WHAT TO BE SURE TO SEE THIS YEAR

New Pirates - It kept the old flavor, but added a Depp!

Soarin' - Get there when there are shorter lines and it is well worth the experience. Try to get first car - it goes up the highest.

Test Track - No changes, but still the fastest ride in the park.

Lights - Motion - Action - There are no bad seats. If they are not issuing fast passes, you can get there late and still get in. To avoid the rush out at the end, sit toward the far right side and at the end of the row. You can anticipate the end, get up to go, and catch the finish by the bottom fence on the way out. And you will not get caught up in the massive exit.

All the fireworks, and related light shows (also the parades)

The Not So Scary Halloween Nights are really fun!

Try one of the water parks, even for a half a day. Nice way to relax, or you can enjoy the water park rides.

Character breakfasts are always fun - more so if young kids are along - and the Castle Princess lunch is really cute.

Of course, there are all the coasters! (Should mention that bringing water with you is wise - my daughter got stuck on the top of Everest in the heat - it takes about 45 minutes to get back to earth after a walk down the inner stairwells - about 170 feet of them).

I still like the "old faithful" Carousel of Progress, the silly "Bears," and the Jungle Cruise (only at night and hopefully with a funny host).

La Nouba was also well worth the money.

Again, I like everything at WDW, but those previously listed are among our (my) favorites.

WANT TO AVOID DELAYS USING THE DISNEY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM? CONSIDER USING A "CAR."

As much as we love Disney, and as hard as Disney tries to move people from location to location on their grounds, it is a difficult task. But, there are some ways for those using the transportation options to get from place to place somewhat quicker - a lot quicker in some instances.

Walking sometimes is faster than using boats at Epcot (actually unless you need the rest - the boats are a "slow way to China" or any stopping point. Taking small boats from the Polynesian or the Grand Floridian is sometimes faster than the monorail (depending on the time of day). Eating at Epcot in one of the countries, and need to return to your resort? It might be best to go to the Beach Club bus stop to catch transportation to your hotel rather than walking all the way through Epcot to catch a bus by the monorail entrance (and it would be less crowded).

Staying off the grounds, but you would like to park for free and still get into Disney attractions. Drive to Downtown Disney, park for free, and use the Disney buses to connect you to the parks. There no longer seems to be any restrictions against this and you do not have to show any ID that you are staying at a resort on the property. Years ago this was not possible, but I see no postings anywhere that this cannot be done legally. These are just a few ideas.

If you stay at any resort and drive to Disney - your car is a definite plus. For those, flying in or taking the train, renting a car for your stay may not be a bad option if you like to get around quickly. This is espcially true if you are going from one resort hotel to another, or even from resorts to specific parks (attractions). It is also beneficial to have a car, if you wish to go to Celebration, visit another area attraction, or go to the store (it is a lot cheaper to buy water, soda, etc. at local stores and have it in your room - or take drinks into the parks/to the pools - than purchasing the same items on the grounds). And some resorts have refrigerators available to keep your drinks cold for you ($2.50 for a bottle of soda from a hotel vending machine - or about $2.50 for a 6-pack of the same soda from a grocery store). Even getting from the train station, or airport, is likely faster by your own car (and the cost for the car for a week might be well worth it if you are paying for limosines or taxis). It is also quicker than the currently free Disney transportation from the airport.

We have gone to WDW without a car and stayed at the Polynesian (where we tend to chose most of the time). Taking the train was fine, but as I mentioned previously, renting a car was a option I unfortunately overlooked. Not only did I encounter the problems previously stated, but having to solely use the WDW transporation system of buses, monorails, or boats wasn't that much fun at times. You must remember that you cannot take transportation between hotels. Consequently, just to have dinner at Artist Point - a 5 minute drive by car - you have to do one of the following: take a boat to Magic Kingdom from the resort and then a second boat to the Wilderness Lodge (not to mention stops that occur along the way there and back), go to the Ticket and Tranportation Center (walking is the fastest option) and catch a bus, or use the Monorail to MK and catch a boat. If you time it right, it will still take at least a half hour (or up to an hour or more) - not to mention the possibility of dealing with a late day downpour. Coming back is the same. Therefore, a 10 minute round trip by car (and you can valet park if you wish), can take from 1 to 3 hours by WDW transporation.

The same goes between most parks from the Poly. We always drive the 10 minutes (max) to MGM, Animal Kingdom, the water parks, Downtown Disney and the Boardwalk. However, we take the transportation system from the hotel to Magic Kingdom and Epcot. For those staying a resort properties further away, or staying off the grounds, the transportation is one of the issues that creates frustration. And we would rather smile, use our car, and save valuable time!

Unfortunately, there really isn't much option for Disney. The system runs often (buses every 20 minutes), but there are stops - you have to wait at each stop - and it just takes time espcially if you have to use two buses, or any two means of transporaton back to back.

