This week, Kristin from Couponing to Disney, offers her favorite tip for a Disney World vacation.

Rope Drop – Want to experience shorter lines, cooler temperatures and smaller crowds? Just make it to the park about 45 minutes before it opens. This will ensure that you enter the park in front of the crowds. We can typically squeeze in about 10-12 rides in the first hour the park is open. It will take you 3-4 hours to ride that same number of rides later in the day!

Stay tuned next week for another Disney World tip from the queen of couponing to Disney!

Each day in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, a Flag Retreat Ceremony is held. Held in Town Square each day at 5:00 p.m., the ceremony is conducted by members of WDW Security and a special guest. The special guest is a visitor to the park who is either an active or retired member of the Military. A Cast Member selects the special guest to participate in the ceremony. The Main Street Philharmonic provides the soundtrack to the ceremony providing that true patriotic feel. To commemorate the event, there is a Disney Photopass photographer who takes pictures of him/her and they are also given a certificate and special pin. It is definitely a site to behold and one you should take time out to experience.

Take a look at a recent flag ceremony in this video:

Inspired by historic Saratoga Springs—a late-1800s’ New York retreat famous for its spas and horse racing—this charming, Victorian-style Resort hotel is nestled between rolling golf course greens and the shimmering Village Lake. Delight in stately Studios and multi-bedroom Villas, dazzling pools and an award-winning spa. You can also explore the fun activities and exciting dining options of the Downtown Disney area, just a boat ride away.

Here’s a look at Saratoga Springs Resort:

Pool with Waterslide
Discover 2 exciting feature pools at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort—plus waterslides, whirlpool spas, aqua-play areas and more!

• At The Paddock Pool, breeze down a 146-foot-long waterslide, relax in a horseshoe-shaped whirlpool spa and wade into the pool via a gently sloping, zero-depth entry point. There’s even 2 miniature waterslides built just for kids.
• At High Rock Spring Pool, delight in cascading waterfalls, a zero-depth entry point and a waterslide built into the rocks. Children can splash through bubbling geysers at the Donald Duck play area and glide down the pint-sized waterslide.

You can also explore 3 additional, all-ages leisure pools—each with a whirlpool spa.

Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs Resort
Elevated 10 feet off the ground, the 3-bedroom Treehouse Villas offer fully equipped kitchens, flat-screen TVs, private decks, driveways and charcoal grills.
Surrounded by the lush forest along the Sassagoula River, the Treehouse Villas are an enchanting hideaway just a walk or boat ride away from the heart of Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.
The Treehouse Villas water taxi also ferries Guests to the Downtown Disney area—brimming with restaurants, a movie theater, a bowling alley and more!

I absolutely love this part of any Disney cruise. Castaway Cay is the best! The Disney Dream ship looked really cool docked at Castaway Cay, too. They had extended the dock to accomodate the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy.

Be sure to watch for people going through the AquaDuck on the Disney Dream!

The Disney Dream is the majestic third ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. Boasting 14 towering decks, a ship length of 1,115 feet and a maximum width of 125 feet, the 130,000-ton vessel includes 1,250 staterooms and has the capacity to comfortably accommodate 4,000 passengers—along with the over 1,458 Crew Members who tend to the needs of every cruise Guest each and every day.

Building on the classic style of the previous 2 ships, the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder, the Disney Dream is a valiant vessel distinguished for its classic early 20th-century design—which harkens back to the golden age of cruising—and state-of-the-art technology. As can be expected from Disney, the cruise liner was specially designed with families in mind, combining sleek style and convenient facilities with splashes of magic and cruise-industry firsts—like the splashtacular AquaDuck, the very first water coaster at sea.

Take a look at our video of the Disney Dream Docked at Castaway Cay:

The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow is the newest attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Opening on Dec 6, 2012, The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow is an new immersive experience for buccaneers of all ages.

Join the Crew! Live the pirate life and encounter scurvy scoundrels during an exciting new experience.

Inspired by the popular Walt Disney film series Pirates of the Caribbean, The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios immerses you in all the action—so you’ll feel like you’re part of the crew. During your journey, you will:

•  Encounter the skull and crossbones, which introduce you to pirate lore—and lure you into the fun
• Be tested by a large sea storm, the rage of the kraken and a pirate battle
• Take the pirate’s oath and become a member of the crew

A thrilling experience from beginning to end, The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is sure to satisfy your appetite for adventure!

