Our Sneak Peek of the Wedding Video

Check it out. =)

If you still need tickets

While tickets can be purchased at the gate, you will not get the discounts available online. Since a lot of people are deciding what they want for park tickets now, I thought I would post my discounted links one more time.

If you plan to go to more than one park each day, for a few days, we have a $20 discount on park hopper tickets through our wedding planner. You can buy those here.

If you plan to go to one park per day for 4 or more days, undercovertourist is your best bet.

Their prices include tax and shipping, which sometimes makes it hard to see the discount, though it is there.

Disney also offers discounts to Florida residents and military personnel.

If you still need tickets to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party you can get those here:/

DO NOT BUY tickets on EBAY. Disney will not let you in with someone else's partially used tickets.

And don't forget to take a picture of the back of your tickets in case you lose them. See all my tips about tickets.

Disney World Suggested Packing List

Below is a list of some items guests coming to the wedding should consider packing. Some of them apply to different sorts of guests and how much time you plan to spend at the parks. Let me know if you have any questions.

Temperatures should be mild for the wedding weekend, but weather in Florida can change rapidly, so I recommend bringing layers that allow you to go with whatever the weather is a given day.

The 10 day weather outlook for Walt Disney World shows highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s. You can view the forecast here: 

Clothing and Accessories – There are places to do laundry at Disney, but remember that it takes time and money. For a short trip, you might be better served by simply packing what you’ll need for the whole stay.

• Shirts
• Pants
• Outfits for wedding events
• PJs
• Underwear – more than you think you’ll need
• Belts
• Socks – moisture-wicking socks are ideal for this, also bring more than you think you’ll need
• Comfortable walking shoes – ideally two pairs in case one gets wet and needs to dry – I don’t recommend wearing flip flops to the parks – instead, look for some with arch support and thick soles and  break them in before your trip
• Sandals
• Dress shoes – for wedding events
• Pool shoes/flip flops – you’ll want to wear something to walk there and back
• Swimsuits
• Cover-ups
• Hats/visors – the sun can be intense at times, especially in Hollywood Studios.
• Sunglasses
• Hair bands and accessories
• Jewelry/scarves
• Sweatshirt or jacket for evenings – once the sun goes down, it can get a bit cold
• Princess outfits if girls already have them – they will want to wear them once they see other kids dressed up, so if they have them, pack them
• Baby necessities: diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, pacifiers, disposable bibs – some of these things can be purchased at Disney, but they have limited variety and sizes, especially of diapers.  

Toiletries – Disney provides little shampoos, bar soaps, and lotion. There is also a small hair dryer in most hotel rooms – If you forget any of this, you can easily buy it at a store of the resort.

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash and floss
• Hair brush
• Shampoo and conditioner (unless you are happy to use theirs)
• Shower gel
• Deodorant
• Perfume
• Sunscreen
• Lip balm with sunscreen in it
• Face wash
• Lotions
• Makeup and makeup remover
• Tampons/pads
• Razors and Shaving cream
• Hairspray
• Contacts/glasses
• Allergy medications
• Vitamins
• Moleskin – ideal for blisters
• Insect repellant
• Nail file

Other essentials:

• Plane Tickets/boarding passes
• Hotel room confirmation #s
• Magical Express packet – put yellow tags on bags if you want them to get your bags
• Dollar bills for tips/tolls
• Theme park tickets if you preordered them – make copies or take pictures on your phone so Disney can replace them if lost
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tickets – if you preordered them
• IDs for each adult – you will also need these to drink at the wedding
• Membership cards – there are some AAA discounts at Disney
• Health insurance card
• Prescription medications you might need on vacation
• Any meal confirmation #s
• Rental car information if you are renting
• Cell phone charger
• Camera with batteries/charger
• Headphones
• Lanyard for room key/tickets
• Disney pins for trading – if you already have some
• Umbrella or poncho – the latter is easier to carry
• Easily carried bag for in the parks – we use a small backpack that either of us is willing to wear
• Zip top bags – Large ones are good for wet clothing while the small are great for snacks.
• Coins for tolls, washing machine, and penny press machines
• Pennies for pressing – there are machines are all around the parks
• A towel can come in handy at the parks – block the sun, save spot for a parade, clean off a seat
• Fat pen for character autographs
• Something for them to sign – they sell autograph books in the parks
• Ribbon to mark rented strollers
• Strollers can be rented at the parks - more details can be found here
• Ear plugs – good on loud rides and if you have a noisy neighbor

Feel free to post any other packing suggestions below. These were just some I came up with that should be helpful to most visitors at Disney World.

Also, guests staying in our room block, remember to ask for your welcome bag at check-in, it will contain vital details about transportation for the wedding events.

