Tag Archives: parks

Was it worth it?

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Back in August I shared a post about Disney’s Photopass and Photopass+. Since returning home from my vacation I’ve had several people ask me what I thought of the new Photopass+ service and whether it was worth it.

Firstly the price….by pre-ordering the Photopass+ package before my vacation it cost $169.95, which I must confess is expensive for a bunch of holiday snaps on a cd. But I think it’s the extras that make it worth it for me.

Not only do you get the Photo Gallery cd with the Disney ‘stock’ photos on it but I love being able to use the Photopass website to edit my own photos before ordering them on the second disc. You can zoom in, crop, change the colour, add borders (including ones for special events) and dates….and there’s no limit to how many times you recreate a photo. I chose one of ours from Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and reproduced it six times with different borders! And you can do all this with the attraction photos too…

Speaking of attraction photos…this is the main highlight of Photopass+ for me. We were riding attractions just so we could get another photo added to our card. It was great fun looking for our photo on the screen and knowing that whatever it was like we would be getting a copy. Also, digital copies of attraction photos are added to your Photopass account so that you can download those straightaway, without waiting for your cd to arrive in the mail.

Unfortunately we were only eating at one of the restaurants on the list where you would get a dining photo as part of the Photopass+ package. But I was pleasantly surprised when we turned up at Chef Mickey’s for breakfast and were told that not only did the arrival photo get added to our card but we also got a printed version in the Chef Mickey’s presentation folder at no extra cost!

I was a little disappointed with the ‘lanyard’ used to hold the Photopass+ card. I think at the price paid Disney could afford to provide a nicer piece of material; even if it had the Photopass logo on it, it would have looked more like a standard lanyard and we would have been more happy to show it off.

I had also hoped that the sight of a Photopass+ card would have encouraged more interaction from Photopass photographers. By having the card it indicates that you have already pre-purchased the cd and therefore must be keen to have photos taken in the parks and capture those special memories. Unfortunately we saw very little acknowledgement of the fact that we had already handed over $169 for the package and the majority of the enthusiasm for the photos came from us.

After queuing up to have our pictures taken with various characters, just because we could add them to our card, we even commented that wouldn’t it be nice if the Photopass+ package gave you some kind of ‘fastpass’ for the character meet and greets….it would certainly add to the list of reasons to pick it up.

 

So….was it worth it? To me….yes….but I do admit that it is an expensive treat. And one only worth getting if you are going to fill that disc with a LOT of pictures that will help you remember that magical vacation for years to come.

I’m now waiting for the finished disc to arrive in the mail and cannot wait to share some of those memories with you in the coming weeks. :)

 

 

Where dreams come true….

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Hello fellow Disney nerds and daydreamers…I have returned from the World!

It was a fun and exhausting two weeks spent at Walt Disney World; meeting up with old friends, having new experiences and creating Disney memories to cherish forever.

So I hope you’ll join me in the coming weeks as I share some of my stories….I’ll let you know my thoughts on the new Disney Photopass+, the Disney Dining Plan, eating at signature restaurants and of course…using Disney transportation. I’ll share how I felt about attending Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, the Food and Wine Festival and a fun Eat To The Beat event.

I’ll share the highs….and maybe even some lows of our trip (there were a couple)!

I look forward to daydreaming Disney with you…..so for your safety, please remain seated and keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the vehicle at all times……  :)

 

 

That’s a first!

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As I put the final details in place for our forthcoming trip to the World I realise that this visit could yet again be full of magical first time Disney experiences.

It’s clear to see that by simply changing the time of year for our visit it has opened up a number of new experiences and events which I will see for the first time. By visiting Walt Disney World in October I will see Magic Kingdom decorated for Halloween and get to attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

This also means that I will be visiting Epcot during the Food and Wine Festival; I’m looking forward to not only sampling some of the dishes on offer but seeing how World Showcase looks with the addition of the international marketplace booths.

Due to a special promotion I was able to include the Disney Dining Plan for free on my vacation booking which means I’ll be experiencing Disney dining on a whole new level. I’ll be visiting Signature restaurants for the first time and some of our advanced dining reservations will take us into resorts that we’ve never really had the chance to explore before.

