DisneyDawgs

Author: Mark Plante

  • Tips for First-time Disney World Visitors: Arriving in Orlando

    See our previous article Tips for First-time Disney World Visitors: Pre-Trip Planning.

    OK, your plane has now landed (I am assuming at Orlando International Airport), so what do you do next?  One tip is to find the restrooms when you get off of your flight because it may be a little while before you are able to have a minute or two to relieve yourself or even splash a little water on your face.  Once that is done, there are a some restaurants to grab a bite, or you can wait until you get to the main terminal.

    The First Ride in Orlando

    You will want to make your way to the MCO People Mover that will take you to the main terminal.  The People Movers are automated shuttles that ferry passengers from the main terminal to the satellite terminals and visa-versa.

    Once you have arrived at the main terminal, you will be on level 3.  Here you are able to visit stores from Disney, Universal, SeaWorld and NASA. There are also several photo opportunities in this area.  There is also a greater variety of restaurants and shops in the food court and mall area.  There is also a hotel in the main lobby of the 3rd level.  We have stayed there and it is excellent if you have a very early morning flight.

    Baggage Claim

    Once you have made your way through the main terminal, you will want to take the escalators down to level 2 the baggage claim.  At MCO, depending on which airline you have used, it will take approximately 30 minutes for your bags to get from the plane to the baggage carousel.  This area can be a mad house if several planes come in at the same time.  I usually go up to the carousel and stake my claim to an area and wait for my bags to come to me. I also make sure to rent a baggage cart before I go to the carousel, they are worth their weight in gold if you have several heavy bags and just got off of a long flight.  Again, this area can get quite busy and everyone just got off of a plane, so I would advise that you take a deep breath and your bags should be out soon.

    Transportation

    Now that you have your luggage you’re going to need to get to Walt Disney World or your hotel.  All transportation is on level 1 of the terminal.  You will want to make your way to the elevators and head down.  If you have opted to take Disney’s Magical Express, follow the signage and there will be a Disney Castmember to check you in.  Car Rentals are toward the other side of level one.  Be prepared to wait!  No matter how many times I have rented a car at MCO it amazes me how the rental agencies know when there will be an influx of people coming off of a flight, yet, they NEVER have enough agents ready to handle the lines.  If you have pre-paid for your rental, you may be able to skip this step and go right across the street to pick up your rental.  If you did not rent a vehicle or are not staying at a Disney Resort Hotel, taxis and shuttle services are right outside the doors.

    Picking Up the Rental Car

    Make sure that you are alert when picking up your rental car.  Some Rental Agencies, not all, but some are very sneaky and there could be quite a few hidden fees that you may not be aware of until you receive your credit card statement after you’ve returned from your trip.  Be aware that one of the biggest scams that they pull at MCO is that when you return your rental, you have to show them a receipt from a gas station that is within 5 miles of where you return the vehicle.  There is only one station that I’ve found to be that close and they conveniently charge over $5/gallon.  If you do not fill up the vehicle within this range or if you do not have a receipt, all agencies will charge you for a FULL tank of gas at THEIR rate.  This is even if the vehicle is showing the tank to be full on the gauge.

    Before you drive out of the parking garage with your rental, make sure to go over the vehicle with a fine tooth comb.  Take pictures and/or video of any scratches, dents or damage anywhere on the vehicle (body, tires, glass, etc.) and make sure that your report them to the agent BEFORE you leave the garage.  Once you leave the garage, YOU are responsible for the damage on the vehicle if you did not report it.

    Heading to the Disney World Resorts

    Once you have your vehicle and have loaded all your bags and have buckled everyone in (In Florida you MUST wear a seatbelt) you are now ready to head to your hotel.

    There are two exits to Orlando International Airport, North and South.

    If you take the North Exit, you will want to get on the Martin Anderson Beachway Express, west-bound (SR-528) to Interstate 4 South to the Disney World exits.  Keep in mind, I-4 is the main highway for ALL of the theme parks and the Metro Orlando area.  This highway is very busy and will have constant backups and delays.

     

    If you take the South Exit (I find this to be shorter and MUCH less traffic)  You will want to take Jeff Fuqua Blvd South to the Central Florida Greenway West-bound (SR-417) to either World Center Dr or West Osceola Pkwy, depending on which resort you are staying at.

    Whichever route you take, be aware of the toll-boths.  Florida was very sneaky the way that they designed the toll plazas.  If you purchased tolls with your car rental, you really don’t have to worry about this.  But if you didn’t, as I don’t, the plazas are tricky.  If you are paying cash for the tolls, be aware that for all cash tolls you will need to go to the far right of the plaza.  This area almost looks like a highway offramp.  If you get confused and stay on the main highway, a picture of your license plate will be taken and you will be charged by the rental agency for renting the ez-pass system for your entire rental (usually $20+), plus any tolls that should have been paid.  This can get quite expensive, very quickly.