Christmas Around the World at Epcot

If you visit Epcot this holiday season, you will have an opportunity to learn about holiday traditions around the world. Each country has a special guest telling the tale. 

We had a blast in Norway

Storytellers include:

American Adventure:

• Santa Claus - 1:30-3:00, 3:30-5:00, 5:30-7:00, 7:30-9:00pm
• Hanukkah - 12:00, 12:45, 1:30, 2:15, 2:55, 3:45, 4:30, 5:45pm
• Kwanzaa - 12:!5, 1:00, 1:45, 2:30, 3:25, 4:00, 4:45, 6:00pm

Canada: The tale of Lumberjack Nowell journeying to find Santa - 11:30am, 12:05, 12:40, 1:15, 2:10, 3:10, 4:10, 5:15pm

China: The Monkey King will tell of celebrating Chinese New Year - 11:45am, 12:20, 12:55, 1:30, 2:30, 3:20, 4:20, 5:20pm

France: Pere Noel - 11:25, 12:00, 12:35, 1:15, 2:10, 2:55, 3:35, 4:25pm

Germany: Helga reveals the story of the first Christmas tree and her first nutcracker -1:!5, 2:15, 3:15, 4:05, 5:30, 6:05, 6:40, 7:15pm

Italy: La Befana, Italy's good Christmas witch, celebrated her first Christmas 2,000 years ago - 11:55am, 12:50, 1:25, 2:00, 2:55, 3:50, 4:45, 6:05pm.

Japan: Daruma doll and the Japanese New Year - 12:45, 1:30, 2:15, 3:30, 4:05, 4:50, 5:35, 6:25pm

Mexico: The journey of the Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Kings) to the Posada -1:30, 2:15, 3:15, 4:00, 4:45, 5:30, 6:30, 7:15pm

Morocco: Drummer Taarji tells the customs of Ramadan and Ashura - 1:30, 2:15, 3:00, 4:30, 5:30, 6:15, 7:30pm

Norway: Sigrid will tell the story of Julenissen, the trouble-making Christmas Gnome -2:45, 3:30, 4:15, 5:15, 6:15, 7:00, 7:45, 8:30pm

United Kingdom: Father Christmas - 2:45; 3:20, 4:30, 5:25, 6:05, 6:45, 7:30, 8:30pm

(copied from http://www.wdwinfo.com/holidays/christmas_world.htm#epcot)

Guests can also see the Candlelight Processional. If you want to guarantee a seat at the show, you can book a dinner package. 

How to drive to the Wedding Pavilion

Disney’s Wedding Pavilion is located between the Polynesian and The Grand Floridian in Disney’s Magic Kingdom Resorts Area. To get there, you must first go through the Magic Kingdom Toll Plaza. Tell them that you are going to a wedding at the Pavilion, and they won’t charge you and will point you in the right direction. Parking is free at the Wedding Pavilion.

The best way to get to the Magic Kingdom Toll Plaza is to take one of the Disney exits from I-4. Follow the signs for The Magic Kingdom.

The best address to put into GPS devices is that of the Grand Floridian, which is just down the street from the Wedding Pavilion:

4401 Floridian Way

Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

From Atlanta, GA: I-75 South to the Florida Turnpike

Take FL-91 S (Florida Turnpike) South toward Orlando

Take exit 259 onto Interstate 4 West to Walt Disney World Exits

Take exit 67 toward Epcot/Downtown Disney – merge onto Epcot Center Dr.

Turn right on World Drive (follow signs to Magic Kingdom Toll Plaza)

They will direct you to the resorts – and there should be signs as well

The Wedding Pavilion will be on your right after you pass the Polynesian. If you get to the Grand Floridian, you have gone too far.  

From Tampa, FL: Take I-4 East toward Orlando.

Take exit 64 to merge onto FL-530 W/US 192 W/W Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

Take the exit toward the Magic Kingdom – follow signs to the Magic Kingdom Toll Plaza

They will direct you to the resorts – and there should be signs as well

The Wedding Pavilion will be on your right after you pass the Polynesian. If you get to the Grand Floridian, you have gone too far.  

From International Drive: Take I-4 West toward Tampa

Take exit 67 toward Epcot/Downtown Disney – merge onto Epcot Center Dr.

Turn right on World Drive (follow signs to Magic Kingdom Toll Plaza)

They will direct you to the resorts – and there should be signs as well

The Wedding Pavilion will be on your right after you pass the Polynesian. If you get to the Grand Floridian, you have gone too far.  

More Details About Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Disney has released the map for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, a special ticketed event on certain evenings at The Magic Kingdom.

You can view the map here and start planning all the fun to come at the Christmas Party.