With the rental car prices in Florida, it is definitely the way to go! Of course, I'm sure this would start to be a problem if every visitor did this, but that will never happen - most will simply continue to use the system that is in place (and unfortunately for some this will create them to less than delighted with the overall Disney experience).

Anyhow, if you need to know further details about using a car at WDW, let us know - we are here to help!

CELEBRATION, FLORIDA - YOU HAVE TO VISIT THIS TOWN WHEN YOU ARE IN WDW.

For those of you who have never visited Celebration (the "Disney Town")

http://www.celebration.fl.us/ , you should do so on your next visit. You might even decide to purchase a home or condo there. It seems to be a great place to live.

We had considered buying a condo there a year ago, but were in the process of renovating our own home and changed our plans for now.

The design of the town, the homes, and the atmosphere is just fabulous. I will not give you to many details, but why not check it out online. There is a Celebration website. It is not as good as being there, however it will give you some idea about what you are missing.

OFF SEASON MEANS SMALLER CROWDS IN THE PARKS

Surprise - surprise! There really are smaller lines in the parks during September - after labor day!

This was the first time we spent two weeks at WDW after Labor Day. We drove down and arrived on Thursday after the holiday and stayed for two full weeks - our youngest daughter flew down with a friend an joined us on the Saturday after we arrived and left on the following Sunday.

We have been to WDW in the busy seasons usually, including the hot days of summer, and crowds were always high. Planning was particularly important then in order to avoid long waits in the summer heat. It was even hot when we went down a year ago in May. When at WDW during peak times, getting to the parks early, leaving to go to the pools at midday, and returning at night (or during extended hours for WDW hotel guests only) is pretty much the way to go without "getting frustrated and overheated."

However, these were the smallest crowds (if you could even refer the number of people in the parks using that terminology), I have witnessed in my many trips. We did hit a hot spell for some of the trip, but it was more bearable than August. There were many days when we first got there and before we left that were fairly delightful for northerners visiting Florida.

Though the hours the parks were open had decreased from the peak seasons, getting into many attractions in a short period of time was not a problem. No lines, 5 minute waits, and being able to ride Big Thunder Mountain over and over without having to get off, was something I really enjoyed. It also allowed for more time at the pool and at Typhoon Lagoon - relaxing was a pleasure when you are at WDW. There is just so much to see and do, it is easy to get carried away and forget to smell the roses. Speaking of smelling flowers - try going to WDW during the spring when the flower festival is on to see the extra plantings and topiaries on the grounds.

But, the off season doesn't last long so if you want to take advantage of when these times occur, check the guides or reference books to get the dates. Also, I should mention that the smallest crowds are during the week, and start to increase on weekends even during non-peak weeks (I guess that is fairly obvious - but I thought it worth mentioning).

So, for those of you who hate lines, and don't mind the parks closing earlier - going to WDW in September can be the perfect time for you. Did I mention that a free dining package was included with our trip? We also used AAA and saved some extra $$.

One more note before ending this post - there are still nights where the parks are open later, and there are still extended hours in the morning and evening for onsite guests.

See you soon with more strategies on visiting the Kingdom.

FIRST VISIT? PLANNING IS IMPORTANT!

No matter where one travels, the only real way to enjoy a trip - is to plan, plan and plan some more. Fortunately, when going to visit Disney World you have a great advantage. Not only can you get some tips from this blog, but there are oodles of materials out there to assist you. The trick is to not just buy one book, visit one site, talk to a single individual who has already been there, or even contact one and only one travel agent.

Everyone has their own opinions and it is your wisdom that will decide how to pick and chose the best advice. That, of course, is definitely not always easy. But, the best place to likely start is reading books on WDW. There are plenty out there. There are official guides, and unofficial books, all having words of wisdom on how to plan your trip. I am not here to promote and particular book, and you really do not actually have to purchase these to profit from their content. It is a pleasure these days that many book stores have coffee bars, or comfy seats, where one can finger through the various publications t0 obtain information, and take notes. Of course, it would be a good idea to eventually obtain one or more of the publications that you feel best meet your needs - it is always a good idea to have one of these books with you to look over at home during your leisure hours. And most of all it is extremely important to get this information well in advance of your trip.

Now to some, well in advance when planning a normal vacation, might mean a few weeks, a month, or maybe even a couple months. If that is all the advance time you have - there is nothing much you can do. However, just so you "really understand," return visitors often book their hotels up to a year before the trip (not that this is really needed anymore with all the hotel options available), but the earlier the better. Also, even dinner reseravations at the most sought after restaurants, specialty meals with characters, specific meal times, and even special events, have schedules for when one can start booking. These may be 90 days to 6 months prior to taking the trip. So, just a word of warning, if you really want to reserve a particular day and time for a meal or event - do so as close to the time reservations are initially being accepted.

