Disney+ Subscribers get Great Summer Savings at WDW!
Photo: Disney Parks
Great Rates at Select Disney Resorts!
If you are a Disney+ subscriber, we’ve got good news for you. Disney is offering some terrific savings on room rates at select Walt Disney World resorts this summer for Disney+ subscribers.
Disney+ subscriber rates at Disney Resorts Collection hotels start as low as $99 per night. This offer is valid on 2-night stays or longer, most nights from June 29 to July 31, 2025. The offer is limited to the following room types:
$99 Per Night for Standard Rooms at Disney’s All-StarSports Resort
$169 Per Night for Woods View Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
$229 Per Night for Cars Family Suites at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
$249 Per Night for Deluxe Studios at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
$339 Per Night for Savanna View Rooms at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Proof of a Disney+ subscription is required, and must be submitted at the time of reservation. A Disney+ subscriber with an active subscription must stay in the room.
Ready to take advantage of this special summer savings for Disney+ subscribers? Email me today to get started!
Are you ready to plan your next Magical vacation? I’d love to help! email Brooke@disneycastledreaming.com for a free, no obligation quote today!
Disney World SUMMER SAVINGS ALERT! Disney Just Dropped AMAZING New Deals for Summer 2025!
If you are thinking about visiting Disney World this summer, I have some absolutely FANTASTIC news that has me doing happy dances around my living room! Disney World just released their Summer 2025 special offers, and wow, are there some incredible savings to be had!
I literally dropped everything to bring you this breaking news because these deals are TOO GOOD to wait! Let’s break down all the magical ways you can save on your summer Disney adventure!
FREE DINING IS BACK!
Yes, you read that correctly! The most beloved Disney deal of all time has returned in all its glory! When you book a 4-night, 4-day Disney World package with a room at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels and theme park tickets with Park Hopper, you’ll get a FREE dining plan!
Image: Disney Parks
This offer is available for arrivals on most nights during these date ranges:
June 29 to September 30, 2025
October 20 to November 1, 2025
December 6 to December 22, 2025
If you’ve never experienced the joy of free dining, let me tell you – there’s something extraordinarily liberating about ordering whatever your heart desires without thinking about the price! Mickey waffles for breakfast? Yes! Signature dining experience? Absolutely!
Chef Mickey’s Photo: Disney Parks
A couple of notes: Notice that Park Hopper tickets are required to get Free Dining this time around. Park Hopper tickets are significantly pricier than one park per day tickets, so that may impact how much value you could get from this particular package. While so many of us LOVE Free Dining, it’s not ALWAYS the best deal. I am happy to help you figure out if this is the RIGHT deal for you. Also, you can check out this previous post for more details on things to consider when evaluating whether Free Dining is a good fit for you.
HALF-PRICE TICKETS FOR KIDS!
Traveling with little ones? Here’s a deal that will make your wallet very happy! Children ages 3 to 9 can get 3-day or longer standard theme park tickets for 50% OFF! This special pricing applies to tickets with start dates from May 27 through September 20, 2025.
Photo: Disney Parks
With all the new kid-focused experiences coming this summer (have you heard about the new kid zones and character interactions?), this deal couldn’t have come at a better time!
BUDGET-FRIENDLY 3-DAY, 3-PARK SPECIAL TICKET 🎫
If you’re looking to maximize fun while minimizing costs, check out this specially priced ticket option! For just $89 per day (total starting at $267 plus tax), you can get a 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket valid for admission to:
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
EPCOT
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
This is PERFECT for first-time visitors who want to experience a variety of parks without the premium price of Magic Kingdom admission. And trust me, these three parks alone have enough amazement to fill several days of adventure–just make sure that you understand that if you want to visit Magic Kingdom, you will need to purchase an additional park ticket for Magic Kingdom separately. (Currently, pricing for a one day ticket to Magic Kingdom ranges from $139 – $164 for most of the days this summer.)
Photo: Brooke Hudson
SAVE UP TO 30% ON RESORT ROOMS
Planning a longer Disney getaway? You’ll be rewarded with bigger savings! Stay 5 consecutive nights or longer at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels between August 1 and October 11, 2025, and you can save up to 30% off room rates!
Even if you can’t stay quite that long, Disney is still offering savings for shorter stays during the same period. This is a fantastic way to experience the immersive storytelling that makes staying on Disney property so special!
Disney’s Contemporary Resort Photo: Disney Parks
Let me help you figure out the best offer for your vacation! Drop me an email today.
FLORIDA RESIDENTS: EVEN BIGGER SAVINGS! 🌴
My Florida friends, Disney hasn’t forgotten about you! Florida residents can save up to 35% on rooms at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels when staying 4 consecutive nights or longer between August 1 and October 11, 2025.
And yes, there are savings for shorter stays too! Just remember that your credit card or payment method must have a Florida billing address to qualify. (Disney is really tightening up the rules on Florida resident discounts!)
Photo: Disney Parks
Annual Passholders, there’s a similar offer available for you as well! Email me today with the dates you want to travel, and I’ll provide a no obligation quote for you.
Insider Tips for Maximizing These Deals:
Book ASAP! These offers have limited availability, especially for the most popular resorts and dates.
Be flexible with dates if possible. Try different arrival dates to find the best availability.
Consider value season travel. Late August and September typically have lower crowds and better availability for deals.
Don’t forget about Early Theme Park Entry! As a Disney Resort guest, you’ll get into the parks 30 minutes early every day – a HUGE advantage and in my opinion, adds a lot of value to your vacation. Of course, that does require you be willing to get up and get to the parks early! It’s less of an advantage if you’d rather sleep in on vacation!
Use the savings to splurge on special experiences. Maybe a dessert party with fireworks viewing? Or that character meal you’ve been eyeing?
Topolino Terrace Character Breakfast Photo: Linda Harkness
Disney Summer Savings 2025
Which of these amazing deals has you reaching for your credit card? I’m definitely tempted. Mom and I are going down in May for the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival, but some of these deals are really selling me on a quick mid-summer trip! (Especially with Universal’s new Epic Universe park opening at the end of May. Disney for 3-4 days and a quick hop over to Epic Universe…sounds like it could be a plan.)
Let me know in the comments which offer you are most tempted by. And of course, if you have any questions about any of these deals, I’m always happy to help plan your perfect vacation!
There’s nothing I love more than helping plan a magical vacation. Email me today for a free, no obligation quote.
P.S. If you’re planning a summer Disney trip, be sure to check out my recent post about all the SPECTACULAR kid-focused activities coming to Walt Disney World this summer!
One of the earliest planning decisions you need to make is choosing where to stay on your Disney vacation. There are many facets to this decision: staying on Disney property or staying off Disney property? If staying off property, do you want to stay at a hotel or rent a house (Air B&B)? If staying on property, do you want to stay at a Value Resort, a Moderate Resort or a Deluxe Resort? Do you want to stay at the Swan, Dolphin or Swan Reserve? Another option to consider: You could rent points and stay at a Disney Vacation Club Resort.
Photo: Destinations in Florida
Advantages of Staying on Disney Property
Once you’ve decided WHEN you want to go to Disney, your next big decision is WHERE to stay. Choosing where to stay on your Disney vacation is a HUGE decision. Where you stay will have a big impact on your vacation budget, whether you need to rent a car, how much time you spend at the parks, how early you need to get up in the morning–You’d be surprised what an impact where you decide to stay will have on your overall vacation experience.
Some of the advantages of staying on Disney property include:
Proximity to the Disney World theme parks.
Free parking at the resort and at each theme park.
Free Disney transportation within Walt Disney World.
Monorail at EPCOT Photo: Linda Harkness
You don’t need to rent a car, unless you want to.
Early park entry: Disney resort guests can enter 30 minutes before official open time every day at every theme park.
Extra evening hours: Disney resort guests can stay 2 hours after park close at select theme parks 2 nights per week.
Advance dining reservations can be made 60 days in advance of your stay for the entirety of your vacation–up to 10 days.
Great Disney gift shops at each Disney resort.
All Disney resorts offer lots of family friendly activities every day. There are craft activities, movie nights, s’mores, character visits, and more!
Restaurants and food courts: All Disney resorts feature some dining options. Value Resorts feature food courts with counter service meals, while Moderate and Deluxe resorts usually feature both counter service and table service meal options.
Resort Mug with Free Refills for the duration of your stay. All Disney resorts offer refillable mugs for purchase. These mugs can be refilled at no additional charge at beverage stations at several locations around your resort. Note: you cannot get refills in these mugs at the theme parks–but you can get free water throughout each theme park, and the refillable mugs work great for that, too.
Room service: some Disney resorts offer room service options.
Old Key West Pool Photo: Brooke Hudson
Intangible Advantages of Staying on Disney Property
There are additional, less tangible advantages to staying on Disney property as well. There’s nothing like being in the Disney bubble for your entire vacation. Even the highway signs on Disney property are themed! Each resort has it’s own theme, and you can count on Disney to carry the theme throughout your resort. And you gain time by staying on Disney property. You don’t have to get up as early, or get back to your resort as late if you’re staying on Disney property. You’re avoiding Orlando traffic, which can be pretty challenging.
Disney resorts are SO CLEAN. We’ve been visiting Walt Disney World for more than 50 years, and we’ve stayed at MANY different Disney resorts. We’ve never had an issue with a room not being clean, or with the resort public areas being clean. I’m not saying there are never exceptions to this–but they are exceptions. Disney has very high standards, and cast members are held to those standards.
When evaluating whether to stay on or off Disney property, you need to consider those “intangibles” in addition to the more tangible advantages. If budget is the most important thing to you when you are planning, you can definitely save money by staying off Disney property. But you may not save as much as you think.
