Planning for Pixie Dust

  Go Now or Keep Saving for Later? It is no shock to anyone that Disney can be quite expensive. Nevertheless, you might be surprised to learn there are ways to save money and still have a great trip! Not all of my suggestions will work for everyone. I know that some people have certain expectations and sometimes cutting corners can cut out that magical feeling of pixie dust. However, hear me out. Sometimes those little cuts here and there can make a trip possible much earlier than you thought it could be!  Travelling with Kids  You can quite literally go to Disney and not bring any of the things that I am about to suggest and purchase what you need along the way. However, it will cost you much more than it would if you purchased these things at home and brought them with you! You also may not need all of these items depending on your children’s ages, but give it a read through just in case! ·          Clothes for any weather...

  Transportation! The answer of course is that there is no reason to drive! Unless you want to that is! Disney offers four types of transportation that are complimentary: Bus, Monorail, Water Craft, and Skyliner. None of their resorts offers all of these modes of transportation; however, all of their resorts use at least one! In addition to these complimentary modes of transportation, there are also Minnie Vans by Lyft that you can secure for a fee. The Monorail The Monorail is probably one of the most iconic ways you can travel at WDW! When I was a kid, I loved the Monorail! It was as exciting for me as riding any of the rides in the Magic Kingdom! There are a few ways that you can use the Monorail: 1) If you stay at The Contemporary, The Polynesian, or The grand Floridian, it will be your go to transportation to get to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. What if you are not staying at one of those resorts? The Monorail can be a much faster means of park hopping from the Magic Ki...

  Is it a zoo? Animal Kingdom is definitely not a zoo. It is a theme park…with animals. To get the full experience, you will need to visit as many attractions as you can, watch the amazing Broadway caliber shows, and yes, visit the animals!  Attractions: Maximizing your time  To do and see everything, you might want to use Genie+ or some Individual Lightning Lanes . Just like Hollywood Studios , The MagicKingdom , and Epcot , a few attractions might have some substantially lengthy lines. What are they? 1) Avatar: Flight of Passage (Pandora): This ride on the back of a banshee is awesome, but the line is sometimes wrapped around Pandora! 2) Everest (Asia): The infamous roller coaster that runs out of track and requires you to go backwards! Definitely a fan favorite! 3) The Safari Ride (Africa): This ride through the Savannah sometimes gets very backed up because the local residents, aka the animals, sometimes block the ride! If you are on the ride when it happens, i...

  Hollywood Studios: What can I expect? Hollywood Studios, like Epcot , is not like the MagicKingdom . It is not like Epcot either. So what is it? Originally, Hollywood Studios was a small theme park named MGM Studios. The theming of the park was a day on a Backlot in Hollywood. Everything that was originally there had to do with the making of movies. Though it was my favorite park, it had a problem. It earned the reputation of a half-day park. Through the years, it has changed significantly. Today’s version of Hollywood Studios is definitely a full day park. It still has a movie theme, but the newer attractions are more of immersion into those movies than experiencing a day on a Backlot in Hollywood. Is it still my favorite? Absolutely! Maximizing Your  Let’s get right down to it! You could spend your whole day and only experience a few things if you’re not careful. Pixie Dust Tip: If you only buy Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes one day of your trip, I would con...

  What is Epcot and why do I want to go there? Epcot! An acronym that stands for experimental prototype community of tomorrow. It was a vision of Walt Disney to build a new type of community that people would work and live in. While that dream never came to pass, the Imagineers did turn Walt’s vision into what we now know as Epcot. Instead of it being a community, it is more of a sort of World’s Fair. Which also has direct ties to the beginning of Disneyland. Several of the original Magic Kingdom attractions, It’s a Small World and The Carousel of Progress, among others, were first debuted at the World’s Fair. Then, when the Fair was over, Walt simply picked them up and put them in his park! You may have heard someone in your lifetime say that Epcot is the boring, educational park. While the theming is decidedly different from the Magic Kingdom, Epcot has evolved through the years to become the blend of cultural representation and attractions that it is today! Different from The...

