No More FastPasses!! Welcome to Disney Genie and Disney Genie+.

Disney announced this week the the FastPass system as we know it has been retired. If you’re like me, this is part exciting and part terrifying!

While I love the idea of not having to stress about getting those 3 FastPasses, I also really enjoyed knowing that I had 3 of my favorite attractions locked in.

So what’s Disney Genie and Disney Genie+ and how will it work?

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I attended a webinar this morning that gave Disney Travel Agents an overview of the new product.

First, the Disney Genie service is a FREE service. What will it do for you?

  • It will give you an personalized itinerary based on preferences that you select

  • You will be able to see forecasted wait times for attractions

  • You will be able to Mobile Order from Quick Service locations

  • You can check restaurant wait lists and check-in for your Advanced Dining Reservations

  • You can enter the Virtual Queue on attractions using those (no list of those yet)

The next option is the Genie+ option which is a PAID service. The cost is $15 per person per day at Disney World and $20 per person per day at Disneyland. What are the features?

  • You can choose the next available time to enter an attraction using the Lightning Lane. This is done one at a time throughout the day. (If you are familiar with MaxPass at Disneyland, this is very similar).

  • You get fun PhotoPass Lenses (like snapchat filters) at Disney World and PhotoPass downloads at Disneyland. (To download your Disney World PhotoPass photos, you will still need to purchase Memory Maker!).

  • You will also have access to Audio Experiences as you approach different areas of the park. I love the idea of this to learn more nerdy Disney trivia, but if you’re like me, your phone is usually on silent mode so I won’t even notice it. However, I don’t love the idea of hearing everyone’s non-silent phones near me spouting random information all of the time so we’ll see how this works!

Whether you are using Disney Genie or Disney Genie+, you’ll have the option to purchase up to 2 attractions per person per day using the Lightning Lane. No attractions were listed, but I got the impression these were attractions like Rise of the Resistance that currently use Virtual Queues. I also wonder if these attractions will be available at all if you don’t purchase them?

So how do you purchase these and how do you make selections?

Genie+ can be purchased ahead of time for those with tickets in a package or those with date-based tickets. Or you have the option to purchase a day at a time each day starting at midnight. At 7am, guests staying on-site at a Disney resort will be able to purchase the 2 Individual Attraction Lightning Lane options if desired. Off-site guests will be able to do this at the posted park opening time.

As of this posting, no date has been given on when we can add the Genie+ option to currently booked packages but I will let you know!

If you have pre-purchased Genie+, you can make your first Lightning Lane selection (not the 2 individual paid selections) starting at 7am on the day of your visit. I really wish they would give the 2 Individual Attraction purchases a separate name as this is going to confuse a lot of people!

A few important things that I still have questions about that were not answered today:

  • No date has been announced as to when this will start. “Fall” is the only timeline given. I will of course keep in the loop and be communicating with my guests that are traveling this fall and beyond, and let you know if this will be available for your trip.

  • The Individual Attractions available for the “pay-per-lightning-lane-use” have not been announced. No price has been given for that option either. I also wonder if there are any attractions that will be unavailable to those not willing to pay to ride?

  • Not all attractions will have Lightning Lane entrances - we weren’t given a list of the ones that will remain Standby queue only.

  • They did mention there is a limit to the number of Individual Attraction purchases, but no mention of if there’s a limit on how many guests can purchase Genie+ in a given day?

Whew - it’s a lot!! I know you have questions so please ask and I’ll try my best to answer. I have a feeling once I can go and use the system, it will make a lot more sense. Guess I’ll just have to head down again once they bring it online!! Who’s with me???

Give me a call and let’s get your trip booked and give you a WHOLE LOT OF HAPPINESS to look forward to!!

Yes, I took my kids to Disney World during a Pandemic… here's why I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

Last year I went to Disney World alone to be there for opening day for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios.  Although I had an amazing time, it was truly a work trip as I wanted to be able to give first-hand knowledge to my clients.  As you can imagine, it ruffled my kids’ feathers as they were disappointed to not go.  They understood why (I was able to go VERY cheaply and without a guarantee of us getting the new land, I didn’t want to risk the money to take them), and I promised them I would take them back the next year.