After attending the Key To The Kingdom tour on our last visit I knew that I wanted to book at least one tour or special experience on this trip….well, I decided to fit three in! We will FINALLY get to Dine With An Imagineer, we will be taking a unique look at Animal Kingdom on the Wild By Design tour and last but by no means least we will be taking in the detail of Magic Kingdom during a park tour with Lou Mongello.

Something else which will make this trip so unique is the number of friends that we hope to be meeting up with during our two week vacation. A few years ago, before I started blogging and talking to fellow Disney fans across the social networks, I had no idea that I would make friends with so many people who lived close to or worked at my favourite vacation destination.

And lastly…now this could well make or break a vacation….we have unplanned days on our WDW daily schedule!!!! That’s right, I threw out the original daily plan which I had spent so long researching and planning! So the new schedule includes the booked tours, ADR’s and a couple of planned meet ups but that’s it! We are going to decide that morning or the night before which park we feel like going to each day….if we wake up and feel like stuffing our faces at the Food and Wine Festival we’ll head on over to Epcot, if we feel like spending a morning people watching in a busy Magic Kingdom then we’ll head on over there!!! For a mega planner like me this is pretty scary stuff but there’s a first time for everything!! :)

So what about you? Do you like to visit at the same time of year or stay at the same resort because you like to know every detail of your vacation? Do you make sure that you experience at least one new thing during each trip or do you throw caution to the wind and never plan your trips, hoping that magic and surprises come along to make memories that you’ll cherish forever???

 

 

 

 

Thank Disney it’s Friday – September 21st!

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Howdy everyone!! It’s been one of those weeks where there’s been little time for daydreaming….so let’s change all that with a quick Friday question!!!

 

If you could ride only one which would you choose….Star Tours or Space Mountain?? And of course, let me know why!!

 

And don’t forget…if you have a question which you would like to feature on a future Friday just contact us on Twitter via @daydreamingdis :)

 

:) :) :)

 

 

Dream Along With Emma!

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Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2013 takes place in January and this week saw three of the RunDisney events hit their limits; meaning that places for the marathon, the half marathon and the Goofy have sold out.

Meanwhile I’m reading lots of messages from friends who are upping their training in preparation for the forthcoming Tower of Terror event, happening on September 29.

With all this running going on I thought it would be nice to post another interview in the Dream Along With Emma series.

Today I want to introduce you to my good friend Kerry and I’m so excited to share with you how her passion for running affects her Disney daydreaming and planning that next special vacation….

 

 

So before we talk Disney tell us a little about Kerry (background, age, family, job etc) – Well, I come from a military background as my dad served in the Army for 22 years.  So, I spent the majority of my first 18 years living over in Germany which I loved.  Whilst living in Germany, at the age of 3 I was diagnosed with myotonia congenita – a little known neuromuscular condition, which isn’t obvious to most people, but it does have quite an impact on my running.  I don’t let that deter me though!  I’ve been living in Colchester since I returned from Germany in 1991, and have been with my long-term partner (John) for over 13 years, with whom I share a love of Walt Disney World and running.

When was your first visit to Walt Disney World? November 1999, with a friend from work.  I was 26 and it was my first long haul trip anywhere!  I had a fantastic time but looking back I realise how much more we could have done had we done a bit more planning – back then I didn’t know about planning!!!  Since then I have been hooked, and as soon I got home I started planning and saving for my next trip with my partner John, to celebrate my 30th birthday in December 2002.

Describe your first memory from the parks – Taking the boat to Magic Kingdom and watching the castle slowly getting bigger as we approached for the first time was so exciting! It’s a great way to arrive as it really builds the anticipation.  However, I will never forget my first experience of watching the evening fireworks at Magic Kingdom.  We staked our claim on a spot right in front of the castle far too early (we were newbies!), and I was just blown away by the spectacle of it all.  Tinkerbell flying across the park, the castle all lit up, the awesome fireworks, all set to my favourite Disney music.  I have to admit it brought happy tears to my eyes!

How long have you been running and when was your first marathon? I started running in 2006, with the Race for Life 5km as my goal.  My first marathon followed in January 2008 at Walt Disney World.  I’ve now done 6 marathons – 3 in London, 1 in Berlin and 2 in Walt Disney World.

