According to the Walt Disney World website’s Theme Park Reservation page, guests with date-based tickets will no longer require a theme park reservation beginning January 9, 2024.
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Bounceback Offers have long been a cherished perk for guests who frequent the Walt Disney World Resort. These special discounts are designed to reward and encourage guests to return for more unforgettable experiences.
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The highly anticipated Flavors of Florida event is back at Disney Springs, and it’s time to embark on a journey like no other. Running now through August 13th, this annual culinary extravaganza brings together the best of Florida’s flavors with a magical Disney twist.
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The past week has been filled with sweltering temperatures in the 90s, accompanied by a relentless heat index that has made conditions uncomfortable.
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We’ve got some exciting news from Disney Parks! In a recent post on the Disney Parks TikTok account, our beloved Princess Tiana showcased her brand new Bayou Adventure outfit.
We are a husband and wife team who enjoy going places and telling people about it. Over the years we’ve shared our experiences living in Japan, moving to the United States and driving from sea to shining sea. Now the journey continues as we make Florida our new home!
I’ve been aware of the Science Museum Of Minnesota since moving to the state in 2016. Being a fan of science museums, I casually added it to my “places to visit” list, but never made my way over. . . . until now. Thanks to the suggestion from Russ and an open weekend, we made the trip.
The Science Museum was founded in 1907 and currently sits on the banks of the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The museum has 370,000 square feet of space, including a 10,000 square-foot temporary exhibit gallery, multiple permanent galleries, zero-emissions Science Hours and an IMAX Convertible Dome Omnitheater.
Permanent exhibits at the museum include the Collectors’ Corner, Dinosaurs & Fossils Gallery, Experiment Gallery, Giant Astronaut, Human Body Gallery, Light Gallery, Math Moves, Mississippi River Gallery, RACE: Are We So Different?, Sportsology, We Move and We Stay, Weighing the Evidence and Wonder Years. There were also a few temporary exhibits during our visit including Ultimate Dinosaurs, Sandhill Crane Community Art and Science Superheroes. Of course, as is the case with other museums, the exhibits are subject to change. Be sure to check the Science Museum Of Minnesota website for the most up to date information before your visit.
Aside from the general exhibits and Omnitheater, the Science Museum Of Minnesota also has a small cafe for guests to buy coffee and food items as well as a gift shop. During our visit, the cafe had a selection of drinks, pastry and sandwiches. However, there were no tables to sit and enjoy those items.
The Basics
For the most part, the Science Museum Of Minnesota is a very hands-on place. While there are a couple of exceptions, nearly every exhibit you’ll find within the museum features something [if not a great deal of things] you’ll need to operate in order to experience. This is great for those who like to learn through experiences and conduct experiments themselves, but it might not be ideal for all visitors. It’s also worth noting that visitors who are apprehensive about spending a bulk of the day touching high touch surfaces may want to reconsider whether or not a visit to the museum is right for them. That said, hand sanitizer was available throughout the museum and some surfaces were being wiped down regularly by museum staff.
As I mentioned above, the Science Museum Of Minnesota has a number of both permanent and temporary exhibits to enjoy during your visit. That said, the most notable exhibits at the museum feature dinosaurs. There are quite a few dinosaur related displays to look at [some permanent, others on display temporarily] featuring some unique dinosaurs we’ve never seen or heard of before. There were also some paleontologists around during our visit sharing their knowledge with visitors who were inside the visit.
Dinosaurs aside, much of what you’ll find at the Science Museum Of Minnesota is what you’d come to expect. There were, however, a few other things that stood out to me. Once such exhibit was Sportsology. This exhibit has a variety of different areas that focus on the science of sports and how the human body works in order to play those sports. This included a few areas where you could be recorded by slow motion cameras, run and try to beat a popular Minnesota team Mascot and see the effects of a concussion on the human brain, among other things. While this was a fairly interesting exhibit, it was also one that we spent the least amount of time in. Not only were we not really prepared to get physical on this particular day, but it was also a very popular exhibit amongst kids. . . . so we moved along and let the little ones have at it!
Another exhibit that stood out to us was the Weighing The Evidence exhibit. This exhibit featured a collection of items based in what they described as “quackery science” from different time periods. From machinery to diet pills, this exhibit was quite interesting, but really left us wanting to know more about what we were looking at.