Who knew that 2020 would be the year of canceled dreams.

But when Disney opened back up, I knew I still wanted to take them.  To be quite honest, I haven’t been overly worried about us getting the virus.  We are all healthy with no reason to be terrified.  We take the normal precautions of hand-washing and avoiding others the best we can and I knew from past experiences with Disney that they take cleanliness seriously.

I have a ridiculously short time to spend with my boys before they head off to college and their lives without me.  A week with them away from all of the daily grind was something I was not willing to give up.  I didn’t want to look back 10 years from now and realize I missed out on something priceless due to fear.  

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So off we went!

Disclaimer...  it was just Andrew and Luke that came with me.  Don and Ryan aren’t huge Disney fans (where did I go wrong) and had decided the year before that we should go without them.  I think after hearing our stories of the week they really regretted that decision! 

From the moment we got to the airport, we wore our masks THE ENTIRE TIME.  Masks were on in the airport, on the plane, on the Magical Express, in the parks, on the attractions…  The only time we were allowed to take them off was when we were in our hotel room, in the pool or stationary and actively eating/drinking.  I really thought this would be worse than it was.  I hadn’t worn a mask a ton as I work from home and don’t have a lot of commitments outside of home.  And it was August in Florida so you know it was HOT and HUMID.  But it wasn’t too bad.  When we really needed a break we just were forced to get a snack (translation: Dole Whip) and sit in the shade.  That’s what we would normally do on a trip so nothing new there! 

Wearing the mask did frustrate me when it came time for pictures.  I love PhotoPass photos and I hate that you can’t see me smiling from ear to ear at my Happy Place, but I know underneath that mask is my dopey smile.  I just wish there was at least one “mask off” photo they could do since at that moment we weren’t within 10 feet of anyone including the photographer.

Speaking of having no one around…  like I said, I’m not overly worried about getting sick.  At the grocery store, if someone gets within my 6 foot bubble, I don’t think much about it.  I try to stay out of other people’s bubbles but know I’ve accidentally walked up on someone.  But at Disney World, there were so few people that I truly never noticed anyone close to us!  Every single line for every attraction had markings for social distancing.  Every attraction seated people in a way that they weren’t close to each other.  Sadly, this meant no stretching room in the Haunted Mansion and no pre-shows on other attractions. If I were a first time guest, I might not even notice the difference.  I hate that some people miss out on those experiences but having such small crowds definitely made up for it. In lines where social distancing is difficult, Disney has added barriers between areas where guests might get a little too close.  

Waits were short or non-existent.  Park hours were short and park hopping isn’t allowed, but we did every attraction we wanted to do multiple times.  Other than the After Hours party I did once, I don’t think I’ve ever ridden so may rides in such a short time.  

I missed the Character Meet and Greets but Luke and Andrew were relieved to not have to do that part.  Apparently I’m really weird for being over 4 years old and still wanting to do that.  I did enjoy the new way they have of sending the characters out for quick glimpses but am still sad that the only time I saw Mickey was for 5 seconds as we were leaving and it was only the back of his head!

As far as cleanliness, I think we used over a gallon of hand sanitizer each.  It was at the entrance and exit of every ride, shop, restaurant and randomly throughout the park.  There were also hand washing stations. The longest lines we waited in were due to the fact that Disney would shut down the ride periodically to clean the vehicles.  You could also see Cast Members throughout the parks and throughout the day wiping down high-touch surfaces.  Honestly we would have had to actively try to catch the virus if we wanted it and I doubt we would have been successful.  

Ironically, we sit in quarantine right now due to Ryan testing positive for covid.  So the three of us were able to travel to Florida, have a week in the parks and travel home with no issues.  Ryan most likely contracted it from a friend at school. 

Imagine if I had canceled our trip and missed out on memories that I will never forget to avoid a virus that ended up in our house anyway.  Time is SO short.  I will never regret taking this trip with 2 of my favorite people in the world and I am so thankful for this time as I know how fast it flies. (Excuse me while I go cry over my boys growing up for the 100th time this week).