Special events for the party include Mickey's One Upon a Christmastime Parade at 8:15 pm and 10:30 pm; Holiday Wishes fireworks at 9:30 pm; A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas Show and Celebrate the Season Show throughout the evening; Character Dance Parties; complimentary cookies and hot chocolate throughout the park; appearances by Disney characters, and snow on Main Street!

Most of the regular Magic Kingdom attractions are open. I recommend Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, Mickey's PhilharMagic, Mad Tea Party, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor to guests of all ages. =)

If you want to attend the party and haven't bought tickets yet, you can get them here. http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/special-events/mickeys-very-merry-christmas-party/

There's also a great video about the event at that site.

If you want to attend, I highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance, as there are a limited number and they can sell out.

PhotoPass fun

While at Disney World, you are sure to take a ton of pictures. Disney offers a neat service to help make sure everyone gets pictures of their whole group at key places in each of the parks. They have PhotoPass photographers stationed all around to capture the magic.

Our PhotoPass photographers at Animal Kingdom. They were a hoot!

These photographers will take your picture with their camera and then give you a card, which you can use to claim the pictures later. You can then give that card to any other photographers you see in the parks and they will load the pictures they take on it as well.

PhotoPass photographers know right where to get the best shots.

After your vacation, you can go to www.disneyphotopass.com , register for free, and then enter any ID numbers you gathered on your trip. You then have 2 weeks to view or purchase the photos.

TIP 1: These photographers will also take a picture on your camera, which you don’t have to pay for! It never hurts to ask.

TIP 2: If the photographers suggest a seemingly weird pose, it is likely they are going to add some extra magic to the picture. Just go with it and enjoy the Disney fun when you get home.

Look who joined us!

TIP 3: Make sure you write down your ID number or take a picture of it in case you lose your card.

TIP 4: If you go to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, the photographers will give you a special themed card for that event that often comes with a discount on those pictures.

Brian and I have preordered a CD, so we can get pictures for family numbers who give us their card numbers rather than registering them themselves (as long as you get us the number before Christmas). Just email or text me the number. =)

55 days to go!

If you haven’t booked a hotel room yet, the last day to book in our room block is November 15. We have rooms held at All Star Movies and Port Orleans until that date. You can also still get a night at The Grand Floridian depending on availability. To book, call 407-827-6799 between 8 am and 5 pm.

Also, please return your RSVP card if you haven’t yet. I am planning on keeping them in my wedding scrapbook. =)

It is also time to let Disney know your travel plans if you want to use Disney’s Magical Express for free transportation from your hotel. It is important to do this soon, as they need to mail you the tags to put on your bags that identify them as yours.

I highly recommend making dining reservations if you want to eat at a table service restaurant during your stay. They rarely take walk-ups this close to the holidays. There are some great options in Downtown Disney and at The Grand Floridian if you don’t want to go into a park to eat.

I also recommend buying tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party if you want to attend it. Some dates sell out, and others have cheaper tickets if you purchase in advance.

In the coming weeks, I will post more tips about traveling to Disney World. Now is a great time to let me know if you have any questions I can answer. 

How did I get here? Transportation at Disney World

One great perk of staying on Disney property at one of their hotels is free transportation.

If you are flying to Orlando, Disney will get you and your bags to the hotel on Disney’s Magical Express. Check out my blog post about my experience with it here: http://onceuponadisneywedding.blogspot.com/2012/06/disneys-magical-express.html

Once you are at your hotel, Disney offers free transportation to and from each theme park and Downtown Disney. For example:

From All-Star Movies, guests can catch a bus to all 4 theme parks, the water parks, and Downtown Disney.

From Port Orleans Riverside, guests can ride a boat to Downtown Disney and Port Orleans French Quarter. Brian said it was a very peaceful trip. Guests can also get to the parks via buses from here as well.

From The Grand Floridian, guests can ride the monorail to The Magic Kingdom or Epcot. There is also a boat to The Magic Kingdom. For other parks and Downtown Disney, guests can take buses.

The Wedding Pavilion!

We have arranged for a private motorcoach to take our guests from All-Star Movies and Port Orleans Riverside to and from our wedding events. Details will be available in the welcome letter in the packet they give you at check in at one of our host hotels. Those at the Grand Floridian can easily walk to all events, since they are being held at the resort.

Here is a map of the Grand Floridian. You’ll find the Wedding Pavilion at the lower right. The Whitehall Room and Patio are in the top right of the building marked 15, in the octagon shape.

Guests staying at other Disney hotels can take Disney transportation to a park or Downtown Disney and transfer to get to the Grand Floridian. One idea is to ride to the Magic Kingdom and then take the monorail. Guide books generally recommend changing buses at a theme park rather than Downtown Disney if possible.