    Also, be aware that during overnight hours, many of the toll booths are unmanned.  So if you do not have exact change, you will also be charged by the rental agency.

    Arriving at Your Disney World Resort

    So you have finally made it to your resort hotel.  If you are able to check in (Normal check-in time is 3PM, but you can usually check-in earlier.) you can head to your resort.  Each resort has a guard shack that you will need to stop and give your driver’s license or government issued ID to so they can verify that you are actually checking into the resort.

    Once past security, if you have done online check-in, you may head directly to your hotel room (if it is ready).  If you did not use online check-in or if there are any problems, you will need to go to the main lobby of your resort and go the Guest Relations desk.

    Once any problems are taken care of, you will want to move your vehicle as close to your room as you can.

    Checking Out the Room

    Once you are in your room, make sure to check that you have enough towels and that the room is clean.  Although it rarely happens, you will want to take care of this right away.  If you need extra towels, pillows or anything from Mousekeeping, you may want to do this as soon as you get into your room.  Mousekeeping does an excellent job and I have never had a problem, but mistakes do happen.

    Getting Supplies

    Once all of my bags have been unloaded and everything is OK with my room, I will usually head out to the nearest Walmart or Target to get some supplies.  As you must already know, Disney is VERY expensive.  A bottle of soda from the resort is over $4 and the snacks are even more.  If you go out to one of the local stores, prices are AT LEAST a THIRD of what you would pay on the resort.  Picking up snacks such as cookies, crackers, peanut butter, etc will save you quite a bit of money.

    Beyond the snacks, the local superstores all carry Disney Souvenirs at much cheaper prices than the parks.  Mickey and Minnie ears, Autograph Books and pens, shirts and some even carry trading pins at half the cost in the Disney Parks.

    Getting Some Rest

    Usually, the day that I arrive in Orlando I do not go to the parks.  I think that it is a waste of a $100+ ticket to not spend the entire day inside the park.

    So once I get back to the Resort Hotel that I am staying at, I will either explore to see what the resort has to offer, or I will drive or take a Disney Bus over to Disney Springs and spend a couple of hours there.

    Once done with Disney Springs, I will head back to the Resort and maybe go for a swim in the pool if there is time.  If not, I will head to bed early so that I can hit the ground running early the next day at my first park.

    I hope that this post was able give you some ideas and/or information about arriving at Orlando International Airport, all the way through checking into your Disney World Resort room.  Check out my next post on the ways to save some money on park mornings and how to quickly navigate Disney Property and Transportation so that you can make the most of your day at a Disney World Theme Park.

     

  • 125 Days

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  • 127 Days

    127 Days

  • Tips for First-time Disney World Visitors: Pre-Trip Planning.

    So you’ve decided to visit the Disney World Resorts in Orlando, FL for the first time.  Quite intimidating isn’t it?

    Hopefully we will be able to give you some hints and tips to make your first visit to the “Most Magical Place on Earth” go a little more smoothly and keep you and your family from running in circles (as my family did the first time we visited.).

    Let’s face it, the first thing that everyone asks is “where do we start?”.  Assuming that nothing has been booked or reserved, here is a list of things to do before you leave for your trip.

    Travel Planning

    Which Airport?

    How are you going to get there?  If you live close enough to Orlando, then you are most likely driving.  For the rest of us, this will most likely involve flying.  Taking a plane into Orlando is not that difficult.  Orlando International Airport (MCO) is one of the busiest airports in the United States serving all major US Airlines and those from around the world.  If the size of MCO is intimating to your family, there is nearby Sanford International Airport (SFB).  Sanford is a much smaller airport than MCO, but airfare and car rental may be much more expensive.  Some also find flying into Tampa International Airport (TAM) to be less expensive.  But, keep in mind, Tampa is approximately 2hrs away from Orlando depending on traffic and construction (and yes, there is always construction.).

    Which Airline?

    As for which airline…  That depends on your preferences.  The best advice that I could give is to book as early as you can.  For our family’s trip this year, we booked our flights as soon as Southwest Airlines made them available (that was 3 weeks ago).  As of the time that I am writing this post, if I were to purchase those same tickets, it would be almost $900.00 more for four travelers.  For more information, visit our “Trip Planning – Booking and Airline” post.

    Should I Rent a Car?

    Again, that depends.  If you are planning to do only Disney and do not plan on visiting any on the other parks, I would say no.  Although, keep in mind, Disney transportation can be inconsistent and very crowded.  If you plan on staying until after nighttime shows or when parks close, depending on the crowds, it may take up to 2 hours to get back to your hotel via the buses.

