Category — w. Most Recent Stuff
Details Sketchy, but Disney Military Salute Extended Well into 2012
DISNEY ARMED FORCES SALUTE EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 2012
Update May 24: key details for this Disney military deal are now out!! Click here for more.
Steve at MilitaryDisneyTips.com is reporting here that Disney has extended its Disney Military Salute until September 2012.
As of now, details are sketchy, Disney’s web page has not been updated to show the new dates, and Disney reservationists cannot book beyond the current deal’s expiration.
As specifics emerge and the reservation system gets updated, I’ll post more about this.
LINKS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
- Military Families at Walt Disney World
- Deals and Discounts
- Shades of Green
- Other Resources for Military Families
April 19, 2011 No Comments
Review: The Complete Walt Disney World 2011, Continued
This is the second page of this review; for the first page, click here.
NOT FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS
First, I recommend that first time visitors don’t get guidebooks.
While I do have some on my recommended books page, I advise against buying them, for the simple reason that a lot of the fun of the first time visit to Walt Disney World cones from the surprises of the rides themselves. The wonder of “What Happens Next?” and subsequent surprise and gratified high expectations are a key part of a first visit.
There can only be one first time, and it is at its best when accompanied by wonder and curiosity, not “I know what will happen to me on this ride.”
The problem with guidebooks is that it’s hard to not read their material on the attractions before visiting. The wonderful Mike Neal and Disney photos of The Complete Walt Disney World 2011 make it doubly hard to skip this material; they are simply too darn seductive.
But this, like the issues with uneven detail and filler, is a nit. The real problem with The Complete Walt Disney World 2011 is its inaccuracies.
Just a few examples: [Read more →]
April 19, 2011 No Comments
Review: The Complete Walt Disney World 2011
OVERVIEW: THE COMPLETE WALT DISNEY WORLD 2011
I still remember my shock when I opened the first (2007) printing of this series.
Such gorgeous photos, and so many of them! So many details and so much trivia! And such a nice typeface and design—albeit with a remarkably tiny font (though a size not uncommon in travel guides).
All other Disney World guidebooks—including my favorite, The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2011
–immediately looked 20 years out of date after Julie and Mike Neal published theirs (Julie is the writer, Mike the photographer).
Their latest update, The Complete Walt Disney World 2011,
came out in late March 2011.
It shares the strengths of the previously published installments of the series—gorgeous photos, nice design, and tremendous details. It also shares their weaknesses: uneven material, and just too many inaccuracies.
For first time family visitors to Walt Disney World, I don’t recommend it. For repeat visitors, it’s a near-essential part of a Disney library.
April 18, 2011 No Comments
More on How Old and Tall Your Kids Should be for Disney World
MORE ON HOW OLD AND TALL YOUR KIDS SHOULD BE FOR THEIR FIRST VISIT TO AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
This page brings together to one place key links to help decide whether your kids are old and tall enough for Disney World on this site.
Kids of any age can have fun at Walt Disney World; age and height are important if this trip is not only your first one, but also potentially your only one.
It’s part of a series on navigating this site.
LINKS FOR HOW OLD AND TALL YOUR KIDS SHOULD BE FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD
How Old/Tall Your Children Should Be
What if They’re Too Short/Young?
Taking Your Too Short/Young Kids Anyway,&*#$@!!
April 17, 2011 2 Comments
Update on the 2011 Disney Military Salute
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MILITARY FAMILY SAVINGS
My friend Steve at militarydisneytips.com tracks and posts on all kinds of stuff useful to military families considering a Disney trip.
He’s recently posted an update on the 2011 Disney Military Salute and other 2011 Disney Armed Forces discounts.
Helpfully, Steve includes his answers to the questions he’s most frequently asked about these programs.
You can find his post here.
Update–Steve’s post is part of a series recapping discount oportunities for military families all over central Florida–more on Sea World and Busch Gardens is here.
LINKS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
- Military Families at Walt Disney World
- Deals and Discounts
- Shades of Green
- Other Resources for Military Families
April 13, 2011 No Comments
Review: Deluxe Rooms at the Wilderness Lodge, p3
This is the third page of this review. For the first page, click here. For the second page, click here.
