1 Snack, and a refillable Souvenir Mug

Disney Dining Plan - This plan is the most popular of the plans and includes 1 Table Service Meal, 1 Quick Service Meal, and 1 Snack per person per night's stay.  The refillable mug is also included in this plan. 


Disney Deluxe Dining Plan - The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan includes 3 meals (either Table or Quick Service) and 2 Snacks per person per night's stay.  Again, the refillable mug is also included in this plan.
----------------------

Now that we know "How" we can purchase the dining plan, let's look at an example of how this will work.

The Smith family of 4 has just arrived for their 5 night stay at Disney's Pop Century Resort.  Along with their park tickets, they have purchased the Disney Dining Plan as outlined above.

Because the Smith's are staying 5 nights, they are entitled to 20 table service meals, 20 quick service meals, and 20 snacks during their stay.  We get this by multiplying the number of night's stay (5) by the number of people in the party (4). 

After check-in, the Smith family heads over to the Contemporary Resort to have dinner at Chef Mickey's.  The enjoy their dinner, and when it is over, they receive their bill from the waiter.  The Smiths inform the server that they are on the Disney Dining plan, and 4 credits are removed from their tally (one for each person).  They now have 16 credits left on their plan.  The family didn't have to spend a single dime on dinner, other than leaving a gratuity for the server.

Do you have to use exactly one credit EACH day?  No.  Let's say that through their first 2 days at Walt Disney World, the Smith's had forgot about their snack credits, and they never used any of them.  Guess what....credits carry over to the next day, so they still have their original 20 snack credits to use when they want.

You may be thinking that with all these credits, how do I keep track?  Well, if you have table service credits, you will likely have advance dining reservation in place to utilize these credits.  When we plan your vacation with you, we make sure that each credit is used...no more...no less.  As to the quick service and snack credits, each time you use credits, your receipt will show you how many credits remain, and you can also ask any customer service cast member for a tally.

I hope this helps you understand how the different plans work.  If it's still confusing, give me a call or an email to see how you can make the Disney Dining Plan work while on your vacation.  In our final chapter, we will talk about Signature Dining, and some fun and unique example of Table Service, Quick Service, and Snacks that you may not know about.

Until then....

Karen
karen@mymickeyvacation.com
www.mymickeyvacation.com

The Disney Dining Plan Primer

So every time I am talking to a family about their Disney vacation, the question comes up... "So, exactly what IS this dining plan all about?".  Even some people who have done their own Disney-research have questions because, let's face it, it can be a bit complicated.  So let's break it down and spend a few posts talking about this great feature, the Disney Dining Plan.

I think the first thing to do is get a few definitions out of the way.  If I start talking about the signature table service that takes two credits, I might get a few blank stares.  So let's go....

The Disney Dining Plan - The dining plan (regardless of which version) is a way for resort guests to pre-purchase their dining, usually at a nice discount, during their Disney stay.  I like the concept of pre-payment because I know that my money has been spent, and I don't need to worry about my budget or the bill during the vacation...I can just have fun.  On a recent stay, I found that we saved about 30% off the menu prices.  Restaurants on the plan aren't located only in the 4 parks, but also at the resort hotels as well as Downtown Disney.

With Pluto at Chef Mickey's

 

 

 

Table Service Meals - These are dining experiences in restaurants where you are seated by a host, and you have a waiter or waitress serving you.  These restaurants can have the air of elegance, they can have a special theme (1950's, Octoberfest, Drive-in movies), or have character meet-and-greet experiences with Mickey, Princesses, and others.  Table Service Meals in the dining plan feature your non-alcoholic drink, entree or buffet, and dessert. 

Quick Service Meals -   Locations where you  place an order with a cashier and pick up your food at a counter are called Quick Service Meals.  Now I know the first thought is --- Fast Food.  And while you may be right to the extent of how the food is served, the food offerings go way beyond burgers, hot dogs, and chicken nuggets.  Some of our favorite places offer fish and chips, barbequed ribs and chicken, and pork chops with mashed potatoes.  Quick Service Meals come with non-alcoholic beverage, entree, and dessert.

Snacks from Boulangerie Patisserie

Snacks - Yes, who doesn't love a good snack.  Snacks are items from restaurants, specialty shops, street kiosks, and snack bars that range from a bottle of water to some of the most decedent desserts you've ever tasted. 

Credits - These are simply the way to keep track of how many of your meals/snacks you've used during your stay.  Depending on the plan you've chosen and the length of your stay, the number of credits available to you will vary.  We will talk more about these later, but for now, let's say that typically every time you enjoy a meal or a snack, you will use 1 credit from your plan.  (There are exceptions which we will talk about later)

ADR's - Advance Dining Reservations.  Reservations for the Table Service Meals are taken up to 180 days in advance of your arrival date.  I know this seems like a long way off, but trust me, there are restaurants that fill up 180 days out.  That is why when I work with a client, I am on the phone at 7:00 a.m. exactly 180 days away making ADR's for our families.