    If you plan on going to other parks or exploring everything that Orlando has to offer, most definitely rent a car. Uber and taxis will eventually cost you as much as a week-long rental.  Remember though, Disney World Resort Hotels do charge you for parking in their lots.  Even though you are charged for parking, the freedom of being able to go off-site for meals or other attractions out weighs the $15/day cost.  Also, keep in mind that most Disney area hotels also charge for parking and the fee is usually hidden on websites.

    What Hotels?

    Again, this is a matter of preference. But if this is the first time that you are visiting Disney World, I would suggest staying at one of the on-site Disney World Resort Hotels.  When staying on-site, you have access to Disney Transportation to and from the parks, Extra Magic Hours and other amenities that guest staying at other hotels are not able to use.  The advantage to staying at an off-site hotel is the cost.  As you may already know, Disney is VERY expensive. A hotel or motel in Kissimee, FL can cost 25% of what a “Value Resort” room would cost.

    If you do plan on staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel, there are four tiers of Disney Hotels

    • Value Resort – Just as the name suggests, this is the least expensive hotels on property.  They offer a swimming pool, Cafeteria style Dinning Hall and sleeps up to four guests.
    • Moderate Resort – These rooms are a little larger than Value Resorts.  Each hotel has a themed pool, most with a water-slide.  Cafeteria and Sit Down Restaurants.  Some Moderate Resort Hotels have Suites that accommodate up to six guests.
    • Deluxe Resorts – Deluxe Resorts are some of the most expensive rooms on property.  They include The Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Polynesian, and more.  Rooms at these resorts are usually $400+ per night.  They do offer day spas, room service, concierge service and more. Deluxe Resorts offer several of the finest restaurants on Disney Property and are quite, quite expensive.
    • Villa Resorts – Villa Resorts are basically 1 – 3 bedroom apartments with full kitchens.  One bedroom villas can sleep up to 4 guests where 3 bedroom villas can sleep up to 12 guests.  Most Villa Resorts are also DVC (Disney Vacation Club) Resorts.  I would recommend this type of room for those that may have large families or if you are staying at the resort for two or more weeks.  Keep in mind, this tier of room is very expensive.

    Travel Preparation

    Personal Items

    So now you have a way to get to the Orlando area.  There is still a lot to get done.  Remember, Orlando is one of the largest Tourist Destination sites in the World.  An estimated 68.5 million people from around the world come to Orlando each year.  As a tourist destination, it will cost you much more to purchase personal items in the Orlando area than if you were to purchase them at home.  Please make sure that you view FAA/TSA guidelines on what and how much of a product that you are able to take on the plane.  If you do not follow the FAA guidelines, you will need to throw that product out, or you will not be allowed to fly.

    With that being said, remember, Orlando is three things weather-wise… HOT, MUGGY and RAINY.  That’s it.  The sun in Florida is brutal for most of the year with heat and humidity for about 10 months out of the year.  The only exception is if you are traveling in January or early February.  It is possible for it to be around 40°F (4°C) one day and 80°F (27°C) the next.

    Generally, I would recommend packing the following items for a trip to Disney World

    • Sunscreen – Even on chilly days, the sun in Florida is very strong.  Getting a bad sunburn on the first day of your vacation would really not make for a fun time for everyone in you family.  Due to the strength of the sun in Florida, I would also suggest that you pack a hat.  Those of us that are follicly challenged as I am will tell you that a sunburn on your back and shoulders is very uncomfortable, but one on the top of your head is miserable.
    • Comfortable Shoes – When visiting the parks, you will easily walk 10-12 miles (16-20Km) a day.  The second worse thing that you can do, besides getting a sunburn, is to develop a blister on your foot early in your visit.  Do not where flip flops, it rains quite often in Florida and when flip flops get wet, you can slide in them and really hurt yourself.  It is actually a good idea to have at least two pairs of comfortable shoes, just it the case your first pair are damaged or get wet in the park.
    • Ponchos/Rain Gear – Disney does sell rain-gear inside the parks, but, as with anything that is sold in the parks, it is obscenely expensive.  The same poncho that you can purchase at your local Walmart for $1, sells for $25 in the parks.  Purchasing 2-3 for each member of your family may be a good idea.  They are small and fit nicely into checked luggage.
    • Clothes – My rule of thumb when packing for Disney is to pack for 1-2 days more than I am staying.  This is for the chance that I am forced to stay extra due to weather or cancelled flights.  Disney does have washers and dryers at most of the resorts if you are staying an extended period of time and are not able to travel with that much clothing.
    • Medicines/Health Care – As with clothing, I always make sure that I have enough prescription medication with me, just as I mentioned above if my flight were cancelled or some other reason forced me to stay in Orlando a few extra days.  Disney does have First Aid stations in the parks and they do sell brand name over the counter medicines in the gift shops at each resort.  But as I mentioned before, it would be much less expensive if you purchased these items before you left for your trip.