Obviously now is not the time to travel if you are at-risk or would worry the entire trip.  But if you feel comfortable going to the grocery store, trust me when I tell you that you’ll be even more comfortable at Disney World.  Call me and let’s talk about getting your trip planned!


Great Activity and Collection to do at Disney!

For the biggest Disney nerds out there, here’s a great collection for you to get collecting!

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Shockingly, I haven’t gotten into this myself.  I do have 3 pins that I got from my aunt when Disney gave them out during the inconvenience of construction at Caribbean Beach.  So I’ve got the start of a collection which makes me want to stop typing this blog post right now and get on eBay to look for pins to buy.  Someone stop me!

Collecting and trading pins is something I know I’d love but it can be expensive to get started.  So for now, I’ll just look at my 3 pins and enjoy those.

But for those of you that lack my self-control (translation - I’m cheap), here’s how to get into this fun activity…

First, you’ll want some pins to get started.  You can buy these directly from Disney, eBay, Amazon…  just be aware that unless you are buying from Disney, you could run into fake pins or worn/damaged ones.  Be sure to check the pictures and read reviews of the sellers.  To trade them at Disney with Cast Members, you’ll need to be sure they are the official Disney pins with the Disney copy-write mark on it.

When you’re at Disney, you can trade with both Cast Members and Guests.  Typically, you can tell that someone interested in trading because they’ll be wearing a lanyard with pins attached.  Cast Members will also sometimes have a board displayed at their location with pins attached.  Don’t be shy about asking if someone wants to trade - most are willing!  Rumor is that Cast Members aren’t allowed to say no, but they can only trade up to 2 pins at a time. 

There are a couple of strategies to pin trading - some people are trying to build a collection based on value of the pins.  This takes some time on your part to study the pins (lots of info on the old internet) and know by glancing if you are trading your pin for another one of greater value.  

The other strategy is to ignore the value but just look for pins that are your favorites as far as characters or attractions or movies or whatever.  This would be my strategy which is another reason for me to never get into this as I would totally be losing money with each trade.

This is a really fun activity for kids and can be a great way to get them to learn how to talk to strangers (with your permission of course!) and an intro to negotiating.  

Do you trade pins at Disney?  If so, let me know!  I’d love to get talked into doing this…

Be sure to call me when you’re thinking of planning a trip - my services are FREE!!

Behind-the-scenes Tour at Disney World Shows Holiday Transformation!

Want to see how Walt Disney World Resort is transformed for the holidays? Now you can during this behind-the-scenes tour!

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Explore this winter wonderland—brimming with dazzling displays, delectable treats and pure Disney magic!

During this festive and fun-filled 3-hour tour, you'll see firsthand the incredible artistry and logistics that make Walt Disney World Resort even merrier and brighter at this time of year.

You’ll:

• Discover how the Holiday Services Designers use themes to fashion the distinctive decorations that “deck the halls” throughout the Resort.
• Visit the Floral Department for an up-close look at the special displays created just for the season.
• Join a Disney Springs culinary artist to whip up a mouthwatering seasonal treat of your own.

In addition, each Guest will receive an exclusive holiday keepsake!

This tour is $149 per person. Theme Park admission isn’t required or included. If you are interested, let me know and I’ll get it booked for you!

Here's a Great Way to Have Some Halloween Fun - Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!!

Yes, I realize that Halloween is in just a couple of days so if you aren’t already on your way to Florida, you’re probably not likely to get to enjoy this party this year. But it’s NEVER TOO EARLY to start planning for next year! Here’s what’s happening this year and what to most likely expect when this spook-tacular celebration returns in 2020!

Get your favorite costume ready and make your plans to live it up—collecting candies, sweets and delightful treats—all while Magic Kingdom park thrills and chills you with special fireworks, eerie entertainment and Disney Characters that go bump in the night.

