What Can Be Learned from Free Dining 2015

Yesterday, Free Dining was released to the public. We'd heard rumors about it over the last week or so, but nothing was confirmed until the early morning hours of April 27th. I'll spare you all the details, but essentially, there was far fewer availability of Free Dining rooms than there has been in the past and people were NOT happy.

Do I understand the frustration? Sure. But a lot of this could have been avoided. Most of it could have been, in fact. So what can we learn from the rollout of Free Dining 2015?

 - Nothing is guaranteed. NOTHING.

Has Disney World rolled out a Free Dining promotion in the last for years for the fall season? Yes, but never do they say or guarantee that it's going to continue every year, until the end of time, for all eternity. To be honest, I'm surprised they still offered it, for a myriad of reasons.

 - Fan sites need to be more careful about "scoops" or posting rumors.

I know that most fan sites come from a good place; they love Disney and when they hear rumors of something like Free Dining, they want to share it with their readers. But folks, you're doing more harm than good.

When you post about Free Dining coming, and it's going to be open to Disney Visa holders one day, and then the general public another, and here are all the details about dates and resorts......and it turns out not to be true? You have lots of upset Disney fans. And that's on YOU, not on Disney.

 - Disney fans should not count their Free Dining (or any discount) chickens before they're hatched.

Hearing a rumor about a discount, or Free Dining, or whatever is just that - a rumor, until Disney confirms the details. Don't let yourself get psyched up for something that very well might turn out to be false. It's perfectly OK to ask your travel agent, "Hey, I heard such and such might come up, can you let me know if it does?" so he/she can be ready to quote you a vacation package if/when a discount becomes available. Just don't set your hopes on every rumor and innuendo you've heard.

This is why I personally am always VERY cautious about talking Free Dining with clients when the details haven't been announced. The last thing I want is for someone to feel like they were promised a deal or discount that doesn't come to pass.

- Disney phone numbers being busy for hours and websites that are jammed is not something new. 

Fellow travel agents can attest - days like Free Dining rollouts are notorious for phone lines that ring busy for hours and websites that don't work or work part of the time. It's not unheard of for travel agents to wait for HOURS on hold during these promos. Disney recently rolled out a modification for our travel agent site that allows us to make some changes to a booking without calling in (and that's awesome) but it doesn't allow online modification in all instances and so many people still needed to call for quotes and to make changes. The site also experiences VERY high traffic on days like Monday, and so sometimes we're not even able to log into the website to change reservations or make new ones.

While I understand the public's frustration with the phone number and website, this was nothing new. Does Disney have some room for improvement here? I believe they do, but that's a separate issue.

 - Travel agents found out about the Free Dining promo exactly when everyone else did - Monday morning.

Part of our job as travel agents is to monitor new information and let you know if/when your vacation is available for any discounts or promos. We are looking out for you, and rest assured we're on the phone and on the Disney websites for hours, sometimes all day and all night, helping you book the best vacation for your family (whether that's Free Dining, or not).

I think one misconception about travel agents is that we get details from Disney days or even hours before the promos are launched. Nope! We hear the same time you do. So when you found out on Monday morning that there was very limited availability for Free Dining, we found out the same thing at the same time. We were working in the wee morning hours once the details were confirmed, but we found out when you did. We'll always keep you in the loop if/when promos or discounts are announced, but we don't have any special insight or confirmation as to when those are going to be released.

So, in short, folks - - let Monday, April 27th be a lesson to us all. If you get your hopes up for something that has not been verified, you very well might be disappointed. PLEASE do not count on or expect a promotion from Disney (or any other vacation vendor, for that matter), even though historically they might have released one. And finally, be very wary of what you read online before promos are released. Let your travel agent know you're interested IF something comes out, and rest assured they will stay in touch with you and let you know specifics when they become available.

Stay tuned later this week, I have an awesome book review coming up on Thursday! In the meantime, have a wonderful rest of your week!

Free Dining Details!!

Hi folks ~ today we got definite information about the Free Dining promotion at Walt Disney World for this fall, and I wanted to share that information with you!

(Edit as of 9:15AM central time - Availability is already VERY limited - not as many room choices as in the past. The websites are giving us issues, as are the phone lines. I will continue to try and reach Disney, and keep you posted.)

