Walt Disney World: It's Not Just for Kids » swolphin

WDW Not Just for Kids Review: Disney World Cash Hacks

Hedy — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:01:28 +0000

When I saw Disney World Cash Hacks: 49 Hidden Tricks for Saving Tons of Cash at Disney World was available free for the Kindle on Couponing to Disney, I knew I needed to check it out. To be honest, I was pretty cynical going in, as I feel like I’ve said and done most saving for your Disney vacation tricks at this point, but I figured it would be worth the read.

In summation, I would say that 25% of this book felt like it was cut and pasted from Mousesavers, 65% of the information was stupid or not applicable to me, and 10% was actually useful.

Among the useful tips was that you can get Disney World tickets at a discount by donating to Walt Disney Pavilion at the Florida Hospital for Children. For kind of obvious reasons, I always remember to check AAA discounts (and the book reminds you that you don’t need to book through AAA to get the discount), but I forget that AARP discounts exist (membership starts at age 50). Entertainment Book is an awesome resource. Also, he references AmEx discounts that don’t exist anymore.

Also, I pretty much skip WDW fruit stands, but I may check them out next trip. They also suggest staying at the airport hotel if you get in late at night; however, I’ve often found that staying at a value is cheaper.

A lot of the deals dealt with stuff off-site. In my book, it can be kind of penny-wise, pound-foolish to those of us who stay on-site. If wifi is so important to you that you’re driving to the library, Starbucks or Panera, you would most likely be better off shelling out for Disney internet, especially after you spend $5 for a coffee at the latter two.

It’s kind of paging Captain Obvious, but the reminder to do the math on a towncar vs the Mears Shuttle with a group is a worthwhile one. The reminder of teacher/nurse discounts at the Swolphin are always good; however, the book missed out on reminding people of the AAA discount at Swolphin restaurants. Similarly, I felt that the free dining mention missed running the numbers. Going to hang out at the Boardwalk and Downtown Disney is free. No, really?

I short, I am meh on this book. It apparently retails for $2.99. I wouldn’t buy it, it is free to rent with Prime, though.

See my ideas on saving for your Disney vacation here.

Last Minute Disney Fan Gift: Restaurant.com gift card

Hedy — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:26:42 +0000

At home, I’m a huge fan of getting discounted restaurant gift certificates at Restaurant.com. However, I always thought that there was no point in looking at them for Orlando, as I stay on-site at both Universal and Disney World.

This led me to do my own poking around on there, and I found that Bice at the Portofino Bay Resort at Universal Orlando is also on Restaurant.com.

Every month, new certificates go up on Restaurant.com. on the first of the month (they are also re-stocked, so you can pick up any which may have been sold out in the previous month. While poking around there, I found that they had Giraffe Cafe at Royal Plaza Hotel. Now, if you’ve never been there (we returned a rental car there, but that’s another story for another day), it’s within spitting distance of Downtown Disney. Additional, Restaurant.com also has the Outback Restaurant at the Buena Vista Palace, and Andiamo Italian Bistro, both of which are also at Downtown Disney hotels. If you’re looking to save on food, it might be worth the trek there.

If you’re planing on staying at an airport hotel at one part of your trip, or even eating at MCO, they have McCoy’s Bar and Grill and Hemisphere restaurant, both of which are at the Hyatt which is in MCO.

Between now and December 24, save 90% at restaurant.com using the code JOY.

Or, if you are looking for restaurants such as House of Blues or ones at the Swolphin, get a Restaurant.com gift card that your recipient can use come January 1

Shopping Saturday: For the Home

Hedy — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:12:59 +0000

Welcome back to another session of Saturday Shopping, with great gifts for the adult Disney fan in your life.

I start with the piece de resistance: Dole Whip mix. It won’t be Disney when you eat it at home, but how cool is it that you can just pop the mix in your ice cream machine and make Dole Whips? Shipping from Hawaii is a beast, but if you have a Dole Whip fan in your life, so worth it-I got it for my Dole Whip fan brother a few years ago and he loved it.

On Twitter a couple of weeks ago, someone mentioned that the Sleigh Ride candle (by Slatkin & Co, pictured left) from Bath and Body Works smells like the forest in Soarin’. Through November 15, you could get a cute Christmas sleeve for it for $4. Speaking of scents, your house could smell like the Dolphin with this White Tea Oil Diffuser.