Be aware that you can change dates and times later on - so rescheduling is feasible - but at least you will be assured that you will have booked special meals and activities and not miss by not having reserved these in advance.

Now that I have probably scared many first timers, I want to apologize. I likely made this process seem more complicated that it truly is and I will explain this in later posts. But, the one factor, and likely the most important factor, that keeps people from enjoying Disney World is lack of planning. Disney World is a huge resort, lots of hotels - on and off the property, tons of people, busy seasons, slow seasons, hot weather, cool times of the year, rainy times and dry months, long lines and no lines, popular times to visit attractions, and times you can ride a coaster over and over without a wait. Knowing the tricks is everything, being in a hot park on a 100 degree day and having an hour wait for a 2 minute ride can be unbearable (and for the most part totally unnecessary).

Hopefully, you are still with me, and haven't decided to go to Niagra Falls instead - you would be sorry (not that I don't like the falls - but Disney is a whole lot more "fun").

Well, if you still reading this paragraph, you will be advised to go the the Disney website and just look around - things change so quickly that books are never up to date with every change in the resort area. Check out the parks, the hotels, the attractions, the "PRICES," and make a list of what interest you the most. Not that this won't change once you get there, but you will at least have a starting point. (And be aware that once you visit - you will always be planning your next trip with "what you have learned from this first experience.")

Having gotten this far, you have some idea what WDW has to offer, how much it may cost, and how long you may wish (or have time) to stay. A lot depends on if you travel as a family with children and how old they are, you are adults (and being adults without kids does have its advantages - did I mention that my favorite restaurants are at WDW?), or you are single (or on a business trip - plenty of night life after those long days in the parks or at the pool). WDW truly has something (actually many things) for "kids of all ages."

It becomes time to decide when to go (time of the year), how long to stay, where to stay, when to book the trip, how to book the trip, and find out who is going to baby sit your dog or cat while you are away (there are kennels on the property if you really have to bring Fido along).

As we keep blogging along, some words of wisdom will be offer on saving prices during off season, booking in advance to save some bucks, finding deals, traveling from your home to WDW, and so on.

For those who have already been to WDW, there will be blogs for you also regarding anything and everything from the upgrades to Pirates, the fun of getting stranded on Everest, and how to avoid getting chased by "wild boar" while visiting Celebration (the Disney Town). At least, those big, black grunting objects that were charing at us through the woods looked like wild boar (or small black bears). It was kind of hard to actually tell when my wife and I were running in the opposite direction. I must say every time we visit WDW, something new is waiting for us. Remind me to tell you the alligator story in a future blog - just in case I forget.

Have fun - and start planning for the future today.

ENJOYING WALT DISNEY WORLD

Having gone to Disney World with the family for the last few decades, it is sometimes unimaginable that there are those who have never visited this "happiest place on earth." But, I must admit, I was a doubted at first! Once upon a time, long ago, we were visiting our friends who had just returned from WDW, and I was apprehensive at best about going over to their home and listen to hours of stories, and look at photos, of a vacation destination I thought was a "silly site for young children" to spend a week of their time - not to mention having to be the parents that were going to be bored for seven days in a "fantasy land" of boredom. Looking back on that day and the days to follow until our first trip, I am astonished how wrong one person could possibly be - how I could have thought the created of the MMG (Mickey Mouse Gang) could ever design a destination I wouldn't thoroughly enjoy.

However, even after we heard the rave reviews that evening with our kids in toe, I still wasn't a true believer. I guess I just hadn't discovered the joy of running around "the lands of Disney" with little black ears sticking above those of my own. What a fool I was then, but I have been converted now, and will always be a believer in the world of the Mouse.

This blog is meant to help others become believers through our adventures in WDW, and make as many converts as possible so the joy of being in the "World" can be truly enjoyed.

I will admit though, that like all places on earth, there are drawbacks that may frustrate some, annoy others, and keep a few from really experiencing the fun that can be attained. That is the reason this blog will concentrate on mine, and my families, Disney World adventures.

There can be hot days, long lines, high costs, and other less than pleasureable features - but these can be avoided to the most part by the experienced Disney World visitors. The trick is to gain as much knowledge before you take your trip, and therefore, enhance the experience to the max!

Each visit, every year, things change.

We will constantly update this blog so you will find much more joy at WDW - without having any experiences that would be detrimental to you from having the best week (or two - or three) of each and every year.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL FUTURE POSTS WILL BE SHORT AND TO THE POINT - COVERING ONE ASPECT OF "HOW TO ENJOY WDW."

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS BLOG TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW! FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US WITH QUESTIONS YOU HAVE - WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD OTHERS' VIEWPOINTS AND SUGGESTIONS TO THE SITE. AND MOST OF ALL "THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!"