To get a no-obligation quote, please email me at katie@mouseworldtravel.com, and let's start planning your Walt Disney World vacation!

This promo is available for booking starting today, April 27th.

The offer is valid for trips booked by July 10th, 2015. Availability is limited!

Free dining is available by booking a room and ticket package (minimum number of nights and number of ticket days required) that includes a room at select Walt Disney World resorts, and a ticket with Park Hopper or Water Park Fun and More option.

The travel dates are:

August 28 - October 2, 2015
October 25 - 31, 2015
November 8 - 19, 2015
December 15 - 21, 2015

When you stay at a Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe villa resort, you get the Disney Dining plan; for stays at Value resorts, the Quick Service Dining Plan is available!

Please note: Offer excludes The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Villas and Bungalows, Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Art of Animation Resort – The Little Mermaid Standard View Rooms, campsites, 3-bedroom villas, Disney's All-Star Movies Resort, Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort and Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort (for select dates).

If you're a current client of mine, I'm already working to get Free Dining applied to your reservation!

For a no-obligation quote, please email me at katie@mouseworldtravel.com, and let's get started planning your Walt Disney World vacation!

Dining Review: Nine Dragons

On Tuesday September 2nd I headed into Epcot and my lunch reservation at Nine Dragons, at the China pavilion in the World Showcase.

This was a bit of a "cheat" on my goal of eating at different Table Service restaurants this trip, as I had been here before.  However, I really enjoyed it back in March and wanted to give it another try.  Plus, I ended up having 1 extra Table Service credit on the Dining Plan (I had canceled a meal earlier in the week) and so I thought, why not?

Nine Dragons doesn't get much love from Disney bloggers and the Disney fan community, and I honestly have no idea why. Both times I have been there, the food is good and most importantly, the service is top-notch.  I think some of the nicest, best cast members at Disney work here at Nine Dragons - they do a phenomenal job.  This meal was no exception.

I arrived at Nine Dragons and although I had a reservation, I was not in their system.  But no matter, they weren't busy and were able to seat me right away (I still don't know WHAT happened to that dining reservation - it's floating around the interwebs, I guess!). I was escorted to a table near the front of the restaurant, and my waitress came by soon after.

She took my drink order (my usual Diet Coke) and then gave me some information about the menu.  Like a number of the Table Service restaurants, they had a Prix Fixe option where for one price you got a soup, your entree and dessert.  She also said not to look at the entrees listed on the table tent for the Prix Fixe, that I could choose any entree from the menu that I wanted. That was great, as none of the listed entrees really excited me.

After a short deliberation, I chose the Hot and Sour Soup, the Sesame Chicken and the Ginger Cake for dessert.

The soup came first, and it was SO GOOD.  I didn't get a picture, because I was enjoying it so much I didn't stop to take one!  It was the perfect blend of hot and sour (thus the name) and was just delicious. If I could have bought a thermos of it to take with me, I would have!  So good.

It was then time for the entree, and my portion of Sesame Chicken, with fried rice, was *just* right. The perfect portion where I felt satisfied when I left, but I was not bursting at the seams.  Just looking at it now makes me salivate for this lunch - I really need to learn a Sesame Chicken recipe so I can attempt to recreate this at home.

The dessert was also quite good - and like a bad blogger, I of course didn't get a picture of it.  Grrr. I really enjoyed it; it was light and almost refreshing, and was the perfect end to my meal.

I had another great experience at Nine Dragons, and will definitely be coming back again.  Not only was my food good, the correct temperature, delivered in a timely fashion, etc - - the service was wonderful. Everyone from the hostesses to my waitress was kind, friendly and struck the perfect balance between being an attentive waitress, but not hovering over me.

Nine Dragons is still on my list of favorites - and is quickly becoming a place I HAVE to go to when at Disney World!

What is your favorite Table Service restaurant in the World Showcase?

Have a magical day!

Dining Review: Liberty Tree Tavern

On Monday, September 1st, I spent a lovely morning at Magic Kingdom.  After doing lots of attractions, it was time for lunch!  I made my way over to Liberty Tree Tavern.

I was excited, as I've not eaten here before but the reviews have always been pretty great.  It was quiet (a theme I would see all this week) and after checking in, I was able to be seated right away.