Magic Kingdom Ferry: Free to Disney Resort Guests Photo: Brooke Hudson
Things to Consider if Staying Off Disney Property
There are a lot of great hotels located off Disney property, in every possible budget. And Central Florida offers a TON of vacation rental homes and condos. Again, in almost every possible budget. Every time we plan a longer Disney trip, we always consider staying at a vacation rental home–especially for our big family trips. There are twelve of us–and the inventory of vacation homes with 5 or more bedrooms is plentiful.
For our most recent trip, we very strongly considered it. But ultimately, we decided the advantages of staying on Disney property outweighed the cost savings of staying at a vacation rental. But everyone’s priorities are different and you have to consider what is important to you when making this decision.
Considerations
You HAVE to have your own transportation if you stay off property. If you’re driving to Disney, this is no big deal. However, if you’re flying, you will need to rent a car.
You will need to pay to park at the theme parks. Currently, parking at each theme park is $30 per vehicle, per day.
Magic Kingdom Gate
Travel time to and from Disney World. Depending on where you are staying, you may need to allow as much as one hour for travel time to the theme parks. Traffic in the Orlando area can be brutal. I live in Chicago, so Orlando traffic is no big deal for me–but generally, most Orlando visitors and residents complain a lot about the traffic in Orlando.
If you have read any of my previous blogs, you know I’m a big proponent at getting to the parks EARLY. The crowds are lightest first thing in the morning, so if you want to avoid long lines, your best bet is to arrive at the parks before opening. This means getting up earlier to allow time to drive to Disney, to park and to walk in from the parking lot.
Keep in mind that at the end of the night, you’ll have more of a drive back to your hotel or vacation rental.
You can make Advance Dining Reservations for meals on Disney property 60 days before your trip, but only one day at a time. (When you stay on Disney property, you can still make your reservations 60 days out, but you can book all your reservations for up to 10 days).
You won’t have access to Early Park Access (30 minutes per park per day if you’re staying on property).
You won’t have access to Extra Evening Hours (2 hours after park close at select parks 2 nights per week for Disney resort guests).
Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort Photo: Linda Harkness
The Bottom Line
Choosing where to stay on your Disney vacation is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when planning your Disney vacation. Deciding whether to stay on Disney property or off Disney property will have a major impact on both your budget and your overall vacation experience.
Photo: Disney Parks
If you are working with a tight budget, the most economical options are off Disney property. However, it’s important to consider the costs of renting a car, parking at the theme parks, and the time-cost of driving to and from Disney.
In our next blog, we’ll discuss the different types of Disney resorts to choose from.
Where do you like to stay when you visit Disney? Are there any Disney resorts or any off property resorts that you’re wanting to visit? Please share below!
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
P.S: The name of this blog is going to be changing soon. Our new name will be Magical Castles Travel or WDW Castle Dreaming Travel.
Walt Disney World has decided to start 2024 off with a BANG! They are offering FREE DINING to Disney+ subscribers! This is the first time Disney has offered Free Dining since before the pandemic closure in 2020. In fact, the Disney Dining Plan in its entirety has been missing since then as well. We already had the good news that the Disney Dining Plan was back for 2024, and can be booked with your Disney vacation for trips starting January 9, 2024. But Free Dining? I wasn’t sure we’d ever get Free Dining offers again, given all the price increases and other changes since Walt Disney World reopened after the pandemic. But at long last, Free Dining is BACK! (at least, for Disney+ subscribers!).
Photo: Disney Parks
What is the Disney Dining Plan?
Let’s start here. Because it’s been years since the Disney Dining Plan was offered, many of you may not be familiar with the Disney Dining Plan. Basically, the Disney Dining Plan offers a way for resort guests to prepay for most of their meals during their trip as they pay for the rest of their vacation. Since your vacation balance is paid in full by the time you go on vacation, if you include the Disney Dining Plan, you’ve also already paid for most of your meals by the time you go as well. A lot of people like the security of knowing their meals are already paid for and they find it easier to control their spending during their vacation. After your resort and your park tickets, meals are easily the most expensive part of your Disney vacation. There are ways to save money on food on your Disney vacation, but that’s a topic for a different blog!
Photo: Disney Parks
Is there only one Disney Dining Plan?
There are actually two different Disney Dining Plans. Both Disney Dining Plans are linked to your resort reservation. Whichever Disney Dining Plan you purchase, you are buying it for each person on your reservation staying in your room, and for the number of nights on your reservation. For example, if you are staying at Art of Animation for 4 nights, and you have two adults and two children ages 3-9 in your room, you would be purchasing 2 adult 4 night Dining Plans and 2 child 4 night Disney Dining Plans.
The Standard Disney Dining Plan includes:
One quick service meal per night
One table service meal per night
One snack or non-alcoholic beverage per night
A refillable resort mug
Important things to know about the Standard Disney Dining Plan:
Beverages are included with each meal
Guests under 21 years of age may order non-alcoholic beverages; guests 21 years old or older may substitute beer, wine or cocktails
Children ages 3-9 must order from the children’s menu where available
Plans must be purchased for the entire length of stay and for the entire party (ages 3 and up).
Meal credits expire at midnight on the day you checkout of your resort
Meals are non-transferable between members of your party
Resort refillable mugs are fillable at any self service beverage station at any of the Disney Resort Quick Service locations
Resort refillable mugs cannot be refilled at beverage stations inside any of the theme parks
Photo: Disney Parks
What’s Included in Each Meal?
Quick Service Meal: Quick Service meal credits can be redeemed for breakfast, lunch or dinner at any Quick Service meal location. One Quick Service meal credit will entitle you to:
One entrée
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
Table Service Meal: Table Service meal credits can be redeemed for breakfast, lunch or dinner at any Table Service meal location.
At breakfast, one Table Service meal credit will entitle you to:
One entrée
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
OR
One Full Buffet (prix-fixe) or Family-Style Meal (prix-fixe)
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
At lunch or dinner, one Table Service meal credit will entitle you to:
One entrée
One dessert
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
OR
One Full Buffet (if available) or Family-Style Meal
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
Photo: Disney Parks
What Beverages are Included?
Alcoholic Beverages: Guests 21 or older may choose either one non-alcoholic beverage or one single serving mixed cocktail, beer or wine (where offered) as part of your meal.
A single serving alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
Beer or Cider
Sangria or Wine
Mixed Drinks and Specialty Cocktails
Non-alcoholic Beverages: Guests 10 or older may choose a non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) as part of their meal.
A single serving non-alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
Milkshakes
Fresh Smoothies
Premium Hot Chocolate
Soda, Coffee or Tea
Left to right, non-alcoholic drinks: Carbon Freeze, Oga’s Obsession provision and Cliff Dweller can be found at Oga’s Cantina. (Photo: Kent Phillips/Disney Parks)
What Counts as a “Snack”?
At most outdoor carts, Quick Service meal locations and select merchandise locations, snacks may include items like:
Frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle or fruit bar
2 scoops of hand-scooped ice cream
Popcorn scoop (single-serving box)
Piece of whole fruit
Single-serve bag of snacks
20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola® products, including Dasani® water
20-ounce fountain soft drink
Single-serve coffee, hot chocolate, hot tea, milk or juice
Cup of soup
Add on toppings or sauces (e.g. side of cheese dipping sauce)
Photo: Brooke Hudson
What’s NOT Included?
Items served in a souvenir container (like popcorn or drinks)
Products that are larger than a single serving (for example, a box of donuts or a jar of peanut butter
Items that are considered merchandise (like bottle straps, glow cubes or bottle toppers)
Special dining events offered at some Table Service restaurants
More Magical Ways to use Table Service Meal Credits:
Character Meals: Table Service meal credits CAN be used for Character Dining. Character meals are usually buffet or family style meals and offer opportunities for your family to take photos and/or get autographs from various characters. Note: Disney PhotoPass photographers do NOT go around with the characters at Character meals, so plan on using your own camera or phone for all photo ops.
Chef Mickey’s Character Breakfast Photo: Brooke Hudson
SOME Character Meals require TWO Table Service meals credits per diner, per meal. These include:
Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Castle
Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (at lunch and dinner only require two credits; breakfast is one credit)
Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White
Fine/Signature Dining: Some of Walt Disney World restaurants offer more of a “fine dining” experience or are higher end than your average Table Service restaurant. Each meal at one of these restaurants will require TWO Table Service credits per diner, per meal. Each meal will include:
One entrée
One dessert
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
Fine dining/Signature dining restaurants do have a dress code. Guests are expected to dress in attire that reflects the restaurant’s upscale and sophisticated aesthetic. No swimwear is allowed.
Photo: Disney Parks
Many restaurants are considered “Signature”. Be sure to check before making your reservations so you are not surprised by the two meal credit requirements.
Here are just a few examples of Signature Dining Restaurants at Walt Disney World:
California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Tiffin’s at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Flying Fish on Disney’s Boardwalk
The BOATHOUSE at Disney Springs
Jiko at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Dinner at Be Our Guest Restaurant at the Magic Kingdom: Dining at Be Our Guest requires two Table Service meal credits for each meal.
Be Our Guest: The Beast Does a Walk Through (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Dinner Shows: Your party can enjoy family style meals along with live entertainment at a dinner show. Advanced reservations are required for any dinner show. Two Table Service meal credits will be redeemed for each person dining at a dinner show.