Not What We Were Expecting
It’s probably worth mentioning, before we get into this next part, that we didn’t have any major expectations for the Science Museum Of Minnesota before our visit. I mean. . . . sure. . . . we wanted to experience some sciencey things and maybe learn something. Who wouldn’t. Still, there wasn’t anything in particular that we were hoping to see or do though. That said, there were a few things at the Science Museum Of Minnesota still threw up for a loop.
The first thing about the Science Museum Of Minnesota that we weren’t expecting was the flow of the museum itself or, more accurately, the complete lack of one. The museum consists of 5 Levels on 3 of which [5, 4 and 3] are exhibits. While there is some loose theming amongst the levels, for the most part, there isn’t much rhyme or reason to where the exhibits are or how they are laid out within that space. This can leave you wondering where to go first and how to move through the exhibits. The lack of flow also doesn’t provide context to what exactly it is you’re looking at or doing. Rather than feeling like there was a story being told or a lesson being learned at the exhibits, it felt a bit more like a collection of fun facts centered around a loose theme.
There were also a few things at the Science Museum Of Minnesota that felt out of place or shoehorned in. An example of this can be found in the Light Gallery located on Level 3. This particular exhibit is about light, how it moves and the colors it creates. Pretty straightforward. However, this exhibit also features a model of the Earth [which changes to the Sun from time to time] displaying weather patterns across the planet. Now, there is an argument to be made that the Sun creates light that shines down on Earth and draw the connection there, it’s a stretch though. In my opinion, it seems like this was put here because it’s one of the darkest places in the museum where the projection would be most visible. Whatever the thought process or reasoning was, it doesn’t feel like it fits or contributes to the exhibit in a meaningful way.
The Science Museum Of Minnesota also had a few other exhibits [or parts of exhibits] that felt somewhat out of place in a science museum as well. This included some areas that leaned heavily into what you might consider political science, socioeconomics and/or current events. While we certainly aren’t opposed to having difficult discussions, these discussions can be very intense especially if you’re not ready for them. This is something, especially if you’re planning a visit with younger ones or those who might be easily upset by discussions of more recent events, may want to be aware of before you visit. Once again, be sure to check the links we’ve put above to see what each exhibit is about in order to get a better idea of what to expect.
Things That We Were Hoping To See
There are a lot of interesting things to see and do at the Science Museum Of Minnesota, but we did find ourselves wanting a bit more. Especially with the giant astronaut, we were a bit disappointed to see a lack of anything space related in the museum. It would have also been interesting to see some sort of science related to electricity, chemistry or industry. Of course, these are some areas that may be represented in the future through temporary exhibits, but they were not present during our visit.
Pricing
The Science Museum of Minnesota is located in Saint Paul, approximately 15 minutes from Minneapolis – Saint Paul International Airport. There is a parking ramp [aka parking structure] on site for those who are arriving via car. Parking in the Science Museum of Minnesota Parking Ramp will cost $5.00 per day.
Pricing for the museum itself costs $19.95 for adults and $14.95 for kids with discounted rates for seniors. There also a discounted income-based access tickets through something called the Great Tix program. This program provides heavily discounted tickets for those who are enrolled in various programs. You can find out more information as to whether or not you quality for the Great Tix program HERE.
The Science Museum of Minnesota also has an Omnitheater where they show a selection of different Omnifilms. These films come at an additional cost ranging from $3 to $9.95 per person.
Unfortunately, the Science Museum of Minnesota does not have a coat check. However, you can rent a locker for anywhere from $2 to $3 for 4 hours. Lockers come in 2 sizes, but it’s important to note that they aren’t the most spacious. . . particularly if you’re visiting during the winter months. We opted for the large locker and found that it was enough to hold our jackets and bags. However, if we were traveling with a larger group or kids, we might have needed an additional locker or simply left things in the car.
Purchasing Admission
At the time of our visit, admission for Science Museum of Minnesota needs to be purchased in advance via their website. This may change in the future, so be sure to check the website for the most up to date information.
It’s Fine. . .