Another option is to drive to the Grand Floridian and the Wedding Pavilion. Make sure to tell them at the gate where you would normally pay for parking that you are going to a wedding event at the Grand Floridian. They will not charge you that way and will point you in the right direction. There is free parking at the Wedding Pavilion, which is before you get to the Grand Floridian. There is valet parking available at the Grand Floridian.

If you are driving to Disney World, Disney has some suggested routes. From Atlanta, GA, they recommend I-75 South to the Florida Turnpike South toward Orlando to Interstate 4 West to Walt Disney World Resort Exits. Guests on the East Coast can also take I-95 South to I-4 West to the Walt Disney World Resorts Exits. Exit 67 is best for Port Orleans Riverside. Exit 65 is best for All-Star Movies.  

Self parking is free at the Disney hotels in our room block. Valet parking is $12 per day at the Grand Floridian.

Here is a comprehensive driving map of Walt Disney World. It has all the parks and resorts clearly labeled. It also shows nearby grocery stores and medical care. If you want to pick up groceries outside of Disney World, I highly recommend Publix. Here is another pretty, but less helpful map to give you a feel for the World.  

This site has a great list of other stores near Disney World with their phone numbers.

Let me know if you have any questions about transportation at Disney World.

93 days to go! =)

Some Disney freebies to help you plan

For those of you who are new to Walt Disney World, or just want more information, there are some fun free things from Disney to help you plan.

One I highly recommend is the free Disney planning DVD. You just give Disney your info and this fun packet comes in the mail. It's a great way to preview the parks and get excited about the trip. There is also an online component for those who can't wait.

Even cooler are the free customized Disney park maps. They are beautiful keepsakes and in picking out elements for them, you get to explore elements at each of the parks.

If you have an Iphone or Ipad, you can download the free My Disney Experience App. This has park maps, FASTPASS return times for rides, locations of characters in the parks, and even lets you make dining reservations right in the application. I definitely recommend checking this out. And remember that you should make dining reservations in advance if you want to eat at a table service restaurant in the park. There are very few walk-up tables available.

Want to get in the Disney spirit? You can listen to Radio Disney on the free Radio Disney App. There are also some neat new apps that let you want Disney Chanel shows even if you don't subscribe. The website version is available here.

Brian and I with Phineas and Ferb at Hollywood Studios

There is a new interactive attraction at Epcot related to Phineas and Ferb, so I recommend checking one of those episodes out if you like cartoons.

Another great resource is Mousesavers.com. It has a great list of free or cheap things to do at Walt Disney World. I highly recommend checking out Downtown Disney, as it will be decorated for Christmas and have lots of points of interest.

And then there are always the awesome You Tube videos. Here is one of the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom!

4 months to go!

If you haven't already, this is a good time to:

• Book your hotel reservation in our room block by calling 407-827-6799 between 8 am and 5 pm

• Make your advanced dining reservations

• Sign up to take the free Disney’s Magical Express from the airport by calling (407) WDW-MAGIC

• Buy tickets to Disney Christmas events you want to attend, such as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party and the Candlelight Processional at Epcot

• Buy your park tickets online at the discounted rate (email me for the best rates).

• Book your flight if you are flying. Southwest is still having a sale and we have a discount code for American Airlines. 

A Grand place to stay

For the ultimate experience, guests at our wedding can also stay at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Most of the wedding weekend events will be held at or around this resort.

This Victorian-style deluxe resort has wonderful views of The Magic Kingdom and Seven Seas Lagoon. Guests can take the monorail or a boat over to the park directly from the resort. The lobby is spectacular, with live music and a wonderful tea room. In December, the hotel will be decorated for Christmas, with a large Christmas tree and other surprises that make it a perfect place to celebrate the season.

Guests can take advantage of the beach and beach pool, with water slide. They also have preferred access to 5 championship Walt Disney World golf courses.

Guests can send their children on Disney’s Pirate Adventure cruise. Call (407) 939-3463 for more details on that adventure. Or, for those more interested in crumpets than pirates, they offer the Wonderland Tea Party.

The resort has numerous amenities, including the Ivy Trellis Salon and the Grand Floridian Health Club. There is a business center available from 7 am to 5 pm in the convention center.

It also hosts some of the best dining at Walt Disney World. At 1900 Park Fare, guests can enjoy a buffet breakfast with Mary Poppins, lunch with Alice and her friends from Wonderland, or dinner with Cinderella and her family. Narcoossee’s offers delicious seafood with a view of the Magic Kingdom. And when it’s time for the fireworks, they turn down the lights and play the same music that is playing in the park!

On the patio outside of Narcoossee's. 

