The Weather Outside Could Be Delightful!

As the thermostat begins to drop, I can’t help but dream about fun in the sun. Don’t get me wrong; I adore the winter months — especially the holidays that come with them. But I also love to have a relaxing vacation to look forward to… it just makes old man winter that much easier to embrace.

And what could be more relaxing than a cruise on the Disney Magic or Disney Wonder?

Like floating resorts, these two ships feature staterooms one-third larger than any other cruise ship and a variety of entertainment venues, including a stadium and movie theater, as well as state-of-the-art fitness and spa facilities.

As with all things Disney, there are a variety of cruises and packages from which to choose, including 10- and 14-night Mediterranean cruises, 7-night Caribbean cruises, or a 3- or 4-night cruise of the Bahamas. You might even opt for the best of both worlds: a 7-night land and sea vacation!

Personally, I love taking advantage of the cruise specials Disney puts together. Any fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies has to be excited about the specially themed Disney Wonder cruise taking place March 8 – 12.

You can keep your visions of sugar plums… I’m going to let dreams of a Disney cruise dance in my head this holiday season!

Lodgings for Every Budget

Today’s economy has everyone scrutinizing their purchases – no matter what you’re buying, you want to get the biggest bang for your buck. Luckily, the lodgings at Walt Disney World fulfill every fantasy, whether your budget calls for supreme luxury or convenience and comfortable amenities.

The nine Deluxe Resorts are the epitome of Disney theming, dining, and recreation. Personally, I love the Animal Kingdom Lodge, where you can watch the animals from your room and indulge in the fitness center, which includes elliptical trainers, weight machines, and a wonderful eucalyptus steam room.

Of course, there’s also the truly grand Grand Floridian Resort for those looking for a romantic resort getaway. Enjoy the boat ride to and from the Magic Kingdom, the electric water parade, dinner at Citrico’s, or a traditional afternoon tea.

Disney also has several Deluxe Villa Resorts and Moderate Resorts, as well as four Value Resorts for those who are pinching pennies. Value Resorts focus on providing playful, bright environments at a lower cost. But don’t get the wrong idea. These rooms feature the same Disney flare and care as the more expensive options. Check out the All-Star Music Resort, which has received rave reviews from our members.

Check out all your options. And here’s hoping that no matter where you lay your head,  your Disney dreams are sprinkled with pixie dust!

Your Perfect Adventure Awaits

When I hear adults object to a Disney vacation because they think the parks are for children only, I get sad. Not only do I think the world would be a better place if we spent more time embracing our inner child… but Disney is so much more than a playground for the young and young at heart.

For those who want their vacations to be mind-growing in addition to mind-blowing, there are Adventures by Disney — where you’ll travel above and beyond, and see what most ordinary tourists will never experience.

For example, on The Emerald Isle, you’ll go sheep herding in Shannon, take jig lessons in Killarney, and tour cathedrals in Dublin. Or, on Discovery Down Under you’ll plunge into the largest coral reef system on earth, ride camels through the desert to watch the sun set on Ayers Rock, and feel the rush of adrenaline as you zoom around famed Sydney Harbour on a high-speed boat. These are adventures you’ve got to hike, bike and swim to believe.

Take it from me, on Quest for the West I experienced a Wyoming I never even knew existed. I mean, who knew that Yellowstone National Park is the site of a “super volcano?”

With itineraries all around the globe, you’ll experience the world’s authentic wonders come to life. And that’s way more than kid’s stuff.

The Choices Abound

As Election Day approaches, I’ve been spending time researching the candidate I’ll support for the office of president as well as the individual amendments that will appear on the ballot. And all this research got me to thinking… Planning your itinerary for a Disney World vacation requires much the same amount of homework. There are so many things to consider!

For example, there’s the major decision of which parks you want to visit. Now, when you say you’re going to Disney World, you have your choice between the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.

Depending on how much time you have, you might even want to drill down further and pick the rides and attractions you really want to see. For example, maybe you want to see as much of Mickey Mouse as possible. In that case, you’d likely want to visit Discovery Island Trails or The Boneyard at DinoLand U.S.A. — both at Animal Kingdom. Or, try Epcot’s movie set adventure Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. Mickey and his friends also appear near the Magic Kingdom’s City Hall on Main Street, U.S.A. throughout the day.

The possibilities are endless. But remember, if you’re planning to travel throughout the parks, you might want to also plan the quickest routes from one adventure to the next. After all, you want to spend most of your time at the attractions, not looking for them.

Good luck, and tell please tell my friend Mickey I said, “Hello!”

Member Reviews Make a Magical Difference

I don’t know about you, but when I take a vacation I want it to be joyful… not just some of the time or most of the time, but ALL of the time. And while some people may think that’s a lot to hope for, it’s quite possible with a well-planned Disney vacation.

And by heading on over to Our Laughing Place and reading member reviews of the many restaurants you could visit, it certainly improves your odds. After all, because your meals will be the perfect occasion to reflect and share your day’s activities, they will be a crucial part of your vacation – they can make it or break it.

