Monthly Archives: April 2010

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall…Which Disney Season Has it All?

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Congratulations, you have decided it’s time to head to Walt Disney World. Whether it is your first time, or you are a seasoned veteran, everyone has to pick the best time to go. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of each season and what our personal experiences have led us to believe.

Winter Season – December, January, and February

December can be a great season to go or your worst nightmare.

The Pros are Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Candlelight Processional, Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights, Christmas Decorations in each Park, New Year’s Eve Celebrations, Televised Christmas Parade, Early in the Month= Lighter Crowds.

The Cons are the Pop Warner Groups visit early in the month and inhabit most of the Value Resorts. Christmas Week is one of THE busiest weeks of the year. Be prepared for wait times in line to reach 90+ minutes and higher.  The Magic Kingdom has been known to close due to capacity as well during this busy week. Weather can be a toss-up. We have been there and it’s been in the 70s and one year it was in the 40s at night, so pack accordingly.

January is the start of a brand new year, and also can be the start of construction and renovation of certain park rides and attractions. Usually considered a “Value” season, where the rooms are at their cheapest, the biggest event during this time frame is the marathon.

February is another one of those seasons that can be great or hit you bad on the wrong week.  Early February is still considered Value, so you are safe, but the second week has Presidents Day, which most schools have off which equals large crowds. The third and fourth week start to eek into Spring Break season, where the cost of rooms starts to soar. We have stayed the last week of February and found it fairly tame with the crowds, just not as cheap as we’d like.

Spring Season- March, April, and May

March starts the beginning of the Flower and Garden Festival. The Festival runs through early May, and is a must if you have a green thumb. I’m lumping March and April together because Easter and Spring Break usually fall between the two. The cost of rooms and the high levels of crowds keep our family away from this time frame.  Like Christmas, Easter week is another sought after week because everyone is out of school.  If you can learn how to fast pass, get up early, and take advantage of EMH hours, you can tackle any crowd level.

May, well May is like a breath of fresh air. Sandwiched in between the chaos of Spring and Summer Break, this month is a bit of heaven.  Having been there twice during this month, I can tell you first hand that the crowds are low.  However, we were surprised a bit at the heat this time of year. Both visits were very warm, but hey, that’s FL for you!  A great plus to May as well is the start of Star Wars Weekends- a must see! If you had to pick a low key weekend for Star Wars, I would say May will be a bit less crowded than the June ones.

Summer Season~ June, July, and August

Crowd wise, the summer months are usually high. Schools being out and families taking advantage of vacation time make these months not only very crowded but VERY warm with not only the heat but all of the bodies in one space.  We went last year in June, and found the first week not only VERY doable but the crowds were incredibly manageable.  Some are not fond of June’s first week because of what is known as “Gay Days.”  This event is put on by said group and they attend certain parks each day. We looked at their schedule ahead of time to make sure to avoid the groups for crowds sake. We took advantage of one of the Star Wars weekends earlier in the month and really enjoyed ourselves. We got there an hour before the park opened, and took advantage of all that was offered.

July seems to be the height of crowds in the summer. If you plan on heading down for the 4th of July, keep in mind that the crowds are sooo huge, they ask that if you are planning to watch fireworks in the Magic Kingdom park that night, that you stay in that park the entire day, as they will not let you back in when they reach capacity. Keep in mind the heat and humidity only climb more and more as the summer days pass.

August is the end of the summer crowds, as some of the southern schools start back as early as the 2nd week.  Disney puts out promotions and discounts throughout the year, and one of the favorites is “Free Dining” which is released for mid-August through sometime in September.

Fall Season~ September, October, and November

We love September, for not only the free dining that is offered, but the low crowds are the start of the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival, and the Nights of Joy.  Rates are low, a great time to book and enjoy the many activities WDW has to offer.

October is another great season, for again the MNSSHP, but also an off-time to enjoy low crowds and mild weather. Some schools do have a small break in October, so make sure to do your research by checking out any Disney Message Board.

November is actually a month we are new too. We are heading down this year for Thanksgiving week and then staying though the week after.  We figure there will be crowds, but again using fast pass and getting to the parks when they open will always be our strategy.  Upon our research for our own trip, the beginning of the month you can enjoy the end of MNSSHP, the start of MVMCP, and the end of the Food and Wine Festival. Whew, a busy week but well worth the extra fun!