Pizza Pickup: You can stop by select Quick Service restaurants and pick up a “Pizza Meal”. Each Pizza Meal will use two Quick Service meal credits. A Pizza Meal includes:
1 large pizza
2 single serving non-alcoholic beverages (or alcoholic beverages, where available, for guests 21 or older)
Pizza Meals are available at the following Disney World Resorts:
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
What Does the Standard Disney Dining Plan Cost?
The Standard Disney Dining Plan is $94.28 per adult, per day. For children ages 3 -9, the Standard Disney Dining Plan is $29.69 per day.
Note: Prices for the Standard Disney Dining Plan are subject to change at any time, as are the participating restaurants and Disney Dining Plan rules. Once you’ve purchased, you’re locked in, but until then–anything can happen.
Dessert at California Grill Photo: Brooke Hudson
The Quick Service Disney Dining Plan includes:
Two quick service meals per night
One snack or non-alcoholic beverage per night
One refillable resort mug
Important things to know about the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan:
Beverages are included with each meal
Guests under 21 years of age may order non-alcoholic beverages; guests 21 years old or older may substitute beer, wine or cocktails
Children ages 3-9 must order from the children’s menu where available
Plans must be purchased for the entire length of stay and for the entire party (ages 3 and up).
Meal credits expire at midnight on the day you checkout of your resort
Meals are non-transferable between members of your party
Resort refillable mugs are fillable at any self service beverage station at any of the Disney Resort Quick Service locations
Resort refillable mugs cannot be refilled at beverage stations inside any of the theme parks
Photo: Disney Parks
What’s Included in Each Meal?
Quick Service Meal: Quick Service meal credits can be redeemed for breakfast, lunch or dinner at any Quick Service meal location. One Quick Service meal credit will entitle you to:
One entrée
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
What Beverages are Included?
Alcoholic Beverages: Guests 21 or older may choose either one non-alcoholic beverage or one single serving mixed cocktail, beer or wine (where offered) as part of your meal.
A single serving alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
Beer or Cider
Sangria or Wine
Mixed Drinks and Specialty Cocktails
Photo: Brooke Hudson
Non-alcoholic Beverages: Guests 10 or older may choose a non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) as part of their meal.
A single serving non-alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
Milkshakes
Fresh Smoothies
Premium Hot Chocolate
Soda, Coffee or Tea
Photo: Disney Parks
What Counts as a “Snack”?
At most outdoor carts, Quick Service meal locations and select merchandise locations, snacks may include items like:
Frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle or fruit bar
2 scoops of hand-scooped ice cream
Popcorn scoop (single-serving box)
Piece of whole fruit
Single-serve bag of snacks
20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola® products, including Dasani® water
20-ounce fountain soft drink
Single-serve coffee, hot chocolate, hot tea, milk or juice
Cup of soup
Add on toppings or sauces (e.g. side of cheese dipping sauce)
What’s NOT Included?
Items served in a souvenir container (like popcorn or drinks)
Products that are larger than a single serving (for example, a box of donuts or a jar of peanut butter
Items that are considered merchandise (like bottle straps, glow cubes or bottle toppers)
What Does the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan Cost?
The Quick Service Disney Dining Plan is $57.01 per adult, per day. For children ages 3 -9, the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan is $23.83 per day.
Note: Prices for the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan are subject to change at any time, as are the participating restaurants and Disney Dining Plan rules. Once you’ve purchased, you’re locked in, but until then–anything can happen.
Photo: Disney Parks
Do the Disney Dining Plan credits come day by day?
Something to be aware of: all your Disney Dining Plan credits are available to you once you check in. You don’t have to use them each day if you don’t want to. Theoretically, if you like to eat table service meals for breakfast AND dinner, you could use all four table service meal credits in your first two days. Certain table service restaurants are considered “Signature” restaurants, and each meal there uses TWO table service meal credits. I have had clients that purchased 4 day Disney Dining Plans that used all their credits up in the first two days. I have also had clients that purchased 4 day Disney Dining Plans scrambling to use their snack credits up before they left for the airport.
Photo: Disney Parks
Planning and Organization Required
Using the Disney Dining Plan does take some planning. If you are purchasing the Standard Disney Dining Plan, I highly recommend you make reservations for your Table Service meals before your trip. (Note: If you book your trip through me, I take care of this for you). If you don’t make reservations before your trip, you run the risk of not being able to get into the table service restaurants you want to. Having a table service credit on your Disney Dining Plan is NOT a guarantee that you can actually get a table at a table service restaurant of your choice. This is a common misconception and can be very disappointing and frustrating for hungry guests inside a theme park discovering there is no availability at any of the Table Service options at that theme park that night.
Photo: Disney Parks
There is always some table service restaurant somewhere on property where you can get in, but it may not be in the theme park or resort where you want to eat when you want to eat. Planning ahead sets you up for success. You can always make changes during your trip if you want to and if there is availability–but if you don’t make reservations before your trip, you definitely run the risk of not being able to dine where you want to dine.
Use them or lose them!
It is important to keep track of your Disney Dining Plan credits to make sure you don’t waste any or forget to use them. You’ve paid for these credits! The larger your party, the more difficult this can be–especially if you have older kids that you might split off from for meals. If this feels too complicated and you don’t want to have to pay attention or remember to use your credits, then the Disney Dining Plan is NOT for you. But with a little pre-planning, you can maximize the value of your Disney Dining Plan and not lose track of your credits. If you book your trip with me, I’m happy to help you with this.
Photo: Disney Parks
How do you use the Dining Plan?
Using your Disney Dining Plan is super easy. In fact, most Table Service restaurant servers will ask you before you order if you are using the Disney Dining Plan. You’ll just present your Disney Resort ID (Magic Band, Magic Band+, Disney Magic Mobile Pass or Key to the World card) to your server or cashier.
If you are dining with another family or group that is also on the Disney dining plan, you’ll want to make sure your server knows which meals should be redeemed on which Disney Resort ID.
You can redeem your meals and snacks in any order during your stay, until the number of meals and snacks associated with your package has been depleted. All unused meals and snacks and the ability to use your Resort-refillable mug expire at midnight on your package reservation checkout date.
Roundup Rodeo Photo: Brooke Hudson
How to Keep Track of Your Disney Dining Plan Credits
Your Disney Dining Plan is linked electronically to your Resort reservation. You can check your Disney Dining Plan credits in one of three different ways:
Use your My Disney Experience app to view your remaining meals and snacks.
Check your dining receipts. Each receipt will print your remaining meals and snacks as of the time on that receipt.
You can ask at Guest Relations or your Resort Concierge to look up your remaining meals and snacks any time.
What About Gratuities?
Gratuities are NOT included in the cost of your Disney Dining Plan, except for at Cinderella’s Royal Table and dinner shows.
An 18% gratuity will automatically be added to your bill for parties of six or larger.
You will need to provide an additional form of payment if you add a gratuity and haven’t provided a credit card at check in to charge incidentals and other charges to your room.
For guests traveling from outside the United States, a 20% gratuity based on the total pre-tax cost of the meal is standard for Table Service meals. Servers in the United States are generally paid a very small hourly rate and the majority of their income comes from guest paid gratuities. The last time the Disney Dining Plan was offered, Disney would print the cost of the meal on the receipt, along with suggested gratuity amounts to make it easy for the guests. I am assuming they will do something similar this time around.
But What About FREE DINING???
Ok, so now we’ve covered both available Disney Dining Plans, how they work and how much they cost. Periodically, Disney will run different “Free Dining” promotions where guests can get Free Dining by booking a particular type of full price reservation.
La Creperie de Paris Dessert Crepe (Photo: Linda Harkness)
Currently, Disney is offering Free Dining for Disney+ subscribers. There are some important requirements to take advantage of this offer:
Guests much purchase a nondiscounted 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and a theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option
Offer is valid for arrivals most nights between July 1, 2024 and September 30, 2024
Packages purchased for select Disney Deluxe Villa Resort Hotels or Select Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels will include the Standard Disney Dining Plan
Packages purchased for select Disney Moderate Resort Hotels or select Disney Value Resort Hotels will include the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan
Offer is available for booking beginning January 3, 2024
Is Free Dining a Good Deal?
Short answer? Sometimes. The key phrase to pay attention to is “NONDISCOUNTED package”. Another important phrase: “Theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option”. Keep in mind that if you are purchasing a four-night package, this means you are also purchasing a four day Park Hopper ticket–which is more expensive than the one park per day theme park ticket.
If you’re an Annual Passholder, this is not a good deal for you. If you are a Florida resident, you most likely can get better Florida resident discounts than the dollar amount associated with the Disney Dining Plan you would get as part of this package. If you’re in the military, you can often get better discounts than Free Dining.
In fact, there are often better discounts available during the same period of time. Generally, if Disney is offering Free Dining in any capacity at all, it usually means they’re not as fully booked up for that time period as they would like to be. That’s why they’re offering Free Dining–to book more rooms and more tickets. It’s important to evaluate any other available discounts to determine if Free Dining is really a good value for your party.
If you are a Disney+ subscriber and you’d like to travel to Disney between July 1 and September 30 and would like to get a quote for this Free Dining offer, please contact me. At the same time, I can check for other available discounts for you. Disney is verifying Disney+ subscriber status and there are a couple of extra hoops to jump through to take advantage of this discount, but if this fits with your travel plans, Free Dining COULD save you money.
Photo: Disney Parks
Bottom Line: Advantages and Disadvantages of the Disney Dining Plans
Advantages
You are able to prepay for the bulk of your meals before your vacation
Eliminates the guesswork of how much you’ll spend on food during your vacation
Reduces the amount of cash or credit you need to have on hand throughout your vacation
Easy to use–as long as you have a credit card attached to your Resort reservation for incidentals and other charges to the room, you will not need to provide a form of payment for any of the meals on your Dining Plan. You’ll just use your Magic Band, Magic Band+, Key to the World card or Magic Mobile to access your Dining Plan credits. Any gratuities can be charged to your room.
