Mama Monday : Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

Hi Mamas, Today we visit Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party! Last fall was our first time to do this event and it made me a believer. Our kids absolutely loved it and so did we!

Tips to know before you go:

• It is a separate ticketed event. 
• If you buy the tickets in advance you save money for most dates.
• Kids under three are FREE! Great time to take them.
• You will want to wear a costume-it makes it so much more fun if everyone in your family wears one! Keep them family friendly though. This is an ALL AGES event!
• If you are not park hopping, it is easy to go to a different park the day of the party and then use your party ticket to enter the Magic Kingdom. The party starts at 7 but you can enter at 4.
• The Boo to You Parade is a lot less crowded at the 10:30 time slot.

Ok, now that those details are out of the way, on to the good stuff! What exactly can you expect to get to do at this party?

The part we loved the most was the character interaction! There are character dance parties set up. These are surprisingly not crowded. Notice our 9 month old at the time able to be in the middle of the dance floor with Woody! Our kids got a ton of one on one time dancing with some of their favorites. You will also see some rare friends, like Bullseye!

Villians! These fall under the character interaction but there is a special Villains show in front of the Castle. It is the Disney Villians Dance Mix and Mingle. After the show they then go to do meet and greets in front of the castle. This is a great opportunity to meet your favorite Disney bad guys!

Your children can trick or treat all through out the park. We personally skipped this part. They are getting no shortage of sweets at Disney and we can trick or treat at home. We spent most of our time with characters.

My favorite parade of all time is the Mickey's Boo To You Parade. There are two show times. Try for the second one. The parade starts with the Headless Horseman! And my favorite ride, the Haunted Mansion, has some key stars in this parade too. I love all the characters that are not as common that you get to see in the parade. I think the parade is just the right amount of Halloweeny and Disney all combined into one fun event.


And of course HalloWishes is the special fireworks show you will only see at the party! It is another tribute to the VILLAINS! I love the music for this show and the colors. Both of our children were mesmerized during this special Wishes.

When we did this party last year, I was skeptical. I didn't know how I felt about a separate ticketed event. Now, I can't believe we had never done this before! We will always do this party when we go in the fall. I didn't even mention the ride wait times being so low. Honestly we only rode a couple of rides and really enjoyed the rest of the party. I never expected our little ones to want to stay until the very end but they did. They just wanted to keep going and going so we didn't walk out of the party until 11:50 PM!

Any one of these events would be worth the extra ticketed price but all combined is just an incredible value. It really is something special to get to do at Disney.

Mama Monday : Epcot Food & Wine Festival 2013

Hi Mamas, This week we are taking a peek at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival 2013! There are a lot of affordable and even free things to do as part of this festival, but today’s post is dedicated to the more exclusive selections to choose from. I will not be covering them all because there are so many to choose from. I am going to pick a few that I think sound exceptionally fun.

Bookings for these have already been opened up(August 13, 2013). You may call 407-WDW-FEST to book any of these or your travel agent(ahem, me), can also book these for you. But do act fast. These events will sell out!

Cheese Seminars-I love cheese and trying new kinds of cheeses so these sound like a little slice of heaven to me. The seminar will be lead by a cheese master, otherwise known as a Maître Fromager. Wine is also paired with the cheeses and I have heard that it is free flowing. But there’s really only so much wine you can consume in an hour and fifteen minutes. Here is the lineup for this year. I would love to do the French and the Italian one!

When: 10:30-11:45AM
Where: Festival Welcome Center, Chef’s Showcase
Pricing: $80 per person, plus tax. Gratuity included. Epcot Admission required.

September 28: Max McCalman, French Cheeses and Wines
October 5: Max McCalman, United States Cheeses and Microbrews
October 12: Erin Hedley, Spanish Cheeses and Wines

October 19: Max McCalman, Italian Cheeses and Wines
October 26: Max McCalman, Old World Cheeses and Wines
November 2: David Gremmels, United States Cheeses and Wines
November 9: Max McCalman, Mediterranean Cheeses and Wines

Culinary Adventures in Signature Dining
These are wine dinners taken to another level! Many are extremely intimate affairs. You will have face time with the chefs, often a celebrity chef at that. The meals all include the wine pairings and an informational portion as you go throughout the evening.

Price is per person. Gratuity is included. Park admission is required for restaurants inside the park.