The menu has a variety of "traditional" fare - sandwiches, soups, salads, etc. I seriously considered ordering the BLT, as I LOVE a good BLT, but decided instead on the Colony Salad.  It's a salad with warm chicken, cranberries, cheese, green onions, apples and pecans with a very nice vinaigrette dressing. 

As I waited for my meal, I took a few pictures from my seat.  I was probably one of four groups dining at 11:30AM that day, so it was very quiet.

 

One nice thing about dining solo is that your food often comes pretty quick.  After only about 5-6 minutes of sitting at my table, my salad arrived.

 

YUM!! This was SO good and really hit the spot.  It was a super hot, sticky September day and having the cool salad was the perfect entree.

It was then time for dessert.  Remember, when you use a Table Service credit with the Dining Plan, you also get a dessert.  My lovely server told me all the choices, and then I asked his opinion on what I should order.  Without hesitation he said, "The Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake" and so that's what I chose!

 

Oh my goodness - this was SO GOOD.  Holy crap. The chocolate cookie / brownie, with the ice cream, AND chocolate sauce and caramel, AND toffee bits?! Be still be heart.  It was divine.  As you can see, it was HUGE and this could easily be split among 2 adults.

So, the verdict?  Would I eat here again?

Absolutely, 100%!  The food is good, the service is great and the atmosphere is wonderful.  There are so many more dishes here that I need to try, so you can believe I WILL be back!

Have a magical day!

 

 

Dining Review: Les Chefs de France

Today I am going to share my dining review of Les Chefs de France, located at the French pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase.

I was on a mission this trip to experience Table Service locations that I haven't visited in the past, and Les Chefs de France was on the list.

I toured Epcot on Tuesday, September 2nd and had a wonderful day (a full blow-by-blow of this day to come later!).  After a ride on Mission Space, I made my way back to the World Showcase and to Les Chefs for my 6:30PM reservation.  I was a few minutes early but I was able to be seated right away.

My waitress was great, very friendly.  I was seated at a 2-top table (I found this was the case for every Table Service meal I had) and was given a menu.  I ordered my normal Diet Coke, as sodas are included on the Dining Plan, and looked at what I would like to eat.

For each Table Service meal on the Dining Plan, you get your entree, dessert and a non-alcoholic beverage.  However, Les Chefs has a Prix Fixe option (as do many other locations) that is included on the Dining Plan and ends up giving you more food.   If I had paid out of pocket, it would have been $39.99 (plus tip).

I chose the french onion soup, the Gratin de macaroni for my entree and their strawberry and creme cake, which also came with a small scoop of sorbet.

The first course was the soup, and it was a large serving.  I was expecting more of a cup of soup, but this was a large bowl.  It also came with a good sized full baguette, which I didn't eat as I wanted to have room for the rest of my meal.

My main course was the Gratin de macaroni, and I had been anxious to try this.  Mac & cheese is one of my favorite meals to make at home, so I had high hopes for Les Chef's version.  As you can see in the picture, it was another HUGE serving and I only ended up eating about 1/3rd of it. It looked to be nearly a full box of pasta in just that one dish.  I have to say, honestly - I was a bit disappointed in it.  I didn't have much flavor and was very rich.  I think my macaroni I make at home is better, so that was a disappointment.

At this point, I was already pretty full but wanted to try a few more bites of the dessert.  I LOVE the dessert / pastry shop at the French pavilion so I was looking forward to dessert but again was underwhelmed.  It was fresh and the cake was a good consistency, but again not very flavorful.  The sorbet, however, was incredible - it tasted like it had been made fresh that day and it was probably my favorite part of the meal.

Here are some more pictures for you:

I didn't dislike the experience and I wasn't upset; my waitress was just lovely and the atmosphere of the restaurant was top-notch.  I will give them another try some time in the future - I like to give a restaurant at least a few tries before I decide not to go again, just in case they are having an "off" night. However, I'm sorry to say Les Chefs de France didn't make it onto my "must have" list for Disney Dining.

I was glad I was able to make it there this trip and try it out for myself.

Thank you for reading - and have a magical day!

LIVE blog - Dining: The Final Numbers

Happy Thursday, everyone!  Today I board the Disney Dream, and will be only checking in sporadically here and on social media. I wanted to wrap up the Live blog about the dollars and cents of the Dining Plan so let's go!