When did you first become aware of the RunDisney events at Walt Disney World? Although by 2006 I had been to Walt Disney World 4 times, I had not heard of Run Disney events until I spotted an advert in Runners World magazine proudly showing off the most fabulous shiny gold Mickey Mouse finishers medal.  As a Mickey fan who loves to collect all things mouse, I decided I had to have one of those medals.  I would never have contemplated running a marathon, if not for that awesome medal, so as Walt said, it all started with a mouse…. :)

When was your first RunDisney event and how many / which ones have you taken part in since? After seeing an advert in Runners World in 2006, I committed myself to running the 2008 Walt Disney World marathon.  We made our holiday reservations and registered for the marathon as early as we could and started training.  However, the marathon wasn’t actually my first Run Disney event.  My first race was the Family Fun 5km on the Friday before the marathon itself.  It was set around Animal Kingdom and is the first of several events during the annual WDW Marathon Weekend.  I used that as a warm up run before the marathon on the Sunday, the last event of the weekend.  As I finished the marathon and finally received my prized Mickey medal, I could see some other runners were being awarded an extra medal which was Goofy shaped.  Needless to say I decided I had to have one too, so the first thing I did when we arrived back home in England was to register for the 2009 Goofy Challenge and start planning our next trip!  The Goofy Challenge entails running the half marathon on Saturday, followed by the full marathon on Sunday.  It didn’t cross my mind to consider how I was going to achieve this feat, I just knew I wanted that medal!  And to add to that challenge I also signed up for the 5km again.  So on our return in 2009 I completed all 3 races over the weekend – unofficially known as the ‘Dopey’ Challenge!  I have to say the whole weekend, from registering at the expo, to receiving my Goofy medal, was the most exciting and rewarding experience of my life, and it will always be the best weekend I’ve ever had at WDW (if not anywhere!).

My next Run Disney challenge is the Wine and Dine Half Marathon in November 2012, which I’m really looking forward to as its run at night-time which will be a new experience for me.  And of course, another Disney medal to add to my collection!

For those of us who haven’t yet attended a RunDisney event, tell us how it feels to complete a running event in WDW compared to a marathon in the ‘real’ world? As you would expect, Run Disney events are meticulously organised with every detail thought of.  The only other event that I’ve participated in which compares is the London marathon.  Both events are amazing, each with different things going for it – London cannot be compared for atmosphere and crowd support every step of the way.  Run Disney events however, are special for Disney nuts, allowing us to see areas of WDW that we would not normally have access to – back stage areas, utility roads etc.  And where else can you get your photo taken with the characters whilst running a marathon?  Of course, that all adds to your finish time, but who cares!!  The downside to a Run Disney event is only a minor one (depending on your point of view), in that there are quite long stretches of the marathon route where there is no crowd support as there is simply no way for spectators to access these areas.  Osceola Parkway for example can be quite soul destroying, with no respite from the baking sun and nobody to spur you on.  In the park and resort areas though, the crowds are fantastic.  Disney add a nice touch to their running bibs by including your first name, so crowds can call your name – it is quite a boost to have someone yell out “Good Job Kerry!” in that way that only Americans can!

And of course, the best part about completing a Run Disney event, which beats all others hands down, is the hardware that you received at the end.  Disney bling is the biggest, shiniest and bestest ever!

Do you have a favourite RunDisney race? So far, it has to be the Goofy Challenge, because of the sense of accomplishment I felt afterwards.  And also because the Goofy medal is the hardest to earn, and it really does feel good to show that off a bit in the parks for a few days afterward!

Do you have to train differently for the RunDisney events compared to the UK events? So far I’ve only completed the marathon weekend events run in January, so the training is pretty similar to any other marathon, with most of the training being completed before the worst of the winter months in the UK.  The main difference really, is that the races start much earlier than in the UK.  As the marathon starts at 5:50am, you have to be on your Disney transport by 3am at the absolute latest (they prefer you to be boarded at 2am).  This does mean you need to be a bit more careful about planning what you might want to eat before the race as you’ll probably need to take it with you to eat in the holding area.  So if you’re used to having porridge in training, it’s going to be difficult to replicate that at Disney.  Another difference that you can’t really account for in the UK is the weather.  It can be unpredictable in Orlando in January, it has been known to be below freezing at 4am or it could be close and humid (more likely) – not something you can really prepare for during a UK autumn/winter training period, unless you want to run in a sauna suit!