The ones I think look the most amazing are the ones at Flying Fish, Le Cellier, The Hollywood Brown Derby, Jiko, Narcooesee’s, and The Beer Dinner. Of course Victoria & Albert’s doesn’t look bad either but that is the most expensive option of them all. I do think I would splurge on one of these over the others even if the price is higher. * are new to the lineup this year.

*The Chocolate Dinner, World ShowPlace: September 27, 6PM Cost: $160; Leonard Thomson, Chef de Cuisine; 100 guests 

Kouzzina: September 27, 8PM Cost: $160; The Kouzzina Chefs; 24 guests
Artist Point: September 28, 12PM Cost: $140; Chef Marco Chaves; 36 guests
Raglan Road Irish Pub: October 3, 6:30PM Cost: $155; Kevin Dundon, Master Chef of Raglan Road; 65 guests
Jiko - The Cooking Place: October 3, 6PM Cost: $195; Chef Jon O’Brien; 30 guests
The Hollywood Brown Derby: October 3, 6PM Cost: $165; Craig Schleider, Chef de Cuisine and The Hollywood Brown Derby Chefs; 14 guests
Kouzzina: October 4, 8PM Cost: $160; The Kouzzina Chefs; 24 guests
*Le Cellier Steakhouse: October 8, 11:30AM Cost: $90; Al Youngman, Chef de Cuisine; 70 guests
Fulton’s Crab House: October 8, 6PM Cost: $100; Mark Boor, Executive Chef; 50 guests
The Hollywood Brown Derby: October 10, 6PM Cost: $165; Craig Schleider, Chef de Cuisine and The Hollywood Brown Derby Chefs; 14 guests
The Flying Fish Cafe: October 10, 6PM Cost: $185; Tim Keating, Chef de Cuisine; 38 guests
Kouzzina: October 11, 8PM Cost: $160; The Kouzzina Chefs; 24 guests
Yachtsman Steakhouse: October 12, 12PM Cost: $160; Anthony R. De Luca, Chef de Cuisine; 30 guests
Victoria & Albert’s: October 16, 6PM Cost: $525; Scott Hunnel, Chef de Cuisine; 16 guests
Wolfgang Puck Dining Room: October 16, 6:30PM Cost: $110; Tony Fraske, Executive Chef; 80 guests
The Wave…of American Flavors: October 17, 6:30PM Cost: $160; Frank Brough, Chef de Cuisine; 44 guests
Citricos: October 18, 6PM Cost: $140; Phillip Ponticelli, Chef de Cuisine; 10 guests
Kouzzina: October 18, 8PM Cost: $160; The Kouzzina Chefs; 24 guests
The Beer Dinner, World ShowPlace: October 18, 6PM Cost: $125; Jens Dahlmann, Executive Chef, Epcot; 100 guests
Portobello: October 24, 6:30PM Cost: $95; Tony Mantuano, Executive Chef; 80 guests
*The Burns Supper, World ShowPlace: October 24, 6PM Cost: $125; Leonard Thomson, Chef de Cuisine; 100 guests
The Hollywood Brown Derby: October 24, 6PM Cost: $165; Craig Schleider, Chef de Cuisine and The Hollywood Brown Derby Chefs; 14 guests
Jiko - The Cooking Place: October 24, 6PM Cost: $195; Chef Jon O’Brien; 24 guests
Kouzzina: October 25, 8PM Cost: $160; The Kouzzina Chefs; 24 guests
Victoria & Albert’s: October 27, 6PM Cost: $525; Scott Hunnel, Chef de Cuisine; 16 guests
Kouzzina: November 1, 8PM Cost: $160; The Kouzzina Chefs; 24 guests
California Grill: November 7, 6:30PM Cost: $260; Brian Piasecki, Chef de Cuisine; 40 guests
Narcoossee’s: November 9, 12PM Cost: $140; Dennis Thompson, Chef de Cuisine; 30 guests

French Regional Lunches : Moving right along we head to another event that is on my must try list-The French Regional Lunches. Of all the pavilions, I have always found the French one to be one of the most authentic when it comes to the food and wine. I think one of these would be delectable!