As of this writing, I have not used my last Counter Service credit yet; however, I am using it for breakfast on this final morning and have already selected what I am ordering, so I can report back to you and then do the final tally.

I will also be doing a pros and cons post about the Dining Plan in the coming weeks!

So here is the Wednesday and Thursday AM information:

Wednesday: 

Breakfast - I used a Snack credit at Hollywood Studios to get a muffin.
Actual cost if paying OOP: $2.99
Dining Plan: 1 Snack credit

Lunch - Pepper Market.  I ordered the Empanadas, a soda and a piece of German Chocolate cake (which is in my fridge as we speak, and might be a snack later tonight).
Actual cost if paying OOP: $18.57
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit

Dinner - Maya Grill.  I had a soda, the Shrimp Tacos and a piece of the Coconut Flan for dessert.  That was my favorite dessert of the vacation so far!  So good.
Actual cost if paying OOP: $34.93
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit

Thursday:

Breakfast - Veggie omelet with an orange juice.
Actual cost if paying OOP: $10.98
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit

I also have 2 remaining Snack credits left; I am going to pick up two bags of Goofy's Candy Company candy at the gift shop and either take them home or share with friends on the cruise.
Actual cost if paying OOP: $7.00
Dining Plan: 2 Snack credits

So......drumroll please......

Cost of Dining Plan: $242.56

Actual cost of food ordered: $226.08

So, as you can see, had I paid for the Dining Plan I would not have saved any money (although the totals were very close).  However, as I said I also did not order typically higher-priced items or even look for the most pricey snacks to get the "best deal."  And of course, this was a Free Dining promotion so I came out money ahead, as I didn't pay for the Plan.

I do think the Dining Plan has merit for many reasons, and in the coming weeks we'll chat about it more in a Pros vs Cons post, so be on the lookout for that.

Today I depart on the Disney Dream!  I will be trying to post a picture or two, here or there but won't have as much internet access while on the ship. But I look forward to sharing LOTS of pictures and videos with you when I return to land on September 7th.

Thanks for reading - and have a magical day!

LIVE Blog - Dining Plan: The Numbers - Tuesday

Hello from Orlando!  I wanted to report about Tuesday's Dining Plan, where I went and what credits I used.

Tuesday got off to a relaxing start.  I was originally going to head over to Epcot in the morning, but was pretty tired and decided I needed to just sleep until whenever I got up.  I ended up going to the pool for a while in the morning, which was great, and then was in Epcot from about 11:15 - 8:45PM.  I will do a full report on Tuesday at another time - - it was a great day!

I will also do more in-depth dining plan reviews of each of the Table Service locations at another time, and for now will just be giving you the dollars and cents information.

Today, I ended up using 2 of the Table Service credits.  I didn't use any Quick Service or snacks (but I did buy a Grand Marnier slushie, which is not on the Dining Plan.  Shhh!)

Breakfast - Carrot cake from a Counter Service meal.  I got the cake a few nights ago when I had dinner at Coronado, and wasn't hungry for it then but saved it in the fridge in my room.  I had that this morning, with a nice cup of coffee.
Cost: FREE

Lunch - Nine Dragons, China pavilion, Epcot.  They had an option where you could get a soup, entree and dessert for one price (prix fixe) and were able to use the Dining Plan on this option.  I got the Hot and Sour soup, the Sesame Chicken with Fried Rice (pictured above) and a ginger cake.  It was VERY good.
Actual cost if I would have paid OOP: $36.89
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit

Dinner - Les Chefs de France, French pavilion, Epcot. I also did the same option here as I did at Nine Dragons, the Prix Fixe menu.  I chose the French Onion soup, the Macaroni and Cheese and a strawberry cake with sorbet.
Actual cost if I would have paid OOP: $45.78
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit

Today is my final full day at WDW before the cruise, and I'll report back Thursday morning about Wednesday's dining.  I have 2 Counter Service, 1 Table Service and 3 Snacks remaining.  I have heard that people often have Snack credits at the end of their trip, and that has been the case with me as well.

Thanks again for following along - see you later!

Have a magical day!

LIVE Blog - Dining Plan: The Numbers - Sunday and Monday

As promised, I wanted to check in and let you know how I am doing so far on the Dining Plan.  Since it started Sunday, and Sunday evening was the only credit I used that day, I am going to combine Sunday and Monday into one post.

