Are you a Disney nut? We certainly are in our family.
We love so many things about the vacation experience from the theme parks to the hotels and dining. The only thing not to love is the fun adds up quickly. You have to spend a pretty penny to enjoy yourself. If you feel that way too, you’ll be pleased to hear about this change: At Disney Resort hotels, they will be returning to a policy of offering free overnight, self-parking. The change went into effect on Tuesday, January 10th.
Avery Maehrer, Director of Communications at Walt Disney World said in a statement, “This is a Disney difference many of you have asked us to bring back, and we’re happy to reintroduce it to make your vacation a little easier and more affordable.”
Another cool change that will start at a future to be determined date…they’ll be relaxing reservation requirements for those who are annual pass holders. So if you have an annual pass, you won’t need to make a park reservation if you are visiting after 2 P.M. (You still will need to make one though if it is a Saturday or Sunday at Magic Kingdom).
If you have a pass, don’t you want to feel like you can visit the parks on a whim? Well, Disney said they figured that out.
One more change that Disney will make it a later date is pretty cool. If you like taking photos when you’re visiting Disney Parks, you’ll be happy to find out that pass holders will also be allowed to have free access to Disney PhotoPass lenses.
Also, pass holders will receive one on-the-house Cinderella Castle Mural of Memories experience. If you’re a pass holder, you probably enjoy capturing the Disney memories, so this is an opportunity to do so.
You can find more information on Disney’s official website.
Five Tips For Making The Most Of Your Disney Cruise
1. Choose the Disney Dream Cruise
It’s the perfect getaway. The four-night and five-day itinerary takes you to cool stops. (And it’s a relatively short trip so you should have no problem squeezing it in and making it back to work on time. However, Froggy did not know how long he was going to be at sea and was a day late coming back to work.)
Also, the Dream Cruise has lots of “adult” features. (Not what you’re thinking…No adult entertainment. Get your head out of the gutter.) I’m talking about adult AREAS. Disney is known for catering to kids, but on the Dream, you can visit the “Quiet Cove” adult pool and private bars in “The District.”
The AquaDuck is probably one of the coolest features of the Dream. It is one-of-a-kind water coaster at sea.
2. Travel Out of The Port Of Miami
If you have an aversion to flying, this is definitely the best option because you can make the four-hour drive to Port of Miami an adventure in and of itself. (If you want, arrive in Miami a day early and hang out on South Beach or in Brickell and then you’ll be broke by the time you get on the cruise and have no money to binge-drink or gamble in the Bahamas.)
And now this is a “Roxanne Tip” (trying to one-up Froggy’s tip). I’ve driven to Miami a bazillion times, and I know where the best gas station exists are and which ones have the cleanest restrooms. And through my research, I have found that Exit 193 Jacaranda Blvd (Englewood/Venice) has the nicest gas station bathrooms.
3. Be Strategic With the Cruise's Booze Policy
The cruise allows passengers to bring aboard two bottles of wine per person. If you bring a full bottle, bring your own wine bottle opener. They do charge a corkage fee. And once you’ve gone through your own stash, don’t worry. There are plenty of adult beverage drink deals they offer throughout the day so you can double fist yourself into oblivion.
Disney doesn’t offer a drink package, per se. But you can buy their beer mug and get discounted beer every time you re-fill it.
4. Book a Room at the Top of the Ship
When you travel, you want only the best. And you want some rest and relaxation. Froggy suggests booking a room near the top of the ship so you get those nice views and aren’t disturbed by the swishy ocean sounds, which you might hear down below, when you are trying to sleep.
5. Introduce Your Kids to Disney's Oceaneer Club Right Away
What’s a vacation if you can’t at least get a little break from your kids? Don’t call the Oceaneer Club or the “Lab” babysitters, but they work just as well. The kids will have a blast, and you can go and have some alone time with your lady.