So when is the best time to go? I would have to say when your job approves your vacation time! J With the right strategy, any time of year will work!  Let us know your favorite times to go and what has worked for your family. Have a great day!

~Carl and Ellie Peters~

 

Finding the Fear and Fun at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

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Even though spring has just sprung, time always seems to speed up when we hit summer and soon we will be entering fall.  If you are one of the lucky ones to be at Walt Disney World during the months of September and October, you have a great opportunity to attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Join us as we touch upon this fun party and reflect on our own personal experiences with it.

Tickets can be bought months in advance, and depending on the availability, you may also be able to buy them the day of. These can be costly, anywhere from $49 to $64 per adult and $43 – $58 per child, so weigh the pros and cons before giving over the credit card number. 

The Pros:

We enjoyed events that wouldn’t have been able to outside that party. Events such as the “Boo to You” Parade, Happy Hallowishes Fireworks, Halloween Dance Parties, and the Villains Mix and Mingle.

  • The “Boo to You” Parade is a wonderful parade that incorporates not only all of your favorite Disney characters, but showcases a float from the Haunted Mansion and the grave digger dancers. These men dance while dragging their shovels on the ground making sparks to the music- it’s the very best part of the parade. Our other most favorite part is the Headless Horseman that gallops the parade route before the initial parade begins- a must see! On a side note, the parade runs twice at each party, the first one usually being the busiest.
  • The Happy Hallowishes Fireworks show is simply amazing. The best seats in the house to see this show would be in the hub in front of the castle. The music played with the fireworks is from favorites like Nightmare before Christmas and the Haunted Mansion. The fireworks are centered on the castle, so this is one you want to be in front for.
  • The Halloween Dance parties are another part of this fun evening. We did the Macaerna with Stitch at Cosmic Rays and the locomotion with Donald. Just jump on in and dance your tail feathers off!
  • The Villains Mix and Mingle is the crème of the crop of the evening. It is a rarity to have a good number of Villains all together, especially to be able to meet and greet them.  The shows run several times during the night, and if you plan it right, you can sit and watch one while holding your place for the parade and then Hallowishes. They sing/dance on stage in front of the castle, then come down to the courtyard for pics and autographs. We met Frollo, the Queen of Hearts, and the Evil Queen from Snow White, Cruella De Ville and Maleficent.  Our favorite was definitely Maleficent.

Now, the candy can be a pro and a con. For now, since we are on the pro list, let’s touch upon the good of it. Upon entering the park for the party, Cast Members will give you a bracelet to wear for the party along with a party brochure and trick-or-treat bag. The bags are small, so if you plan on loading up all night, you may want to bring a different shopping bag along to dump in.  The Candy Stations are marked by the Goofy’s Candy logo lights and can be found all over the Magic Kingdom.  Our strategy on trick or treating was this- we did all the events and character meet and greets, THEN went and got the candy.  It’s all about your priorities of the evening.

During the party you can find rare characters that normally aren’t around. They have groups of characters spread throughout the park. Our favorites were Tarzan and Jane in Adventure Land and Snow White and ALL Seven Dwarves in Fantasy Land. Take the time to find them!

Another pro that is a huge one is all about timing. On your party ticket, it will state that the Party starts at 7 p.m. BUT for those who know better; you can enter the Magic Kingdom as early as 4 p.m. Now the party will still be starting at 7, but you have three hours to play and ride the rides before the real fun begins.

This is one of the few times you will get to dress up in your favorite, appropriate costume, in the Magic Kingdom. We had a blast picking out our costumes and playing dress- up for the evening in our favorite place on earth. We encourage you to dress up; it adds something more to the night.

The fun surprises around each corner can sneak up on you or just be something you happen upon. Keep your eyes open for ghosts that walk the park, that talk up a good game in front of the Haunted Mansion, or who walk the Riverboat with their lanterns.

The last PRO is the picture opportunities. Unless you are getting married at WDW, it’s rare to be able to see the infamous Cinderella Carriage. During this evening, the Carriage can be found next to “It’s a Small World” and you can get your picture taken in front of it. No, you cannot sit inside it, but it’s still pretty cool getting your pic with it in your costume. Get in line for it before 7 p.m. and you will have a short line- wait until later and you could wait up to an hour for it.