So, to recap: I have a total of 4 Table Service credits, 4 Quick Service credits, and 4 Snacks to use over the course of my stay.  I also got a refillable mug when I checked in, that I can use during the course of my stay.

With each Table Service meal, you get your entree, dessert and a nonalcoholic beverage.  You also get the same for each Quick Service meal - an entree, dessert and beverage.  If you're eating at a buffet, that counts as 1 Table Service.

I've also decided that in the coming weeks, I am going to do posts about how to use your credits "smarter", not harder.  I am quickly learning that this is quite a bit of food and you can really stretch what you order and for example, use your beverage choice and dessert choice from a Quick Service meal to get a muffin and orange juice, which you can then eat for breakfast the next day.  But more on that later.

So to recap where we are so far:

Sunday:

Dinner - I used a Quick Service credit that night, and went to the Pepper Market food court at Coronado Springs.  I ordered the nachos (HUGE - big enough to split), a soda and a piece of carrot cake (which is currently in my fridge and will be a good snack some evening).
Actual cost if I would have paid Out Of Pocket (OOP): $16.97
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service Credit

Monday: 

Breakfast - I ate at the Lounge I have access to at Coronado, which was FREE!  Sweet!

Snack - I got a Strawberry freeze/slushie at the Magic Kingdom.
Actual cost if I would have paid Out Of Pocket (OOP): $3.99
Dining Plan: 1 Snack Credit

Lunch - Liberty Tree Tavern, where I ordered a Diet Coke, the Colony Salad, and the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake for dessert (which was amazing).
Actual cost if I would have paid Out Of Pocket (OOP): $27.00
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit

Dinner - Pepper Market at Coronado Springs.  I ordered a bottle of water, the Crab Cake sandwich and a brownie. I remembered to bring my refillable mug to dinner, so I put the water in my fridge in the room and am going to carry that to Epcot tomorrow morning.  This will save me using a Snack credit for bottled water.
Actual cost if I would have paid Out Of Pocket (OOP): $20.98
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service Credit

I will check in on Wednesday with today's dining information and then on Thursday, before I leave on the cruise I will add Wednesday's info and add up the grand total.

Thanks for reading - and have a magical day!

LIVE blog - The Dining Plan: How's It Going?

Good afternoon from sunny (and HOT!) Orlando!

If you remember, back when I was talking about this vacation and Free Dining, I said I would report back and let you know how the Dining plan worked out.  Meaning, in terms of dollars and cents, would you save money by choosing the Dining plan?

Of course, the Dining package was Free (I booked a Free Dining room and ticket package) but for the sake of reporting, let's assume I paid the $60.64 per adult, per day rate for the regular Dining plan. As a reminder, this gives you, for each night of your stay, one snack, one counter service meal and one table service meal.  You also get a refillable mug to use at your resort for coffee, soda and tea. So, in total, I would have paid $242.56 for the dining plan.

Also, I am ordering what I would have ordered regardless of whether I had the Dining plan or not. Meaning - if I want to order the pasta or the steak or the salad, etc, I will - vs looking at the menu and saying "This pasta costs $15 and this steak costs $30 so I am going to get the steak." This is not a wrong way to do the Dining Plan, by any means - in fact, it gets the most bang for your buck - but since I am comparing apples to apples, I wanted to order what I would have, had I paid out of pocket.

I am also committed to not spending any additional money on food, above and beyond the Dining plan. I will report on this as well, and let you know how it works out.  I know it can be done, with a little creativity, and so I'm anxious to try out my "strategy".

So that I don't have a monster-huge post when I get home, I am going to check in every day and give you the lowdown on Dining from the previous day.  I'll let you know what I ordered and how the total for the day compared to the $60.64 per day price of the Dining plan.  I'll also keep you posted on how many snack, counter and table service credits I've used, and how many I have remaining. At the conclusion of the trip, I'll give a grand total and we'll have a final discussion.

Since tips for your servers are not included in the Dining plan, I am not going to report what I spent on those, as I would be paying them regardless of having the Dining plan or not.

I will report on Tuesday what credits I have used so far, and what the dollar value of those items were compared to the Dining Plan.

In the meantime, have a wonderful afternoon and I'll see ya back here tomorrow!

