Planes, Trains and Monorails... All about Disney World Transportation Options!

So you’ve never been to Disney World, or it’s been a few years. Besides the all-important details of where to stay and when (which of course I can help you decide!), you’ll likely be wondering how to get around. The size of Disney World is around 40 SQUARE MILES - basically the size of San Francisco or double the size of Manhattan!!

Odds are you’ll be taking many forms of transportation to get to all of the Magical spots you want to encounter. I’ve listed most of the different choices you’ll have here - but as things are always changing and you may have special needs not covered here, please call me and we can make sure these options work for you!!

 
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The Monorail - This is one of the best options. Classic Disney and basically an attraction on its own. If you ever see T-shirts with the slogan, “Please stand clear of the doors / por favor mantentase alejado de las puertas” you can bet that’s a Disney monorail shirt. But not only is it fun, it’s practical. The monorail goes through 3 resorts - Grand Floridian, Polynesian and Contemporary. It also connects the Magic Kingdom to the Ticket and Transportation Center which then connects to Epcot. If you stay at a Monorail resort, you can use this for 2 of the 4 parks!

Boats - Who doesn’t love a short boat ride especially when the Magic Kingdom is looming ahead? For a nice, fresh air ride to the Magic, hop on a boat. Fort Wilderness Campground, Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian boats will take you directly to Magic Kingdom. Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter both have boat service to Disney Springs as does Old Key West and Saratoga Springs. Boardwalk, Beach Club and Yacht Club have boat service to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Buses - This may not be the most glamorous way to travel, but it gets you there without worrying about parking or finding your way and as with all of the other transportation listed here, it’s free! Buses are available from all resorts to the parks and Disney Springs. Just look for the big signs telling you which bus stall to head towards - super easy. And now you can see the bus arrival times in your My Disney Experience app so you could spend a few extra minutes soaking up Main Street instead of standing in the bus line! Just be aware that at times like closing, the lines could get long so get a move on if you are in a hurry to get to your resort.

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Minnie Vans - This is the one service that is NOT free. It’s provided through the Lyft app. You’ll pay a bit but if you have dinner reservations that you don’t think you’ll make or a FastPass to Flight of Passage that you’re about to miss, it might be worth it. The service is door-to-door so people with limited mobility might think about this. Although the buses/monorail/boats are all accessible, it can be nerve-wracking to try to drive a scooter onto those with a crowd watching. Minnie Vans are personal transportation.

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Skyliner - Not yet open but should be amazing when it does! Once operating, the gondola system will connect Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and a new Vacation Club property, Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Walking - I know, you’re well aware that you can walk from place to place! But keep in mind that you can only walk to the Magic Kingdom from the Contemporary. And you can walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios from Boardwalk, Beach Club and Yacht Club. More walking may not work for everyone but I love to stroll through Disney World and prefer this whenever I can!

Let’s get you a trip booked to Disney World - give me a call!!! Don’t forget - just like the Disney provided transportation, my services are FREE!!







Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique - A Review!!

If you’ve been to Disney World or have ever seen someone’s vacation photos from their trip, you’ve probably noticed how some of the little girls look just like their favorite Princesses!! They receive this Magical transformation at an awesome place called Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

As you well know, I have 3 boys so I’ve never had the chance to check out the Boutique. They also have a Knight makeover but I think my boys were afraid they’d actually have to talk to a princess so they never wanted to do it.

Not having been, I’m relying on others’ information here but trust me when I say I have reliable sources!!

Here are the details…

Share the fun as your little one enjoys a resplendently royal head-to-toe transformation. With the wave of a magic wand—plus a few hands-on tricks of the trade—our Fairy Godmothers-in-Training will pamper and primp your child until they’re storybook stunning: ready to dance at the ball or gallop off on epic adventures. It’s all in a day’s work at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, owned by Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother and operated by her skilled apprentices.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique offers head-to-toe pampering packages that include imperial hairstyling, makeup, manicures, costumes and accessories suitable for even the most castle-worthy occasion.