When: Fridays and Sundays, 12-3PM
Where: Monsieur Paul, France pavilion
Pricing: $99/person, plus tax. Gratuity included. Epcot admission required.
Date/Region/Presenter/Winery as follows:
September 27: Bordeaux, Jorge R. Hernandez, Andre Lurton
September 29: Bordeaux, Jorge R. Hernandez, Andre Lurton
October 4: Champagne, Wayne Ballard, Nicolas Feuillate
October 6: Champagne, Wayne Ballard, Nicolas Feuillate
October 11: Côtes du Rhône, Lydia Tremble, J.L. Colombo
October 13: Côtes du Rhône, Lydia Tremble, J.L. Colombo
October 18: Côtes du Rhône, Jerry McVey, Delas
October 20: Bordeaux, Eva Bordarier, Domaine Barons de Rothschild
October 25: Bordeaux, Jacques de la Giraudiere, Clarence Dillon Wines
October 27: Bordeaux, Jacques de la Giraudiere, Clarence Dillon Wines
November 1: Champagne, Wayne Ballard, Nicolas Feuillate
November 3: Champagne, Wayne Ballard, Nicolas Feuillate
November 8: South of France, Laurent Sauvage, Fortant
November 10: South of France, Laurent Sauvage, Fortant

And this just sounds decadent-The Italian White Truffle Lunch.  This is a five course meal centered around truffles imported from Alba, Italy. Of course there are wine pairings as well. I think I would probably need a long nap after this event though.

When: November 3, 12-3PM
Where: Tutto Italia Ristorante, Italy pavilion
Pricing: $225/person, plus tax. Gratuity included. Epcot admission required.

While I’ve listed some of the events that are on my bucket list for the Food & Wine Festival, I have not even begun to cover all of the exclusive options. There are sake tastings, tequila pairings, an entire array of chocolate and other desserts,  celebrity chef presentations, etc. The list goes on and on!

If there is something in particular you are most interested in, choose that weekend and work your trip around it. Otherwise, just pick from the list that is there during your stay. I would love to help you plan your Food & Wine Festival Getaway!

Mama Monday : Remaining Galveston Cruises

Hi Mamas, Did you know there are only 16 Disney cruises left departing from Galveston? The Disney Wonder will make its way to Galveston, Texas in September and on September 28^th the first of the remaining cruises will set sail. I have listed the remaining dates, itineraries, and starting prices as of publish time for your convenience. For my Texas clients, this is a great time to check out the Disney Cruise line! You can easily drive to the port and save the airfare. There are a variety of itineraries to choose from this fall.

 

The first is the 7 night Bahamian sailing. It will stop at Key West, Castaway Cay, and Nassau. I think any cruise that stops at Castaway Cay is a great option. You can’t beat sitting on the beach of Disney’s private island. 

The remaining dates for this itinerary are September 28^th, October 12, October 26^th , November 9th, December 7^th, and December 14^th. October 26^th will include Halloween! Later this week Chick Debbie will give you the inside scoop on Halloween cruises.  

Most of these sail dates start at the $910 per person. But December 7^th still has rooms starting at $699 per person! This is the adult price and children are even less. All category of rooms are left with the exception of October 12^th.  For the October 12^th sailing, the concierge level rooms are all booked.

The second itinerary is the 7 night Caribbean sailing.  It will stop at Falmouth, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. If your desire is to see more of the Caribbean, this is your best option. Falmouth is a new destination on the itineraries out of Galveston. The dates for this itinerary are: October 5, October 19^th, November 2, November 16,  and November 30^th. This sailing starts at $699 per person and every room category is available on every sailing!

For all sailings between November 12 and January 4^th, the ship will transform into a winer wonderland with a massive tree-lighting, dance parties, Santa and his elves, and more! If you've visited Disneyland or Walt Disney World during the holidays, you know that Disney takes them to a whole new level!

The third itinerary is similar to the 7 night Bahamian one above but just goes in a different order of stops. There is only one sailing, November 23, for this one. This is over Thanksgiving week and does come with a premium price as a result.  It starts at $1491 per person and all room categories are available.

The fourth itinerary is the 6 night Holiday cruise that departs on December 21^st. Spending Christmas on a Disney cruise ship? Thank you Santa! This will stop at Cozumel and Grand Cayman. The inside staterooms are all sold out. The price starts at $1728 per person.