Best of all: since this event is “not-so-scary,” children of every age can enjoy the fun! But guess what - EVERYONE (including you adults) gets to trick-or-treat! And you’ll get POUNDS of candy!

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The party starts at 7PM but you can get into the park as early as 4PM with your party ticket. The party goes from 7PM to midnight each night. This does require a separate party ticket - your normal park admission will not grant you access.

2019 prices - Party ticket costs are dependent on what day you’re going. Disney has placed a premium fee on more popular party nights like weekends and Halloween night. Party tickets start at $79 for adults and go all the way up to $135 for Halloween night.

One other money saving tip – if you buy at least a day in advance, you’ll save $10 per ticket! The only night the discount doesn’t apply is Halloween night. 

Park Attractions and New Additions

Bewitching surprises and spellbinding enhancements await at select attractions during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!

Don’t miss your chance to see some of your favorite Magic Kingdom attractions like you’ve never seen them before!

  • Space Mountain: Rocket through this popular attraction in complete darkness to the riffs and chords of a new Halloween-inspired soundtrack.

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Set sail for the high seas and discover a crew of live pirates engaged in a whole new adventure doing what pirates do best: search for treasure!

  • Mad Tea Party: Spin yourself into a frenzy as special lighting and music effects enhance the fur-raising experience!

  • Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor: Follow a treat trail from our Human World into the Monster World and interact with a comic cast of monsters eager to learn about this holiday we call Halloween.

Come in Costume for the Occasion

There are some rules, though!

  • Disney reserves the right to deny admission to or remove any person wearing attire that is considered inappropriate or could detract from the experience of other Guests.

  • All Guests may dress as their favorite character, but may not pose for pictures or sign autographs for other Guests.

  • Costumes must be family-friendly and may not be obstructive, offensive, objectionable or violent.

  • Costumes may not contain any weapons that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.

  • Costumes may not contain sharp objects, pointed objects or materials that may accidentally strike another Guest.

  • Guests who do not adhere to these guidelines may be refused entry into, and/or removed from, the park unless his or her costume can be modified to meet the above standards.

GUESTS AGES 13 AND UNDER

  • Costumes and some masks may be worn, as long as the mask does not cover the entire face and eyes are visible.

GUESTS AGES 14 AND OLDER

  • Layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body are strongly discouraged and may be subject to additional security screening.

  • Costumes may not reach or drag on the ground. (e.g., full-length Princess dresses)

  • Capes may be worn if the length does not go below the waist.

  • Themed T-shirts, blouses, sweatshirts and hats are acceptable.

  • Acceptable accessories include: transparent wings, plastic light sabers, toy swords and tutus. Headwear may be worn as long as it does not cover the face.

  • Masks of any kind may not be worn.

All rules and regulations are subject to change without notice.

Magic Shots – NEW!

Conjure up some camera wizardry of your own—add an animated mirror or the park’s most popular poltergeists to your pics! Be sure to purchase the Memory Maker ahead of time for a savings!!

Who’s the not-so-scariest of them all? Magic Shots add Disney Characters to Disney PhotoPass photos—after they’ve been taken! Strike your most macabre pose, then watch as an all-new animated magic mirror, The Haunted Mansion’s grim grinning ghosts and other supernatural surprises appear right before your eyes.

 
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Here are this year’s special party entertainment offerings:

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Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular Fireworks

Gather ‘round as your host—Jack Skellington—delights with this not so scary-tale that proves anything can happen at Halloween!

During a frightfully fun fireworks display, Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy are spirited away to a mysterious haunted house where they encounter dancing skeletons, waltzing ghosts and a sinister gathering of Disney villains!

Don’t miss this dazzling spectacular featuring state-of-the-art projection effects, lasers, light and fireworks during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party—offered select nights August 16 through November 1, 2019.

It’s a Spooktacular Procession

Get in the Halloween spirit as dastardly villains and ghastly ghouls float by during this spellbinding parade.

Twice nightly, this staple of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party brings forth a cavalcade of fiendishly fun floats, as each land of the Magic Kingdom comes together to celebrate Halloween. Parade highlights include:

  • A flurry of favorite Disney friends, including Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse—in all-new Halloween costumes—trick-or-treating down Main Street, U.S.A.