My next event, the Wine & Dine Half Marathon in November 2012 will be completely different for me as the start time is at 10pm.  It will be dark, and hopefully a little cooler.  So, I am going to have to change my training around a little in the weeks leading up to the race.  I normally prefer to do my long training runs on a Sunday morning after a light breakfast, but this time I’m going to try switching to evening runs, which means I’ll have to watch what I eat during the day.  Some people are lucky and can eat what they like before a run, but I’m not one of them.  Getting the whole food thing wrong before a long run can lead to all sorts of unpleasant tummy problems, if you get my meaning!!

When flying over to WDW for a running event do you make a vacation of it and stay before / after the event? For the 2008 and 2009 marathon weekends, our whole vacation was planned around those events.  We arrived on Thursday afternoon, just as the Expo was getting under way over at Wide World of Sports, so after checking into our resort we headed over to complete registration, pick up our race packages and cram in some frantic merchandise shopping.  Handy tip: the best Disney marathon merchandise sells fast, so get there as early as you can.  We then spent the first weekend of our vacation completing all the events, and of course repeat visits to the Expo – for that must have bargain running gear.  We chose to have the events at the start of our vacation, so we could then relax and enjoy the rest of our stay, being able to eat what we liked and stay in the parks for as long as we liked.

However, this year I didn’t book my vacation based on a Run Disney event – I had no intention of doing any running, I was just going to have a great time!  But, Disney unexpectedly changed the date for the Wine & Dine Half, which meant it fell right at the end of my vacation.  I almost didn’t register, as it really isn’t great timing, but I knew I would kick myself when I got there and saw everyone else taking part.  So, this time I will have to think about not being too excessive on the Dining Plan, or staying for every single Extra Magic Hour…but I know that will go out the window when I get there, and I shall probably turn up at the start line about a stone heavier and exhausted from 10 days touring!

Are there any factors that Disney fans and runners might need to consider when signing up to take part in a RunDisney event? There’s not getting away from one thing – Run Disney events are expensive.  They are by far the most expensive events I have taken part in.  As current exchange rates are not as good as they were in 2008/9, the 2012 Wine & Dine Half has cost me $165 (£105) to enter.  And that’s the early booking reduced price!  The price does increase in stages over the months, so it pays to register early.  Some events also sell out months in advance, another reason to register early.

If you become injured Disney do allow you to defer your race entry to the following year (and as is normal practice, you have to pay the entry fee again too), but when you’re travelling from the UK and have possibly spent £thousands on a vacation around the event, that’s not so easy.  Just something else to bear in mind.

As I’ve mentioned in the previous question, I would definitely recommend arranging your vacation so that your race is early on, allowing to you enjoy the remainder of your time at WDW.  And of course, you get to wear your medal around the parks afterwards – much better than the usual pin lanyards!

Run Disney events are also very inclusive of all abilities, and have very generous cut off times.  So you don’t need to worry about whether or not you’ll be able to finish, or if you’ll be last!  Basically, you must be able to maintain a 16 minute mile pace.  This is easily achievable for most of us, and a lot of participants use the ‘Galloway’ method to help them complete the race – this is the run/walk approach, very popular in the US.  I would recommend Jeff Galloway’s books, along with those of John Bingham (the patron saint of the back of the pack).  Jeff’s books can even help seasoned runners, don’t dismiss the run/walk method until you’ve tried it!

Whether it’s another running event or just an everyday experience do you have any Disney daydreams as yet unfulfilled? I would quite like to add the Coast to Coast medal to my collection – to earn one of these coveted medals you have to complete a Run Disney event on both the east and west US coasts during the same year.  But I don’t think I will achieve that as getting to the US twice in the same year would be too costly unless we stayed off property and did it really cheap (and I don’t want to do that!).

Another possibility though could be an Inter-continent medal, if Run Disney ever manage to get a Disneyland Resort Paris Half Marathon off the ground.  I spoke to a Run Disney rep at the London marathon expo in 2011 who told me that they were hoping to get a half marathon set up for DLRP in the next couple of years, but so far no sign of that happening.  But how fab would an inter-continent medal be??

And to finish, here’s the quickfire round…

Favourite WDW park – Magic Kingdom, always and forever the most magical place on earth.

Favourite WDW resort –  Animal Kingdom Lodge, for the wonderful atmosphere, fantastic restaurants and of course being so close to the animals.

Favourite WDW souvenir / collectible – Run Disney Race Medals, because they are earned through your own hard work, sweat and motivation.