    Theme Park Tickets

    Believe it or not, this will most-likely be the biggest expense of your trip.  Tickets to any of the Orlando-area theme parks are not cheap.  Most of the parks usually run anywhere from $85 – $150 per day.  All of the parks use a Marketing plan where the more days that you purchase at a park the cheaper the tickets become per day.  This is to have you stay at that park longer and spend more money with them (Disney, Universal, Sea World and Busch Gardens all use this tactic.). Last year, Disney started using a tier-based ticketing system for their theme park tickets.  This means that tickets will be a different price based on the time of the year that you visit the parks.  Basically, a ticket to Magic Kingdom in January is much cheaper than one for July.  With this, the most expensive time of the year is Christmas time.  Tickets during Christmas week can be as much as 75% more than a ticket for the same park in late January.

    There are ways to save some money purchasing theme park tickets.  There are legitimate business that are authorized by Disney, Sea World, Universal, etc. to sell park tickets.  Also keep in mind, there are quite a few businesses in the Disney World area that are NOT authorized to sell tickets.  Quite a few businesses along US-192 (the main drag outside Disney World) offer to buy your unused tickets.  NEVER BUY TICKETS FROM THESE BUSINESSES!!! The first time that you use a multi-day ticket, you have to scan your fingerprint.  Those tickets are now assigned to that fingerprint!!!  This means that nobody else would be able to use those tickets.  Also, most tickets must be used within 14 days of the first use.  Nothing would be worse than dishing out $1,000.00 to one of these businesses, getting to the gate and your family not being able to get in because the tickets you purchased were invalid and now you have to pay another $1,600.00 for actual tickets.

    Like I said, there are legitimate businesses that are authorized to sell theme park tickets.  Below are some that I have used myself.

    • Disney – Beleive it or not, sometimes purchasing park tickets as a package with a room is cheaper than going through a third-party vendor.
    • AAA/CAAA – AAA will sometimes offer discounted prices to it’s members.  You can also checkout hotel and car rental prices with their Travel Advisors.
    • Undercover Tourist – Undercover Tourist offers some of the best prices for all theme park tickets.  The also offer ticket packages that include free days.  Undercover Tourist also offers Car Rental and Hotel reservations.  I have used Undercover Tourist many times and have never been disappointed.  You can visit them at https://www.undercovertourist.com/  and let them know that DisneyDawgs recommended them.
    • Costco – Costco is suposed to offer good prices for tickets. Since there are no Costco locations in my area and I am not a member, I cannot say whether this is true or not.

    These are some of the businesses that I know and some that I have used.  Please make sure that you purchase your tickets ONLY FROM DISNEY AUTHORIZED RESELLERS!!!

    Scheduling

    So we now have the Airline, Car Rental, Hotel and Theme Park tickets, now comes the most fun and nerve-wracking part of the planning state of the trip.  Setting up an itinerary is important.  The itinerary will setup some guidance for what you are planning to do and see during your vacation.

    If you are staying at a Disney Hotel you will be receiving Disney Magic Bands.  Magic Bands are used to open your hotel room, you are able to set up a credit card and purchase merchandise using the Magic Band and a PIN number.  The FastPass+ system is done through your Magic Bands.  So needless to say, your Magic Bands are quite important.

    Once you receive your tickets to the Disney World Theme Parks, you can add them to your Magic Bands too.  Once you have done this, there are some amazing things that you can now do.

    Making Reservations

    • Dining Reservations – You are able to make reservations up to 6 months before you visit the parks.  Depending on which restaurant or Character Dining Experience you wish to book, you may want to do this right away.  Experiences like “Cinderella’s Magic Table” and the “Be Our Guest” restaurant are very, very difficult to get, yes, even six months out!
    • FastPass+ – If you are staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel you are able to make FastPass selections upto 60 days before your visit (30 days if you are staying at an off-site hotel).  A FastPass allows you to pick a time window where you do not have to wait in the stand-by line to go on an attraction.

    If you are staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel, now is the time to check to see when Disney World has scheduled “Extra Magic Hours” for the four parks.  Extra Magic Hours are for those guests staying on Disney property to enter a specific park at pre-scheduled hours.  Ideally this offers less crowds and shorter ride lines.

    Extra Magic hours are either early morning (7am – 9am) or late night (park close – ???)…  I’ve seen the late night EMH go as late as 3am.

    At this point, you should be ready for your trip.  In our next blog post, we will give you tips on what to do once you are in Orlando.  We really hope that these tips help.  Our family’s first trip would have been so much easier had we known this information.

    After fifteen years of visiting Disney World, we have picked up these tips and tricks to help us have a fun, stress-free vacation.

     

     

  • Disney+ Has Arrived

    The long awaited launch of of Disney Company’s step into the Online Streaming Media sector has occurred.