With distinctive and advanced technologies, you’ll feel as though you’ve met the real Captain Jack Sparrow, battled a Kracken, avoided a mermaid attack and escaped a ghost skeleton crew!

The experiences lasts a little over 10 minutes and is a stand up/walk through attraction. The whole audience participates in the story in a collective manner and will likely leave you singing “Yo ho, Yo ho. A pirates life for me.”

Have a look at the entire experience here – The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:

Celebrate with your Disney and Pixar pals at this delightful street jubilee that gets you moving and grooving at the Magic Kingdom! This parade turned dance party is fun for the whole family.

 Let’s Get the Party Started!
Get ready for the most awesome party ever! The parade’s joyous theme song signals the party is about to start as giant gift boxes circle in front of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom. Keep an eye out for beloved Characters wearing Mardi Gras beads as they swing to the music.

Popular personalities include:

Mr. Incredible

Frozone

Minnie Mouse

Baloo

Chip ‘n Dale

And many more!

Move Into the Street
Let your feet take you to the street as the emcee pumps up the parade into a full blown party. Join the joyous crowds as the celebration erupts at the Magic Kingdom Castle forecourt. Shake it high, shake it low—shake a tail feather as performers in colorful costumes show you how it’s done! Learn some new dance steps as everyone gets into the fun.

What Are You Celebrating?
The emcee wants to know what you’re celebrating today! Put up your hands and shout when he announces your special occasion. Surprises then emerge from the gift boxes—delightful friends from favorite Disney films.

Know Before You Go
Be sure to check the Times Guide at Magic Kingdom park for the schedule and showtimes. Since this is an outdoor parade and show, it is subject to cancellation due to inclement weather. Showtimes are subject to change.

Age Interest
Preschoolers, Kids, Tweens, Teens, All Ages

This week, Kristin from Couponing to Disney, offers her favorite tip for a Disney World vacation.

Bring Disney stuffed animals, stickers, etc to decorate your room and window. As long as nothing is permanent, you are welcome to decorate your resort window however you wish. Plus, Mousekeeping (Disney Housekeeping) has fun with the stuffed animals and often rearranges them while you are in the park. We have come back to the room to find our stuffed animals watching tv, sleeping in the bed, etc.

Stay tuned next week for another Disney World tip from the queen of couponing to Disney!

Located in the heart of the magic, Walt Disney World Resort hotels come complete with an array of special Disney touches that make it possible for you to spend more quality time with your family and friends…and that help transform your vacation dreams into happily-ever-after reality. Discover the benefits of staying at a Disney Resort hotel.

Here’s a short video describing the benefits of staying at a Walt Disney World Resort

We would be happy to help you book your next Disney Resort stay. Contact us at 977-918-8941 or https://www.destinationsinflorida.com/request-a-quote/

Disney is known for their ability to make magical memories. They are also known by their lovable characters. When the two come together, they make a for a unbelievable experience for guests.

One way Disney does this is at Epcot. Every now and then (it is never announced or on a schedule) the gates in front of the World Showplace (which is located between the Canada and United Kingdom Pavilions) open and out come many characters you do not normally see doing meet and greets.

You have to always be on the look out for those “Pop-Up” character experiences that can make your Walt Disney World vacation one you will never forget!

Journey Into Imagination With Figment is located in the Future World section of Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort

Figment the playful, purple dragon is your guide on this whimsical tour of the Imagination Institute. Take a video ride thru of the attraction here:

A Little Imagination Goes a Long Way
Climb aboard your carriage and get ready for surprises galore as you travel through Dr. Channing’s sensory labs. Little ones will love learning and laughing about the 5 senses—sound, sight, smell, touch and taste—on this madcap musical trip with Figment.

Listen, Look and Let the Smeller Beware!
The Institute’s beleaguered chairman Dr. Nigel Channing (played by Eric Idle) sets out to prove how the 5 senses capture the imagination but is upstaged by the mischievous Figment, who sabotages the doctor’s sound experiment, interferes with the eye chart and causes quite a stink in the Smell Lab.

Then up becomes down as you cruise through Figment’s fluorescent, topsy-turvy house and discover that imagination really does work best when set free!

Afterward, be sure to head to ImageWorks, an interactive play area where you can use your imagination to make music, digital pictures and more.

Where’s Dreamfinder?
Many fans of the original version of this attraction lament the removal of the Dreamfinder character when the attraction reopened on October 1, 1999 as Journey Into YOUR Imagination.