The My Disney Experience App shows your available meal credits.
Accepted by most Disney Table Service, Quick Service and mobile cart locations throughout the Walt Disney World Resort
Enables members of your traveling party to get meals and snacks without incurring out of pocket costs
Great food can be found at the new Regal Eagle Smokehouse at the American Adventure Pavilion at EPCOT (Photo: Disney Parks)
DISADVANTAGES
The Standard Dining Plan requires some planning ahead, to ensure you have reservations for Table Service restaurants during your trip.
Can be challenging to make sure all your credits are used if you aren’t paying attention.
May or may not be a good value for your family, depending on how your family chooses to eat while on vacation.
Linked to the length of your Resort reservation. If you are staying for seven nights and want the Disney Dining Plan, you will be buying the Dining plan for all seven nights, for all members of your party staying in that room on that Resort reservation.
Cannot mix the two different plans. You can either buy the Standard Disney Dining Plan OR the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan. You can’t buy the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan for the first five nights of your trip and the Standard Disney Dining Plan for the last two nights of your trip (unless you are changing Resorts and/or have a different Resort reservation for that last two nights.
Requires more spending before your trip–you’ll need to have your entire trip–tickets, Resort AND dining all paid for prior to your trip.
Gratuities are NOT included in your Disney Dining Plan purchase. For Table Service meals, you will need to either charge gratuities to your room, or provide another form of payment.
Questions?
Hopefully, we’ve answered any questions you may have about either of the Disney Dining Plans and about the current Free Dining promotion. However, if you have any questions we haven’t answered, please comment below or email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
Work with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
One of the advantages of working with an authorized Disney Vacation Planner like me is that I can check on all the available discounts, if any, during the time you want to travel, and help you to get the best available deal based on your needs. Another advantage is that if new discounts become available later that could potentially save you money, and you haven’t yet paid your final balance, your Disney Vacation Planner can go in and apply those new discount for you. Remember, working with a Disney Vacation Planner doesn’t cost you anything–Disney pays their planners to serve their guests. The guests do not pay anything to work with a Disney Vacation Planner–and we can help in so many ways. If you’d like more information on this, or would like a no obligation quote, please contact me at Brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.
One question we hear a lot from clients, friends and family is “Should I rent a car for my Disney vacation?” This question sparks heated debate among faithful Disney parks fans all over the world. Some people insist no car rental is necessary at Disney due to all the free Disney transportation (as long as you stay on Disney property). Others wouldn’t dream of visiting Disney World without renting a car. So what is the right answer for you?
As with most things about the “perfect” Disney vacation, the answer depends on what’s important to YOU. A Disney World vacation IS a vacation where you can rely on free or economical transportation for most everything–having a car on your Disney vacation is NOT a requirement.
Where are you Staying?
One of the quickest resolutions to the “Should I rent a car for my Disney vacation?” question is if you are staying on Disney property or not. If you are not staying on Disney property, it is a lot more likely that you might want to rent a car.
Staying Off Disney Property
While many of the hotels and resorts do offer shuttle service to Disney parks, you may prefer to travel on your own schedule and have the freedom to leave the parks and return to your resort on your timeline, not theirs. Most of the off-site properties don’t offer unlimited or frequent transportation to and from Disney. Usually, there are a few timeslots in the morning, some in the afternoon and some in the evening. But it varies a lot, depending on the resort you are staying at. If you’d prefer NOT to rent a car, make sure you check with your resort before your trip about what options they offer to get you to the parks–or what they don’t offer, as the case may be.
If you are staying at an Air BnB or a bit farther from Disney, you will need to find your own way to the Disney parks. Orlando has a thriving Lyft/Uber community, and using Lyft or Uber as your vacation transportation is VERY doable for your Disney vacation–but it can get pretty pricey, especially if you are more than a few miles outside of Disney.
Generally, I recommend guests staying off Disney property rent a car for the convenience factor. However, it is possible to stay off property and NOT rent a car. Note: Many non-Disney owned hotels charge for parking. Make sure you know if you’ll need to pay for parking and how much. Also, Disney will charge you to park your rental car at the theme parks if you are not an Annual Passholder or DVC Member. Be sure to take that extra cost into consideration because $25 per day adds up super fast, and can really inflate the cost to rent a of renting a car.
Staying on Disney Property
One of the benefits of staying at a Walt Disney World resort is that Disney provides transportation from your resort to each of the four theme parks and Disney Springs absolutely free. If you are staying on Disney property, a strong case can be made that you don’t NEED a car for your Disney vacation.
Magical Express
If have done any research for your Disney vacation, you may have heard about Magical Express. Magical Express was a terrific service that Disney used to offer to resort guests that provide free bus transport from Orlando International Airport directly to your resort. It was very popular with many guests over the years, but Disney ended the service in 2022.
Photo: Disney Parks
Mears Transportation
Mears Transportation is the company that used to provide the Magical Express service on behalf of Disney. They still offer transportation via bus from the Orlando airport to your Disney resort–it’s just not called “Magical Express” any more and it’s no longer free. The service is now called Mears Connect, and it serves multiple resorts, not just Disney. Prices are currently $13 per child and $16 per adult. Advance reservations are required, but are easy to make from your phone or computer. Learn more or make reservations at Mears Transportation.
Photo: Mears Transportation
Keep in mind that the prices above are per person and are for one way trips. They are also subject to change without notice. Those with larger groups may find it more economical to take an Uber or Lyft from the airport to their resort. We’ve done this a few times, and the total cost with tip has been between $30 and $45, depending on traffic and the tip.
Is Your Trip All About Disney or Will You Visit Other Tourist Destinations?
Another important consideration for those asking the “Should I rent a car for my Disney vacation?” question is whether their vacation is exclusively all about Disney. If your family or group wants to also visit Universal Studios or LegoLand; if they want to go visit the outlet malls; if they want to go see the mermaids at Weeki Wachee State Park; you are much more likely to need a rental car for your vacation. That is not to say you cannot do all of these things if you DON’T have a car–you absolutely can do it if you are determined. But visiting multiple unrelated destinations is much easier if you have your own car.
Photo: Weeki Wachee Calendar
Combining Disney and Universal Studios
Surprisingly, it is pretty easy to visit both Disney World and Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure in the same vacation without renting a car. At Universal, both parks are within walking distance of each other and they are also in walking distance or a short water taxi ride from many of the Universal resorts.
Both Disney and Universal offer shuttle service from one resort to the other. I recommend you plan in advance if you want to use this, and make your reservations early. Prices range from $35-$50 per person, depending on whether you are purchasing them in a package with Universal park tickets (or Disney park tickets if you are starting at Universal.)
Photo: Universal Parks
Much like hotel shuttles, the shuttles between Universal and Disney usually run on a specific time schedule. Depending on the number of guests with reservations, your shuttle might be a small van or it could be a full size coach bus. The trip between the two resorts takes about thirty minutes–more if multiple pickups or drop-offs are involved. Make sure you allow for extra time when you are planning for this.
If you don’t want to take advantage of the Disney or Universal shuttles, Uber or Lyft is also a great option. We’ve never had to wait more than about 15 minutes for an Uber or Lyft on Disney property. Note: We have waited longer than 15 minutes at both the airport and Disney Springs. Traffic and demand have a BIG impact on wait times in both apps.
So, do you need a rental car if you are staying at Disney but also want to visit Universal? No, you don’t. But having a rental car does make it a lot easier and more convenient, that’s for sure. You can travel on your own schedule, and you don’t have to stop at other resorts to pick up other travelers.
Shopping
What if you like to go shopping on your vacation? Should you get a rental car for your Disney vacation if you like to shop? Not necessarily.
Photo: Brooke Hudson
If you are planning to shop for groceries, grocery delivery is a great option and has become very common on Disney property. If you want to visit the Disney Character Warehouse or the outlet malls, you CAN use Uber, Lyft or a taxi service. However, the more running around you want to do, the more convenient it is to have your own car.
We almost always do a grocery run at the start of our trips, stocking our room with breakfast and snack items, wine and water. We’ve also found the Publix near Disney property to have some really great Disney souvenirs at prices much more affordable than at Disney World. It’s not the Disney branded stuff, of course, but especially if you are buying for little kids, it’s good stuff at decent pricing.
Convenience versus Cost
For many of us, the choice to rent a car or not comes down to the question of convenience versus cost. When Disney offered Magical Express transportation from the airport for free, many guests chose to skip the rental car and take advantage of the free Disney transportation on property. From a cost savings perspective, it’s hard to beat the free Disney transportation available for Disney resort guests.
Now that transportation from the airport is no longer free, the decision of whether to rent a car has gotten a little murkier for some folks.
Modes of Transportation
Some of the fun of a Disney vacation is all the different modes of free Disney transportation available. You can travel by bus, monorail, boat or Skyliner. The most common method of Disney transportation is the bus. You can take a bus from every resort to every theme park and to Disney Springs. Note: You cannot take a bus from one theme park to another, so if you are a park hopper, you’ll want to be hopping between Monorail or Skyliner resorts to minimize your travel times. Alternatively, you need to plan on taking the bus back to your resort and then taking the resort bus to the theme park of your choice.
Photo: Linda Harkness
Monorail
There are two Monorail runs. The original Monorail track joins together the three deluxe resorts closest to the Magic Kingdom. This track loops in the Ticket and Transport Center at the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, the Magic Kingdom, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The second Monorail line runs from the Ticket and Transport Center at the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT. That is a nice long ride, especially if you really want to “ride” the monorail for the sake of riding it.
