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The Walt Disney World 50th anniversary celebration is the gift that keeps on giving! To make your magical evenings even more special, Disney is bringing back a new lineup of Appetizing Occasions. From sweet treats to international fare, there’s no shortage of options for making the most of your nighttime spectacular experience.

Disney Enchantment, a brand-new, dazzling nighttime fireworks spectacular, debuts Oct. 1 at Magic Kingdom Park. Watching the show at one of several different dessert party options will put you right in the middle of the magic. Talk about icing on the cake! If you prefer a viewing party in Magic Kingdom Park, Disney has three offerings in Tomorrowland:

Disney Enchantment Pre-Party. Sweeten your evening at Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant with 50th anniversary-themed desserts, a variety of cheeses and beverages, with selections of beer and wine included. Then, before the show begins, Cast Members will escort you to a reserved standing viewing location in one of the plaza gardens with prime viewing of Disney Enchantment.

Disney Enchantment Treats & Seats. This party also includes 50th anniversary-themed desserts, a variety of cheeses and beverages, with selections of beer and wine included. Experience the fireworks views from the comfort of dedicated reserved seating at Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant

Disney Enchantment After-Party. Like the Disney Enchantment Pre-Party, this experience includes reserved standing viewing of Disney Enchantment in one of the plaza gardens. After taking in the sights and sounds of the spectacular, visit Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant for a spread of 50th anniversary-themed desserts, a variety of cheeses and beverages, with selections of beer and wine included.

If you prefer to view fireworks outside of Magic Kingdom, you may enjoy Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise. You will set sail from the Transportation and Ticket Center on one of the iconic ferryboats for a magical evening on the Seven Seas Lagoon. Once onboard, taste a variety of bite-size signature sweets including build-your-own mousse, key lime tarts, cupcakes and specialty beverages with and without alcohol. Kids can even participate in an ultraviolet scavenger hunt. During the cruise, guests can observe the Magic Kingdom Park fireworks accompanied by stunning water views.

Looking for a little more than dessert? How about dinner with a show? Harmonious, one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created for Disney Parks, will soon light the World Showcase Lagoon at EPCOT beginning Oct. 1. With choreographed moving fountains, lights, pyrotechnics and lasers in a 360-degree view, Harmonious shows how Disney music and stories have the power to bring people from all around the world together to unlock the magic of possibility. Two delectable World Showcase restaurants are offering an unforgettable dining and viewing package:

Rose & Crown Fireworks Dining Package. Dine under the stars on the patio at Rose & Crown Dining Room, which serves classic British fare, while you sit back and enjoy the wonder of Harmonious. This package features a prix-fixe menu including one appetizer, entrée, dessert platter and unlimited beverages. 

Spice Road Table Dining Package. Dine in the covered, outdoor dining area reminiscent of the cafes from the Moroccan seaside with a stunning view of Harmonious. Spice Road Table offers a variety of Mediterranean small plates, including Grilled Lamb Kefta, House-made Hummus Fries and Spiced Chicken. The Spice Road Table Dining Package includes two small plates, a dessert platter and unlimited beverages.

Advance reservations are highly recommended for all dessert parties and dinner packages and can be made on DisneyWorld.com or the My Disney Experience app. For experiences located at Magic Kingdom Park and EPCOT, valid theme park admission and reservations are required.

Using a grocery delivery service is a money-saving way to get food brought to your hotel. It is very easy to do breakfast in your room, as you are getting ready, or to throw some snacks in your park bag. Some guests even make dinner in their room – think cup-o-soup or even sandwiches!

The absolute easiest way to buy groceries (aside from bringing them yourself in checked luggage) is to go to the gift shop in your Walt Disney World resort hotel. Every hotel has a limited selection of groceries, including refrigerated stuff, and you pay a premium for them.

An alternative to this is a grocery delivery service that delivers the items directly to your Walt Disney World resort, leaving them with bell services. They will keep your groceries stored and refrigerated or frozen (if needed) until you can pick them up from the front desk or you can have them delivered to your room for a handling fee of $6.

There are lots of choices when it comes to Disney World grocery delivery services. Personally, we use Amazon Prime Now, but below are all the options available to you. You might want to look at a few as some have inflated pricing, limited selections and fees or minimum order requirements.

Amazon Prime Now
Garden Grocer
Walmart Grocery Delivery
Instacart 
We Go Shop
Orlando Grocery Express
Shipt
Dizzy Dolphin Delivery

You can also ship groceries or other items directly to your resort. Disney does charge a $6 fee for deliveries via USPS/UPS/Fed Ex, etc. To make sure they arrive on time, ship your items about a week before your arrival. Use the official shipping address listed for your Disney World hotel. This can be found on the Disney World website. Simply search for your resort hotel, and on the main page for each hotel, on the righthand side, you’ll see the mailing address for the
resort.