First, select the hairstyle of your choice:

  • Fairytale Princess

  • Disney Diva

  • Color Star

Then select your package:

The Crown Package (starting at $64.95 plus tax)

  • Hairstyling

  • Shimmering make-up and face gem

  • Princess sash and cinch sack

  • Nail polish

The Courtyard Package (starting at $109.95 plus tax)

  • Hairstyling

  • Shimmering make-up and face gem

  • Princess sash and cinch sack

  • Nail polish

  • Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique T-shirt

  • Trendy tutu

The Castle Package (starting at $199.95 plus tax)

  • Hairstyling

  • Shimmering make-up and face gem

  • Princess necklace, sash and cinch sack

  • Nail polish

  • Disney Princess gown of your choice (shoes not included)

  • Additional coordinating accessories

The Deluxe Castle Package (starting at $229.95 plus tax)

  • Hairstyling

  • Shimmering make-up and face gem

  • Princess necklace, sash and cinch sack

  • Nail polish

  • Deluxe Disney Princess gown of your choice (shoes not included) - Select from a limited number of Disney Princesses

  • Coordinating boxed accessory set

The Princess Signature Dress Collection (starting at $450.00 plus tax)

  • Disney Princess gown made with heirloom-quality fabrics and intricate design details that tell the story of the princess

  • High-quality crystal tiara with box

  • Organza garment bag and satin hanger

  • Hairstyling

  • Shimmering make-up and face gem

  • Princess sash and cinch sack

  • Nail polish

The Knight Package ($19.95 plus tax)

  • Hairstyling with gel

  • Mighty sword and shield

  • Confetti

The Deluxe Knight Package ($79.95 plus tax)

  • Prince Costume

  • Hairstyling with gel

  • Mighty sword and shield

  • Confetti

Please note: all prices are subject to change without notice and were current at the time of this blog post (Jan 2019).


All Disney PhotoPass photos taken at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique are included with the purchase of Memory Maker which is another reason to get the Memory Maker!!

Some tips… makeovers at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique are very popular. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance and are highly recommended. To book your appointment with a Fairy Godmother-in-training, just let me know before your 180 day mark. I’d be happy to get your appointment as soon as phone lines open at 6am!

  • A $10 cancellation fee will be applied to credit cards for all no-shows or if a reservation is canceled within 24 hours of scheduled time - so please let me know if your plans change.

  • To participate, Guests must be between 3 and 12 years of age and be accompanied by an adult (18 years of age or older). I WISH IT WERE OLDER!! But if you are interested and you’re not in this age range, let me know. There are other options - not as fun as getting pampered in the castle but the result will be the same!

  • Transformations will take 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the package selected.

  • Costume choices may include Anna, Elsa, Ariel, Snow White, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Cinderella, Tinker Bell, Tiana, Rapunzel, and Merida.

  • Costume selection and sizing may vary and certain accessories are sold separately.


Have you been to the BBB (as the cool kids call it)? I’d love to see your pictures!!! And as always, it’s my pleasure to book your appointments for you when you book with me. And my services are free!!

My Favorite Disney Christmas Pictures

You know I love Disney. You may also know that I love Christmas. So what could be better than Disney at Christmas?!? Today I want to share my favorite pictures of our Disney Christmas memories. Enjoy and remember that it’s not too early to book your trip for next Christmas! With Star Wars Land opening in the Fall, rooms are going fast. Call me and let’s get to planning!!


All Aboard the Hogwarts Express!!

Are you a Muggle? Sadly, I am too. But guess what? Even Muggles can ride the Hogwarts Express! I don’t know about you, but anytime I read a Harry Potter book or see a movie, I wish I was able to be a part of that world. And while I can’t change the fact that you’re a Muggle, I can help you experience the magic of the Hogwarts Express.

Our train compartment on the Hogwarts Express!!

Our train compartment on the Hogwarts Express!!

First off, the Hogwarts Express is only at Universal Orlando. It runs between the King’s Cross Station in the London area of Universal Studios Florida (on platform 9 3/4 of course) and Hogsmeade station in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. ** IMPORTANT - To board the train, you will need a park-to-park ticket.