At the end of the day, while we really wanted to love the Science Museum Of Minnesota, the experience turned out to be just alright. The museum itself was fine. The exhibits were fine. That said, I wouldn’t be honest if I said we weren’t underwhelmed by the experience. In fact, once we got to the end, Russ was taken aback by the fact that we were already done. I felt the same way! Like we mentioned above, it would have been nice to see a few more topics covered by the museum and possibly have some presentations [virtual or otherwise] rather than having to rely on what you were reading from plaques on exhibits themselves. We also would have loved some form of map or booklet to guide us through the museum. There was apparently a QR code you could scan at the entrance, but we didn’t go the route of utilizing that.
Overall, while we had a good strolling around the museum, it’s not the type of place we would consider visiting again nor would we recommend it to anyone who might be passing through. Maybe in the future, once things can go back to pre-pandemic norms, our opinion might be different. For now though, the Science Museum Of Minnesota is. . . just alright.
Finding and downloading these wallpapers is pretty straightforward. Simply open your My Disney Experience app and make your way to the main menu by locking the hamburger [three little lines] on the bottom right of your screen. From there, select the block with Disney PhotoPass. In that section you will find the wallpapers and any other Disney PhotoPass images that you might have.
While browsing these images, you may find that there are multiple of what seems to be the same image available. This is because these wallpapers are available in 2 formats; landscape and horizontal. This is so that you can enjoy them whether you’re on a desktop or mobile device. Simply select the Beacon Of Magic that calls to you and follow the prompts to save it to your device of choice!
As those of you who have been following us for some time know, we absolutely love these free to download wallpapers that Disney surprises us with once in a while. We think that they are a great way to enjoy the magic from home and who doesn’t want that!?
We’re stepping into a world where nostalgia and Disney Magic collide with our most recent Walt Disney World Resort Hotel review – welcome to Disney’s Pop Century Resort!
Since 2003, when the Disney’s Pop Century Resort welcomed its first guests, it’s been all about capturing the essence of American pop culture. How you might ask? Well, with larger-than-life theming of course! From the moment you walk into the lobby, where you’ll find displays of nostalgic items from yesteryear, to the massive recreations of iconic items that make up the theming at this resort, you’ll be immersed in decades from the 1950’s into the 1990’s. So let’s get lost in the 40 years stretch on the timeline that Disney’s Pop Century celebrates and take a closer look at this resort.
Even before stepping onto the grounds of Disney’s Pop Century Resort, there are a few things that make it an appealing place to stay for guests visiting Walt Disney World.
First and foremost, we have the price point. Disney’s Pop Century Resort is what Walt Disney World considered a “Value Resort”. That means that it is one of the most affordable Walt Disney World Resort Hotels of all the Walt Disney World owned and operated hotels on property. The price range for Disney’s Pop Century Resort is between $154 and $390 per night, depending on the time of year and whether or not you choose to stay in a “preferred” room.
While this isn’t the most affordable of the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, the pricing for Disney’s Pop Century Resort is quite reasonable if you’re choosing to stay in a standard room. That said, as all of the rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort are the same size with the same sleeping configuration, we don’t necessarily think that upgrading to a “preferred” room is worth the extra money. Of course, every family has different wants and needs during their vacation, so be sure to let us know if you agree by leaving a comment.
The other feature of Disney’s Pop Century Resort that a lot of families find appealing is the access to the Disney Skyliner. The Disney Skyliner is Walt Disney World’s newest form of transportation and it’s quickly becoming a favorite among guests visiting the Walt Disney World Resort. This is especially true for guests staying at what is known as a “Skyliner Resort” as it offers quick and relatively easy access to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT and other Resorts along the Disney Skyliner route.
Learn more about the Disney SkylinerHERE.
Of course, there are 2 sides to every coin and having access to the Disney Skyliner isn’t going to be a “feature” for every family. There are things about the Disney Skyliner that can be a problem for some. Those who have a fear of heights, enclosed spaces and those who suffer from motion sickness might want to consider that at Disney’s Pop Century Resort the Disney Skyliner is going to be your only free Disney Transportation option for getting to Hollywood Studios and/or EPCOT.
NOTE: You may have heard that there is bus transportation to and from EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This is something that does happen under certain circumstances, but it’s important to keep in mind that it is not standard practice for Disney Skyliner Resorts to operate buses is the Disney Skyliner is operational. Exceptions to this may be when crowds are particularly heavy during certain times of the year, but again, it’s not something we think you should count on when booking any Disney Skyliner Resort.