Your top tip for WDW visitors – Plan, plan, plan!  But don’t over do it so your family feel like they’re on a military exercise – leave a little room for some spontaneity.

 

 

I want to give Kerry a huge THANKS for taking part in this Dream Along With Emma interview and sharing her daydreams with us all, thanks Kerry!!

 

 

Shop Disney!

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My regular readers will be fully aware by now as to how much I like shopping….and how much I LOVE Disney shopping! So this week I’m pleased to finally announce a new category of posts dedicated to shopping Disney! :)

There are many blogs and websites out there which cover recently released Disney merchandise, available at Disney parks and online. My posts will feature Disney items which I have actually bought; whether it’s from a shop, online or from a visit to the parks. It might be something that’s available in the UK or worldwide. I’ll be giving you details of where it was purchased, how much it cost and what I think of the item now that it’s mine!

 

The first ‘Shop Disney’ item I would like to share is this super cute sweatshirt, made by Mango. It costs £22.99 and is available on-line at asos.com.

Now if you’re not into the current trend of wearing your sweatshirts ‘fitted’ just buy a larger size. I picked up a Large and it’s roomy enough to wear over a t-shirt when I need something a little warmer.

The sweatshirt is great quality and definitely worth the reasonable price. I really love the artistic design on this top, it makes it a little different from the standard Minnie and Mickey cartoon designs. 

 

So that’s the first article in the ‘Shop Disney’ feature. I’ll be sharing all kinds of future purchases from collectibles to clothes and kitchenware. If I buy it and it’s Disney….then you’ll get to read about it!!! ;)

 

Say “cheese”!!

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I just love taking photos whilst on vacation. Since getting my first digital camera in 2010 I think I have become a ‘photographic’ nightmare!! It’s just so easy to take as many photos as you want…you can always delete the ones that you don’t want later, right??! Except that in my case I hate deleting them, even the blurry ones hold a little piece of a vacation memory!!

If you’re heading to Walt Disney World and want a few pics of you and the family during your vacation you can use the Disney Photopass service. I didn’t sign up to this concept until 2005 when I finally gave in, accepted a card from a Disney photographer and patiently posed for a few photos in front of the various park landmarks. When I returned home and accessed my Photopass account I think I had only taken about thirty photos and only two were worth ordering! But I do still love those two photos, here’s one of them:

 

When our 2010 WDW trip finally arrived I knew I was going to make the most of the Photopass service this time. In between these two trips Disney had introduced a pre-order package; whereby you could order a cd of all your photos before your trip at the reduced price of $99. A bargain….if you made sure that you made the most of that cd and filled it with lots of photos!!

And of course that’s what I did!! Every time I saw a Photopass photographer I was there, waving my card in front of them, preparing to strike a pose! When I returned home I was able to add borders and logos, zoom in and crop as many photos as I liked, taking the photograph total to over a hundred.

And it wasn’t until I came home and really looked at all the photos did I realise that one photographer had captured a truly magical Disney moment for me. The moment that after posing with Lotso he started talking to us about my hair…we didn’t even notice that the photographer had kept snapping away and had taken some unique photos for us:

 

So fast forward to 2012…I’m in mega planning mode and in January I pre-ordered this year’s photo cd. And then a few week’s later I heard rumours that something about Photopass was changing. Well, what about the money I’ve already paid over for my cd?? What if my deal wasn’t any good anymore??

Disney announced that they were introducing Photopass+, a service that would now include photos from select attractions and dining locations, but it would only be available in the parks, costing $199 at WDW. I had always thought that the attraction photos should be included with Photopass so this sounded like a good…but expensive…addition to my vacation! Disney confirmed that if you had already pre-ordered the original Photopass cd then you could upgrade to Photopass+ once you arrived at WDW, so despite protesting at the cost I knew I would end up getting it!

And then over the summer Disney released a pre-order offer for Photopass+, reducing the  cost to $169. They would even send you the additional cd of over 400 stock Disney photos before your vacation. If you had already pre-ordered the original Photopass cd you could again upgrade prior to your vacation.

So with a couple of emails and another payment I’m now the proud owner of a Photopass+ voucher ready for my trip!! And believe me, I am going to be posing for a LOT of pictures to get my money’s worth this time!!!! And of course, I can’t wait to share them with you when I get home!!! Smile and say “cheese” :)

 

 

 

Thank Disney it’s Friday – August 24!