This ticket will allow you unlimited rides on the train as you go back and forth between the two parks. And don’t assume just because you rode the train one way that it’s the same on the return trip - it’s not! So be sure to ride both ways. The ride takes around 4 minutes each way.

The train compartments hold up to 8 passengers so if your group is larger you’ll be split up. Take a seat and along the way you’ll see a lot of familiar Harry Potter landmarks and friends out of the window. (It’s actually a video but looks pretty darn realistic).

While you can’t roam the aisles of the train, you can see silhouettes of happenings in the aisles - watch out for Dementors!!! You’ll also hear audio of what’s happening out there so pay attention.

A really fun feature is walking through King’s Cross Station and passing through the wall into Platform 9 3/4. Lag back a bit from your party so that you can get a picture of those ahead of you as they walk through the "wall" forming the entrance. Clueless people will try to push past you so hold your ground!!

Below are pictures of some of our rides on the Hogwarts Express. FYI, I would totally be wearing my Gryffindor robes if it didn’t embarrass my goofy family. Have you ridden the Hogwarts Express? Put your thoughts in the comments!! And if you haven’t… Be sure and give me a call and I’ll book and plan your trip to the Wizarding World for free - even if you’re a Muggle!!

Disneyland vs. Disney World - Which One is Better? Part Two...

If you didn’t read last week’s post, be sure and do it here… So in Part Two, I’ll give you the reasons why Disney World is the best.

The most amazing feeling at Disney World is when you first enter the park and see the Castle. It’s one of my favorite views in the world. The Castle at Disneyland is pretty, but it’s quite a bit smaller and just doesn’t have the same impact. Yes, I know in these pics, I’m close to the first castle and farther away from the second. But they are significantly different in size.

Actually, I first should have mentioned the transportation to Disney World from the airport. It’s complimentary for on-site resort guests! Disneyland Express is an extra charge. The Magical Express is one of my favorite things (on the way to Disney anyway - on the way out, it’s super sad!). At Orlando International, you can’t miss the Magical Express and you feel like you are already in the Disney Bubble as soon as you get the to boarding area. Not really the case in L.A. The Disneyland Express bus was convenient but just felt like a plain old bus ride. Magical Express shows Disney videos to get you in the Disney mood!

Another perk that Disney World has which Disneyland doesn’t is the MagicBands. I’ve done a blog post on them before - check it out here for the details… I love the bling of a MagicBand but more importantly I love what it does. I can unlock my room door, get into the parks, redeem FastPasses, charge things to my room and have my PhotoPass pictures put on my account without having to carry around anything but my band! So convenient!

I mentioned on Part One that Disneyland has a couple of Lands that Disney World doesn’t. But to be fair, Disney World has 4 - count them 4 - parks!! Compared to the 2 parks of Disneyland, you’ve got a lot more options there. It’s definitely not as easy to get between the 4 parks as it is to park-hop at Disneyland but it can be done. We did all 4 in one day on our last Disney World trip and it was so much fun.

One day Four parks!

One day Four parks!

Of course, park hopping takes time and energy so consider the people in your party (small kids, elderly peeps?) before embarking on that adventure!

So which rides do I like better at Disney World? Going the time of year that I went to Disneyland, The Haunted Mansion had its holiday overlay which means it’s done in the theme of the Nightmare Before Christmas. If you like that movie, then you might prefer to see it with the overlay. For some reason, I’ve never been a fan of that movie so really didn’t like the overlay. I was sad to not see may favorite ghosts and hear my favorite song! Disney World definitely gets the win on this ride.

The monorail is probably better at Disney World also - it actually provides transportation there where at Disneyland I kind of feel like it’s a filler ride. At Disneyland it takes you from Downtown Disney to Tomorrowland and back. I would much rather go in the main entrance and walk down Main Street so didn’t ride it much. At Disney World, you can get from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot and to 3 resorts - much more useful.