  • Hitchhiking Ghosts and a new addition—the spectral Bride, who glides among the waltzing spirits—representing the Haunted Mansion from Liberty Square

  • A new Tomorrowland unit featuring The Incredibles and designer extraordinaire Edna Mode, followed by Buzz Lightyear and some alien explorers

  • Wreck-It Ralph, Vanellope von Schweetz and the girls from Sugar Rush making sure there’s plenty of sweet stuff to go around

  • Pirates sailing in from Adventureland, Clarabelle Cow hosting a square dance during a Frontierland hoedown and a wicked assortment of Disney Villains reigning over a Fantasyland-inspired grand finale.

Be sure to secure your place along the route early! You won’t want to miss the Headless Horseman’s daring ride through Magic Kingdom park just before the parade.

 
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See Favorite Characters All Dressed Up

Meet and mingle with Disney friends—some wearing their own special Halloween costumes!

From spooky to spectacular, don’t miss the fun when Disney Characters step out in their “haunt-couture.”.

 
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Halloween-Inspired Harm-onies

Venture into Frontierland and you just might encounter the ghostly group known as the Cadaver Dans. They really like "axing" Guests questions… and answering with puns as part of their "dead pan" humor!

Moseying back again in 2019 for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, this Dapper Dans-style “band” will have you howling in laughter to a bone-rattling bevy of tunes—which may include:

  • “Boo”

  • “Cruella DeVil”

  • “Darkness On The Delta”

  • “Ghost Riders In The Sky”

  • “Grim Grinning Ghosts”

  • “Happy Trails To You”

  • “Home On The Range”

  • “Lone Prairie”

  • “Rawhide”

  • “The Headless Horseman”

  • “The Oogie Boogie Song”

  • “Trick Or Treat”

  • “Tumblin' Tumbleweeds”

  • “WaHoo”

  • “Why Do They Call Me A Tenderfoot”


It’s Fun to Be Bad

The mischievous Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus return in 2019 to throw a Halloween party.

With only a few hours to run amuck at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Winifred, Mary and Sarah decide to use their magic to host a decidedly wicked fun fest.

Enlisting the help of the Disney villains, the 3 sisters mix sinister shadows, terrifying nightmares and use the nefarious powers of their frightening colleagues to conjure the ultimate Hocus Pocus Party Potion—and cast a spell on everyone in Magic Kingdom park!

Look for appearances from Dr. Facilier, Oogie Boogie and Maleficent. Combine them and other great Disney villains with amazing dancers, wild visual projections and otherworldly special effects to make Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular a not-to-be-missed Halloween treat.

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Call me and let’s get started planning your spooky fun trip for Halloween 2020!! It’s always free to use my booking and planning services!!!











The Kiss Goodnight - A Magic Kingdom Magical Moment

If you’re any kind of Disney World fan, you’ve probably seen or at least heard of the Kiss Goodnight. If you haven’t, then enjoy today’s blog post about one of the most Magical moments you can experience at the Magic Kingdom.

Being my favorite park by far, I can find tons of Magical moments in the Kingdom. But the Kiss Goodnight is the top of the list. It’s Disney’s way of saying goodnight to the guests that remain in the park after closing. It’s around 2 minutes long and usually happens every half hour starting 30 minutes after the park officially closes. I saw it twice one night but have heard others that saw it 3 times so if you miss it, try to hang around another half hour and catch the next one. Sadly, they will eventually kick you out (in a very kind Disney way), so try to make a point to catch the first one.

You’ll know it’s starting when Cinderella Castle starts to twinkle as the music from When You Wish Upon a Star begins to play.

It may surprise you to find out that this trip was my first time to see the Kiss Goodnight in person. Since you can get in line for any ride you’d like mere minutes before closing, I usually try to get one last ride on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Peter Pan’s Flight. That’s great but timing has never worked out and it’s usually more than 30 minutes before I get back over to the Castle.