The Cons:

Well, let’s talk about the obvious one first. The cost to get into the party is close to a full park’s day admission. For those who have already purchased an Annual Pass, or for most of us bought a package where each day is covered for admission, the extra cost is a bit much.  If you are a local or in town for a couple of days, the party ticket is well worth it. You get hours in the park to hit the rides AND enjoy the party, so choose wisely.

The party isn’t about the candy. What I mean by that is don’t go into it thinking you are going to get your money’s worth in full-size Snickers bars and packs of M&M’s. Yes, you will get candy, but they are the small snack size and depending on the day you go, sometimes they are generous and sometimes not. If you go into it thinking the candy is a bonus, you will be just fine.

When visiting during the party dates, it can mess up your plans a bit. They close the Magic Kingdom for only the party guests, so you have to make sure to plan accordingly for another park or activity the party night you do not attend.  Be prepared for which ever park has Extra Magic Hours the evening of the parties will also be quite busy; choose from the other two to avoid the crowds.

My overall feeling on the MNSSHP is this- it’s great if you have the time and money. If you are short on time, you may feel rushed to do all of the activities and the rides, so my best advice is to talk over the pros and cons with your family and make the best decision for your family.

Have a great time and boo to you!! 

~Carl and Ellie Peters~

Why We Love Staying at Disney’s All-Star Resorts

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Walt Disney World has several Resorts to stay at, ranging from Value to Deluxe categories.  We have really enjoyed staying at the Value Resorts called the All-Stars. Located in the Animal Kingdom area, the All-Star Sports, Music, and Movie Resorts live right next to each other, complete with a McDonalds near them for that familiar late night snack.

All-Star Sports~ Opened April 29, 1994

407-939-5000

Sections- Rooms are found in 3-Story Buildings in sections Home Run Hotel, Hoops Hotel, Touchdown, Surf’s Up, and Center Court.

  • Preferred Sections-
  • Rooms- 1920
  • Room Size- 260 square feet
  • Check-in Area- Stadium Hall
  • Food Court- End Zone
  • Gift Shop- Sport Goofy’s Gifts and Sundries
  • Arcade- Game Point
  • Swimming Pools- 2 pools.  The Main Pool is Surfboard Bay and the smaller second pool is called the Grand Slam Pool, which is shaped like a baseball diamond. Goofy can be found here squirting water at the unexpected in the pool.
  • Amenities-
    • Laundry Services
    • In-room Refrigerator
    • Cable or Satellite TV
    • Crib
    • Internet Access
    • In Room Safe
    • Wheelchair Access
    • Extended Theme Park Hours
    • Resort Transportation
    • Key to the World Card

 

Having stayed at this Resort twice, I can tell you that it is nothing great, but also nothing really wrong with it.  I have stayed in the Touchdown section and the Home Run Hotel, both were clean and both happened to be 3rd floor rooms. Elevators are located centrally in each building, and the signs are easy to follow to find your room.  I enjoyed the view of the back lawn and parking lot because it seemed to be a lot quieter. Having a room in ANY resort that faces a pool or main area tend to be very noisy areas, avoid these if you would like to sleep at night.

 

All-Star Music~ Opened November 22nd, 1994

 407-939-6000

Sections- Broadway show tunes, calypso, country, jazz and rock n’ roll

  • Preferred Sections-
  • Rooms- 1604
  • Check-in Area- Melody Hall
  • Food Court- Intermission
  • Gift Shop- Maestro Mickey’s
  • Arcade- Note’able Games
  • Swimming Pools- 2 Pools- The Calypso Pool shaped like a guitar and the Piano Pool shaped as, of course, a piano. The Calypso Pool features the Three Caballeros—Donald Duck, José Carioca and Panchito shooting water into the pool.
  • Amenities-
    • In-room Refrigerator
    • Laundry Services
    • Cable or Satellite TV
    • Crib
    • Internet Access
    • In Room Safe
    • Wheelchair Access
    • Extended Theme Park Hours
    • Resort Transportation
    • Key to the World Card

 

I love this Resort for the very fact that if you love any type of music, it is featured here in the amazing giant icons in front of each building. We have stayed in the Country Section and the Broadway Section. We were tickled pink to be in the Country section once because our daughter loves Jessie, the cowgirl from Toy Story 2.  We topped it by staying at the Broadway section where we walked around the Beauty and the Beast signs and street filled with lampposts in our pj’s one night.  It was safe, and it was quiet. Again both sections are away from any pool or main area, so nice and peaceful.  