I felt like I would rather ride Buzz Lightyear and Toy Story Mania at Disney World but I honestly think it’s because of the lack of a cute queue.

I prefer pretty much all of the ride queues at Disney World. A lot of them have been redone in recent years and offer hands-on entertainment while you’re waiting. Disneyland queues are just plain old rope lines.

So after all of this… do I have a winner? Honestly if money was no object, I would just go back and forth between the 2 each trip. Sadly since I don’t have unlimited funds, I would pick Disney World any chance I am able to go. There’s just so much more there. I also think people prefer the one that they know better and have an attachment to. I may have gone to Disneyland first (when I was 10), but it was so long ago I didn’t really remember it. Having been to Disney World so many times - and having been with my kids - makes it more of an emotional attachment for me.

Everyone is different and every family has different needs. Call me and let’s figure out which one would be best for you!! My services are FREE!!




Disneyland vs. Disney World - Which One is Better? Part One...

Traveling to Disneyland and Disney World both within the last year, I have found myself constantly comparing the two. So today, I want to tell you what’s the same, what’s different and which one I prefer!

First off, as I heard many times during my recent Disneyland training, picking one over the other is kind of like picking your favorite child. Can’t (or shouldn’t!) really be done. So I’ll have a hard time saying, “if you can only go to one, go here…” But I will tell you which parts of the parks are different in good and bad ways.

Something unique to Disneyland is that Walt Disney himself set foot there. To a Disnerd like myself, that’s pretty incredible. I love the fact that Walt’s apartment has been kept intact above the firehouse on Main Street. You can even go in it if you do the “Walk in Walt’s Footsteps” tour. Sadly, I didn’t get to do the tour this time but it’s on my list to do when I return!

The biggie in favor of Disneyland is the transportation. Or really lack thereof. The entire 4 days I was at Disneyland, I never set foot in a bus, car or public transportation. Other than the ride from the airport to Disneyland, I walked. The 3 onsite hotels are literally onsite. Unlike Disney World where you may still be a few miles from the park you want to visit, you are within walking distance to both parks. The nearby Good Neighbor hotels are also within walking distance!

And if you want to park hop, you don’t need to factor in transportation time. It takes literally 30 seconds to walk from the exit of one park to the entrance of the other. And even better, security checkpoints are outside of this area so to go from one park to the other doesn’t require going through security again!

There are a few rides that I think are better at Disneyland:

Space Mountain - It seemed darker and more intense. I don’t tend to get butterflies on the Disney World version but I did at Disneyland! I also like that you can sit side-by-side which is nice if you have a smaller child you want to sit with. Luke was pretty nervous on the Disney World one the first time since he was in a row alone.

it’s a small world - Disneyland puts much more emphasis on this ride. It’s in a stand-alone building here rather than mixed in with the other rides of Fantasyland. And during the holidays, they go all out and overlay it with a holiday theme. So cute and festive!! Beware though - they intersperse Jingle Bells with the Small World theme song throughout and it WILL get stuck in your head!! :)

Autopia (Tomorrowland Speedway at WDW) - This ride is certainly not a thrill ride and you can feel like you’ve gotten whiplash if you let your kid drive. But this version seemed easier to control, was a longer drive and had a lot more to see and do on it. Way better than the Disney World version which we sometimes skip.

Another plus for Disneyland is that they have a couple of lands that Disney World doesn’t. The theming and the rides in Cars Land and Pixar Pier are outstanding. Radiator Springs Racers is up there with my favorite rides ever!

So based on just these few things, can I say which one is my favorite? You know me - of course I can’t! Look for Part 2 next week on the things that I prefer at Disney World. Maybe then I’ll be able to decide…

And of course, call me and let’s chat about which one would be best for you and your family! I would love to plan and book your trip at NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU!!



Is MaxPass Worth the Cost at Disneyland?

On my recent trip to Disneyland, I was fortunate enough to have complimentary MaxPass added to my ticket. So of course, totally worth the (no) cost! But would I do it if I had to pay for it myself?