Photo: Brooke Hudson
Boats and Water Taxis
One of my favorite modes of transportation at Walt Disney World are the boats. When you visit the Magic Kingdom via car, you are required to park at the Ticket and Transport Center, and then take the Monorail or the Ferry to the Magic Kingdom. I love the Ferry, and will almost always choose the Ferry if offered the option. The Magic Kingdom resorts all offer a boat or water taxi to the Magic Kingdom. Port Orleans, Saratoga Springs and Old Key West all offer boats that go to Disney Springs. Finally, anyone staying at any of the Boardwalk area resorts has the option to take a boat to Epcot or Hollywood Studios.
Magic Kingdom Ferry Photo: Brooke Hudson
Skyliner
The Skyliner is a mode of Disney transportation but it’s more than just getting from point A to point B. The Skyliner is also an attraction that many guests love to ride just for the fun of it. The Skyliner offers transportation to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios from Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, and Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Each Skyliner cabin features different colors and characters, and the ride itself is smooth and offers gorgeous views of Disney World property.
Photo: Disney Parks
The Rental Car Advantage
The biggest advantage to having a rental car at Walt Disney World is the convenience. You can go to whichever theme park you want at whatever time you want to, without waiting for Disney transportation. Having a rental car also makes it much more convenient to visit a second theme park in the afternoon or evening. I’ve found having a car makes it so much easier and faster to take an afternoon break and return to our resort, returning to the park for evening fireworks.
Photo: Brooke Hudson
Freedom and Flexibility
I have learned over my many trips to Disney over the years that I am a control freak, and I really prefer to have a car for my Disney vacations. I like the freedom of being able to grocery shop on our way in from the airport, and the ability to leave property to go shopping or to find someplace to eat for less than $50/person.
Generally, it doesn’t really matter to me that I could get anywhere on Disney property for free and that I don’t NEED a car. I like to have control over where we go and when. I’m not very patient, and I don’t like waiting for the bus (or the boat or the monorail or whatever.)
Photo: Brooke Hudson
A Possible Disadvantage for Some
However, many people don’t like to worry about driving while they are on vacation. Disney signage is not always the best, and sometimes navigating Disney property can be frustrating. So while freedom to manage your schedule the way you want and the convenience of having a car is significant, you have to weigh that against the INCONVENIENCE of having to navigate Disney roadways and driving while on vacation. If the thought of that stresses you out, renting a car for your Disney vacation is probably not for you!
Lyft/Uber
After Covid, there was a severe shortage of rental cars for a couple of years, and renting a car was extremely cost prohibitive. For our first trip during this time, we originally planned to take an Uber or Lyft from and back to the airport and use Disney transportation for everything else. We ended up using Lyft and Uber for transportation to and from the parks and to Disney Springs as well. By the end of the week, we’d spent about $230 on Lyft and Uber. This was a 7 day trip, and we also took Lyft/Uber to and from the airport. We visited one park per day, but we did take afternoon breaks on a couple of days. Usually, we spend a little more than that on a rental car for the week, so we felt the Lyft/Uber solution was a good fit for us on that trip.
However, now that rental car prices are mostly back to normal and good deals can be found, we usually rent a car for our Disney vacations.
Final Answer: Should I Rent a Car for my Disney Vacation?
The answer that is right for you comes down to what is most important to you and your family. Cost or convenience? If you are trying to keep costs down, I recommend you don’t rent a car. Take advantage of Disney’s free transportation. Allow extra time each day in case you have to wait a bit for the bus. If you are going to a theme park or Disney Springs for a meal reservation, it’s good to allow yourselves at least an hour when using Disney transportation.
If convenience is more important than cost, I really love the convenience of having a car. Yes, it costs more money, but it saves TIME–which depending on your perspective, can be just as valuable as money.
What’s YOUR final answer? Will you choose to rent a car on your next Disney vacation or will you skip the rental and rely on Disney transportation to get around?
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
I have more good news to share today! Walt Disney World has announced that they are removing the nightly parking fees at Walt Disney World Resorts for overnight guests. This is the first bit of FINANCIAL good news I’ve been able to share for a while about our beloved Walt Disney World. Could this be an early result of Bob Iger’s return? I don’t know, but it definitely makes me happy!
Free Parking Returns for Disney Resort Guests Immediately!
If you don’t drive at Walt Disney World, you may not have felt this pain. Starting in 2018, Disney resort guests were charged between $15 and $25 per night per vehicle to park at their resort. Only Disney Vacation Club guests were exempt from these charges. As I’m sure you can imagine, these costs added up quickly for guests. If you drove to Walt Disney World or chose to rent a vehicle for your Florida vacation, you felt this pain.
These fees have been an enormous source of guest frustration over the last several years. Parking fees have also served as a STRONG example in media conversations about Disney “nickel and diming” guests on top of ever increasing park ticket prices.
Walt Disney World Resort guests already get free parking at the theme parks–this has not changed. However, making the decision whether to rent a car or whether to fly or drive is a little easier when you don’t have to add in the cost of parking at your resort every night!
Is this a PR Move?
So of course, a big question is WHY is free parking returning for Disney resort guests? Is it just a big public relations move? Absolutely!! It is for SURE an effort to improve the public perception of the Walt Disney Company. Disney’s reputation, especially with the fanbase has taken a lot of hits in the past couple of years. Free parking is a pretty minor move, but it will get some press. It will also make a lot of Disney fans and travelers happy. Or at least, happier.
Photo: Brooke Hudson
What is giving this news more mileage for me personally is that Disney is sacrificing revenue. We haven’t seen Disney do this in a long time. For the last I don’t even KNOW how many years, we have seen a trend of Disney making an awful lot of decisions that are VERY bottom line focused. We have seen LOTS of decisions that seem to put guest experience and guest relations at a much lower premium than the company used to value.
The reality is, a Walt Disney World has always been expensive. But the value over the years has decreased. It is still VERY valuable, and hour for hour, you still get a TON of value from a Walt Disney World vacation. But for those of us that have been visiting Walt Disney World for many years, it’s challenging to see the guest experience degrade somewhat while the pricing of everything has increased so significantly.
Final Thoughts
I don’t know if free parking returning for resort guests is a sign of things to come or just a token PR gesture — but it IS meaningful. It HAS impact on Disney travelers, especially those that drive to Walt Disney World. And it will, very slightly, reduce how much money Disney will make from the resorts each day. Or maybe it won’t. Because if the guest doesn’t have to spend $25 to park his car, maybe he will spend it on a T-shirt instead.
Happy Dreaming!
Brooke
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
If you prefer to read this information, keep reading!
Disney PhotoPass and Disney Memory Maker
One question I get asked a lot from my clients and friends and family is “Should we purchase the Memory Maker?” The short answer? It depends.
Ok, for me, it’s pretty much always YES. BUT, I’m a HUGE photo nerd.
For more NORMAL people, there are several things to consider, and I will get to those in tomorrow’s video. Today we are going to start with the basics: What is Disney PhotoPass and how does it work? In tomorrow’s video (Part 2 in this series), we will focus on the memory maker product, and will answer the question of whether or not to buy.
But first for those of you that DON’T know, let’s start with:
What is Disney PhotoPass?
Disney PhotoPass is a service that Disney added years ago, and I think it’s absolute GENIUS. Basically, they have photographers stationed at numerous locations around each park to take pictures of you and your group.
This completely solves the “Did Mom even GO on that vacation? She’s not in ANY of the pictures” dilemma. For many families, there is always one person that takes all the pictures and they are never in any of the shots. Or, people rotate who takes the pictures, but there are never any pictures of EVERYONE together, because one person always steps out to take the picture. Most people don’t carry around tripods and take the time to set up timed tripod shots on vacation. For some, Selfies have helped to address this problem, but with a Selfie, it’s still really tough to get a group or to include people AND a landmark in the picture.
Photo: Disney PhotoPass
With PhotoPass, Disney has solved that problem. Basically, the PhotoPass photographer will take your group’s picture, usually with a park icon or landmark in the background, and then they will either scan your magic band (the easiest) or give you a PhotoPass card with a 16-digit number on the back. Note: If you are given a Photopass card, immediately take a picture of the back of the card just in case. If you lose the card, but have the number, you can still locate your pictures.
Not All PhotoPass Photos are Created Equal
A couple of caveats: The skill of the various photopass photographers varies. Some are very experienced, fun to work with, and very talented. Others are more point and click—with varying degrees of success. Therefore I always recommend that you get a LOT of photopass photos taken. Take advantage of the opportunities whenever they present themselves. Odds are, if you take a BUNCH of photopass pictures, you end up with at least a few you really like. Here are a couple examples of PhotoPass pictures that didn’t really work out so well.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
In NON COVID times, you could also ask the photographer to take a picture of your group with your phone or camera. This is not an option currently due to Covid related restrictions, but I’m assuming this option will return at some point in the future—but current rules prohibit the photographers from touching your phone or camera.
Disney PhotoPass and Special Moments
If you look on Facebook or the internet, you will see THOUSANDS of PhotoPass pictures that people have posted. There are tons of examples of people using PhotoPass to announce they have a baby on the way, the sex of the baby, that they got engaged or married.