All-Star Movies ~ Opened January 15th, 1999

 407-939-7000

Sections- Disney Pixar’s Toy Story, Fantasia, The Love Bug, The Mighty Ducks and One Hundred and One Dalmatians.

  • Preferred Sections- Toy Story, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, and Fantasia
  • Rooms- 1920
  • Room- 260 square feet
  • Check-in Area- Cinema Hall
  • Food Court- World Premiere
  • Gift Shop- Donald’s Double Feature
  • Arcade- Reel Fun
  • Swimming Pools- 2 Pools, the Main Pool is themed after Fantasia, and the smaller pool is like a hockey rink in the Mighty Ducks section. Sorcerer Mickey shoots water out of his hands as you swim around him.
  • Amenities:
    • In-room Refrigerator
    • Laundry Services
    • Cable or Satellite TV
    • Crib
    • Internet Access
    • In Room Safe
    • Wheelchair Access
    • Extended Theme Park Hours
    • Resort Transportation
    • Key to the World Card

 

Our favorite of the three Resorts is All-Star Movies. The first time we stayed here we were fortunate enough to be able to stay in the Toy Story section without paying the preferred room charge.  We fell in love with the large Toy Story icons in Andy’s Bedroom in the courtyard along with the life-size RC car you can take your picture in.  

On the following stay, we decided to try out the 101 Dalmatians area. This section is located on the right hand side of the Main Building and is very close to the main pool.  We loved the themeing in our room and did in fact find and count all 101 Dalmatians that are scattered among this area.

The third time we stayed here, we tried a different section yet again. We would have gone back to the Dalmatians or Toy Story, but WDW got wise and pumped up the price of these sections due to their popularity and location to the Main Building. So we revved up our engines and checked into the Herbie Love Bug Section. We couldn’t believe how much we loved this area! The courtyard has one of the “real” Herbie cars from the recent movie with Lindsay Lohan which is a great photo op!  We found this section to be incredibly peaceful and close to the back parking lot.  The back of our building was closer to the All-Star Music Resort than our Main Building, so we would often walk over there to grab a bite to eat or for a short walk.

What to Know about the All-Stars

  • The WDW Bus System picks up and drops off at all three resorts. They often share busses for all three, meaning you will be picked up first at Sports, and dropped off last at Movies. These can be a pain when you need to make your dining reservations or get to and from the resort in a hurry. Keep in mind the resorts are side by side, so if you need to get back and you are staying at Music, you can get off at Sports and walk over. Just remember the order- Sports, Music, and then Movies.
  • We enjoyed the all of the food courts, but really like the Music’s a lot more. They have great seating, tons of booths, and just had a better vibe to it.  The food choices are basically the same of all three Resorts, and are usually always busy at breakfast and dinner. You can find alcoholic drinks on the outside of each food court across from the pool- be prepared to show I.D.
  • Each Resort contains a playground for your kids to burn off some steam- we found these near the Main Pool area.
  • All-Star Movies is the latest one that was built. The gift shop is a bit bigger and the lobby is a lot of fun. Kids can watch old time Disney cartoons while you check-in.  Unless you are checking-in at an odd time, this process can be a lengthy one.
  • You get what you pay for here. You will get a full-size bed, usually 2 in your room, with a clean room and bathroom.  Your hallways are all outside, and the noise level when staying near the main areas can be intolerable.  Having said that, most of us are in the Disney Parks from morning to night, and are usually half way into a coma coming back on the bus. The Values are great for a bed to sleep in and a place to unwind. These are NOT the Hiltons- if you are looking for a place that you can get a massage before going to the parks, or sit on the beach, you will not find these here.  It all comes down to money vs. comfort. You can have both if you are willing to be flexible on section choice and the time of year you attend.
  • These Resorts, along with Pop Century, are as cheap as they come on Disney property. Watch for codes released on the official DisneyParks.com website every couple of months to save even more money off your room.
  • Close your rooms at night, as noise can be heard clearly through the plumbing. If you hear noise from the room next to you and you share an adjoining door, roll up a towel and shove it under the door to block the noise and any light. Bring a fan or noise machine if you have a hard time sleeping with ANY possible noise.

I am sure there are many more reasons why to visit and why not to. Let us hear your experiences staying at the All-Star Resorts. Have a wonderful weekend.

 ~Carl and Ellie Peters~