    Disney+ started streaming on Tuesday, November 12, 2019.  Disney+ is boasting a starting library of over 500 movies and 7,000 Television titles from Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, and National Geographic.  This is quite a lot of content for a start-up streaming service (Apple TV Plus only has 9 total.).

    It seems as though everything did not go as smoothly at launch as Disney would have hope it would be.  Many customers reported frozen screens, massive buffer times and the app crashing all together.

    I have purchased Disney+ for my family and we were able to watch for several hours with no major interruptions with the only issue that we had is a 10-15 second buffer at the beginning of each stream (This may be very-well due from my ISP and not Disney+.).

    So far, I am very impressing with the selection and wide range of genres that are offered.  There are movies that I remember watching on NBC’s “Wonderful World of Disney” that aired on Sunday nights in the late 1970’s and early 80’s.  I really enjoyed the amount of Pixar shorts that are available.  Some of the Shorts, are Pixar’s best work.

    The streaming quality of the audio and video is excellent.  There is virtually no difference in the picture quality between Disney+ and a regular Cable TV station (I think that Disney+ is actually better!).

    So far, I would recommend Disney+ to those hard-core Disney Fans and those with small children that are interested in Marvel, Star Wars or the Disney Princesses.  For those viewers, there are hours and hours of streams that will keep them entertained.  I hope that Disney continues to improve this service as technology improves (4K) and does not offer this low rate for now to bring in the audience, and then continually raise the rates to where it is not affordable.

    As of right now, I think that the service is a good investment for the Disney-minded Family.

     

  • Magic Kingdom Entrance Upgrade

    The entrance to Magic Kingdom has not been spared in the MASSIVE amount of construction that is being done throughout Walt Disney World.

    Crews are currently rebuilding the bag check area in front of Magic KIngdom so that it will be ready to handle the overflow amount of crowds that are expected in 2021 for Magic Kingdom’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.

    Some construction still exists at the TTA, but the majority of the disruptions are focused on the Magic Kingdom side of Seven Seas Lagoon.

  • Onsite McDonald’s Closes… Sort of

    If you are having a hankering for some fries or a Big Mac while staying at a Disney World Resort. You are going to have a take a little longer of a ride, for now.

    The McDonald’s location located outside of the All-Star Resorts and in the vicinity of Animal Kingdom closed its doors on October 30th at 3am.

    Not to worry though, it is only for a refurbishment. It is expected to re-open in March of 2020.

    It is said that they are going to modernize the restaurant and provide a better customer experience.  This probably means that they are going to put in self-ordering and self-checkout kiosks like much of today’s retail stores are doing.

    My family has been visiting this location since the restaurant had the humongous french fries on the outside of the building and they were showing old Disney movies in the dining room.  We have found that the McDonald’s is a cheaper and quicker option for breakfast when visiting Animal Kingdom than going to the Resort Cafeteria or getting food in the park$$$.

    If you still have that craving for a Big Mac, the next closest Mickey D’s is located on International Drive, 5.5 miles away or a 11 minute Minnie Van ride.

  • Success – First step of our Trip Planning is Done!!!

    It took a little longer than we planned, but the first step of our 2020 Disney World trip has been completed.

    The first thing that we do when we are planning a trip is to secure airline tickets from Rhode Island to Orlando.  This used to be the most expensive part of the trip, not anymore.

    So Southwest Airlines opened booking for airfare for April, 2020 and beyond yesterday (October 30, 2019).  We were able to get direct flights from PVD to MCO and MCO to PVD for a pretty good price.  As always, we purchased the early-bird option for an extra fee.  This means that we do not have to sit at the computer 24hrs before our site and hope that we get a good boarding number.  If you do not know, Southwest does not have assigned seating.  This means that seating is first come, first serve and if you do not have a low number on your boarding pass, your party may be separated on the flight.

    Now we have always flown with Southwest and have gotten used to the way that flights are posted and the costs of certain flights at certain times.

    Usually it costs much more to fly home (MCO -> PVD) than to fly down to Orlando.  Also, early morning flights are usually as much as 2.5x the cost of evening flights.  So we usually fly down on a 6:30PM flight, getting into Orlando around 9:30ish and to the resort by 10:30PM.  The same is with the returning flight, we usually do not leave MCO until 6-8PM, getting back into Rhode Island around 11PM and not back into our house until Midnight.

    For some reason, this year is different.  Flying down to Orlando, we were able to get an early flight, a VERY early flight, where we will be in Orlando before most people are in work.  Also, this year, our flight home will cost MUCH less than the one to start our vacation and it is also a very early flight.  The early flight coming home is good because both of my pups and my wife have to be in school the next morning.