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Yes folks it’s Friday again….it only seems like a few days since our last question!! ;)

So it’s been an exciting week in Walt Disney World with the ‘Be Our Guest’ ADR booking window opening….if you were one of the guests trying to get through I hope you had success! :)

 

I think we should have a relaxing stroll down Main Street USA and answer this week’s Friday question….

We’re in Magic Kingdom for rope drop and the park has just opened….which attraction shall we ride first today….and of course, why???

 

Thanks for joining in and happy daydreaming :) :) :)

 

 

Dream Along With Emma!

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At the beginning of August I introduced ‘Dream Along With Emma’, a new series of posts featuring friends from my Disney community; highlighting how their hobbies, work and special interests influence their daydreaming Disney!

The series launched with an extra special audio interview featuring the great Lou Mongello from WDW Radio.

Today I want to introduce you to my good friend Tim and would like to share with you how his Disney Vacation Club membership and his love for the Disney Cruise Line affects his daydreaming and planning that next special vacation….

 

 

So before we talk Disney tell us a little about Tim – So I’m Tim, I’m 35, I live in Hessle (next to the Humber Bridge) in Yorkshire, England with my lovely wife Kerrie and our big softy Rottweiler Hercules.

To fund our Disney trips I am sales manager for a soft drinks company that supplies dispense soft drinks including Pepsi to independent bars and restaurants etc.

I’m lucky that myself and Kerrie have the same passion for Disney, all of our working weeks revolve around our next trip, we are told we are mad and should try other things and other places but Disney is where our hearts are so that is where we go. Basically I’m just another regular guy who loves going to Disney.

And when was your first visit to Walt Disney World? My first trip to Walt Disney World wasn’t until 2003, as a child there was no way my parents could afford a trip to Florida so my childhood vacations were to places like Butlins or camping, the furthest we ever went was to the Isle of Wight so a trip to Disney was out of the question until I was old enough to fund it myself, so I’m doing my best to make up for lost time.

2003 was also extra special as myself and Kerrie made a last minute decision to get married whilst we were in Florida, we only decided a few weeks before the trip and although not the ideal Disney wedding we wish we could have had we got married in Kissimmee making our first trip together extra meaningful.

Describe your first memory from the parks – Looking back I think my first memories from the parks were how clean, friendly and organised they were and the magnitude of the entertainment that was on offer was staggering, having only had a few trips to some U.K. amusement parks the scale and quality of the Disney parks was mind-blowing.

Firstly let’s talk Disney Vacation Club; just what is DVC? Basically Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is where you buy a set number of points directly from Disney or on the re-sale market, you receive that same allocation of points every year on the same month for the remainder of your contract which is around 29 years for the older resorts or 48 years for the newer ones.

The accommodations in the DVC resorts all carry a per night ‘points cost’ to stay at, the amount of points to stay per night varies from resort to resort, the type of accommodation and the time of year.

You simply spend the points you own on the accommodation you want to stay at. If you’re not visiting one year you can bank that years allocation of points (or any you have left over) into the next year and have more points to spend that year (although you must use them the year after banking) alternatively if you need more points one year you can borrow up to a full years worth of points from the following year.

You buy points at a specific resort which becomes your home resort, the only real difference being that you get home resort booking priority. This means at 11 months out you can make your reservations at your home resort, to book at other DVC resorts your reservations can be made at 7 months out. Most people make a reservation at their home resort at the 11 month mark so they know they have a room guaranteed for their trip but if they want to try a different resort then look at making an alternative reservation at the 7 month window.

So having a home resort that you really like should be a priority just in case you can’t switch to where you’d like to stay at the 7 month window as this can be difficult during the holidays or say the Boardwalk and Beach Club during the Food & Wine festival.

Although not generally the most ‘cost effective’ way to use points if you have bought from Disney direct you can use your points for Disney cruise line, Adventures by Disney as well as exchanging through RCI to vacation pretty much anywhere in the world. Points bought through resale can now only be used at DVC resorts although resale is a much cheaper way to buy into DVC.

After your initial purchase of points your only other cost is the yearly annual dues which are to pay for the upkeep of your home resort and it’s grounds as well as it’s associated taxes etc. The annual dues vary from resort to resort currently the lowest being about $4.22 for Bay Lake Tower and the highest being $7.12 per point for Vero Beach. I kind of see the annual dues as the real cost of DVC as your initial purchase of points could easily be covered by the equivalent of maybe 5 or 6 stays in a deluxe resort.