Truth be told, you can’t get true insight into a restaurant’s characteristics from an advertisement, flier, or brochure. The very best way of getting a feel for whether you’ll enjoy the atmosphere, ambiance, and food is to ask someone who’s been there and done that.

So when you’re planning your Disney vacation, make sure to read restaurant reviews posted voluntarily by those adventurers who have gone before you. You might find yourself adding Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen® or Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant to a must-do list of activities for your perfect vacation getaway.

Adventures By Disney: Quest for the West

This Adventures by Disney tour is my favorite one so far of three and counting (I’m booked for two in 2008; >).  Really, I think the name could easily be changed to “Quest for the Best”, and then I would say we found it!

There is something about the combination of immersing ourselves in an environment, while at the same time having all transitions and excursion decisions handled by fantastic tour guides, that makes an already amazing destination (ie:Yellowstone National Park and the Tetons mountain range) purely divine!

I’ve put together a narration of pictures of this adventure here: Quest for the West
And if you’d like to ask questions about any of the Adventures by Disney tours or how to plan for them, please feel welcome to join me here at the Adventures by Disney community forum  I’ve already signed up for Discovery Down Under (Australia) and Sacred Valleys (Peru).  I’d love to have you come plan with me!

Disney Dining Changes Abound

Wow!  There are some big changes happening at Walt Disney World in terms of dining!  (For a complete overview, click here: Disney Dining Changes )  There are several new restaurants coming to Epcot, Animal Kingdom, The Swan Resort, and Downtown Disney.  Chefs are changing restaurants.  Kid’s meals are focusing on healthier options, and all meals will be trans-fat free by sometime in 2008.

It’s always fun to have new restaurants to review.  In fact, writing Walt Disney World restaurant reviews is one of my favorite responsibilties  But, even more exciting to me, is Disney’s focus on healthy meals for the youngsters and the young at heart.  I’ve appreciated Disney’s willingness to prepare special dishes for folks with allergies and diet restrictions since I started visiting Disney World regularly 10 years ago, but this new intention to provide a healthier quality of food in general makes me want to clap my hands and shout, “Hurrah for Disney!”

We can look for most of these changes to be in place by mid 2008…  and I’ll be eagerly reviewing all of them as they happen.  I promise!

Disneyland Dining

For those of us who are “of a certain age”, memories of Disneyland include fast food, plain and simple.  The purpose of the park was ride, not food, right?  Well…  that age has passed!

Disneyland Resort now prides itself on being a ‘dining destination’ as well as a “themed ride park”.  Recently, we explored some of the eateries at Disneyland, and we came away amazed and delighted by some of the restaurants where we dined.  In the Magic Kingdom, our favorite was Cafe Orleans in New Orleans Square.  I got the vegetarian Monte Cristo — YUM!  Over in the California Adventure park, we sampled Ariel’s Grotto, a character dining “event”.  Again, we enjoyed the quality of the lunch we had there very much.  Our favorite resort restaurant — hand’s down — is Storyteller’s Cafe in the Grand Californian Hotel.  And then there is Downtown Disney, walking distance from the parks and a vertible dining opportunity; >)  Our favorite is the Italian Eatery, Naples Ristorante & Pizzeria

If you’d like to see all of the dining options available at the Disneyland Resort, head on over to Our Laughing Place and check out the Disneyland Resort section.  Once you go, I’ll think you’ll agree with me that Disneyland isn’t just for rides anymore!

Disney’s New Frontier: Adventures By Disney

I confess:  I am a Disney addict.  Disney art decorates every room in my house.  I moved to Florida from Oregon so that I could get to Disney World more easily.  I started a Disney web site (Our Laughing Place), and a Disney-focused travel agency (Our Laughing Place Travel)…   all to support my Disney habit.  If there were a 12 step program, I would only join if the meetings were at a Disney resort.

Some might even go so far as to say, I’ve visited Disney World and Disneyland enough to last a lifetime.  And — while it’s true that the Disney imagineers provide plenty of change to keep me coming back to check new venues — I was starting to think I might have to start traveling to other countries to get my Disney thrill.  Imagine my delight to discover the Disney company read my mind and developed an easy way for me to do just that! 

Adventures By Disney takes Disney where the magic has never gone before…  Land Tours around the World!  The focus is – of course – on family fun, and the intention is to provide a quality experience with Disney’s magical touch along the way.  The first year these tours were offered publically was 2006, and I sampled the Costa Rica Eco-tour.  Here’s the pictorial review I wrote: Path to Pura Vida  In 2007, I signed up for two tours:  Fiesta Espana and “Quest for the Wild West” (I’ll write a review for this one as soon as we get back)  The 2008 itineraries are so exciting, I could barely whittle it down to three.

 There IS a pattern here, and you can probably tell I am as enamored with the impeccability of the Disney style with their land tours as I am with the quality of  I find in the Disney parks.  What can I say?  I’m hooked on pixie dust

With Adventures By Disney, I’m ready to travel with Disney to “Infinity and Beyond”!