    Well, there we go, I guess we can check plane tickets off of our “2020 Vacation ToDo List”, but we still have quite a bit more to do.

    • Plane Tickets
    • Hotel/Resort
    • Theme Park Tickets
    • Car Rental
    • Boarding the Dogs
    • New Clothes for Trip
    • Buy new Disney Trading Pins for girls and wife

    As you can see, there is more for us to do.

    Thanks for visiting our Blog!  Subscribe and we will send an email each time a new post is made or updated.  Again, thank you and have a Magical Day!

  • Trip Planning – Plane Tickets to Orlando

    Hi everyone.  It has been a while since I’ve posted to this blog.

    We are still planning on visiting Disney World in 2020 and have done some minor research for pricing.  At this point, here is where we stand…

    • We are currently waiting until October 30, 2019 to book airline tickets, that is when Southwest is supposed to open flights for the time period that we are going.
    • It currently looks like we will be staying OFF property for the first time in 10 years due to the cost of staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel.
    • We may also be limiting the number of days that we visit the parks, again due to the prices that Disney is charging.

    At this point, I am very discouraged at the cost in which this vacation is going to cost.  As of right now, if I include Hotel, Airfare, Car Rental and Park Tickets, we are right around $7,000 for 7 days and 6 nights in Orlando.  This is not including food, parking and other costs of being on vacation (such as boarding our 2 dogs.).

    As much as I love Disney, this may be the last time that I go to the parks with my family…  It has gotten way too expensive.

  • Trip Planning – Booking an Airline

    Trip Planning – Booking an Airline

    A major step for most visitors to Walt Disney World Resorts is booking an airline to get to Orlando.

    Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the main hub for Disney travelers (There are Disney Gift Shops in the Terminal).  Orlando International Airport better know as MCO is the largest airport in central Florida and caters to the Central Florida tourist destinations.  It is a very busy airport where Disney’s Magical Express is based out of.

    MCO also offers taxi, Uber, bus and car rental services that will also take you to the Resorts.  MCO is currently going through a transformation so that the airport will be able to handle the projected increase in traffic for the next 20 years.  Even though there is quite a bit of construction going on, MCO is very easy to get into and exit from.

    MCO also offers the widest variety of airlines coming in from throughout the United States and the rest of the World.

    Below is a list of airlines that currently serve MCO:

    AIRLINES THAT SERVE MCO

     

    Aerolineas Argentinas

    AeroMexico

    Air Canada

    Air France

    Air Transat

    Alaska Airlines

    American Airlines

    Avianca Airlines

    Azul

    Bahamasair

    British Airways

    Caribbean Airlines

    Copa Airlines

    Delta Air Lines

    Edelweiss

    El Al

    Emirates

    Eurowings

    Flair

    Frontier Airlines

    GOL

    Icelandair

    Interjet

    JetBlue

    LATAM Airlines

    Lufthansa

    Miami Air International

    Norwegian

    Rouge

    Silver Airways

    Southwest Airlines

    Spirit Airlines

    Sunwing

    Swoop

    Thomas Cook

    United Airlines

    Virgin Atlantic

    Volaris

    WestJet

    World Atlantic
    Aer Lingus

    Sun Country Airlines

    Our Suggestions

    We would suggest that if you are coming from a colder climate that you would consider purchasing insurance for your flight.  During the Winter months, snow storms can wreak havoc on flights, even if the storm is days before your scheduled trip.

    GETTING “BUMPED”

    It is common practice for airlines in the United States to overbook their busy flights.  This is a practice that here at DisneyDawgs, we think should be illegal.  But as of right now it is not and airlines regularly do this.  “Bumping” is the practice of the airline selling more reservations for a flight than there are seats.  In most cases not all tickets sold show up for the scheduled flight and there are not problems. But often, more people show up than there are seats for on the flight.  When this happens, the airline will offer incentives to anyone willing to give up their seat for a later flight by offering free fares for a future flight and some even offer cash back.  If not enough people take advantage of the incentives an airline is offering, those that were the last to check in for the flight will be “bumped” to a later flight.

    Like I said, we believe that this practice should be outlawed and, well, it is just not right.  The only thing that we can suggest for this practice is to make sure that you check in early for your flight and do not have any time-sensitive plans for the day that your flight is scheduled to arrive in Orlando.

    CROWDS

    Again, MCO is a very busy International Airport.  Depending upon the time of year, the airport may take some time to get through.

    Plan on extra time to get through the airport during the following times of year.

    • Christmas/New Year
    • February Vacation
    • Spring Break (March)
    • April/Easter Break
    • Thanksgiving Weekend

    Remember when leaving Orlando, MCO is one of the most difficult and time-consuming airports to get through TSA security and Customs.  During peak times, plan an extra 2-3 hours to get to your gate.

    OTHER AIRPORTS

    There are several other airports in the Central Florida region that it may be possible to fly into.