This time I made a point of getting back over there and sacrificed my last ride (it helps that it wasn’t my last night in the parks). There’s something about being there after the park closes. There are also very few people who stay to watch this (someone explain that to me) and it feels like you have the Castle to yourself.

Just in case you’ve never seen it, take a look at my video here! Just don’t blame me if you get tears in your eyes…

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Let’s get you to Magic Kingdom as it’s SO much better in person! Give me a call! Remember there are no fees for my services and I can’t wait to help you upgrade the Magic!

How I Got This Sweatshirt at Disney World for FREE!!

On my last trip to Disney, I planned to not buy any souvenirs as this was a work trip and I already felt a little guilty for not taking my kids. But I still came home with this super cute sweatshirt! And it didn’t even cost me anything. How did I do it?

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First of all, even though you can do online checkin weeks in advance at your Disney resort, always go by the front desk when you arrive. It’s never guaranteed but you might get a Cast Member looking for the next awesome family to upgrade. And I always go and reset my PIN for my MagicBand so that I can charge on it.

But even better, you can ask about forgoing Mousekeeping (Disney-speak for housekeeping) while you’re there. I did just that and got a $30 Disney gift card for opting out! (This isn’t a guaranteed perk, but so far everyone that I know that has asked about it has received it)!

Before you go telling me you can’t stay in a dirty hotel room for a week, I bet you can! As much as I try, I don’t get around to cleaning our bathrooms at home more than every 2 weeks so a few days isn’t anything new for us.

Plus you can call the front desk at any time and ask for more towels or linens. They will happily take your dirty ones away also.

The other reason I used to love Mousekeeping is that they brought fresh toiletries and the little bottles of Disney shampoo/conditioner/soap were the best. But now, in an effort to reduce plastic waste, the resorts don’t have the individual bottles anymore. Most of the resorts (if not all at this point) have bottles attached to the wall that you just pump out. At first I was sad to see those little bottles go, but then I remembered my stash of them at home that’s at least 5 years old and I never use them. I’m either a hoarder or just so nostalgic that I can’t stand the thought of not having them, that has caused me not to use them up. (Let’s go with nostalgic).

There was also something nice about knowing that no one would be coming in the room. I always feel like I have to “pick-up” a bit so Mousekeeping doesn’t know what a slob I truly am.

Of course, I wasn’t lucky enough to find this sweatshirt for $30 (I was at Disney World after all), but I had my Disney Visa reward money to make up the difference. Be sure and take advantage of that program too!!

Want more tips about how to save for Disney or earn perks? Please contact me! I’m happy to share my secrets when I plan and book your trip. And guess what… My services are FREE also!

Click this link to contact me and let’s get started on your trip!!

See a Penny, Pick it Up! Now Squish It!!

One of the cheapest souvenirs at Disney World just happens to be one of the most fun since it’s a do-it-yourself item. For just one penny (+ 50 cents), you can make a squished penny!

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And you can do this over and over and over again as there are tons of these machines throughout Disney World. Back when my boys were little, there was always a fight over who got to turn the handle. But with so many machines, they took turns and we mostly avoided having meltdowns over it.

Check out this video of Andrew getting his turn. For smaller kids, you may need to help a bit as the crank gets harder to turn as it does the actual squishing part. (And please notice how adorable Luke is with his little backwards hat…)

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You can buy souvenir books to keep your pennies, or I’m sure on etsy, you’ll find all kinds of ways to show them off. We tend to put things in plastic baggies fully intending to put them in something cooler later but rarely get to that! :)

So grab those pennies and get to squishing - you’ve got A LOT of options! Each machine has several different options. Currently there are 147 pennies to be squished at Magic Kingdom, 77 at the Animal Kingdom, 132 at Hollywood Studios and 140 at Epcot. There are even a few machines that will squish quarters. You can find these machines listed on the MyDisneyExperience app if you don’t happen to see one near you.

If you find yourself with a few extra minutes and a few extra coins, make yourself a souvenir!! I’d love to help you plan your next Disney or Universal trip - FOR FREE! Give me a call!!