If you are shopping for a Marvel fan (or a couple in a mixed Marvel/Disney relationship), think geek has cool Marvel pint glasses. Things from Another World has Incredible Hulk pint glasses-these could be really cool for a Universal Parks fan. Marvel Magnets could make a good stocking stuffer.

Thanks to Kim at Rewards Site Round Up, I found out that this weekend Disney Shopping is having a Friends and Family sale-save 20% by using the code DISNEYPAL. You could pick up a Minnie Snuggie for $26.36. A Mickey Mouse glove oven glove would look really cute poking out of a stocking.

Decor-wise, this Disneyland print is personizable. If you’ve admired the prints of Disney World in the Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House’s gift shop, you will be happy to know that Larry Dotson’s pieces are available online. My favorites are of Norway
& Port Orleans.

WDW Not Just for Kids Review: The Fountain

Hedy — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:04:12 +0000

The Fountain is a, well, soda fountain at the Dolphin Hotel. After going to Fantasia Gardens, we needed to grab a cab back to AKL. However, owing to our last-minute change of plans, we had not gone to Goofy’s Candy Co as planned. We had skipped dessert at Whispering Canyon because of this plan, so I made an executive decision because I hated to disappoint my nephews because I wanted sugar.

I’d heard that the Fountain can be a good alternative to the cult favorite Beaches and Cream. We were seated immediately. I found the menu very impressive-it’s not listed on the online menu, but the special menu included a 21+ milkshake with limoncello and beer floats. Clearly, the Fountain is an ice cream parlor that is not just for kids. ;) I was thirsty, so I ordered a chocolate coke as soon as I sat down (coke+chocolate syrup). My nephews ordered dishes of vanilla/chocolate soft serve. My chocolate coke arrived-as a coke with chocolate soft serve. Oh well.

Service was quick, the ice cream was good. More excitingly, The Fountain gives a 20% AAA discount. I would definitely visit the Fountain again, preferable on a 21+ adults trip so I could indulge in alcohol ice cream goodies. The one negative came when I asked for a cab home. I specifically requested a metered cab. Forward came..a towncar. Livid was a pretty god word to describe me. I repeated my request, and had to wait 10 minutes for a cab.

WDW Not Just for Kids Review: Fantasia Gardens

Hedy — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:36:32 +0000

One thing that some people might not know is that Disney World has not one-but two mini golf courses: Fantasia Gardens, by Epcot, and Winterland Summerland, by Blizzard Beach. Personally, I’ve not seen the point in spending extra money on a WDW vacation on something that a) is not included in what I have already spent, and b) I can do at home. However, owing to the fact that the WDW Bus gods did not want us to proceed with our planned Disney Quest trip, my nephews* and I ended up hopping a bus to Epcot to go to Fantasia Gardens. First big negative of this place-it is a pain in the neck to get to from the beginning. As it is located near the Swan, we got there by taking an Epcot bus, cutting through Epcot (with a pit stop at Club Station Cool), hoofing it through the Boardwalk area, and then going through the Swan. Without cutting through Epcot, it would have meant heading to a hub, then hopping a bus to the Swan.

Compared to tickets to DisneyQuest, a round at Fantasia Gardens is a reasonable $12.52 for adults, and there are discounts for DVC and AP holders. Fantasia Gardens is the easier side of the Fantasia Miniature Golf, there is also Fantasia Fairways, which is more difficult. Now, I have to admit something: I’m competitive, and I like to win. Angry Birds was on my iPad less then one week before I decided it was a stupid game as I wasn’t winning. I’m no good at mini golf (or any other sport). I found the course too be harder than the one at my local mini golf course. As such, when I dropped the scorecard, I decided that if my nephews wanted to keep score, they could get another scorecard. They didn’t.

The course is, as the name implies, themed around Fantasia . The theming is amazing. I have to admit that I had a giggle over the fact that they have a hole dedicated to the god of wine escaped my lips.

Despite being difficult to get to, I recommend Fantasia Gardens. It’s inexpensive yet magical, and a good option if you want to not spend a day on your ticket.

Have you tried Fantasia Gardens (or Winterland Summerland)? What did you think? Let me know in a comment, Twitter or Facebook.