And the final itinerary is the 4 night Caribbean cruises with a stop in Cozumel.  December 27^th and December 31^st are the last 2013 options with this itinerary. The price starts at $1296 per person.

The final cruise out of Galveston will be on January 4, 2014 and it is a four night Caribbean cruise stopping in Cozumel. It is only starting at $836 per person! This sailing already has the concierge level rooms booked but there are plenty of other rooms left.

Things to remember about the Disney Cruise Line-all of your entertainment, food, sodas, etc are included in the price. The only thing not included is your gratuities, alcohol, and any excursions you opt to do. It really is the cruise line without any pricing surprises. 

Mama Monday : Dining Plans Explained

Hi Mamas,  This week we are going over some of the package options for your Walt Disney World vacations. Today I am going to go over the dining plans. Bear with me as it's a lot of information to cover! I get asked often if the Dining Plan is worth it. I definitely think the dining plans can save you money. I will save a break down of how, etc for another post. I will give a few tidbits on which plan is best for what time of traveler below as I outline them for you below. Please note as you look at the linked brochures, many of the restaurants have not been updated. They will be mostly the same as the ones for 2013. It takes a while for Disney to negotiate the agreements and contracts for the non-Disney owned restaurants. As they are added the links will automatically update. One of the biggest differences from 2013 to the current packages for the remainder of 2013 and 2014 is the elimination of peak dining prices. The prices are the same no matter which season you are traveling.

QUICK SERVICE DINING PLAN
Per person, per night of your stay, includes:

• Two Quick Service meals
• One snack
• One resort Refillable mug per person per stay

This plan is great for families with children who do not do well at sit down restaurants. It is also good for families who do not want to plan ahead for their meals. It offers a great deal of flexibility. It does NOT include character meals though.

The price of the Quick Service dining plan is $39.64 per night per adult(10 and older) and $15.75 per child (3-9).

Brochure : Disney World Quick Service Dining Plan


DISNEY DINING PLAN
Per person, per night of your stay, includes:

• One Quick Service meal
• One Table Service meal
• One snack
• One resort Refillable mug per person per stay

Please note gratuities are not included on the table service meals. Table service meals can also be used for signature restaurants, dinner shows, private dining or pizza delivery (these typically run 2 table service meals per person). More information is on the brochure.

This plan is great for families who want a combination of sit down meals and on the go quick meals. It is the one I recommend the most often. It does include the character meals which is a huge plus and can really save a lot of money.

The price of the Disney dining plan is $58.66 per night per adult(10 and older) and $18.88 per child (3-9).

Brochure: Disney Dining Plan

DISNEY DELUXE DINING PLAN
Per person, per night of your stay, includes:

• Three meals which can be used either for quick service or table service meals
• Two snacks
• One resort Refillable mug per person per stay

Please note gratuities are not included on the table service meals. Table service meals can also be used for signature restaurants, dinner shows, private dining or pizza delivery (these typically run 2 table service meals per person). More information is on the brochure. If you use the meal credits towards table service meals, your meal will also include an appetizer for each person, in addition to the entree, dessert, and drink.

This plan is the ultimate in flexibility. It is perfect for any family wanting to do the shows or any signature dining as well as Cinderella's Royal Table. It is the biggest bang for your buck in my opinion. It *IS* a lot of food though. I always recommend this plan for any shorter stays(4 nights or less), for any adults' only trips(yay signatures!), and for any family that really wants to be able to have more sit down meals but also have some quick service meals.

The price of the Disney dining plan is $104.94 per night per adult(10 and older) and $29.51 per child (3-9).

Brochure: Disney Deluxe Dining 

MAGIC YOUR WAY PREMIUM PACKAGE

Per person, per night of your stay, includes:

• Three meals which can be used either for quick service or table service meals
• Two snacks
• One resort Refillable mug per person per stay
• Unlimited selected recreation, including Golf, Miniature Golf, Water Sports, Arhcery, Tennis, Guided Fishing Excursions, Cane Pole Fishing, Horseback Trail Rides, Pony Rides, Carriage Rides, Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides, Bike Rental and Watercraft Rental. Some restrictions may apply and advanced reservations are often required.
• Unlimited use of Disney Children's Activity Centers
• One admission per person to Cirque de Soleil La Nouba
• Unlimited admission to selected theme park tours
• One admission to the Richard Petty Junior Ride Along Experience

Please note gratuities are not included on the table service meals. Table service meals can also be used for signature restaurants, dinner shows, private dining or pizza delivery (these typically run 2 table service meals per person). More information is on the brochure. If you use the meal credits towards table service meals, your meal will also include an appetizer for each person, in addition to the entree, dessert, and drink.