Pre-Trip Report: Arrival Day - August 31, 2014

Welcome to the first day of the Pre-Trip report!  This is where I'll fill you in on my plans for each day, dining reservations, etc.  I'm so glad to have you along with me as I plan!

My departure day is Sunday, August 31st.  I will be leaving from the Minneapolis - Saint Paul airport at 7:10AM, so I'll drive up the night before and stay in a hotel near the airport.  I prefer to fly out of MSP, because they have direct flights to Orlando.

(Traveler's Tip: When looking at airline tickets, make sure you look at every airport with reasonable driving distance of your home.  Often times, even with factoring in gas + hotel + parking, it can be cheaper to fly out of an airport further from your home.  Also, be sure to look at different carriers and pay attention to fees for items such as choosing your seat & baggage!)

My flight lands at 11:30AM, and then I'll make my way down to Magical Express!  From there I will take a motor coach to Coronado Springs Resort.  When using ME, plan on a timeline of 60-90 minutes after you land to arrive at your resort; often times, they wait for the buses to fill up before they leave, and you also make more than one stop to the different resorts.  You could be first on that list, or last!

At approximately 1PM, I will arrive here, at the lovely Coronado Springs!

Picture from DisneyWorld.com

After I arrive, I will leave my carryon bag with Bell Services as I don't expect my room to be ready quite yet.  If it is - BONUS!  Check in time is 3PM but on occasion, a room will be ready if you arrive before then.  If not, it's super easy to leave your things at Bell Services; they'll send you a text message when your room is ready.  You can jump right in, and start to enjoy the parks!

I am going to get a bus to Hollywood Studios, and spend the afternoon there.  I would like to get FastPasses for Star Tours & Toy Story Midway Mania.  I also haven't seen the Indiana Jones show in a few years, so I'd like to catch that again.

One of my favorite Hollywood Studios activities is the Animation Academy so I will be sure to make a stop there as well!

For dining on this day, I am going to use 1-2 snack credits and grab something for lunch.   I have mapped out the Dining Plan credits and what I want to use each day, and as I am not going to pay out of pocket for any food, I'll use some snack credits.  However, there are plenty of filling choices that count as snacks including pretzels, fruit and vegetables.  You can get more than just pop and candy with your snack credits!

For dinner, I am going to one of the Counter Service locations in the park, and use one of those credits from the Dining Plan.  I don't know yet where I'll have dinner - it will probably depend on what sounds good to me at the time!

I am going to end my day with my favorite show at Walt Disney World - Fantasmic!  Sorcerer Mickey is my favorite incarnation of the Main Mouse and I just love this show.

After the show, I'll make my way to the bus stop and back to Coronado Springs.  I'm hoping to get to bed at a decent time, so I can get to Magic Kingdom at rope drop the next morning.

What is your favorite way to spend your first day at Disney?

Have a magical day!

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Pre-Trip Report: My Dining Options

A cinnamon roll at Magic Kingdom - Holy Big As Your Head breakfast, Batman!

As I said in an earlier post, one of my Disney World goals is to eat at each of the Table Service locations.  (I would also like to conquer all of the counter service locations, as well - but there are TONS of those!)

Below is a list of the places I have never tried, separated by theme park or resort. (If a park/resort is not listed, it's because I've been to all of their Table Service locations.)

Magic Kingdom:
Be Our Guest
Liberty Tree Tavern
Tony's Town Square

Epcot:
Chefs de France
La Hacienda de San Angel
Monsieur Paul
Teppan Edo
Tutto Italia
Garden Grill

Hollywood Studios:
Hollywood & Vine

Boardwalk resort:
ESPN Club
Flying Fish Cafe

Caribbean Beach resort:
Shutters

Contemporary Resort:
The Wave

Coronado Springs resort:
Maya Grill

Dolphin resort:
Bluezoo
Shula's Steak House

Fort Wilderness resort:
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
Trail's End Restaurant

Grand Floridian resort:
Grand Floridian Cafe
Narcoossee's
Victoria and Alberts

Polynesian resort:
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show

Swan resort:
Il Mulino

I've highlighted the front-runners in blue.  But I'd love your input - from this list, where have you tried and loved?  What should I be sure and check out?

Thank you!  And have a magical day!