Lots To Offer
Aside from the price point and convenience of the Disney Skyliner, there’s quite a lot that Disney’s Pop Century Resort has to offer for guests who choose to call this home during their vacation. Right at the top of that list, we’ve got the pools!
Disney’s Pop Century Resort features 3 pools for guests to enjoy, whether they’re relaxing or burning off some energy. Over in the 1950’s you’ll find the Bowling Pool that’s shaped like. . . you guessed it. . . a bowling pin. Over in the 1990’s you’ll find the Computer Pool complete with floppy disc and keyboard. Then, coming in at a whopping 235,613 gallons, you’ll find the Hippy Dippy Pool. This is the resort’s main pool which comes complete with far-out flower-shaped water jets and a chill 1960’s attitude.
Of course, it doesn’t stop there! There are activities that take place throughout the day [and week] at Disney’s Pop Century Resort to include themed pool parties, games, trivia, “Movies Under the Stars” and more! You can learn more about all of the activities available at the resort during your stay by inquiring at the Front Desk or by checking out the Walt Disney World Website.
Learn more about Movies Under the StarsHERE.
Despite all of this being offered at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, we did feel like there was a little something missing during our stay. We tried to put out finger on it while we were there, but we couldn’t quite figure it out until editing our walk around video later; there was no music. Unlike other resorts that we’ve been to around Walt Disney World, there was no music being played at Disney’s Pop Century Resort around the resort itself. This was fairly disappointing, especially because music was such a major part of the theme.
We also felt like the resort was lacking green spaces to be outdoors and lounge around throughout the resort. While there were places to hang out on the pool deck, we think I would have been nice to have a few more outside that fenced area. This made the resort feel a little less like what you’d come to expect from a Disney Resort Hotel and more of what you’d come to expect from a hotel you’re just relying on as a place to stay at night. Of course, this was just our opinion. If you’ve ever stayed here we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Like at other Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, guests staying at Disney’s Pop Century Resort have access to both dining and shopping without having to leave the resort. Here at Disney’s Pop Century, they are both called “Everything POP Shopping & Dining”. This includes a quick service restaurant as well as a shop where you can purchase a variety of Walt Disney World souvenirs and other necessities that you might find yourself needing during your vacation.
As far as food is concerned, Everything POP offers a variety of dishes to choose from. This includes burgers, chicken, hot dogs, sandwiches, pizza and pasta. There are also rotating menu items and seasonal items available depending on when you happen to be visiting. There’s also a breakfast menu that includes waffled, breakfast sandwiches and more.
Truth be told, the menu at Everything POP isn’t much to write home about. The items are fairly standard and aren’t what you might describe as exciting in any way. However, they are what we would describe as safe. In other words, it won’t be the most adventurous meal you eat at Walt Disney World, but that can actually be a good thing. There’s plenty of variety available for families who have a variety of tastes to accommodate and none of the menu items are really going to throw you for a loop. Again. . . . we think that’s a good thing for a resort geared to families on a budget.
Prices at Everything POP are fairly reasonable as are the portion sizes, which make it a good potion for grabbing a quick bite on nights when you’re to tired to leave the resort to search for dinner.
Check out the Everything POP Shopping & Dining MenuHERE.
Of course, if you want to venture out there are a lot of great options that are very easy to access with the Disney Skyliner. While these options aren’t technically part of Disney’s Pop Century Resort, having such quick access to them makes it worth noting. That said, if you’re looking for something a bit more interesting than Everything POP you have the option of dining at Caribbean Beach, Disney’s Riviera Resort, Yacht & Beach Club, Boardwalk as well as the Swan & Dolphin Resorts. . . . all accessible from the Disney Skyliner!
There are 2 different categories of rooms offered at Disney’s Pop Century Resort; standard and preferred. While both of these rooms are ultimately the same, the location is what sets one apart from the other. Preferred rooms are the more conveniently located option, being closer to the main building and thus bus transportation and dining.
Location aside, most of the rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort are going to share the same characteristics. They will be 260-square-feet with 1 queen bed and 1 queen size Murphy bed. Guests can also specially request a room with a King-size bed, but these rooms are limited and only available upon request.
Rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort are small and simple, but they are equipped with everything you need. The elevated bed allows for plenty of space to tuck away luggage during your trip and other storage options will help keep your room organized. The beverage cooler/mini-fridge is also a great feature of this room. We think that having a way to tuck away snacks and keep drinks cool makes a huge difference when traveling [to Walt Disney World or elsewhere] and so we’re glad to see that is available in this room.
However, the let down of this room is the theming. With the resort being so over-the-top, it’s disappointing to see that the rooms don’t carry the theming over in some way; even if it’s just simple framed pieces of artwork or furniture. While we’re well aware that the resort sits within Disney’s “Value” range, that hasn’t stopped Disney from adding touches of Disney Magic before. . . why that would be the case here is unbeknownst to us. That said, we think that simple design choices could have easily elevated the experience at this resort rather than making it sterile. Of course, we’d love to hear what you have to say about this. . . so let us know in a comment.
At the end of the day, we think that Disney’s Pop Century Resort is a great option for a number of different reasons. While there are some letdowns, particularly in regards to theming of the rooms and ambiance of the resort itself, it does provide a great value option for families in a fantastic location. We love that it has access to the Disney Skyliner, which allows guests to have easy access to other resorts that can make up for what Pop Century itself is lacking. There’s also easy access to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, which is only a short walk across Hourglass Lake.
We also think that the rooms are pretty great for the price. While they can be a little bit tight if you’re traveling with a big family, they offer enough organization options and use space well enough to make it comfortable for everyone during your stay; again at that very reasonable price point.
When we first learned that Hollywood Studios would be adding Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ to their table service line-up, we were pretty excited. Not only were we excited for a new BBQ restaurant, but we were also happy to see another addition to Toy Story Land. So, as soon as reservations became available for the restaurant, we jumped at the opportunity to have dinner. Unfortunately, it was much less than we had hoped for.
Let’s start by talking a little bit about the restaurant itself. As expected from Disney, the theming is cute and detailed. You could spend hours combing through the restaurant to find fun and quirky details referencing Toy Story and toys in general. In fact, the entire restaurant looks like a makeshift play set made from miscellaneous pieces of cardboard and whatever else Andy could get his hands on. This is cute, but it’s not unlike what you’ll find in the queue of Toy Story Mania or Slinky Dog Dash. While it was cute and detailed, it left us wanting more.
The restaurant also has what can be best described as “interactive elements” including voices from Toy Story characters coming over the loud speaker and lighting effects when certain characters are introduced. While this adds to the atmosphere of the restaurant, because you feel like you’re one of the toys, it makes the restaurant seem like a character dining experience when it’s not. In fact, we even noticed lots of people trying to see what was happening during these special moments of the meal, some even standing to get a better look at what they were unable to see while sitting down. Unfortunately there was nothing to see.
Despite knowing that this wasn’t a character dining experience, or anything similar, we still felt like we were missing something throughout the duration of the meal. It seemed like something was happening, always out of view.
We also felt like we were missing out because some of the fun little details, like riding hobby horses to your table or signing the check with a giant pen, were not available during our dinner. While this isn’t something that would make or break the dinner on its own, it did added to the feeling that the overall experience wasn’t entirely available to s during our visit.
Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ has a family style prefix menu. Guests are served Cheddar Biscuits with Sweet Pepper Jelly and a selection of side salads, but will have the ability to select four sides as well as one entree to share with the table. Finally, dinner wraps up with 1 desert per person.
The menu itself isn’t all that out of the ordinary, but what really had us scratching our heads were the options themselves. Guests can choose either smoked meats or the plant-based option to share with the table; not both. At least not according to the menu. This seems like an odd decision that is going to leave families, some of whom have differing tastes, with a predicament of who exactly they want to cater to.
Walt Disney World has been dishing up some delicious BBQ around the Walt Disney World Resort in the past few years, so it was exciting to have the opportunity to eat what some might imagine would be better options at this new table service restaurant. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
We found the food at Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ to be subpar at absolute best. Both the smoked meats and sides were, for the most part, fine. Though, the fried pickles were soggy and the mac & cheese was gritty. We did enjoy the biscuits and the salads, but that’s not really saying much.
Probably the worst part of the meal, however, were the desserts. Not only were the portions very small, but they tasted overly sweet with no distinct flavor other than an artificial/chemical taste that lingered in the mouth. It was so bad, in fact, that we left the restaurant feeling sick after our meal, despite not having finished.