    Orlando Sanford International Airport – Sanford is a smaller airport located in Sandford, FL, which is just outside of Orlando.  There are limited airline opportunities at Sanford with the budget Allegiant Air hosting the majority of arrivals and departures.  Orlando/Sanford International Airport is a further distance away (aprox 45 miles, MCO is 18 miles away) from most of the the major Orlando area attractions.  This airport also does not have Disney’s Magical Express, so you would either need to take a taxi, Uber, bus or rent a car to get to your resort.

    Tampa International Airport (TPA)- Tampa International Airport is quite a distance from the Orlando area.  The airport is 78 miles away from the Walt Disney Resorts complex.  Some people fly into TPA because there is less a volume of travelers and some airline’s offer lower rates to fly out of TPA rather than MCO.

    Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) – Daytona Beach International Airport is a small airport located right next to the Daytona Beach International Speedway.  This airport would most-likely be an option if 1. Your were also going to Daytona for the Daytona 500 held in February each year. or 2.  You were not able to get a flight into one of the above airports.  DAB is 81 miles from the Walt Disney World Resort.

    Orlando Melbourne International Airport – Melbourne is a very small airport on the East Coast of Florida.  American Airlines and Delta offer service to this airport that is 75 miles away from the Walt Disney World Resorts.

    All other MAJOR airports (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale) are 150 or more miles away from the Walt Disney World Resorts which would most-likely be a 3+ hour drive and not worth looking into other than if you were visiting other areas of Florida than the Orlando region.

     

    Well, that is some basic information about flying into Orlando, FL.  In most cases, we would recommend that you use Orlando International Airport because everything is geared toward the Orlando Tourist Industry and that Disney Magical Express runs out of MCO.

    Where ever you fly from and to, DisneyDawgs wishes you have a very safe flight and have a wonderful time visiting the Orlando area.

     

     

  • ‘Disney Genie,’ Coming to Walt Disney World Resort

    Recently announced at D23 2019, “Disney Genie”.  From the description give, the “Disney Genie” is the current Disney World App on steroids.

    According to Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek, the Disney Genie will enhance the way that you plan for and experience a trip to Walt Disney World Resort.  It will join other products such as the MagicBand to help rookies and veterans of the parks have a much better experience.

    The Disney Genie will allow you to make custom itineraries based on your interests.  Food, Characters, rides, etc.  The app will also send you notifications of entertainment in the parks that match your interests in real-time.

    It was not mentioned whether the Disney Genie was going to replace the “Disney Parks App” or if it would have the same functionalities such as FastPass+, Mobile Ordering, Unlocking Resort Room Doors, and more.

    I am sure that there are quite a few bugs to be worked out still

     

  • Major Changes Coming to Epcot

    In life, change is inevitable.  The same goes for the Theme Parks in Walt Disney World in Florida.

    In case you haven’t noticed, Epcot has been, well, stagnant over the past 10 years or so.  Yes, there was a new film for the “Soarin” ride and transforming Malestrom to the Frozen Ever After Ride, but other than that, not much attention has been paid to this park.

    Changes had started last year with the closing of “Ellen’s Energy Adventure” to be transformed into the “Guardians of the Galaxy Rollercoaster” and the new “Ratatouille” ride that is being brought over from Disneyland Paris.  Epcot is also the destination for the new gondola transportation system (along with Hollywood Studios) with a major station built at the International Gateway new the England Pavilion.  The main entrance has also not been spared when it comes to the construction.  The monuments and fountain that have been at the front of Epcot for the past 15+ years have been removed and will be replaced by beautiful gardens, trees and shrubbery.

    At D-23 in Anaheim, CA this year, many more changes to Epcot have been announced.

    Mary Popins – TBA

    Epcot is opening Disney World’s very first Mary Poppins attraction, and it’s going to be supercalifragi— you get the idea.

    Dick Van Dyke himself took the stage at Disney’s D23 Expo fan convention over the weekend to reveal the news, which came as an utter surprise to theme park fans. Epcot will also expand upon the beloved film’s charming setting as Epcot’s United Kingdom pavilion opens its own version of Cherry Tree Lane, allowing guests to walk its iconic cobblestone street like Jane and Michael Banks.

    No details were provided as to what the first Mary Poppins attraction will entail — and whether it will be a show or a ride — but we can only assume it will be practically perfect in every way.

    JOURNEY OF WATER, INSPIRED BY MOANA – TBA

    According to Disney, this “first ever experience based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios hit film, ‘Moana’,  will let guests interact with magical, living water in a beautiful and inspiring setting.  This attraction will be located near the current “The Seas with Nemo” attraction.  There is no current opening date for this attraction.