Whew.....that's a lot, and I'm just getting started.  Next time, we will talk about the different plans, and how you can structure just how many Table Service, Quick Service, and Snack credits you get with each plan.

In the meantime, if you have any questions on the Disney Dining Plan or any other Disney topic, feel free to write to me.

Have a Magical Day !!

Karen
karen@mymickeyvacation.com
www.mymickeyvacation.com

A Disney Compromise - Our Fort Wilderness Cabin Story

Being a blended family, my daughter and I have different Disney experiences than my husband and his 2 boys.  We like the pampering of a nice resort, being able to whisk away to the pool, and the short walk to the food court for breakfast for a steaming cup of coffee.  The men, on the other hand, are typical of manly ruggedness.  Their Disney vacations as single guys were more often anchored at Fort Wilderness either in a pop-up or even a tent.  Cooking out (so they say) and sleeping with the chirping birds were more up their alley.

Well, it came time for us to plan our first blended family Disney vacation.  Believe it or not, my husband actually suggested camping.  Trust me...this lady is not walking to a bath-house for my shower....even if they are "Disney clean". 

"But, honey..." 

  I stopped him right there.  No camping. 

"What about the Fort Wilderness Cabins?". 

Ok, so I started to listen.  He began telling me about how us girls could have our pampering (mouse-keeping, full kitchen to make my own coffee, air conditioning), and he and the boys could have their campground experience.  Yes...this was the perfect Disney Compromise !!

Before I get into a lot of the specifics, let me jump to the end of the story.... it was the best Disney decision we ever made, and our first family vacation was a success !!!

The Cabins

The cabins are extremely adorable.  Sitting on their own "Loops", the cabins are individual units, pretty much a modular unit with a rustic log cabin facade.   There is a nice deck with a full size picnic table, as well as a charcoal grill to enjoy your burgers and dogs.  The front door has the same key-controlled security lock that you would find at any of the other resorts.  Inside, there is a full working kitchen, complete with all the necessary appliances and accessories (dishes, silverware, cooking utensils, pots, pans, etc).  A bench seat and chairs surround the dining table.  In the rear of the cabin is the bedroom which has a bunk bed as well as a double bed.  The living features a very comfortable pull-down Murphy bed.  The bathroom is of resort quality and cleanliness.  We were very pleased with the Mousekeeping services.  When inside the cabin, we forgot that this was a "cabin" unit as it felt very much like a junior suite.  In fact, it felt like HOME !

Accessibility

Living in North Carolina, we take our own vehicle to Disney, so the first thing I LOVED about the cabins was the ability to park my car directly outside my room.  Having your car at the cabin is not necessary, though.  Disney provides transportation within the mile-long campground to both ends where further transportation awaits to the theme parks...either by boat to the Magic Kingdom, or by bus to the other parks.  Yes, waiting for 2 buses can be a pain, which is why we used (and highly recommend) a rented GOLF CART.  Parking our cart right outside the cabin, we could hop right in and the whole family could shuttle through the campground property to the pools, restaurants, awaiting transportation, or even a nice romantic moonlight stroll eating a Mickey Bar as my husband and I did one night.  Oh...don't rent the carts at the Campground....we can have your cart delivered and picked up at the campground for about 1/2 the price.

Size

The cabins are about 12' x 42', and can easily sleep 5.  While many of the more expensive Deluxe Resorts, Villas, and Suites will fit 5, as well as a few Moderate Resorts that fit 5 in a much smaller space, the cabins are by far the most spacious accommodations for a family this size.  While priced slightly higher than a standard moderate resort, the cabins are a great value for a family on a budget.

Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

I probably need another blog entry to talk about all the fun things to do at Fort Wilderness...in fact, that's not a bad idea.  Suffice it to say, that the pools, petting zoo, Chip & Dale's campfire and movie, hay rides, carriage rides, archery, Hoop Dee Doo Review, fishing, canoeing, and so much more offer a family plenty of options for fun together.

If you have a family of 5 and are ready for your Disney vacation, send me an email...I'd be glad to talk to you some more about the Fort Wilderness cabins and how they worked for our family.

So, yes, the camping bug has hit me.  I love the cabins...I love Fort Wilderness.... but I still don't think you'll find me in a tent any time soon.  (Not saying there's anything wrong with that...there's 799 sites for tents and campers, too).   :)

Until next time

-Karen

karen@mymickeyvacation.com

http://www.mymickeyvacation.com/