Now, I’ll be the first to say that “cleanliness” isn’t really something you hear us talk all that much about when we do dining reviews. This is usually because they’re not much to say. Unfortunately, Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ is the exception. While the restaurant and the tables themselves were clean enough, the cutlery was not.
When arriving at the table I noticed that my fork and knife looked as though it had residue on it. I passed it off as soap residue, but when we were given serving spoons to dish up the sides there were pieces of food stuck to each of them.
This is unacceptable.
Cleanliness is very important in a restaurant setting in general, but I think it’s safe to say that attention to detail in some areas can arguably be more important than others. The fact that the cutlery was dirty and was allowed to be put on the table dirty tells me that attention to detail is lacking in this restaurant. If it was possible that 2 separate sets of cutlery made its way, what else isn’t up to par in this restaurant?
Quite frankly, I don’t even want to think about it.
The cherry on top of this disappointing experience was the price. Coming in at $122 [including tip] for the two of us to eat, we felt that the meal was not worth the high cost. We could have had a much better meal for less money elsewhere to include Regal Eagle Smokehouse or Flame Tree BBQ. For the price, we could have ordered the entire menu at both restaurants and had a better overall experience.
All in all, I was left disappointed by Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ. While the theming is cute and the atmosphere is fun, the food and cleanliness of the restaurant left much to be desired. If you’re a diehard Toy Story fan, you may want to wait until some kinks are ironed out before you check it out, but even so I would recommend managing your expectations.
Have you dined at Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ? What was your experience like? Let me know in the comments below!
All of this aside, we think it’s also very important to realize that the experience you may have heard about at this restaurant is not guaranteed. Fun little touches like taking hobby-horses to your table or signing the check with an oversized pencil is only available for a very limited number of guests. That said, I don’t think you should expect to experience this at the restaurant during your visit. It’s also important to know that this is not a character meet and greet, though it might sound like it at times based on the way cast members talk and announcements are made thought the restaurant. Little ones, or guests who don’t know this ahead of time, might feel like there’s something they’re missing because of the way certain characters are announced on the speakers. This is something we noticed during our visit too as people looked around the restaurant searching for Rex and Sarge.
The cherry on top of this disappointing experience was the price. Coming in at $122 for the two of us to eat [including tip], we felt that the meal was not worth the high cost. We could have had a much better meal for less money elsewhere at Walt Disney World to include at Flame Tree BBQ or Regal Eagle Smokehouse.
All in all, we were left disappointed by Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ. While the theming is cute and the atmosphere is fun, the food and cleanliness of the restaurant left much to be desired. If you’re a diehard Toy Story fan, you may still want to check it out, but I would recommend managing your expectations.
Have you dined at Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ? What was your experience like? Let me know in the comments below!
One of the first questions that arises when budget travelers start planning their Walt Disney World vacation is whether or not staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel [also referred to as “on property”] is worth it. Understandably, those who are trying to work with a limited budget can sometimes steer away from staying on property because of the presumed cost. However, things aren’t always what they seem.
Today, we’re going to chat about some of the benefits and perks of staying at one of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels and how they might impact your budget.
If you’re arriving at Orlando via Orlando International Airport, like so many people do, then the perks of staying on Disney property start the moment you land. Guests who are staying at one of the Walt Disney World resort hotels have access to a service called the Magical Express. This service, which must be booked prior to your departure, not only gives guests a free ride to their resort hotel from the airport, they handle the bags too! Then, when your vacation is over, resort hotel guests can board the Magical Express once more for their return trip to the airport.
[IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to health and safety concerns, at this time, the Magical Express has suspended luggage delivery service for both arrivals and departures.]
Free transportation to [and from] the airport is always great, but it’s worth mentioning that the Magical Express is more than just a free ride. We’re talking about a Mickey and friends themed motorcoach here, which not only gets the Disney magic flowing the second you arrive in Orlando, it also gives you and your family plenty of space to travel comfortably while also stowing your luggage.
Fun and convenience aside, the Magical Express is a must mention in our discussion of whether or not staying on Disney property is worth it. With the average cost of a ride from Orlando International Airport to the Walt Disney World Resort area coming in at around $40.00 [each way] that is a total of $80.00 round trip or $20.00 per day for a 4 day stay. Of course, this number can change depending on the size of your family, fluxuations in pricing or other necessities [such as fees associated with adding a car seat].
