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The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit came out today in paperback!

The Kindle and other editions should be out soon!

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MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 4: SATURDAY AGENDA

Today you will complete your visit to the Magic Kingdom, and then head home.

You should have FastPass+ for Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and a third ride of your choice.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Seven Night Itinerary, Saturday Arrival Variant. It does not work all weeks–use the comment form to check in on yours!)

FIRST THINGS

Be at the park by 45 minutes before open.

AT THE PARK

• Enter the turnstiles when the park opens, grab a map and Times Schedule, and head to Big Thunder Mountain. Ride it
• Check Splash Mountain waits. If they are low, get in the standby line and ride it, changing your FastPass+ for it to something you’d like to re-ride. If waits are high, keep your FastPass+ for Splash and instead head to Adventureland
• See the Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• See Pirates of the Caribbean (FP+)
• See Splash Mountain (FP+)
• Take the WDW Railroad back to Main Street
• Sadly return home

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MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 2: FRIDAY AGENDA

Today you will continue your visit to the Magic Kingdom. You’ll see Fantasyland and Liberty Square, and end the day at nearby Fort Wilderness for the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue dinner show.

You should have FastPass+ for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and the Haunted Mansion. Other fixed points in your schedule: you have lunch reservations at Cinderella’s Royal Table, the afternoon parade at 3p, and need to be leaving the park by 5.15p at the latest to catch the Fort Wilderness boat for your 6.15p Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue reservations.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Seven Night Itinerary, Sunday Arrival Variant. It does not work all weeks–use the comment form to check in on yours!)

FIRST THINGS

Be at the park by 45 minutes before open.

AT THE PARK

• Enter the turnstiles when the park opens, grab a map and Times Schedule, and head to Peter Pan. Ride it
• See it’s a small world, the Carrousel if you wish, Mickey’s Philharmagic,  and Winnie the Pooh while you are in the area
• If you missed the Tomorrowland Speedway or Astro Orbiters in Tomorrowland Wednesday, and they are important to you, see now before lines build
• See Dumbo
• See the Barnstormer if it looks like fun and lines aren’t too long
• See the Mad Tea Party
• Fit together Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, your FastPass+ for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Enchanted Tales with Belle, and your lunch at  Cinderella’s Royal Table
• See the 3p parade by grabbing a spot around 2.30 between the Castle and Liberty Square
• Fit the Hall of Presidents and Liberty Belle Riverboat around you FastPass+ for the Haunted Mansion.  If time is pressing, postpone the Hall or Liberty Belle until tomorrow
• Around 5p, then head for the main entrance and look for the boat docks right in front
• Take the boat to Fort Wilderness (not the Wilderness Lodge), and follow the crowds to the Hoop Dee Doo area, and check in for the 6.15p show.
• See Hoop-Dee-Doo!
• Ask outside for the best way to get back to your hotel.  Most likely you will return by boat to the Magic Kingdom, and catch a bus or monorail there.  But special buses may be running…

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you finish your visit to the Magic Kingdom!

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ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY 2: SECOND SUNDAY AGENDA

Today you spend the morning completing your visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and then depart for home. You have no scheduled meals.

You should have FastPass+ for Kilimanjaro Safaris, Festival of the Lion King, and a third ride of your choice. Your goal today is to see Africa–the first two FastPass+, Pangani Forest, and, if you have time, Rafiki’s Planet Watch.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Itinerary. The itinerary works only for certain weeks. See this to see if it works for your dates.)

MORNING

• Check out and note your instructions for Disney’s Magical Express if you are using it.  If you aren’t, for many domestic airlines you’ll be able to check bags and print boarding passes near the front desk.  This is a tip-based service.  You can also store your bags at the bell stand
• Arrive at Animal Kingdom by 45 minutes before open

AT THE PARK

• Enter the park, and if you loved it on your earlier visit, head to and re-ride Expedition Everest. Otherwise go to Africa and ride Kilimanjaro Safaris
• See the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, and while wandering, if you just saw Kilimanjaro, decide if you want to do Kilimanjaro again. If not, change your FastPass+ for it to something else from Thursday you’d like to see again
• Use your FastPass+ for Festival of the Lion King, Kilimanjaro, and/or anything else you have scheduled
• Rafiki’s Planet Watch is a minor adventure accessed by the Wildlife Express Train. If interested, and you have time (including the train allow 45 minutes), see it
• Sadly return home

The free dining offer is here, and the room rate deal here.

Disney Visa released a complex room rate deal for two periods, 8/16 to 8/28 at the values and moderates, and 8/29 through 10/3 at all resorts.  (Book through 8/8.)

As near as I can figure, here’s the savings it offers:

Value Resorts 8/16 through 10/3

• 15% off All-Star Movies (not available 8/16 to 8/28)
• 20% off: Family Suites at Art of Animation (10% 8/16 to 8/28)
• 20% off: All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and Pop Century (15% 8/16 to 8/28)
• Excluded: Little Mermaid Rooms at Art of Animation

Moderate Resorts 8/16 through 10/3

• 25% off: Coronado Springs, Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans Resort – Riverside and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness (20% 8/16 to 8/28)
• 20% off: Port Orleans French Quarter (not available 8/16 to 8/28)

Deluxe Resorts 8/29 through 10/3

• 20% off: Contemporary Resort, Beach Club Resort and Animal Kingdom Lodge savanna view
• 30% off: Animal Kingdom Lodge (other views) Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, BoardWalk Inn and Yacht Club

DVC Resorts 8/29 through 10/3

• 20% off: Beach Club Villas, Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge and Villas at the Wilderness Lodge
• 30% off: Saratoga Springs, Disney’s Old Key West BoardWalk Villas
• Excluded: Villas at the Grand Floridian, Bay Lake Tower

The percentage discounts are pretty low, so most families will do better with Free Dining. For a table of nightly free dining savings by family size and age, see this.

To figure your savings, look up the rates of your target room and dates here, and multiply by the relevant percentage.  That’s what you save per night with the room-only discount. Compare it to your free dining savings, and pick the bigger!

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