Answer as usual with me is “it depends.” It costs $10/per person/per day. If money isn’t a huge concern to you, then I’d say no question at all - get it. If you have just a couple of people, then the price is reasonable also. But if you’re like me and have a family of 5, MaxPass will run you $50/per day and if you do 3 days at Disneyland, that’s an additional $150.

Now as cheap as I am, I’d probably still do it. The thing about Disneyland is that FastPasses aren’t included at all like at Disney World. So without MaxPass, you’ll be waiting in every line. If it’s not a crowded day, this might not be a big deal.

Here’s how it works… Once you are in a park (your ticket must have been scanned at the entrance), you go on the mobile app and pick your FastPass time. When I was there, I was able to do this every few minutes. As soon as you enter the queue for your time, you can pick a new FastPass.

Keep in mind that not all rides have FastPass. I sadly didn’t get to ride Peter Pan this trip since the line was always over 45 minutes and I had limited time due to training. But on the rides that offer FastPass, I didn’t wait more than 5 minutes. That’s huge on Radiator Springs Racers, Incredicoaster and some of the more popular rides.

Also as a bonus, you receive downloads of all of your PhotoPass pics for each day that you get MaxPass!! I LOVE the pics that Disney photographers capture and that alone may be worth the price. Check out just a few of the pics I downloaded…

One difference on the pics is that on the in-ride photos you have to be sure to record the number of your picture as you leave the ride and attach it to your account through the app. Simple process but it is a step more than just having it automatically added via your MagicBand at Disney World.

One advantage of MaxPass is that you don’t really have to decide ahead of time. Once you’re at Disneyland, it’s a simple process to purchase MaxPass on your app (be sure you’ve already downloaded the Disneyland app before you get there!).

There are a lot of differences between the Land and the World and on a future post, I’ll go through them. The main difference here is that MaxPass makes Disneyland seem much more spontaneous. Even though you have to spend some time on your phone picking your FastPasses throughout the day, you don’t have to spend any time before your trip deciding what to do. For a planner like me, I thought I would hate that. But it was a nice change to do things on the fly!!

Please give me a call if you’re thinking of heading to any Disney or Universal Destination. I can help you understand what you need to do ahead of time or wait until you are there and can save you stress and headaches!! And best of all, it’s free to book with me!!

** The $10/per person/per day price is considered the “introductory price” of MaxPass. I haven’t heard of a price increase but keep in mind that the price may have changed if you are reading this post at a future time.

That Time I Went to Disneyland by MYSELF!

So last week, I did something I would've never believed I'd do...  I went to Disneyland alone.  Without my family.  All by Myself!  

Here are some pictures to prove it:


If this post seems familiar, you are likely one of my awesome readers that pays attention to my posts. Yep, I did one just like this a couple of years ago when I went to Disney World by myself! Well, I got another amazing opportunity to do some Disney training and this time, it took place in California at Disneyland. So allow me to just copy and paste a bit here…

You may be wondering how I could be so cruel as to go there without my kids.  I thought the same thing before I went.  But it's not like I just yelled, "See ya suckers!" and took off for my Happy Place.  I went for training and really, truly, had no choice in the matter.  :)

I was offered a chance to go to Disney's Agent Education Program.  Of course since it's a training program for agents, families weren't allowed.  I really did agonize over the decision and went back and forth for a bit, but let me tell you - I'm so glad I went!  

It had been a while (literally 37 years) since I had set foot in Disneyland. I don’t know about you, but my memory isn’t that good so I really don’t remember it.  Besides that, there’s just a few things that have changed at Disneyland since then!!

In the next few weeks, I will post specifics about what I learned, what's new and exciting at Disneyland and even more tips and tricks that I learned from Disney Cast Members and the other agents in attendance.  I also feel the need to talk about the differences of Disneyland vs Disney World so that’s coming up soon. Spoiler alert: I love them both!!

I can honestly say I've NEVER come back from a work conference or training feeling pumped about my job - except for that one time a couple of years ago. :)  A Magical time was had for sure - AGAIN!!!