UPDATE: On January 11th 2021, Walt Disney World announced that the Magical Express will suspend operations starting January 1st 2022. The service will continue to operate until this time, but guests arriving on or after the 1st of the year will no longer have access to this service.
While we’re on the topic of transportation, it’s worth mentioning that Walt Disney World offers up a whole lot more than the Magical Express. Guests staying on property have complimentary access to busses, boats, monorails and the Skyliner, allowing them to get anywhere on Walt Disney World property without any additional cost.
Though those who are staying off property can utilize the Walt Disney World transportation to get around the resort, there is still the cost associated with getting from your off property accommodations to your starting point on property. There are a few ways to go about doing this, but the most common is to rent a car. Though prices vary depending on a number of factors, the average price for a car rental in Orlando is in the $45.00 per day range. Coupled with the standard parking fee of $25.00 per day, In total, that is an additional $70.00 per day you’ll likely spend staying off property.
FastPass+ [also referred to as Fast Pass or simply Fastpass] is a type of electronic reservation system that allows you to enjoy some of Walt Disney World’s most popular attractions without waiting in long lines. Simply decide which ride you’d like to enjoy, select an available time frame and show up during the window. Then, bypass most of the line and enjoy the ride! Though it’s not necessary to use FastPass+ during your vacation, there is no arguing that it’s the best way to ensure you get the most out of your trip.
Guests staying on property can make their FastPass+ selections [choosing which rides and time slots they’d like] 60 days in advance, but those guests who are not staying on property may only make selections 30 days in advance. As there are only a limited number of FastPasses available for each ride per day, this means that there may not be any FastPasses available by the time you’re able to make your selections.
Though it might not seem it at first, having early access to [and properly utilizing] FastPass+ can really change the experience you have at Walt Disney World. You’ve probably heard people say “time is money” before and, quite frankly, it applies to this situation really well. In a place like Walt Disney World, where the price of admission is a pretty penny, spending 2 or 3 hours in a line that could have been only 30 minutes, does more than take a chunk of time out of your day. More time in lines means less time to enjoy other attractions and, as far as I’m concerned, that’s not doing much to add bang to your buck. This is true for everyone, but especially for families that are planning shorter budget friendly stays.
[IMPORTANT: Walt Disney World is currently operating under limited capacity and has suspended the FastPass+ system at this time.]
Another great perk that you can only enjoy i f you’re staying on property is Extra Magic Hours. These are extended hours, either at the beginning of the day or end of the night, that are only available to guests who are staying at one of the resort hotels. Taking advantage of this extra time in the parks, with the limited capacity, is a great way to get more out of your vacation that you wouldn’t have if you weren’t staying on property. It’s especially beneficial to those who are enjoying shorter stays and working with a limited budget.
Resort Packages & Dining Plan
I’ll be the first person to admit that I don’t have a whole lot of personal experience with booking resort packages or utilizing the Disney Dining Plan; it just doesn’t often fit with the way we travel. However, I’ve kept up with the packages and promotions that are available over the years and WOW are there a lot of opportunities to save if you make the decision to stay at one of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
Depending on when you’re traveling and what promotions are running during that time, there is a lot of potential to save considerable amounts of money [on top of what we’ve already talked about] by staying on property. Some of the more recent examples that come to mind are discounted rates on rooms, free dining for the duration of your stay or even free park tickets. Of course, there is no guarantee as to what packages and discounts will be available and when. Though in the past it was easy to see patterns and speculate, recent events have made it more difficult to predict what’s coming and when. Nevertheless, it never hurts to keep an eye out!
As we always say, sometimes so much it can seem like we’re a broken record, not everything we talked about here today will work for everyone or every scenario. But, knowledge is power! Having the information is half the battle in planning an affordable and fun trip to Walt Disney World and I’m hoping I was able to provide you with a little bit here today.
Mortals! Don’t forget to share your thoughts with us about some of these perks, how they worked for you and/or what your opinions are of staying on property. We’d love to hear what you have to say and I’m sure others would too! Stay spooky!
If you’re a thrifty Disney fan or someone who loves a good bargain, you may have heard something about Disney outlet stores located nearby the Walt Disney World Resort. These outlet stores, called the Disney Character Warehouse, are a place where you can find Disney Parks merchandise for discounted prices. Yup! We’re talking about the same merchandise that is being sold at the Walt Disney World theme parks, on Disney Cruise Line and even at Disneyland.
