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DISNEY VISA DEAL LIKELY PREFIGURES GENERAL PUBLIC DEAL TO COME  SOON

A Disney World deal for Disney Visa cardholders for stays between June 16 and August 27 came out this morning.

Typically, a similar deal for the general public comes out shortly after the Visa deal is announced.

Speculation is that the general public deal for these dates at Disney World could be released as soon as early next week. However, Disney’s current deal is bookable until March 28, so it may be after that.

The deal has two levels of discounts, one for June 16-August 9, another for August 10-27.

Details as I have them are below. Thanks to Joe Black for the heads up on this!!

Deluxe Resorts

• 30% off: Animal Kingdom Lodge (Standard/Pool View), BoardWalk Inn, Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian, Polynesian Village, Wilderness Lodge, Yacht and Beach Club
• 20% off: Animal Kingdom Lodge (Savanna View/Club Level),

Disney Vacation Club Resorts

• 30% off: Boardwalk Villas, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs
• 20% off: Animal Kingdom Villas (Jambo and Kidani), Beach Club Villas, Villas at the Wilderness Lodge
• Excluded: Polynesian Villas and Bungalows, Bay Lake Tower, Villas at the Grand Floridian

Moderate Resorts

• 20% off (25% off 8/10 to 8/27): Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, Cabins at Ft. Wilderness
• Excluded: Port Orleans French Quarter

Value Resorts:

• 15% off (20% off 8/10 to 8/27): All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, Pop Century, Art of Animation Family Suites
• Excluded: All-Star Movies, Little Mermaid Rooms at Art of Animation

(Note—on the excluded resorts, go ahead and ask for a discount on these—sometimes a 5% off offer is available…)

Only holders of Disney Visa cards are eligible for this deal. Contact Kelly to book it at 980-429-4499 or kellyb@destinationsinflorida.com.

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Those of you who pay attention to the comments on this site or on my Facebook page will recognize the name of frequent commenter “Kelly B.”

Kelly is a travel agent with Destinations in Florida, and was hand-picked to specialize in helping readers of yourfirstvisit.net several years ago.

She can help at 980-429-4499 or kellyb@destinationsinflorida.com, or fill in the form below.

I asked Kelly to introduce herself—and here she is!

INTRODUCING KELLY B.

By Kelly B.

Hi I’m Kelly B, the official Destinations in Florida Travel Agent for yourfirstvisit.net.

Travel has always been a part of my life. Family vacations during my childhood created snapshots in my memory.

One of my first memories is being perched on my daddy’s shoulders to see the fireworks in the Magic Kingdom. It’s the moment my love for all things Disney began.

As an adult my travels take me all across North America. I’ve lived in 9 states and visited over 25 others.

But a permanent tag with “Destination: Walt Disney World” hangs from my luggage. No matter what, my heart always returns there. And now as a mother of 3, I’ve not only watched my children enjoy the magic of Disney from infants through their teenage years, but I’ve been able to continue to experience Disney and all of its magic.

It was a dream come true when I was asked to become an agent with Destinations In Florida. As a travel agent I’m able to combine my love of travel, my fondness of planning and organizing, and my heart towards helping others, all into one.

In addition to the knowledge I’ve gained from my own travel experiences, I continue to do specialized training in the travel field. I’m a graduate of the Disney College of Knowledge. I’ve also earned certification as a Universal Specialist, SeaWorld Parks Specialist, Orlando Travel Expert and Royal Caribbean Cruise University of WOW – Expert Level.

If you need help planning your next vacation please contact me at 980-429-4499 or kellyb@destinationsinflorida.com.

As your personal Disney World expert, when you book with me, I am able to provide you with our agency’s many valuable service including:

• Free Itinerary Planning (valued at $149)
• Free Mouse Perks – Tips, Updates, and Fun Freebies (valued at $299)
• Free Dining Services – Dining suggestions and reservation planning (valued at $69)
• Free Future Discount Search – Ongoing searching for future discount to apply to your vacation
• Give Kids The World – Our agency is proud to support one of Orlando’s local organizations called Give Kids the World. This organization is a 70 acre storybook village in Kissimmee where children with life-threatening illnesses are treated to a cost-free fantasy vacation. For every package booked with our agency, a donation goes to Give Kids the World. Thank you for helping support this wonderful organization.

And if you tell me “Dave sent you,” then for qualifying vacations I’ll even send you a free copy of The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit!

I look forward to helping you create the magical vacation of your dreams.

* * * * *

Thanks Kelly!

I get great feedback about Kelly, and she’s been such a help to many readers of this site. If you book your Disney World trip through her, you get her great help, plus the benefits noted above.

Much more important, Destinations in Florida then shares a bit of the commission they get from Disney World back with me, which I then use to take trips to keep the site updated!