In our case, my husband proposed to me at the Magic Kingdom after the fireworks. Because he’s brilliant, he surprised me with the proposal when we went to take a PhotoPass picture, so we have the moment captured forever.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Are they great pictures? No, it was very crowded, and I at first thought he fell (he’d done the marathon the day before and was in a lot of pain), and then there was lots of crying and laughing. But I feel so lucky that I have that moment forever captured by that PhotoPass photographer. And the next day, we found another PhotoPass photographer that was SO excited about our engagement, she spent TONS of time with us (there was no line,I promise) and took a gazillion pictures of the ring, and the two of us. It was really fun.
Disney PhotoPass and Group Attractions
There are normally even photopass photographers at big group attractions (Enchanted Tales with Belle, for example). These attractions aren’t operating right now, but once they return, I’m sure the PhotoPass photographer will return with them.
The PhotoPass photographer takes lots of pictures of the group and they will hand out PhotoPass cards at the end; once you enter the number on your computer, you’ll have access to ALL the pictures they took during that particular event. If your kid had a role in the show, you do NOT want to lose that number! So take a picture of the back of the card, just in case!
Disney PhotoPass and Attraction Photos!
Lots of Disney rides take your picture at some point during the ride, some rides even take video! These pictures and videos are now PhotoPass pictures, and can be attached to your Magic Band or PhotoPass card. The RFID technology in your MagicBand communicates with the reader at the attraction and automatically adds the photos or videos to your account.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Character Dining and PhotoPass?
Character dining can also (sometimes) include PhotoPass. Granted, right now, character dining isn’t happening, but it WILL return eventually, I promise! Some character dining meals offer PhotoPass pictures, but not all of them. Also IF there is a PhotoPass photographer at a character meal, it will usually just be for a picture you take before you enter the restaurant. For example, if you are dining at a Character Meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table, there is usually a Photopass photographer in the lobby with Cinderella waiting to take your picture before you head upstairs for your meal. (Please note that Cinderella’s Royal Table HAS reopened for lunch and dinner, however, Cinderella has NOT yet returned.)
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
PhotoPass photographers do not go around with the characters as they visit your table at ANY character meal, so ALWAYS bring your camera to character meals.
Customize your Photos!
After your trip, you will be able to visit the PhotoPass website to view all your pictures. You can add borders and stickers to the photos, and you can make products like Photobooks, calendars and mugs featuring your pictures on the Disney PhotoPass website. One picture can easily turn into 10 or 15 by the time you are done playing with borders, cropping, black and white, etc. Some borders are unique to particular locations, seasons, or events, adding a little extra magic to those photos.
NOTE: Pictures are only available on the PhotoPass site for 30 days (unless you are an Annual Passholder.) Right now, if you are visiting this fall between October 15 and November 30, Disney is extending that 30 days through the end of the year. So you’ll have a little extra time to play with your pictures.
Magic Shots
Lets talk about Magic Shot. Magic Shots are pictures taken by a PhotoPass photographer with a little something extra magical added later. The most common Magic Shots feature TinkerBell standing on the palm of your hand, or a bunch of balloons added to your upstretched arm.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
There are a variety of Magic Shots available at different times. During Star Wars Weekend a few years ago, we got Magic Shots with light sabers added. Recently, they added some pirate themed Magic Shots near the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
During the Halloween season, you might find Magic Shots with ghosts near the haunted mansion, or Flaming jack o lanterns throughout the Magic Kingdom. During the Winter holiday season, you may find snow or Wooden Soldiers added to your photos.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Over at Hollywood Studios, we’ve learned there’s a new special magic shot that includes the child (frequently called baby Yoda, although he isn’t in fact Yoda) from the Mandolorian. Here’s a look at this one from Disney Parks and Resorts.
Disney PhotoPass Magic Shot – The Child, Mandalorian
Special holiday themed magic shots become available November 6.
Disney PhotoPass Photos and the My Disney Experience App
Disney PhotoPass pictures are available in the My Disney Experience app, so you’ll be able to look at them as your trip goes along. Most photos and videos appear in your app within 20 minutes.
Unless you’ve purchased the Memory Maker product, the pictures will have a watermark on them, preventing you from having a sharable, downloadable image without paying for it. If you’ve already purchased Memory Maker, your pictures will appear completely clear and fabulous.
One of the highlights of my last trip was overhearing a young family showing their daughter a picture they had just taken on Main Street. She was AMAZED to see that Tinkerbell had joined them in the picture and she was so dazzled by the magic!
Tips for Getting that “Magic” Shot
Disney changes what Magic Shots are available from time to time, and not all PhotoPass photographers will offer to do them. Your odds are better if there’s no line and if you’re nice and friendly. PhotoPass photographers work very hard, and are on their feet for many hours a day, usually in pretty hot temperatures and sometimes not treated very well by guests. In my experience, if you are nice and there’s not a line, they’re more likely to spend a few extra minutes with you, and that can often result in some Magic Shots. To see what Magic Shots are currently available, visit the albums at the Disney Photo Pass Facebook Page.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Coming Up in the Next Video (And Post!)
In tomorrow’s video, we’ll talk about Memory Maker, and how you can have PhotoPass without Memory Maker, but you can’t have Memory Maker without PhotoPass.
Thank you for watching, and please tune in Monday for the second video (and blog post) in this series, discussing Disney’s Memory Maker product.
A few weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, the Disney Store released pre-orders for a line of Disney face masks. Initially, the masks were available in four different themes, in packs of four masks for each theme. Each four pack was available for pre-order for $19.99. The available sizes (at that time) were small, medium and large.
Because we were planning a big family trip for October at that time, we placed an order for several packages. At that point, we were still optimistic that we’d be able to take our October trip, but we assumed we’d probably be wearing face masks when we went. (For more on our decision to postpone our big family vacation, click here.)
Disney Face Mask Themes
Disney face masks are currently available in six different themes.
Star Wars Themed
The Star Wars themed face masks include four designs. These designs include:
The Child (Baby Yoda)
R2D2
Episode IV:A New Hope
Star Wars Logos and Symbols
Star Wars themed face masks! Click the image above!
Mickey & Minnie Mouse Themed
One of the most popular Disney face mask themes is Mickey and Minnie Mouse. As with the other collections, there are four different designs in this package. The designs include:
All over Mickey Mouse figure
All over Minnie Mouse figure in black and white
Minnie Mouse face with dots
Mickey Mouse icon all over
Disney themed face masks? Let’s go! Click the picture above.
Pixar Themed
The Disney face mask line that features Pixar is pretty cute. There are four different designs featuring Pixar icons. The four designs include:
Forky
All over print of Pixar characters on blue background
Mike Wazowski
All over print of Pixar characters on white background
Toy Story themed face masks at shopdisney.com. Please click the picture above!
Marvel Themed
One of the latest additions to the Disney face mask options is the Marvel themed collection. Like the other themed collections, the Marvel collection includes four different designs. The four designs include:
Hulk
All over Black Panther symbols
All over Marvel logo
All over grid with Marvel characters and symbols
Marvel themed Disney face masks
Princess and Frozen Themed
If you are a Disney Princess, or just love them a lot, the Disney face masks featuring Disney Princesses might be your favorite. This collection also features four distinct designs. The four designs include:
Frozen
The Little Mermaid
All over Disney Princess figures
Disney Princess names, all over
Disney Princess and Frozen Face Masks
Disney “Faces” Themed
Disney face masks’ newest collection features the lower half of famous Disney character faces. The four faces in this collection include:
Winnie the Pooh
Stitch
Mickey Mouse
Marie (the Aristocats)
Disney Face Masks
Disney Face Masks: The Good
The good news is that the Disney face masks are even cuter in person than they look on the shopdisney.com website. They’re made of a very soft knit fabric. They are not heavy weight, and they are fairly comfortable to wear and breathe in.
Maria loves her new Disney Princess themed face mask. (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
The colors are strong, and after several washings, the masks that are getting worn are holding their colors very well.
While there have been “fit” issues (see The Bad, below), the masks are comfortable to wear and fairly easy to breathe in. They are not as lightweight as disposable masks or all cotton masks, but they are not heavy.
Katelyn, age 6. (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Maintenance
You can machine wash the masks, using cold water and gentle cycle. Do NOT bleach. You can tumble dry them on low heat. I’ve also hand washed them and laid flat to dry. They don’t feel quite as soft that way, but it does the job.
Disney recommends you wash your masks between wearings. The masks dry fairly quickly, but you’d probably want at least two if they were the only masks you were wearing (on vacation for example). That way you could wash at night and alternate days for each mask.
Top: Youth Medium. Bottom: Adult Large (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Supporting a Good Cause
Disney is donating one million cloth face masks for children and families in underserved and vulnerable communities across the United States. Disney’s donated masks will be distributed by MedShare (www.medshare.org). In addition, Disney is donating $1 million in profits from the sale of Disney face masks. This donation is also going to MedShare to support the medical community’s ongoing efforts to provide care to those in need.
Disney Face Masks: The Bad
Sizing Issues
These masks run SMALL. When we placed our order, there were three sizes available, small, medium and large.
This has changed. There are now four sizes available: Youth Small, Youth Medium, Adult Large and Adult Extra Large. The three smaller sizes are the sizes that were previously labeled small, medium, and large.
For our review, we ordered some masks in each size. The small size masks were too small for our six and seven year old family members, but worked well for cousins that are two and three. Disney has since renamed this size “Youth Small”. This is obviously in response to complaints from buyers unhappy with the small sizing.
Medium
The size medium masks we ordered we thought would be perfect for our teenaged family members, but we have found they are way too small for the older kids. The medium (now called “Youth Medium”) fit a small six year old perfectly, but was too small for her seven year old cousin.
Katelyn, age 6. Medium Minnie Mouse Mask (Youth Medium) fits great! (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
He’s a little big for his age, probably closer to your average nine year old. Unfortunately the size large (now Adult Large) is way too big for him, so we are making some modifications to his medium mask so he can wear it.