  

For a more casual dining experience, try the Grand Floridian Café. We ate there on our planning trip and the food was great. I especially recommend the chicken with risotto and the dessert sampler. =)

And for foodies looking for an extra special dining experience, consider Victorian & Albert’s, winner of the AAA Five Diamond award. Guests indulge in a 2 to 2.5 hour meal that includes 6 courses.

As always, transportation is provides to all of the Disney parks. 

Our discounted rate here is $382.50/night including tax. They charge $25 extra per person per night for more than 2 adults per room. Theme park view rooms are available for an extra fee. I recommend booking soon if you want to stay here for the wedding, as the rooms will fill up quickly. Just call 407-827-6799 and tell them you are attending our wedding to book with our rate. Let me know if you have any questions.

Deal on Southwest flights! Updated offer ends August 24

UPDATE: Here's the newest sale link for Southwest. Some of the flights are still really reasonable, though it looks like seats are running out on the direct ones, so book soon if you want a good deal. This one ends August 24. But there are more blackout dates.

Below is the previous sale.

Southwest just started a sale on flights for winter and the dates coincide with our wedding!

http://travel.southwest.com/specialoffers/offerDetails.html?id=103581909&hero

Flights from Birmingham to Ohio are discounted, especially on the return (starting at $98 on Monday or $89 on Tuesday).

Flights from Ohio to Orlando start at $106 each way! If you are coming from Ohio, you'll want to jump on these deals.

If you don't have your flight yet for the wedding, check these out and book soon! You can always use the funds towards another flight if you change your mind after booking.

To get these deals, you need to book by August 13, so check them out soon.

Our planning session trip

I’ve already posted some elements from our trip (like transportation and how much we loved the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside). So I thought I’d update with more details about the rest of our trip and the wedding planning that went on.

When we got to our room, we had a fun little towel creation waiting for us. 

Our first night, we went to the Grand Floridian for dinner at the Grand Floridian Café. Mum and I love the Grand Floridian, so it was awesome to start our trip by visiting it. Dinner was awesome.

Brian had a burger with lobster on it and I had amazing chicken with risotto.

I highly recommend it.

The best part was the dessert sampler we shared for dessert. The fruit tart is off by itself because it was the only thing on the sampler that contained nuts.

After dinner, we walked down to the marina just in time to watch the Wishes Fireworks show over at the Magic Kingdom. They play the music that goes along with the show at the marina and Narcoossee’s at the Grand Floridian, or at the California Grill at the Contemporary. Wishes is my favorite fireworks show at Disney, so it was amazing to see it our first night.

The next morning, Brian and I had our engagement photo session with Randy Chapman at Downtown Disney. Mum and I have visited the area many times over the years, and it was a fun place to do our pictures. Randy has posted some on his blog, and I’ll get to see the rest by the end of the month. =)

He took this one on my iphone

After a stop for ice cream at the Ghiradelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop with mum, the 3 of us then went to Hollywood Studios for the rest of the day. First stop was meeting Phineas and Ferb near Muppet Studios. (They are characters from a current Disney Channel tv show). Brian and I enjoyed it and both characters were really excited to see what we were engaged. =)

I love Brian's expression. =)

After that, we rode the newly renovated Star Tours. I highly recommend it! We rode it twice that day and it was completely different both times. Brian and I also rode the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, my favorite roller coaster at Disney. The wait time was super long though, so I recommend hitting it early or getting a fast pass if you want to ride it. By the time we got to the park, most of the fast passes were gone for the day.

We used the Disney Parks Mobile Magic App to find out how long the lines were for each thing we wanted to do.  I highly recommend downloading this application before your trip. It is currently free and available for iphones, android, and Verizon Vcast phones.

I was excited to see this right when we got to the park

We had dinner at the Sci-Fi Dine-in theater which Brian had never been to before. It was fun showing him the silly movie clips and cartoons. We also saw a bit of the end of Fantasmic! on our way to the bus back to Port Orleans. I recommend seeing it if you enjoy fireworks, as it is a neat show. Brian and I booked a Fantasmic! Dining Package for our honeymoon that includes seating for the show.

The next day was the big one, our wedding planning session. It started with a tasting in the kitchens at the Grand Floridian. We got to taste many of the delicious menu items that we’ll be serving at our wedding brunch. I definitely recommend guests come hungry as it will be a treat. I don’t want to give anything away and spoil the surprise, so just know that we’ll have fun and tasty breakfast and lunch options. The food was so tasty that I forgot to even take pictures of it!

In the kitchen with our awesome chef. It was so fun!

Then we went to Franck’s Bridal Studio to pick out everything for the wedding. We picked out everything from flowers to table linens and transportation. It was a very productive day and I am really excited to see how all our ideas come together for the wedding day.