*As they have the misfortune of being related to me already (I kid, I kid), parts discussing them will be as vague as possible. Mordie is 15, and Ferdie is 12 (actually, he turned 12 on this trip).

This is part of the 31st Dismarks blog carnival

Disney Discount: Restaurant.com

Hedy — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:43:02 +0000

However, Kim of Reward Site Round Up posted that the House of Blues, which is in Downtown Disney, is now on Restaurant.com. The fabulous folk on the Disboards have alerted me to the fact that a number of Swolphin restaurants: Garden Grove (just for dinner, not the Character meal), Kimonos, bluezoo, Il Mulino, and Shula’s. As you can easily walk from Epcot to these restaurants, it seems like a painless way to save some money on vacation.

This led me to do my own poking around on there, and I found that Bice at the Portofino Bay Resort at Universal Orlando is also on Restaurant.com.

Between now and September 14, save 60% at restaurant.com using the code SAVE.

Travel agents, revisited…

Hedy — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:42:51 +0000

One requirement of attending the DisUnplugged cruise was that you had to book through Dreams Unlimited. I frankly did not care about this requirement, as I had used a travel agent on every Disney Cruise I canceled intended on using travel agents for cruises for the extra shipboard credit. I was impressed with Dreams Unlimited-communication was good, and their follow-up was satisfactory. I also used Dreams Res for my reservation at the Swan. Their service was satisfactory, although I did opt to make my own ADR’s.

When I booked myself on Podcast Cruise 3.0, I had to book through Dreams Unlimited again, and I did so without complaint. If you use Dreams unlimited to book a WDW vacation, I urge you to use the eternally awesome Jen Kvidera-Lentsch. I booked my trip in August myself as AAA had the best rate, but I will transfer it to MouseUnlimited for the Sunshine Credit if the opportunity arises. For regular bookings, though, I’d just as soon book the trip myself and get an AAA discount.

Trip report: December 9, 2010

Hedy — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 02:34:24 +0000

My bags were packed, and I was ready to go. We got to Logan easily, and I was able to print my boarding pass easily. I was a little nervous going through security-not really because of the possibility of the new body scanners as much as people’s reactions to them. Judging from the mumbles of my fellow passengers, I was not alone. I got through security fine, though, and grabbed dinner at Johnny Rockets.

At the gate, I listened to Disney Podcasts on my iPod, and I read books on my new Kindle. We boarded. The flight was uneventful, and once we landed. I got my luggage easily, and I headed out to grab a cab. Getting a cab was easy, and I got to the Swan quickly.

When I got out, I was immediately greeted by a sign for a baseball conference-I hoped that that did not predict a lot of loud convention people. Check in was painless, I was upgraded to a resort-view room because of my Starwood Guest status. I headed to my room, and went to sleep.

WDW Not Just for Kids Review: The Swan Hotel

Hedy — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 01:09:03 +0000

I spent three nights at the Swan prior to my cruise. I was kind of meh on this concept-I was not a fan of the Dolphin, it’s sister hotel, when I stayed there two years ago. However, the price was right and I liked the concept of staying at an Epcot resort during the holidays. When I checked in, I presented my Starwood Preferred Plus card. As an AAA member, I qualified for this membership automatically, and it gets me a free upgrade. I was upgraded to a resort-view room-I could see Tower of Terror from my room (I was also on a preferred guest-only floor). :)

I really liked being able to walk to the other Epcot resorts-I ate at both the Beach Club and Boardwalk. There was not nearly the drunk conventioner element there was at the Dolphin, and I had no issues with the customer service. While the Swan does not have little Disney touches like Magical Express or Mickey soap, I would stay there again.

Apparently, I’m right on time…

Hedy — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 02:05:41 +0000

Earlier this week, I got a wild streak and decided to check out rates on Kayak if I were to rent a car from the airport in Thursday night and return it somewhere on Saturday night. (If you did not know already, the Swan, unlike the regular Disney World resorts, charges for parking). It ended up being too expensive once I added on parking. I then moved into the idea of getting a towncar, but decided I’d rather stick with the taxicab option. I also considered Mears, but am unsure if I want to go all over Orlando before I get to the Swan.

Anyway, I was turned onto Calgon’s pre-trip checklist, which includes confirming airport transfers at two weeks out. Heh heh heh.

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