This plan is the ultimate in recreation. It allows all of the benefits of the Deluxe plus includes all of the recreation. This is ideal for a family who wants to see it all outside of the parks as well as inside the parks. It is great for longer stays and for repeat visitors. It is also great for clients with older children who really enjoy the recreational offerings. There is a three night minimum needed for the Premium package.

The price of the Disney dining plan is $194.00 per night per adult(10 and older) and $135.00 per child (3-9).

Brochure: Magic Your Way Premium Package

MAGIC YOUR WAY PLATINUM PACKAGE

This package includes everything the Magic Your Way Premium package plus:

• One Disney's Photopass CD
• Private in-room child care (4 hour minimum, 6 hour maximum, gratuity is not included)
• One selected spa treatment per person
• Fireworks cruise (one per reservation, everyone on your reservation is included)
• Nightly turn down service
• Personalized pre-arrival itinerary planning

Please note gratuities are not included on the table service meals. Table service meals can also be used for signature restaurants, dinner shows, private dining or pizza delivery (these typically run 2 table service meals per person). More information is on the brochure. If you use the meal credits towards table service meals, your meal will also include an appetizer for each person, in addition to the entree, dessert, and drink.

This plan is the ultimate in luxury. It allows all of the benefits of the Premium package plus includes the extra luxurious touches. There is a three night minimum needed for the Platinum package and this is only offered at the Disney Deluxe resorts.

The price of the Disney dining plan is $254.00 per night per adult(10 and older) and $175.00 per child (3-9).

Brochure: Magic Your Way Platinum Package

Still with me? I know that was a lot of information for you. Not to worry though, I can help you decide which option is really the best for your family. 

Disney Fall Discounts Including Free Dining Have Arrived

Free Dining and Room Discounts were released early this morning. If you are already booked with me, I have you covered and you will get an email at some point today telling you your savings. If you have not booked yet and want in on the deal just email me your trip details, ie dates, preferred resort or resort category(value, moderate, deluxe, villa) and I will get pricing over to you.

On to the deals!
Disney's Free Dining
As expected, the Free Dining is very limited in scope. These deals must be booked by SEPTEMBER 15.

Disney states it must be for a 6 night/7 day stay but they usually let us book for less.

Dates covered:
September 29 to October 2, 2013
October 18 to November 2, 2013
November 11 to November 23, 2013
December 12 to December 22, 2013

You receive a Free Quick Service Dining Plan for the value resorts and a Free Disney Dining Plan at the other resorts.

The resorts excluded are:
Campsites, 3 Bedroom Villas, Disney's Art of Animation-yes the entire resort!, Disney's All Star Movies, Disney's Port Orleans Resort-French Quarter, and The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  Please note I've already been up and at this for a while and I can tell you some other resorts may not be on this list but don't have every date included above.  Flexibility is key.

Disney's Resort Rooms Discount

This discount covers more dates and has fewer limitations. Value Resorts have a 15% discount, Moderates have a 20% discount, Deluxe and Deluxe Villas have a 30% discount.

This is valid for most nights:
September 29-November 9, 2013 also Book by SEPTEMBER 15, 2013.
November 10-November 22, 2013
November 30-December 23, 2013
The November 10 dates forward are book by November 3, 2013.

And for an interesting twist November 23-November 25th has availability for Deluxe and Deluxe villas. The Art of Animation Family Suites only has availability for September 29-October 5,2013; October 20-November 2, 2013; November 10-November 10-November 22, 2013; and December 15-December 23, 2013.

The resorts excluded are:
Campsites, 3 Bedroom Villas, Disney's Art of Animation-Little Mermaid Rooms, and The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Please take note that if you have been following along on the Disney rumor mill these don't match up identically to what was rumored. The booking windows especially are much shorter than rumored. This is why I don't get super excited about the rumors. The Free Dining dates were identical to the PIN code offers released earlier this summer for the fall.

Ready to book your vacation? Email me [email protected]. Happy Fall Savings!