For our last dinner at Disney, we went to the California Grill over at the Contemporary. It has an amazing view of the Magic Kingdom and we had a tasty flat bread appetizer and then some sushi.

They also had Mickey glitter on the table since we let them know we were celebrating. You actually watch the fireworks out on a balcony that faces the castle. So, we started and ended our trip with Wishes! 

It was a great trip and I can't wait to go back for our wedding. Yay!

A Royal Stay at Port Orleans

Another fun hotel in our room block is Port Orleans - Riverside. My mum, Brian, and I stayed there last month when we visited Disney for our planning session. Most of the rooms have been recently renovated and so has the lobby. This is a great option if you want something a bit fancier than All Star Movies with a moderate price tag. 

This is where Disney's Magical Express drops you off. To the right is the lobby.

The resort is lush and set on the Sassagoula river. The atmosphere is peaceful and relaxing, with lots of landscaping around the buildings. The resort is split into two sections, the rustic Alligator Bayou which has rooms that can comfortably sleep a family of 5, and Magnolia Bend which has a mansion feel. Everyone here was very friendly and the woman at the front desk even went to search out "Engaged" buttons for us. If you need something while staying here, just ask. 

We stayed in one of the Magnolia Bend buildings in a Royal Guest room. It was full of Disney details and made our stay quite magical. I recommend upgrading to one of these rooms if you want feel like a Princess at Port Orleans. We loved the room and they just opened in March, so they are quite clean. These rooms should also be discounted, though they will be more than the standard rooms.

The headboards actually had fireworks animation!

The central pool on Ol’ Man Island includes waterfalls and a water slide. The waterslide was pretty fun, and the pool was large. There are also quiet pools near the buildings, which would be better for lap swimming or a relaxing soak close to your room.  There is a Jacuzzi and a pool bar on Ol’ Man Island. It’s a short walk from most of the buildings, on its own island.

The hotel features both a restaurant (Boatwright’s Dining Hall) and a food court. There are a variety of options at the food court, and you can purchase a refillable mug that you can use for your entire stay there. Boatwright’s takes reservations, so I would recommend making one in advance if you know you want to eat there on your trip. It is only open for dinner. 

You can see the water wheel from the food court dining area.

For more options for shopping and eating, guests can take the boat to Downtown Disney. Brian took the boat and said it was a nice trip with a lot of nice sights. There is free bus transportation to all of the parks (and to the airport with Disney’s Magical Express). It’s also possible to get to most anywhere on property for less than $15 by cab if you are in a hurry. This will be one of the hotels where our buses will pick up guests for the wedding events. 

Guests can indulge in horse-drawn carriage rides around the resort and there are pirate cruises on certain days for children. The Medicine Show Arcade has tons of games and guests can also rent bikes or fishing poles. 

Our rates start at $162.00 including taxes. It is $15 extra per person per night for more than 2 adults in a room. I recommend booking soon if you want to stay here for the wedding, as the rooms will fill up quickly. Just call 407-827-6799 and tell them you are attending our wedding to book with our rate. Let me know if you have any questions. 

Engagement Pictures!

Our photographer, Randy Chapman, posted some of our engagement pictures on his blog this morning. Here's one of my favorites!

http://chapmanphotography.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/06/tamara-and-brian-engagement-downtown-disney-big-day-12-16-2012.html


I can't wait to see the rest. 

Christmas by Candlelight

Looking for more Christmas magic at Disney? The Candlelight Dining Package for the Candlelight Processional and VIP viewing of the fireworks at Epcot just went on sale today.

The Candlelight processional is a retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator, accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and choir. http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/special-events/candlelight-processional/

Some of the narrators during our visit include Olivia Newton John – December 14-16 and Trace Adkins December 20-22. They have not announced the narrator for Dec 17-19 yet.

Anyone can view the show, but if you want to make sure you get seats (the regular line up starts more than 2 hours in advance for limited seating), you can book a candlelight dinner package. This is a really popular event. If you think you want to book it, you will want to book it soon. 

The name is misleading, as it can also be for lunch. The restaurant options include:

• Biergarten Restaurant
• Coral Reef Restaurant
• The Garden Grill Restaurant (dinner only)
• La Hacienda de San Angel (dinner only)
• Les Chefs de France
• Le Cellier Steakhouse (lunch only)
• Nine Dragons Restaurant
• Restaurant Marrakesh
• Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
• San Angel Inn
• Teppan Edo
• Tokyo Dining
• Tutto Italia Ristorante
• Via Napoli

Your meal includes an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage (or one buffet where available). Lunch packages range from $33-56 for adults and $12.50-18 for children. Dinner packages range from $50-67 for adults and $14.50-27 for children. Park tickets are required to enter Epcot.

To book, call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463, or you can book online.