DeMarco, age 7. Youth Medium, ear loops too short and pull on his ears. (Photo: Brooke Hudson)DeMarco, age 7. The mask itself is a perfect fit for his face, but the ear loops are too short. Youth Medium. (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Based on the kids we have asked to model the masks so far, we are predicting the Youth Medium mask will work for kids of average size, age 4-8 (maybe 7).
Large
The size large masks we had planned for all the adult family members.
Linda, Disney Princess Face Mask, Size Adult Large (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
We were successful with two people. Both found the size large masks (now called “Adult Large”) very comfortable.
Maria, side view Disney Princess face mask, size Adult Large (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
We were less successful with our teenager, Vinny. Vinny is 5’10” tall, and pretty lean. We’d originally thought a size medium would work for Vinny, but once we realized that the medium wouldn’t fit his little brother, we knew Vinny would need a large.
Vinny, age 16. He’s wearing an Adult Large Star Wars themed mask. It’s slightly large for his face, but the ear loops are pulling on his ears. (Photo: Brooke Hudson)Vinny, age 16. As you can see, the mask covers his face fine, but the ear loops pull on his ears too much. (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Unfortunately, Vinny’s experience proved to be common. The rest of the “adults” in the family all found the masks to be too small. The loops for the ears just are not long enough.
Jason, Star Wars themed Adult Large. Mask fits on his face just fine, but the loops are too short and pull on his ears. (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Functionality
There is no where to put a filter in these masks. That isn’t necessarily a big deal; they are two layers and provide basic protection. If you wanted to add a filter, you could cut a slot in the back layer and insert a filter between the layers.
Disney Face Masks: The Ugly
Ok, so there isn’t really any UGLY. I just had this fun The Good, The Bad and The Ugly film analogy going, and couldn’t let it go!
Seriously though, lots of buyers have been very frustrated by the Disney face masks, no matter how cute they are. If you spend $19.99 on a four mask package for your kids, you expect to be able to use them for your kids. When they are too small, it’s annoying.
Similarily, if you had your heart set on wearing that Forky mask to work next week and it’s way too small, you might be disappointed.
Modify?
Some folks have been able to successfully modify the masks to make them fit. Some workable options that we have seen include:
Cutting the ear loops and extending them
Removing the ear loops completely and replacing them
Looping elastic or ribbon through the loops and tying the mask behind your head (not using the ear loops for your ears at all)
However, most of us don’t expect to have to modify our Disney Store purchases to “make it work”.
Star Wars themed Disney face mask, sizing inconsistency. (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
I will also say that I did find some inconsistency in this initial group of masks. Some were slightly uneven, slightly larger on one end than the other. I suspect that because we ordered almost as soon as they were available for pre-order, we received some of the first masks shipped out. Most likely, inconsistencies and quality issues have been worked out by now.
The Disney Store does accept returns, and the fact that they have renamed the sizes does seem to indicate they recognize they may not have provided enough sizing information initially.
Sizing
More good news. ShopDisney.com now provides very detailed sizing information including measurements for all the Disney face masks. This should help you avoid some of the frustration that other buyers have experienced.
Youth Small
Mask Width: 5”
Mask Height (Pleats Closed): 2 1/2”
Mask Height (Pleats Opened): 4 1/2”
Ear Loop Strap Length Per Side, Joint to Joint: 5 1/2”
Youth Medium
Mask Width: 6”
Mask Height (Pleats Closed): 3 1/4”
Mask Height (Pleats Opened): 5 1/2”
Ear Loop Strap Length Per Side, Joint to Joint: 6 1/2”
Adult Large
Mask Width: 7”
Mask Height (Pleats Closed): 3 3/4”
Mask Height (Pleats Opened): 6”
Ear Loop Strap Length Per Side, Joint to Joint: 6 1/2”
Adult Extra Large
Mask Width: 7 1/2”
Mask Height (Pleats Closed): 4”
Mask Height (Pleats Opened): 6 1/4”
Ear Loop Strap Length Per Side, Joint to Joint: 7 1/2”
Sizing Guide
Measure from the bridge of the nose to the bottom of the chin. Use the guidelines below to help identify the correct size mask to order. Disney suggest you choose the LARGEST size your measurement falls into. However, also take a look at the ear loop strap length per side, joint to joint, provided above. You want to be sure that the straps are going to be long enough, unless you are comfortable modifying the loops.
Youth Small: 2 1/2” – 3 1/2”
Youth Medium: 3 1/4” – 4 1/2”
Adult Large: 3 3/4” – 5 3/4”
Adult Extra Large: 4” – 6”
Overall Grade: B+
We’d give these masks an A+ for cuteness, absolutely. An A- for comfort, mainly because the ear loops are a little thicker than needed, in our opinion. Where the masks take a hit is on FIT. That’s a C, based on what we’ve tried so far.
However, Disney DOES appear to have rectified the size issue by renaming the sizes and adding a fourth, larger size. We have an order of the new Adult Extra Large masks on the way, and will update you once we’ve had a chance to try them out.
Happy Dreaming!
Brooke
Ready to Plan Your Disney Vacation!
Disclaimer
All the Disney face masks used in this review were bought and paid for. We did not receive any free or sample masks in exchange for this review. There are some links on our site that lead you to products or services we recommend that we think you will like. If you follow those links and make a purchase, we earn a small commission on your purchase. This does NOT affect the price you pay. Thank you.
Walt Disney World is preparing to reopen this weekend. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are opening on July 11, followed by Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15. All four parks are opening in a limited capacity. Many regular entertainment features and special experiences have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. Disney Vacation Club resorts are open at this time, with other resorts gradually opening over the coming months. Not all resorts are scheduled to reopen in 2020. When Disney opens this weekend, it will be a very different Disney World. So the big question: If you were planning to visit, should you cancel your 2020 Disney World vacation?
It’s Not an Easy Answer
The short answer? I don’t know. It depends on your unique circumstances. There are pros and cons to both visiting this year and to waiting next year.
For some of us, this is a more difficult decision than for others.
If you have been planning your trip for a long time, or are a huge Disney World fan, the thought of postponing your trip into next year (or even the following year!) may make you feel very sad.
On the other hand, if you have been financially affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, you may find it a lot easier to postpone your trip.
Florida Coronavirus Cases are Spiking!
Particularly troubling for many people is that Covid-19 is not yet contained in the United States. While some states have successfully slowed the spread of Coronavirus, other states have seen dramatic increases in new cases as the states have reopened their economies. Florida is one of the states seeing the most dramatic increases in cases. Almost every day, the state is setting new records for new cases.
Some states are requesting that residents returning home from Florida self quarantine for a minimum of 14 days before returning to normal activities.
Hopefully this is a short term situation, and Florida will soon have the spread of Coronavirus under control. But until they do, the rapid increases in new cases will continue to be an alarming factor that you should definitely consider when deciding whether to visit this year.
A Possible Second Surge in the Fall?
Related to the concerns of Covid-19 continuing to spread right now throughout Florida is the prediction from many medical experts that we may see a nationwide surge in the spread of the disease this Fall, when flu season returns. We don’t KNOW that this will happen, it’s pure conjecture. However, to date, more than 130,000 people have died in the United States from the Coronavirus. As much as I love Disney World, I’m not sure it’s worth risking lives.
Financial Considerations
Another factor that must be considered is your financial investment. I love to talk about all the fun stuff you and your family can do on a Disney vacation. I love to focus on the memories you’ll create together. My favorite thing in the world is watching Disney work its magic on guests of all ages.
However, there is no getting around the fact that a Disney vacation is an expensive investment. Worth every penny? Absolutely. But it is expensive. For many of us, a Disney vacation may take years to save up for.
Given the large financial investment necessary for your vacation, we have to look at value received. Normally, I think Disney wins on value all day every day. There are so many experiences and attractions. You can watch shows and meet characters. There are fireworks and musicians from all over the world. There is truly an astounding amount of entertainment available to you and your family on a Disney vacation. Normally.
However, right now, many of those experiences have been dramatically reduced or eliminated. You need to take that into consideration when you consider the value you will receive for your vacation. If your vacation is planned for 2020, it is highly likely that you will receive a lot less value than you would in different circumstances.
What Should We Expect?
If you are planning to visit in July, August or September, it is highly likely that you will encounter shortened park hours. You will have to wear masks throughout the theme parks and the resorts. There will be no nighttime entertainment at all, and many shows will not be happening. Social distancing requirements will make many activities either impossible, or very, very different. With attendance at each park limited each day to ensure there is room for social distancing, you may find you can’t visit the park you wanted to visit on the day you wanted to visit it. Park hopping is not allowed at this time. You will need to have your temperature taken each time you enter a theme park.
Is it possible that in October, November and December, park capacity will be increased and some normalcy will return? Certainly. Anything is possible. However, I expect that Disney will be extremely cautious moving forward. They don’t want to have to shut down again.
This is my personal opinion, based on my experience and research over the years. I don’t think the parks will return to normal during 2020. If there is a new outbreak of Covid-19 in the Fall, I’m not even sure we will see the parks return to normal by Spring 2021. I could, of course, be completely wrong about this. It is entirely possible that Covid-19 will be contained, and visitors to Disney will not encounter or spread the virus among other guests or cast members. It is also possible that Disney will find that each park can handle a larger capacity than this initial plan calls for, allowing more park reservations each day for each park. However, I still believe that it will be months before many of the nighttime entertainments, daytime shows, fireworks and character greetings return.