  Why only some? Well, the short story is there is so much to do, see, and taste that you would have to be at The Magic Kingdom for a lot longer than a day to experience it all! So, let us focus on some good places to start! Moreover, let us start with the first thing on your mind: Attractions ! I mean, why else would you be planning this vacation anyway? Right?! Attractions!  There are so many iconic rides in The Magic Kingdom and I know you do not want to feel like you missed out! From The Pirates of the Caribbean , and The Haunted Mansion to the oh so iconic Carousel of Progress and The Enchanted Tiki Room , both designed by Walt himself, there is so much to do! However, let us focus on the rides that you might want to plan around because of their continued popularity, which creates long waits. These attractions might actually convince you to purchase Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes so that you can maximize your time during your vacation.  Optinally...

  So Many Resorts ! Walt Disney World boasts 29 resorts plus a campground that has a wide variety of campsites plus cabins that will definitely take you from camping to glamping! I have stayed at many of these resorts throughout my life. Each of them were unique. Each of them offered a different feel to my vacation. Each of them added a special touch to make the perfect vacation. So how do you pick the perfect resort for your vacation? Look at your budget, your needs from the hotel, and how much time you plan to spend there. Also, take into account how many people for whom you are booking reservations. As you are planning, do not forget about tickets and Park Reservations. Click here if you would like to learn more about the different ticket options. The Best Value …Maybe Disney World has five Value hotels : The All Stars- Movies , Music , or Sports ; Pop Century ; and The Art of Animation . If you are looking to stretch a tight budget these are the first resorts I wo...

  How do I make sure I really am getting the discount? Disney will advertise discounts in emails, television commercials, and social media. Pixie Dust Tip : Just because a discount is available does not mean you will get it. How do you get it? Follow these steps! 1)     Go to disneyworld.disney.go.com. 2)     Click on Places to Stay at the top of the site. 3)     On the pop up, on the right, click on View Special Offers . 4)     Scroll through the offers and if any apply to you and the trip you are trying to book, click on it. 5)     On the offer page, click on Check Availability . 6)     Put in your trip information. I recommend leaving the bottom box on All Resort Hotels, but if you are only interested in a specific resort category you can change that here. Then click Find a Room . All available rooms with your discount available will typically rise to the top of the list. ...

  updated 5/11/2023 The end of park reservations for dated tickets will be January 9, 2024. All Annual Passes and Cast Member tickets will still require a Park Reservation.  So Confusing When it comes to which tickets to purchase for Disney World, it can be confusing. Factors such as the length of time you will be there, how many different things you want to do, and even what day your trip or tickets begin can sometimes drastically alter your per day price. I have searched for ways to save on tickets over the years. Pixie Dust Tip: Prices change every year, so run the numbers every time you book a trip. Galaxy's Edge at Hollywood Studios Tickets and Park Reservations  When you purchase a ticket, you are making a reservation to make a reservation. First, look at the park reservation calendar. If there is no availability, do not buy tickets thinking you will still get into a park. After consulting the park reservation calendar and verifying availability, then you can s...

  First Time Magic   When I was Young…and so was Disney World  My first visit to Disney World was in 1971. I was not excited to be going to Disney. Why? I did not know that Disney existed, much less that I was going there. 1971 was the year that Walt Disney World opened in Florida and I was 5 years old! Whether my Dad kept it a secret so that it would be the ultimate surprise is unclear to me. What I am sure of is that he took us to the most magical place on earth. Operations were very different than they are now, but the one thing that remains the same is that it is still the most magical place on earth.  What is Pixie Dust and how can I Make it Happen on my Trip? Pixie Dust is a magical, unexpected thing that can happen while you are at Disney, but you cannot make it happen. I have heard people recently complain that the magic is gone since the pandemic started. It’s not true. I am sad for these people because they are missing the point. There are two types of...