Discounted Flights to the Wedding

Since we’re past the 6 month mark, I know a number of our guests are looking to book their flights. And don’t forget to book your hotel room, the room block is filling up!

I contacted a number of airlines, and American Airlines is offering our guests 5 % off the lowest applicable published fare for travel to Orlando, FL from December 9-23. This should give a good window for those of you making a holiday out of the trip.

The promotion code is 36D2BG. It is valid on American Airlines, Oneworld Alliance Partners, and American Airlines Codeshare. The discount can be applied to any fare, so even if you want to upgrade to better seats, you should still be able to get 5 % off.

They are also offering special rates on Avis Rent-a-car for the wedding. To get this deal, call Avis at 1-800-331-1600 and give them AWD – D787878 to get the discounted rate. Outside of the US, please call 1-918-624-4301. If you use this discount, you cannot use other discounts, so check to make sure it’s the best one for you.

Online, you can go to www.AA.com and choose More Flight Search Options then put the code 36D2BG in the promotions box. There is no charge to book online. You can also click here: http://www.aa.com/reservation/searchFlightsSubmit.do and put the code in the bottom box.

If you want to book by the phone, you can call 1-800-433-1790 anywhere in the US and Canada and book with the same code, but there is a $25 fee. The ticketing charge might be higher for those outside of the US and Canada.

These discounts will be valid as long as 10 people flight with them, so you might want to let me know if you plan to, then we can make sure enough people do.

I’ll post other airline deals as I see them. I know some Southwest flights nonstop to and from Birmingham are $100 each way right now, but there is no sale for that weekend at the moment. 

Disney’s Magical Express

One of the new things we tried on our Disney trip last week was Disney’s free airport transportation, better known as Disney’s Magical Express. If you are staying at a Disney World resort (any of the hotels in our room block count), you can add this once you know your flights. You don’t have to know your flight information when you book your room. You just call (407) WDW-MAGIC with your confirmation number and flight info.

Then, a bit before your trip, you get mail from Disney which includes tags for your luggage and your boarding pass for the bus. Each of us got one long tag that could be cut in half to go on each of our bags. They listed our names and our hotel.

One of our luggage tags and the booklet about our trip. You need the booklet to get on the bus.
It also has a map of the airport and other useful info.

If you put these tags on your bags before getting to the airport, Disney will pick them up for you at the Orlando airport and deliver them to your room that evening. (As long as your flight gets in between 5 AM and 10 PM). We definitely beat our bags to the room, so pack anything you need right away in your carry on. But it was great to not have to worry about our bags from the time we left Columbus. =)

If your flight gets in at a time outside of the 5 AM to 10 PM window, collect your luggage and take it to the welcome center with you, the buses will still be running.

Once we landed in Orlando, there was a sign for Disney’s Magical Express on our way out of the plane. It reminded us that we needed to go to the first floor of terminal B. You need to ride the tram across from your gate to the main terminal first. Then the best plan is to go to an elevator on the B side of the airport and ride it down to the first floor. We rode down two escalators, and saw this sign to point us there.

Sign at the bottom of the escalator. 

There were literally signs everywhere to the welcome center.

We saw a lot of these signs.

It was at the far end from where we arrived (Southwest is on the opposite side in terminal A), but the walk wasn’t bad without luggage. Then we showed our boarding pass at the Welcome Center.

We were so excited to get there! =)

They then directed us to the line for our hotel.  After a little wait, we were put on the bus (which has room for bags underneath if you have a big carry on, or brought your luggage with you). It was a big comfy bus, with AC and a movie about Disney World to watch on the way to the hotel. They dropped us off right at the lobby of Port Orleans.

Going home was a bit confusing, but with a few tips, I think it could be the best thing to do.

Some of the airlines let your check-in for domestic flights at the hotel (and check your bags there). The airlines that do so are currently:

-- AirTran Airways

-- Alaska Airlines

-- American Airlines

-- Continental Airlines

-- Delta Air Lines

-- JetBlue Airways

-- Northwest Airlines

-- Southwest Airlines

-- United Air Lines

-- US Airways

If you are flying on one of these and not internationally, check out my tips below. International guests, please see my note at the end of the post.

TIP 1 – Make sure you sign up for Express Check Out when you check in. This means you won’t have to go to the lobby when it’s time to check out. This is a big time saver.

TIP 2 – They hang your return bus information and boarding passes on your door the night before. Make sure you check what time you are scheduled to take the bus.

TIP 3 – Remove the yellow tags from your bags. You don’t need those on the way back.

TIP 4 – Your bag must weigh less than 50lbs. They have scales and they do use them.

TIP 5 - If you need to check baggage, call for a bellman to help you with it about 30 minutes before you need to go. One actually came with a golf cart to take us at Port Orleans Riverside, and it made things so much easier.