So use Kelly for your next trip, and we’ll all be better off!

She’s at 980-429-4499 or kellyb@destinationsinflorida.com.

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: MARCH 21 TO MARCH 29, 2015

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic. For more on March 2015 at Walt Disney World, click here.

Note that typos happen, and schedules change! If something seems odd, or if you want to double check, use the calendar links near the bottom to get the latest official Disney World scoop.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 3/21/-3/29/2015

The Magic Kingdom will be open 8a-1a 3/21, 9a-12MN 3/22, 9a-11p 3/23 through 3/27, 8a-12MN 3/28 and 8a-1a 3/29

Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-9.30p 3/21 through 3/28, and 8a-9.30p 3/29

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 8a-8p 3/21; 9a-7p 3/22 and 3/23; 9a-8p 3/24 through 3/26; 9a-7p 3/27 and 3/28; and 8a-8p 3/29

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 3/21/-3/29/2015

Saturday 3/21 Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: Magic Kingdom

Sunday 3/22 Morning:  Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Monday 3/23 Morning: none  Evening: Hollywood Studios

Tuesday 3/24 Morning: Epcot Evening:  none

Wednesday 3/25 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening:  none

Thursday 3/26 Morning: Magic Kingdom  Evening: none

Friday 3/27 Morning: none Evening: Epcot

Saturday 3/28 Morning:  Hollywood Studios Evening: Magic Kingdom

Sunday 3/29  Morning: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 3/21/-3/29/2015

The Magic Kingdom:

• Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: noon and 3p 3/21; 3p 3/22 through 3/28; noon and 3p 3/29
• Evening Main Street Electrical Parade: 9 and 11p 3/21 through 3/28; 10.15p and 12.15a 3/29

FIREWORKS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 3/21/-3/29/2015

Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 1op 3/21 through 3/28; 9p 3/29

Illuminations at Epcot: 9p every night

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 8.30 and 10p every night

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 3/21/-3/29/2015

See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.

LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 3/21/-3/29/2015

See this for forecasts.

DISCLAIMER

Everything is subject to change and typos! Check the Disney Calendars for updates and official schedules. These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:

• Magic Kingdom Calendar
• Hollywood Studios Calendar
• Animal Kingdom Calendar
• Epcot Calendar

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Hey–the deal I was referring to here is out, see this.

Word is that we may learn more about an upcoming Disney World discount as soon as tomorrow.

Come back tomorrow  to see if the rumors are true!!

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On March 10, an updated version of The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit became available for sale.

Soon, we hope, older Kindle versions will be updated to the March 10 version via Amazon’s “Automatic Update” program.

SO WHAT’S THE EASY GUIDE?

For those new to The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit, here’s the recap:

Co-authored by me and Josh Humphrey of easyWDW.com (that’s us below), the 2014 edition of came out a little more than 9 months ago, and the 2015 edition came out about 4 months ago.

Between them, the two editions have had almost 140 reviews on Amazon—of which 131 (95%) gave five-star ratings. With an average rating of 4.91, The easy Guide is the best-reviewed Disney World guidebook in history.

The easy Guide is short, has a big type size, and emphasizes very specific advice for those on their first—especially those on perhaps their only—visit to Walt Disney World.

But with its expert advice on how to use and optimize FastPass+, when to go, where to stay, what to do, and where to eat, it’s also tremendously helpful to returning visitors.

Anna and Elsa like it too…

The easy Guide is available in both paperback and Kindle editions.

Those who buy the paperback get the Kindle edition for free through Amazon’s “Matchbook” program.

This is important, as when we update the book, if Amazon decides the update is significant enough, it will also update the Kindle versions already downloaded. As a result, The easy Guide is the most up-to-date Disney World guidebook available.

KEY CHANGES TO THE 2015 EASY GUIDE

Our publisher Theme Park Press just updated The easy Guide with more than 20 pages of changes and updates from me and Josh.

Anyone who buys it for the first time will get the updated version—the most up-to-date Disney World guidebook available; those with an older Kindle version of the 2015 edition will have it updated if and when Amazon decides to issue an “Automatic Update.”

Here’s examples of some of what’s different:

• Multiple changes, especially in Chapter 4 (When to Go), to reflect recently released details for the 2015 offerings and dates of Star War Weekends, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
• Multiple changes to Chapter 5 (Where to Stay) including a better sense of when the Polynesian Village main pool might be re-opening and more details on its new DVC offerings, and updates on five-person spaces at Caribbean Beach and in the Studios at the Beach Club and BoardWalk Villas.
• Multiple updates to Chapter 6 (How to Spend Your Time), including new FastPass+ locations for Wishes and the parades in the Magic Kingdom (and resulting changes in FastPass+ priorities), changes in FastPass+ kiosk locations, and other updates.
• Multiple changes to Chapter 7 (Where to Eat), including the shift of Be Our Guest quick-service lunch from FastPass+ to advance reservations (a first for a quick/counter service offering), new pricing at Victoria and Albert’s, and the opening of Trattoria al Forno (which Josh and I have each reviewed—Josh here, me here).
• Multiple changes, especially in Chapter 8 (Which Tickets to Buy and What to Budget), to reflect the new Disney World ticket prices released in late February 2015.