How you address the groceries for delivery to your resort is as follows:

Name on the hotel reservation
c/o your Disney World hotel’s front desk
arrival date: xx/xx/xxxx
street address
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
 
Before you order anything, make sure you consider space in your fridge – a gallon of milk and a six-pack isn’t going to fit in your dorm-sized fridge – and the size of the items. (Are you really going to eat a family-size box of Cheerios in 6 days?)

We generally order a few cases of bottled water so we can each grab a few to take into the parks each day, some coffee creamer, pop tart or breakfast bars, and some snacks for our park bags or late-night nibbles. Sometimes we will order sunscreen, shampoo, conditioner or lotion and when our son was little, we ordered diapers and baby wipes.

People think of Disney vacations as being tough on the wallet. However, having your own groceries on hand can help you save a bundle. Why not save a few extra bucks for the souvenir shops?

Are you headed to Walt Disney World to celebrate something special? If so, I highly recommend the photo service offered at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom called Capture Your Moment. During your personalized 20-minute photo session, your Disney PhotoPass photographer will find the perfect spot to catch the fun and excitement of your special day. Imagine capturing the moment that he dropped to one knee and proposed in front of the iconic Cinderella Castle or the Tree of Life!

This service is also perfect for honeymoons, anniversaries, birthdays, family reunions, graduation and more. Or maybe you just want to use the service to get that perfect family photo for your next Christmas card.

Do you need a little extra time for your photo shoot? Just book 2 Capture Your Moment sessions back-to-back and you’ll get 40 minutes plus the chance to visit at least two different Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom photo locations.

The cost is only $50 for a session, and, as they say, the memories are priceless. While photos are not included in the price of the session, Guests who have Memory Maker, Memory Maker One Day or a qualifying Walt Disney World Annual Pass with a Disney PhotoPass benefit can download these photos at no extra cost. What an amazing price! I know a few travel advisors who have taken advantage of this opportunity and they received over 100 images.

What do you get when you combine late-night hours, Christmas and a 50th anniversary celebration? It’s “Disney Very Merriest After Hours” at Magic Kingdom Park! On 24 select nights from November 8 through December 21, guests who purchase tickets to this magical celebration will be treated to “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks” and a special holiday-themed parade, “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. Along with Mickey and Minnie Mouse and their pals, there will be a special appearance by Santa Clause himself.

Although the party officially runs from 9pm – 1am, you will be given access to Magic Kingdom Park as early as 7pm. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store:

  • Transformation of Cinderella Castle into a “beacon of Magic”
  • A brand new fireworks show, “Disney Enchantment.” And yes, that means two fireworks shows in one night.
  • Jungle cruise transformed into Jingle Cruise
  • Less time waiting in line for more than 20 attractions after the park closes to day guests
  • Disney characters throughout the park, dressed in their holiday finest
  • Magical snowfall on Main Street, U.S.A. Snow in Orlando!
  • Club Tinsel dance party in Tomorrowland
  • Complimentary snacks, seasonal treats and select bottled beverages
  • Disney PhotoPass capturing all your magical shots throughout the night

Tickets went on sale this week and won’t last long. Contact me to book your holiday at Disney World and tickets to Disney Very Merriest After Hours!

After nearly fifteen months, fireworks will once again be lighting up the night sky at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Park in California.

Starting July 1, “Happily Ever After” will return to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and transform Cinderella Castle with lights, projections and pyrotechnics, as moments from favorite Disney stories encourage Guests to grab hold of their dreams and make them come true. And as part of the ongoing transformation of EPCOT, “EPCOT Forever” will produce a spectacle of fireworks, music and lighting effects over World Showcase Lagoon, highlighting the themes of innovation, exploration, imagination and celebration at the core of the park’s past, present and future.

The fun starts July 4 at Disneyland Park in California with “Mickey’s Mix Magic” presented nightly throughout the summer. State-of-the-art projections, show lighting and lasers will transform Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle and the façade of “it’s a small world” into a dazzling, family-fun dance party that goes sky high with fireworks to celebrate the leader of the club, Mickey Mouse.

To book your trip to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or Disneyland Park in California, contact me today.

There’s a lot to think about when preparing for any vacation – flights, reservations, packing, pet care, etc. Do you ever use apps when you travel? Like everything else in the digital world, there is an overabundance of travel apps, but choosing the right ones can help you stay organized. Here are my top 5 suggestions for apps to download before your next Disney vacation.