TIP 6 – Luggage check-in ends at 1 pm, so keep that in mind. You also have to call to pay baggage fees if you are on an airline other than Southwest. If you need to pay baggage fees, call 407-284-1231 between 7 am and 11 pm. Give yourself plenty of time for that, it took mum forever to get her confirmation number to show the luggage guys.

The bus stop at Port Orleans Riverside is right outside the lobby.
Look for these signs at your resort.

TIP 7 – Be at the bus stop a few minutes early, and ask the cast members if you are confused. They are really helpful.

And then you don’t have to deal with your bags again until you get back to your home airport, yay! Once we figured out how to check out and check our bags, it was a great process. I highly recommend Disney’s Magical Express if you are staying on property.

CANADIAN GUESTS READ THIS!

The process is slightly different for international guests who are going through customs in Orlando. You will need to collect your bags to take them through customs. According to the Disney website:

“International Guests flying into Orlando International Airport from another country must follow the U.S. Customs and Border Protection process and claim luggage after disembarking the plane. After completing the process, proceed to the Disney's Magical Express Welcome Center in the Main Terminal Building, B side, Level 1. Disney's Magical Express service will recollect your luggage and deliver it directly to your Walt Disney World hotel room within 4 hours after you check in at the resort. Luggage delivery service provided by Disney's Magical Express is available for flights arriving between 5:00 am and 10:00 pm daily. For airport arrivals after 10:00 pm, Guests may collect their luggage at Baggage Claim and transport it with them on the motorcoach.”

Based on the information I found, you will also need to check-in at the airport if you are traveling back to an international destination. I recommend asking the people at Disney’s Magical Express for more information.

I hope this post is helpful. Feel free to post any questions about the service and I’ll do my best to find the answers. =)

We're going to Disney Wolrd

We're headed down today for our planning session and I'll have a lot more information to share with everyone after this trip.

We are using Disney's Magical Express for the first time, so I'll be able to walk guests through that process. Hopefully it's smooth. We'll be staying at Port Orleans - Riverside, which is one of our host hotels for the wedding. I'll take lots of pictures and make sure to blog about it all when I get back.

We'll also be trying out a couple of restaurants I've never tried before, so I'll be sure to report back on them as well. Just in time for making dining reservations. =)

5 stars for fun at the All-Star Movies Resort

We have 3 hotels in our room block for the wedding, and the best rate is at the All-Star Movies Resort. It is located at 1991 W. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830 for anyone who is driving there.

Each building is decorated with elements from Disney films, such as Toy Story, Fantasia, The Mighty Ducks, and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. There is a 40 foot tall Pongo and a 35 foot tall Perdita. The goalie masks on the walls of the Mighty Ducks building are 31 feet tall.

We are recommending guests who want the best rate to stay in the Mighty Ducks buildings and those who are willing to pay for a preferred location to choose the Dalmatian buildings. There are two pools at the resort, one themed after the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and one right next to the Mighty Ducks building shaped like a hockey rink. Make sure you bring your towels from your room to use at the pool. You can get extra towels by calling housekeeping.

Cinema Hall, the central building, includes the lobby, the World Premiere food court, shopping and an arcade. The arcade is generally open from 7 am to 1 am and the games use tokens that can be purchased there. Some of them give tickets which can be traded for prizes. The food court actually has a ton of options, including 16 inch pizzas ($15), burgers ($7-9), create your own salad ($10), chili ($3), chicken penne alfredo ($11), sandwiches ($9), and more. A lot of those options even come with a side dish included in the price. There are also vegetarian and kosher meals available upon request for under $10.

Guests can get pizza, sandwiches, salads, desserts, and beverages delivered to their rooms as well. The rooms are 20 square feet and have cable tv, wi-fi access (I think there is a fee), hairdryers, and an iron and ironing board. You can have a mini-fridge if you ask for one. Babysitting/childcare is available for a fee. Luggage service runs on an hourly drop-off system.

There are buses to each of the parks and Downtown Disney from the resort. We will also have wedding day transportation pick up at the hotel. The buses pick up in front of Cinema Hall. To see a map of the property, visit: http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmovie.htm There are also a lot of pictures and more details available there. 

TIP: If you are staying in the Mighty Ducks building, Melody Hall (the main building) and the bus stop at the All Star Music Resort are actually closer than the bus stop at the All Star Movies Resort (and they tend to get picked up sooner on the way to the parks). Just follow the walkway North from the building and you should find it. But make sure you don't look for transportation to the wedding there. =)

You can find the rates for all the rooms in our room block, as well as the phone number to call to book on our Disney Wedding website: https://apps.facebook.com/disney-weddings/sites/4647