Curious about The easy Guide? Learn more here, or buy it on Amazon here.

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OVERVIEW: OCTOBER 2015 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews October 2015 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, and operating hours; adds a few other notes; and ends with week by week summaries.

Later October has some of the best times of the year to visit Disney World, with nice weather, low crowds, low prices, and fun special events.

The first half of the month is OK, but not so good, as the first week is still in the peak of the hurricane season, and the second week sees extra crowds and higher prices from Columbus Day.

OCTOBER 2015 CROWDS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

October is one of the least crowded months at Walt Disney World–though it gets more crowded every year with kids on fall breaks, especially the week of Columbus Day.

On a crowd scale of 1-11, the week beginning 9/26 has a crowd rating of 4/low-plus, the week beginning 10/3 5/moderate-minus, the week beginning 10/10 6/moderate, the week beginning 10/17 3/low and the week beginning 10/24 3/low.

However, because of the Halloween Party and the Food and Wine Festival, you can face higher much waits if you go to the parks on the wrong days.  See this for how to avoid these crowds.

See this for more on 2015 crowds at Disney World.

OCTOBER 2015 PRICES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

October 2015 prices begin 10% higher than the lowest of the year at the values, 8% higher at the moderates, and 12% higher at the deluxes.

Other than a bump over Columbus Day weekend, value and moderate prices stay this level all month. Deluxe prices see the same Columbus Day weekend bump, then drop a bit on 10/18 to 10% higher than the lowest of the year.

See this for more on 2015 resort hotel prices at Walt Disney World.

OCTOBER 2015 DEALS AND DISCOUNTS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

Deals are available for October 2015. Details are here.

OCTOBER 2015 WEATHER AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

Early October sees the end of the peak of the hurricane season. The second half of the month sees weather  about as good as Orlando gets.

Click the image, or go to Weather and When to Go to Disney World, for more on temperatures.

OCTOBER 2015 SPECIAL EVENTS

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party continues on selected dates throughout October.

The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival continues through the month.

OCTOBER 2015 OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

Park operating hours vary by the day, and sometimes change without notice. It is rare for hours to be shorter than Disney has publicized, but Disney may lengthen them in response to unanticipated crowds.

The best way to keep up with operating hours is to check Disney’s official calendars, usually available six months in advance.

These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:

• Magic Kingdom Calendar
• Hollywood Studios Calendar
• Animal Kingdom Calendar
• Epcot Calendar

WEEK BY WEEK COMMENTS FOR OCTOBER 2015 AT WALT DISNEY WORLD BY ARRIVAL DATE

The week rankings that follow below are from 2015 weeks to visit, ranked in order, and are designed for first-time visitors who do not know whether or not they will return.

Click the image for a calendar view of 2015 weeks (when open, keep clicking to enlarge.)

• 9/26/2015 Low prices at values, moderate prices at deluxes and moderates. Low-plus crowds. Crowd ranking=4. Week ranking=25. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary
• 10/3/2015  Low prices at values, moderate prices at deluxes and moderates.   Moderate-minus crowds. Crowd ranking=5. Week ranking=26.  Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary, but swap First Sunday and Wednesday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List
• 10/10/2015  Moderate prices.  Moderate crowds. Crowd ranking=6. Week ranking=17. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary, but swap First Sunday and Wednesday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List
• 10/17/2015  Low prices in values and deluxes, moderate prices in moderates.  Low  crowds. Crowd ranking=3. Week ranking=5. Recommended week. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary,but swap First Sunday and Wednesday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List
• 10/24/2015  Low prices in values and deluxes, moderate prices in moderates.  Low crowds. Crowd ranking=3. Recommended week. Week ranking=6. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary, but swap a. First Sunday and Wednesday, and b. Friday and Second Saturday, in both the itinerary and its To-Do List

MORE ON WHEN TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

• For when to go to Walt Disney World, see this
• For the best and worst times to visit, see this
  • For 2015 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
  • For the 2015 Week Picker, see this
  • For 2016 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
• For forecasting crowds at Walt Disney World, see this
  • For the 2015 Crowd Calendar, click here
  • For the 2016 Crowd Calendar, click here
• For seasonal pricing at Walt Disney World, see this
  • For 2015 price seasons, see this
  • For projected 2016 price seasons, see this
• For weather at Walt Disney World, see this

Want a second opinion?  Then check out my book lol.

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