When did you first hear about DVC and decide that it was for you? I kind of heard about DVC on our first trip, but didn’t really know what it was, I noticed the kiosks around the parks and being typically British steered clear thinking they were just selling time share and back then after having a couple of holidays in Europe had it drummed into me ‘stay away from time shares, people selling time shares are evil’

It wasn’t until a few years later when more sites about Disney were appearing on the internet that I started looking at DVC properly but could never get the figures to add up.

At the time we were booking package holidays with the likes of Travel City Direct and Virgin, staying in the value resorts and getting a 2 week ultimate ticket but over the last 3-5 years with competition for the big operators disappearing and taxes to fly from the U.K. getting higher and higher those great value packages we used to book were getting more and more expensive.

To balance those figures that I could never get my head around I looked at the bigger picture other than what it costs to visit WDW now and thought more of what is it going to cost in say 25 years time. When the Contemporary resort first opened it cost around $30 per night to stay there, now 40 years later it can run you $500+ per night, you’d be lucky to get a value for much less than $90 a night.
So looking at us normally staying in a value is it inconceivable that in 25 years time a nights stay at say Pop Century is going to be $250 or more a night, it doesn’t take many trips at that sort of prices to balance the initial purchase cost of DVC, but (and I know this sounds like DVC guide spiel lol) that doesn’t matter as I’ve paid for deluxe accommodation for the next 48 years now at todays prices with my only yearly outlay being the annual dues which is why I see them as the true cost of DVC.
Obviously it might not look as attractive if you don’t plan on visiting WDW for the rest of your life, but we do and although DVC isn’t really an investment you can always sell your points in the future should you need to.

2009 was the year we finally took the plunge and bought our points whilst cruising on the Disney Magic with Bay Lake Tower as our home resort, after having stayed at the values and moderates and visiting the deluxe resorts we had always thought wow can you imagine if we could afford to stay at these resorts, buying DVC has finally allowed us to live that dream.
I have to admit I am in the majority of people who now say ‘I just wish we’d bought sooner’

Does being a DVC member mean that you have stayed in Disney resorts that you might not have stayed in otherwise? DVC has definitely meant that we have stayed in resorts we otherwise wouldn’t have, unless there was a dining offer available for the moderates we always chose to stay at the value resorts and still do if we make a cash booking as we enjoy the values in their own way as much as any other resort. We tended to book the value accommodation rather than the deluxe as the cheaper we could make the trip then the sooner we could re-book and return to the place we love. Now thanks to DVC we’ve stayed at Bay Lake Tower, Kidani village and Wilderness Lodge places we wouldn’t have paid cash for in fact looking at paying cash bookings for those resorts has already justified our initial DVC purchase cost.

Do you visit WDW more frequently because of DVC and do you plan your trips differently because of it? Since DVC we have managed to visit WDW more frequently, we used to as most people in the U.K. book a 2 week package with one of the major tour operators but now we book our flights separately and don’t mind flying in-direct, use DVC points for most of our accommodation, maybe take a Disney cruise and have a few nights at a value resort on a cash basis.

The DVC discounted annual pass is fantastic, we get the basic pass which is little more than a 2 week ultimate ticket that is available in the U.K, this also brings with it other benefits like room discounts for cash bookings and 10% off merchandise in WDW.
At the moment we are lucky enough to spend around 4 weeks a year at WDW with DVC points being used for some of our accommodation and cash bookings at value resorts for the remainder, we also now use Suzy at Mousefan travel for any cash bookings or cruises as the service offered is far superior to that offered by any U.K company.

I have to give a shout out to John at Owners Locker too, the service John provides is outstanding and not having to carry  things like toiletries, hair straighteners, some clothes and other bits has enabled us to make trips with just hand luggage which makes flying seem so much less stressful.

Does living in the UK make the DVC experience different from a US WDW visitor? I don’t think there is much difference between a U.K and a U.S DVC owner visiting WDW, a U.K visitor may typically have a bit longer stay, the only real differences I can think of are U.S members will receive their Disney Files magazine a lot quicker than I do lol and U.S members from most states are eligible for some quite nice rewards for introducing new members.