TO WHOM ARE THE DELUXE ROOMS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE MOST SUITED?
These expensive, spacious, but somewhat awkwardly laid-out rooms are best suited to three types of families:
- Larger families of 6 committed to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and who would have stayed in club rooms anyway will find the Deluxe Rooms a bargain.
- Families of 6 looking for deluxe lodging will find these rooms their most cost effective option. Almost all other deluxe options that hold 6 (and don’t rely on getting connecting rooms, which Disney will not guarantee) are designed—and priced—to a capacity of 8 or 9.
- Families of 4 who are simply looking for a more comfortable Wilderness Lodge option than a standard club room will find these rooms OK if concierge level service is what they really want, though personally I think such families would have even more comfort in a one-bedroom villa, or even a two-bedroom, at the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
DELUXE ROOMS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE FOR LARGER FAMILIES
This site ranks the Wilderness Lodge as the second-best of the deluxe resorts for first time family visitors, bested only by the Polynesian.
The Wilderness Lodge comes in so high because of its spectacular kid appeal. Among its negatives are small, low-capacity (four person) rooms.
Club rooms at the Wilderness Lodge are also hold 4 in small rooms.
Families of 5 to 6 who are committed to both the Wilderness Lodge and club level rooms will find Deluxe Rooms a bargain.
They hold 6 in 50% more square feet, but at only about 33% more expense.
Taking two club rooms instead would increase your square footage, sleeping flexibility, and number of baths–though at a higher price. However, Disney won’t guarantee that two such rooms will be nearby, adjacent, or connecting.
Families of 5 who are not committed to the Wilderness Lodge, and don’t care about club service, should rent a standard room in Disney’s Polynesian Resort.
Standard rooms at the Polynesian, this site’s highest ranked deluxe resort, hold five in two queens and a daybed, and are between 75 and 150 square feet larger than Wilderness Lodge standard rooms.
The larger of the two Polynesian resort standard room floor plans is only 25 square feet smaller than a Wilderness Lodge Deluxe Room, but costs $180 a night less.
Families of six who are looking for a reasonably priced option at a high-ranking deluxe resort should pick Wilderness Lodge Deluxe Rooms.
Almost all of the other deluxe options that sleep 6 are designed and priced for families of 8 or 9.
For more on large families at Walt Disney World, see this.
DELUXE ROOMS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE FOR FAMILIES SEEKING MORE COMFORTABLE ROOMS
The Deluxe Rooms also present a more spacious and comfortable option for families of four than standard Wilderness Lodge rooms.
This makes them a good choice for such families who are also committed to club-level service.
Personally, I find one bedroom villas at the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge more comfortable–and two bedroom villas are positively luxurious for a family of 4, or even 6.
One bedroom villas have almost 50% more floor space than Deluxe Rooms, a full kitchen, but cost $100 a night less.
Their layout–with a king in one room, and a fold-out couch in the second–works better for most families as well.
Moreover, their baths and master bedroom are equipped and decorated to a higher standard than that of the Deluxe Rooms.
Two bedroom villas are distinctly luxurious for small families.
They add a second sleeping bedroom with two queens or a queen and a fold-out couch, and another bathroom.
They contain more than twice the square footage of a deluxe room, but cost only 30% more.
You can’t get concierge service in either of these villa types, but to me the increase in space more than makes up for this lack.
For more on the trade-offs between club rooms and villas, see The Most Comfortable Place to Stay at Walt Disney World.
MORE ON WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD
- For where to stay, see this
- For your next best choices, in order, see this
- For picking your resort based on appeal to kids, see this
- For picking your resort based on convenience, see this
- For where not to stay, see this
blank
- For what you get in each resort price category, see this
- For Walt Disney World resort price seasons, see this
- For resort reviews, see this
- For the value resorts, see this
- For the moderate resorts, see this
- For the deluxe resorts, see this
- For suites at the deluxe resorts, see this
- For the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Resorts, see this
blank
- For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this
blank
blank
- Military/DOD families should look at this
blank
blank
- Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this
April 12, 2011 2 Comments