Coming Attractions - Labor Day Free Dining + 3 Night Disney Cruise!

Good day, everyone!  Hope you had a nice weekend and are gearing up for a good week.  It's the first week of June - can you believe it?!  I feel like I say that every month, but it's true that time does fly.

Last week, I finalized plans for a fall trip, the week of Labor Day - August 31st to September 7th.  I have wanted to go during this week, as I've heard many times that Disney is VERY quiet this part of the year due to school just starting.

Then Free Dining was announced, and my travel dates aligned with it - awesome!!  I have done the dining plan but haven't had Free Dining yet, so I am excited to go during that promotion.

After 5 days and 4 nights at the Coronado Springs resort, I am going to head to a 3 night cruise on the Disney Dream!  I haven't sailed the Dream since 2011 and am very excited to once again sail on this awesome ship.

I have a few plans & goals for this trip, and things that I'll report on in future blogs:

1) One of my goals is to stay at every Disney hotel / resort.  I am checking another off the list with this stay at Coronado Springs.  I have also decided to stay in a Business level room at the resort.  This is very similar to the Club Level that you'd find at the Deluxe Resorts.  Coronado Springs hosts a fair amount of conventions every year, and so they have a business section; these rooms are closest to the main building and convention meeting areas, and you have access to a Club Level-like lounge in the morning and evening for breakfasts, snacks, etc.  This gives you the Club Level experience but without the higher price point of the CL at the Deluxe resorts.

2) I am going to use the Free Dining credits +  Club Level food offerings exclusively and not pay out of pocket for any food for these four nights.  With the Dining Plan, I will get 1 snack credit, 1 counter service credit and 1 table service credit for each night of my stay.  This will give me a total of 4 of each of the credits to use over the course of my stay.  Counter service is like fast food, but that shouldn't scare you - there are many awesome counter service meals on property.  Table service is a sit-down restaurant, where you have a server who brings you the food.  There are also TONS of options that satisfy the snack credit - cookies, pieces of fruit, 20 oz sodas, bags of candy, etc.

On occasion, even with the dining plan you can choose to pay out of pocket for a meal each day, a snack, etc but you certainly don't have to with a little forethought and planning ahead.  Because I want to give you all the best information about Free Dining, I will be documenting what food I choose, and where.  I won't spend any additional money out of pocket, except for tips.  This is very important to know, as tips for your servers at the Table Service restaurants are not included on the Dining plans.

3) Speaking of dining - I am going to continue on my quest to try each of the Table Service dining locations at Walt Disney World.  Another goal of mine is to try each of the Table Service dining options at the parks and resorts, as I want to be able to report back to you all with pictures, my opinions, tips, etc.  I have a list of those that I have not yet tried, and will use this as my guide when making my dining reservations.

4) I have booked a 5E stateroom on the Disney Dream, which is a balcony room with a very roomy verandah. I am SUPER excited about this room, as those staterooms go fast and are hard to come by.  The verandahs on the 5E rooms are larger, as they're at the back (aft) of the ship.  I can't wait to wake up and have coffee there each morning!

I also am going to do a "Pre-Trip" report for you as well, where I fill you in on my plans during my days at WDW and on the Dream.  I hope you'll join me and provide me with your ideas and suggestions, as well!

So stay tuned as I plan this Free Dining + return to the Disney Dream vacation!

Have a magical day!

Free Dining Offer for Fall 2014!!!

Good morning, everyone!  Today, the fall Free Dining promotion was released.  This is one of the MOST popular offers that Disney World offers and is a great way to save money on your trip!

Here are the details:

Offer valid for arrival dates between: 8/31/14 – 10/3/14, 10/26/14 – 11/1/14, 11/9/14 – 11/20/14 and 12/12/14 – 12/23/14. Certain resort restrictions apply; offer valid with at least 3 nights in a participating resort and a 2 day park ticket.

Resorts that are excluded from the offer are All-Star Movies, Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, Grand Floridian Villas, Fort Wilderness Campsites, Art of Animation Little Mermaid Rooms and all 3 bedroom villas.

The offer is available with bookings made my August 8th, 2014 - availability is limited!

Please get in touch with me at katie@mouseworldtravel.com for a quote ~ I'd love to help you plan your Fall trip to Walt Disney World, and help you save some money too!

Have a magical day!