So, as well as being a DVC member I know you enjoy a Disney cruise; when was your first trip with DCL?  We love Disney Cruise Line and have now been lucky enough to travel on all 4 Disney ships the last being the Maiden voyage of the amazing Disney Fantasy. Our first cruise was in 2008 on the Disney Wonder, we were blown away by the service, the food, the entertainment, the amenities, the whole experience was amazing and had us hooked.

Disney Cruise Line has given us the chance to see and meet some amazing people including John Lasseter, Jodi Benson, Lea Salonga, Bob Iger, Tom Staggs, Karl Holz, Don Williams, Steven Schwartz, Larry the cable guy as well as getting to see presentations by Imagineers and getting to meet some amazing people from around the world who are part of the crew.

Our next cruise is the WDW Radio cruise this November and we’re looking forward to seeing Lou again and obviously meeting Richard Sherman.

Do you combine your cruises with a visit to Walt Disney World? As a rule yes, we like to visit WDW and take a Disney cruise as they are the perfect complement to each other, the only time we just did a cruise was in 2010 when we crossed the Atlantic on the Disney Magic, we had to fly home the day we docked so only had time for a couple of hours at Downtown Disney.

Have you been on non-Disney Cruise Line trips and if so how do they differ? We haven’t cruised with anyone else and to be honest I can’t see us doing so either, Mickey isn’t going to be on any other ships! :)

Would you recommend a DCL vacation to both families and couples?  I think a Disney Cruise is perfect for families and couples and all ages, the ships cater so perfectly for every category that everyone can have a great time, there are areas for the adults, areas for the kids, areas for the teens and areas where everyone can be together, Disney really does cater to everyone so well.

Finally; whether it’s DVC, DCL or just a general Disney experience, do you have any Disney daydreams as yet unfulfilled? Loads lol, We want to visit Disneyland (which we are doing in May 2013).  I want to get to the point when I can look back and say I’ve spent 365 days at Disney and know that I’ve spent a year of my life enjoying myself in a place I love.

Next year we get to have that Disney wedding we wanted back in 2003 when we renew our vows on the Disney Fantasy, and long-term when we are mortgage free we’d love to get a small place in Celebration.

Then there are all the other little things, resorts and restaurants to try, new things to see and experience, that’s the great thing whatever I am lucky enough to do and see there will always be something new to daydream about.

And to finish, here’s the quickfire round…

Favourite WDW park – My favorite park is the Magic Kingdom, even without riding a single attraction I can’t think of a nicer place just to be.

Favourite WDW resort – Although I tend to change my mind (just like with restaurants and attractions) at the moment it’s probably Bay Lake Tower, I love being able to walk to the Magic Kingdom, to watch Wishes from the Top of the World lounge and hear the sounds of the Magic Kingdom from my balcony.

Favourite WDW souvenir / collectible – I’m going to answer this in 3 parts lol, firstly my actual WDW collectible is an Olszewski Cinderella castle, which was a nightmare to get home, no it won’t fit in hand luggage as Kerrie likes to remind me, it won’t fit in the plane overhead lockers and I was very lucky that the attendant on American Airlines took pity on me and put it in his own private locker for the flight home. Secondly is a lithograph by Don Ducky Williams that we were given on the 2010 Westbound Transatlantic cruise on the Disney Magic, I was lucky enough to have it signed by Don, Captain Thord and Jodi Benson, and lastly the most invaluable thing is the friendships I have made. It’s hard to believe how many people I have met through a mutual love of Disney and how many people I can now class as friends.

Your top tip for WDW visitors - A top tip is difficult as everyone likes different things but from personal experience I would say enjoy every minute and treat every trip like it’s your last as you never know what the future brings.

 

:) :) :)

I want to give Tim a huge THANKS for taking part in this Dream Along With Emma interview and sharing his daydreams with us all, thanks Tim!!

 

 

 

Thank Disney it’s Friday – August 17!

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Greetings fellow Disney dreamers….it’s Friday again!!

With lots of things changing across Walt Disney World right now I’ve chosen a question that gets you thinking about all four parks today…..

 

Tell me, which is your favourite park entrance and why???

Is it the Magic Kingdom with the Walt Disney World Railroad station, Epcot with its futuristic open space and sight of Spaceship Earth, Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood or Animal Kingdom with its nature and foliage inviting you to be a wilderness explorer for the day?

 

Thanks for sharing your daydreams and have a great weekend everyone!

:) :) :)