Our Family Vacation – A Case Study
Our family faced this exact decision this week. For more than a year, we have been planning a big family vacation for October 2020. Our vacation included grandparents and three families, including several children, aged 6-17.
2014 Family Vacation. Our “littles” were too little to remember this trip. (Photo: Disney PhotoPass)
We carefully chose our dates around school institute days. We all were saving for and making payments towards the trip. Last summer, we had a big planning meeting where we reviewed lots of options and chose our resort and ticket options.
Everyone was excited about the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. (Well, to be fair, I’m not sure the kids were excited about THAT, but the rest of us were!). My mom made this amazing calendar for all of us for 2020 with notes and reminders and special pictures, all leading up to the trip in October. We’ve all be having “family movie nights” to make sure the little kids were familiar with Disney and Pixar characters they might not have known about yet. Everyone was watching Star Wars and Avatar in preparation for our big trip.
Calendar designed by Linda Harkness (Photo: Brooke Hudson)Calendar designed by Linda Harkness (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
We had scheduled another big planning meeting for this summer.
When the Coronavirus pandemic began, we all immediately worried whether we’d be able to take our trip. However, I was sure that the pandemic would be controlled quickly and our trip wouldn’t be impacted. When Disney made the decision to close their theme parks “until further notice”, I got nervous. But still, I believed we’d be able to take our trip as planned. After all, October was months away.
Reality Bites
Unfortunately, as time wore on, it became all too apparent that our trip was probably going to be affected in some way. I continued to work on planning our trip, drafting itineraries and back up touring plans. We planned dining options and drafted our fast pass+ strategy. Disney cancelled all our carefully scheduled dining reservations, but still we didn’t give up.
However, once the parks announced their reopening schedule and strategy, it became very obvious that many of the things we all love about Disney would probably be missing if we pushed through and visited in October. For our little kids, this would be the first trip to Disney that they would remember. For our parents, this would be a family reunion and a special celebration of the whole family.
Chef Mickey’s Character Breakfast, 2014 (Photo: Linda Harkness)
We all wanted it to be amazing . We wanted character meals and character greetings. We wanted to see the dragon in the afternoon Magic Kingdom parade. We wanted amazing fireworks and other nighttime entertainment. We wanted my niece to be a princess and my nephew to be a pirate. In short, this was going to be a once in many years (or perhaps a lifetime) trip for many in the group. When we looked at the value and talked about the options, the group made their decision pretty quickly.
We have postponed our family vacation until October 2021.
Reasons NOT to Postpone or Cancel
For our large family, postponing the trip until next year is the right decision. We don’t know when or even if Disney will return to “normal”. However, it seems likely that 14-15 months from now, we’ll be a lot closer to normal than we are now.
However that may NOT be the right decision for your family. There are some visitors that absolutely may want to visit during this year:
Florida residents: If you aren’t traveling far, or if you live within a short driving distance, it may make sense for you to still visit. Especially if you visit often, and aren’t as likely to be upset by some of the missing features or experiences.
Frequent/Annual Visitors: If your family visits every year, or multiple times per year, it might be the right decision to still visit. In this case you’ll have a “new” experience that might be super memorable and unique.
Annual Passholders: Similarly, if you are an Annual Passholder, and visit frequently, it may make sense to visit during this time. Note: Many Annual Passholders have voiced dissatisfaction with the return on their investment for their current annual passes. Many are upset that they paid full price for their pass and will be receiving limited value. While Disney did credit passholders back for one month due to the closures, many passholders feel this wasn’t sufficient. Some passholders are electing to cancel their passes and get refunds. So your mileage may vary.
Benefits of Visiting This Year
Limited capacity means fewer people in the parks. It has been YEARS since I’ve been in the parks and had lots of room to comfortably move around. When was the last time you were able to photograph landmarks without tons of other guests in your photo? I want to visit this year purely for the novelty of lighter crowds, even if I do have to wear a mask to do it!
Disney themed face masks? Let’s go! Click the picture above.
Limited capacity and no Fast Pass+ reservations should (at least theoretically) mean shorter lines for attractions.
Merchandise sales? Potentially, fewer guests will mean a lot fewer merchandise sales. Perhaps this will result in theme park stores putting more merchandise on sale sooner? I’d like to think there will be bargains to be found. However, that may just be a fantasy!
Unique experience. Many, many people have cancelled their 2020 trips due to concerns related to Covid-19. Those guests that visit this year will most likely have a very unique experience. While some of that will be negative as favorite experiences will be missing, some of that will be positive. Everyone wearing masks, lighter crowds, using Magic Bands and your phones more frequently to order and pay. If you live nearby and visit frequently, you will likely see operations and rules change as time goes by.
What’s the Right Answer for YOU?
Disney vacations for both 2020 and 2021 are now available for booking. If you’d like help planning your next Disney vacation, I’m here to help. If you’d to discuss your decision further, I am here for you. I know it’s a tough decision. Every family has unique factors they must consider. Vacation time, flying versus driving, everyone’s overall health and emotional well being. The considerations are almost endless.
I want to be very clear: I am a HUGE Disney Parks fan. I am THRILLED they are reopening, and personally am very excited to return to the parks.
For my family’s big reunion vacation, the best decision for the entire group was to postpone the trip until next year.
However, my husband and I will be visiting the parks in November on our own. We are planning to drive down rather than fly. Also, we are frequent visitors and Annual Passholders. This won’t be a regular trip for us, but the changes will be less impactful on us as we visit so often.
While I am certain I will be disappointed at some of my favorite experiences being limited or missing, I am still looking forward to visiting this year.
As an added bonus, I am looking forward to doing some “boots on the ground” research for all of you. I will keep you posted as our planning on that trip moves forward.
Should You Cancel?
So…what do you think? Should you cancel your 2020 Disney World vacation? Please like this post and comment below!
If you want my help with your decision, or with planning your next Disney adventure, please email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.
Earlier this week, Disney increased ticket prices at both its US theme parks. The price increases came without any official announcement, but not without precedent. Disney has increased prices for its theme parks every year for the last several years, frequently in February. Notably, last year we saw more than one price increase.
Disney Skyliner: Tower of Terror (Photo: DIsney Parks)
Last year’s dramatic increases seemed to be directly in anticipation of increased demand due to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the new Skyliner transportation system.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (Photo: Disney Parks)
With new attractions opening soon in both Hollywood Studios and Epcot, I’m assuming this year’s increase is indicative that Disney believes additional demand will soon follow. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens very soon on March 4, 2020. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will open in the France Pavilion at Epcot sometime this summer. We don’t have a firm date yet, but I’m hopeful for early summer.
Disney Increases Ticket Prices – WDW Base Tickets
This increase is almost sneaky. The lowest price for a one day ticket is $109 (plus tax), and the highest price for a one day ticket is $159 (plus tax). However, while the top and bottom prices for a one day ticket remain the same, if you look through the calendar, you’ll see that the prices on many individual dates have increased. For example, last week, a one day ticket for Sunday, February 23, 2020 was $118 plus tax. Today, that same ticket is $125 plus tax.
Disney uses a date-based system for ticket pricing. Prices are highest during the most popular days, and lowest during the least popular days. For example, you’ll find prices higher during spring break and over the Christmas holidays. If you’d like to see ticket prices for your planned dates, please visit Disney’s website.
Disney also incentivizes guests to choose longer tickets over shortest. If you buy a park ticket with 3 or more days, you will start to see a per day discount. The best discount is on the 10-day ticket: With the new prices, a 10 day ticket now ranges from $52 per day to $67 per day (plus tax).
Disney Increases Ticket Prices – WDW Park Hopper and Park Hopper Plus Options
The price to add the Park Hopper option to your tickets has increased $5 per Park Hopper. Basically, whatever your base tickets cost, you would add the Park Hopper option to that cost. Here is the new pricing structure for Park Hoppers:
$65 per ticket for 1-day tickets
$75 per ticket for 2-day or 3-day tickets
$85 per ticket for 4-day to 10-day tickets
Personally, I love the flexibility the Park Hopper option provides. For more information about the various ticket options, please check out this post.
Park Hopper Plus tickets allow guest to “hop” between Disney theme parks in a single day, however they also add additional access. With the Park Hopper Plus, you get access to the water parks (Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach), Wide World of Sports, the NBA Experience, two miniature golf courses, and Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course. The Park Hopper Plus option is $20 more than the regular Park Hopper option. Here is the new pricing structure for Park Hopper Plus add-ons.
$85 per ticket for 1-day tickets
$95 per ticket for 2-day or 3-day tickets
$105 per ticket for 4-day to 10-day tickets
Disney Increases Ticket Prices – WDW Annual Passes
This one is especially painful as last year’s Annual Pass increase in June was a big one. I (foolish, I know!) was hoping that Annual Passes would be spared another increase so soon. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Here’s a table showing the old prices and new prices.
Pass Classification
Prev $
New $
Disney Platinum Plus Pass
$ 1,219
$ 1,295
Disney Platinum Pass
$ 1,119
$ 1,195
Disney Gold Pass (FL Residents & DVC)
$ 699
$ 719
Disney Silver Pass (FL Residents)
$ 519
$ 539
Disney Theme Park Select Pass (FL Residents)
$ 439
$ 439
Disney Weekday Select Pass (FL Residents)
$ 349
$ 369
EPCOT After 4 Pass (FL Residents)
$ 304
$ 319
Were You Surprised?
Did this ticket price increase catch you by surprise? Will the higher prices have any effect on your Disney vacation plans? Please comment below.
Disney also increased prices for Disneyland tickets and Annual Passes. I will do a separate post detailing those increases.