     

     

    REGAL EAGLE SMOKEHOUSE: CRAFT DRAFTS & BARBECUE – Late 2019

    This will be a quick-service restaurant that will take over the space of the “Liberty Inn” which closed on July 8th.

    More dining updates coming to Epcot! A new quick-service restaurant will soon be taking the place of Liberty Inn which closed on July 8th.  Disney is stating “new location will be a modern barbecue smokehouse, with all the accompanying sights, sounds, smells and flavors you love – including a large smoker preparing fine food every day right on the pavilion’s promenade. There will also be a redesigned patio for you to enjoy, so get ready to grab a brew, some barbecue, and relax inside Epcot.” The new restaurant is to open Late 2019.

    AWESOME PLANET FILM – January 2020

    Billed by Disney as an “on-screen exploration of the realm we call home”, a new film focusing on the world around us will be coming to the Land Pavilion.

    While not many more details have been released, it is nice to see something new coming to the Circle of Life theater.

     

    WONDERS OF LIFE PAVILION TO BECOME A NEW “PLAY PAVILION” – Late 2021

    Rumors of something coming to the former Wonders of Life pavilion have been swirling for several months and now we know what Disney has planned.

    Billed as “unlike anything you’ve ever seen” at Epcot, the former Wonders of Life pavilion will be transformed into what Disney is calling a “play pavilion” that will be devoted to immersive fun.

    Featuring an “innovative city”, this pavilion will host “interactive experiences, Disney characters, hands-on-activities, and engaging entertainment.”

     

    Epcot Experience – Fall 2019

    And this October, guests will be able to visualize all of the exciting plans for Epcot at a new experience center in the Odyssey Events Pavilion, called Walt Disney Imagineering presents the Epcot Experience. Inside this first-of-its-kind offering within a Disney park, guests will discover engaging and interactive exhibits that allow you to step inside the relentless innovation, energy and excitement and see some never-before-revealed details driving the future of Epcot all throughout this unprecedented period of transformation.

    HARMONIOUS (REPLACING ILLUMINATIONS: REFLECTIONS OF EARTH)- 2021

    A new nighttime spectacular, HarmonioUS, will be coming to the park in 2020.

    This new show will celebrate how Disney music inspires people around the world and will include large-scale floats, LED panels, fountains, lights, fireworks, and lasers.

    Disney has said this new show, when it debuts will be on a massive scale “like we’ve never done.”

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    Epcot Forever – September, 2019

    Epcot will be hosting a temporary show to fill in the gap between “Illuminations” and “HarmonioUS”.  Epcot Forever will premiere in the Fall of 2019. Music for the show will be popular Epcot music and will feature something new to Disney World… Night-time Kites with special effects.

    The kites are reported to be kept afloat by 8 jet skis with two cast members on each.

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    CANADA FAR AND WIDE IN CIRCLE-VISION 360 – January, 2020

    Sorry Martin Short, but the Canada Pavilion is getting a much needed update and the film to be show in the 360° theatre is titled “Canada Far and Wide”.

    GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: COSMIC REWIND – Spring 2021

    Although this isn’t new news to much of you, the “Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind” rollercoaster is still in full construction.  Located where the former “Ellen’s Energy Adventure” building was.

    The new attraction has been described as a “storytelling coaster” and therefore will require a new and innovative ride vehicle.

    When talking about the new vehicles, Bob Iger said: “On most coasters, the vehicles point straight ahead throughout the ride. But on this attraction, each individual cab will be programmed to direct your eye to the story happening around you.”

    SPACE 220 – Winter 2019

    Space 220 will be a space-themed restaurant located between “Test Track” and “Mission Space”. The restaurant will be table-service with “an out of this world culinary experience.”  It will have panorama daytime and nighttime views of the earth from a space station 220 miles above the planet.

     

     

     

    Disney Skyliner Station – Fall 2019

    Located at the International Gateway, this will be one of the stations that will connect Pop Century, Art of Animation, Carribean Beach and Disney’s Riviera Resort to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

    The Disney Skyliner is a gondola system to transport guests from those resorts to the 2 theme parks.  Each car will be overlayed with characters from various Disney movies and also including the big cheese himself, Mickey Mouse.

    It is reported that the Disney Skyliner will not be like the monorail and you will need to exit the car at the specified park or resort.  This means that if you want to ride the Disney Skyliner, you will need to disembark at the destination and then get back in line for the return trip.

    REMY’S RATATOUILLE ADVENTURE – Summer 2020

    This attraction/ride is again no surprise to the most of you reading this post.  This ride has been on the radar for almost two years now.

    Construction of the ride is pretty much complete on the outside and construction crews are basically working on the finishing touches.

    This ride is based on a ride that is hugely popular in the Disneyland Paris park by the same name.

     

    Wow, that is quite a lineup.  Let’s see what Epcot looks like come 2022.