Weather
Of course we all want blue skies and warm temperatures but let’s be realistic. Rain happens. The app that comes with your phone may suffice but if you want detailed hourly predictions, you’ll want something a little more robust like Dark Sky, AccuWeather or The Weather Channel.

Airline
If you don’t already have your airline’s app, you should definitely download it before you fly. Not only can you download your boarding pass for easy access but you will also get updates if there are any changes to your flights. Pro tip: After you download your boarding pass, take a screenshot of it just in case you run into issues with the app when boarding.

Ride Share
Sometimes it’s faster to call Uber or Lyft rather than take Disney transportation, especially if you have an early morning character breakfast or a super tired toddler who can’t wait in bus lines at the end of the day. Make sure you have both of these apps downloaded before you go. If you’re using one of them for the first time, use my referral links for a discount. Click here for Lyft and here for Uber (or use promo code cheris1827ui for Uber). 

My Disney Experience
You must download this app. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Just download this app! You will have the entire Walt Disney World in the palm of your hands with attraction wait
times, showtimes, park hours, park maps, dining reservations and so much more.

Play Disney Parks
We all know that wait times can be difficult when traveling with children. This new app offers interactive experiences, games, trivia and other fun while you wait for shows and attractions
(or if you just need to take a break from the rides). For instance, when you’re waiting for an attraction in a galaxy far far away, you and your family can interact with droids, take on jobs to help outpost residents or help your faction in the battle between the Resistance and the First Order.


If you’re looking to streamline your travel experience, you’ll find these apps to be extremely helpful. Once you have your travel apps downloaded, I suggest creating a folder to put them all in. Voila!

Play, stay and enjoy more magic with this special offer at Walt Disney World Resort—where magical moments are waiting for you.

Receive 2 extra days added to your ticket when you buy a 4-night/3-day room-and-ticket package at select Disney Resort hotels, valid for arrivals most nights from now through September 25, 2021.

Want to stay longer? Check about packages for other lengths of stay—and get 2 extra days added to your ticket.

Enjoy added peace of mind when booking! You can modify or cancel your reservation with extra flexibility through April 30, 2021. See Important Details.

The number of rooms are limited. 5-day theme park tickets included in this package are valid for admission beginning on date of check-in and must be used within 8 days. Visit disneydestinationstickets.com/usage for more details.

Ready to start planning your next Disney World vacation? Let’s chat!

Get a head start on planning your future vacations by booking your 2022 Walt Disney World Resort vacation packages now!

Please note, the check-in date of your vacation cannot be more than 500 days in the future. There are some resort hotels that are not open at this time and not available to book. Disney Dining packages remain unavailable at this time, but can always be added to your Disney World package later.

A $200 fully-refundable deposit is all that’s needed to book your 2022 Walt Disney World Vacation. Packages can be modified or canceled up until 30 days prior to arrival.

Let’s start planning your 2022 Disney Word Vacation today!!!

Let’s start planning your fun-filled getaway to The Most Magical Place on Earth and take advantage of this great room offer! Book now through May 27, 2021 and save up to 30% on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels for stays most nights April 18, 2021 through July 10, 2021.

The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room. Length of stay requirements may apply.

Worried about traveling and your plans may change? Enjoy added peace of mind when booking! You can modify or cancel your reservation with extra flexibility for arrivals through April 30, 2021. 

Know Before You GoLearn about updated experiences at Walt Disney World Resort.

Important Details

  • Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts and Studios at Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts.
  • Advance reservations required.
  • Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion.
  • Offer excludes the following room types: 3-bedroom villas, campsites, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.
  • Valid admission and a park reservation are required to enjoy theme parks and special events and are not included in this offer.
  • Disney Resort hotel reopening dates are subject to change.

To get started planning your next Disney World Vacation, contact me today!

Disney announced today that the global celebration of the visual, culinary, and performing arts will return to the Walt Disney World Resort early next year, as the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is set for Jan. 8 – Feb. 22, 2021.

The Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts offers fun for the whole family. Here is Disney has shared with us of what to expect when the event debuts in January:

  • Indulge in over 15 Food Studios serving culinary art all around World Showcase
  • Explore and purchase the brilliant and diverse work of Disney and other invited artists on display in marketplaces encircling World Showcase Lagoon
  • Step into the scene at special photo locations scattered around the park
  • Participate in a paint-by-number mural that serves as a collaborative art project for all
  • Watch as visiting artists create magic right before your eyes
  • Catch performances by favorite EPCOT musical artists Mariachi Cobre and the JAMMitors.
  • Join an artful scavenger hunt and search for Figment around World Showcase
  • Shop for festival-exclusive merchandise

We’ll have more details on the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts as Disney announces them.

To get started planning your next Disney World vacation, contact us here.