Like I said, there are 2 of these Disney Character Warehouse locations in the vicinity of the Walt Disney World Resort. They are both located in outlet malls and within 15 to 40 minutes of the Walt Disney World Resort, depending on where your starting location is. The first is located at the Orlando Outlet Marketplace on International Drive and the other is at the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets on Vineland Ave.
Now, if you’re anything like me, there’s a good chance you’re very tempted to call a rideshare or pile into your rental car and visit one of these Character Warehouse locations on your next Walt Disney World vacation. I mean. . . a deal on Disney stuff? Who could resist!? However, there are some things you should be aware of before making your way out.
Disney Character Warehouse is an outlet store, but it’s not like other “Disney Outlets” that you might find outside the parks. Disney Character Warehouse locations are official Disney outlet store that sell official Disney Parks merchandise. This means that you’re not going to get generic Mickey Mouse and Florida merch. You’re getting official Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line stuff!
What you find at Disney Character Warehouse changes from week to week; sometimes day to day. However, you can expect to find a selection of the same type of merchandise you might find at any other Disney gift shop. This includes things like clothes, ear headbands, pins, plushies, home goods, artwork, handbags and much more. You may even find some things that wouldn’t be sold in gift shops, but were only available at carts throughout the parks. . . like popcorn buckets.
Of course, the major draw to Disney Character Warehouse are the discounts on the merchandise. Most [not all] of the merchandise sold at the Disney Character Warehouse locations is being sold at a discount. In a number of cases, these discounts slash prices quite a bit, which makes some otherwise pricey merchandise a bit more attainable for guests who are trying to pinch their pennies.
Unfortunately, like everything in life, there are also some downsides to visiting the Disney Character Warehouse; most of which you won’t hear too many people talking about. . . . which is why we’re going to focus some attention on them today.
First and foremost, if you’re considering adding a trip to either [or both] of the Disney Character Warehouse locations to your itinerary, it’s important to be very well aware that these are outlet stores. I know that we mentioned this before and it should go without saying, but it’s something that needs to be said and emphasized again. Like any other outlet store that you may be familiar with, Disney Character Warehouse stocks merchandise that didn’t sell for one reason or another. This could mean that the shelves are stocked with Christmas merchandise in April or it could mean that most of the available pins are dated “2020”. It also means limited sizing on things like clothing, some merchandise from different parks altogether [like Disneyland and Disney Cruise Line branded merchandise] and other items that simple don’t appeal to anyone. . . even though they may now be a fraction of the original price. In other words, visiting the Disney Character Warehouse is very hit or miss and nothing is guaranteed.
Speaking of price. . . .
While there are a lot of great deals at the Disney Character Warehouse locations, it’s important to consider that while most of the items are going to be discounted, there are still quite a few that won’t fall into a bargain hunter or penny pincher’s budget. That said, while you will still find what we consider to be great deals on some otherwise pricey merchandise, you’re not going to find firesale style pricing. For example, you may find a $80 Spirit Jersey for $50 or a $40 t-shirt for $25. While these are still steep discounts, the price tag may still be too high for someone who is planning on a trip to the outlet to stretch their dollars as far as possible.
Last, but certainly not least, we have to talk about location. Both of the Disney Character Warehouse locations are somewhat close to the Walt Disney World Resort. Using the Magic Kingdom as a starting point, the closes it only 10 miles away and the second is 17 miles of so. This makes both of the outlets relatively easy to get to, whether you’re staying on property or somewhere else nearby. so why are we talking about location like it’s a bad thing? Well, there are 2 reasons for that: the specifics of where the Disney Character Warehouses are located and the process of getting there.
Neither the Vineland or International Drive locations of Disney Character Warehouse are standalone locations. They are both located in outlet malls. These outlet malls are good size, have a number of popular brand outlet stores and even some dining options. [Some even have on site COVID testing, which is great for those travelers who require tests to return back home.] As you might imagine, this makes them popular place to visit amongst tourists and locals alike. Add in the close proximity to both Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. . . . Needless to say, it can get quite crowded and that presents a challenge when trying to park. In fact, depending on the time of day and year when you visit, it’s not uncommon to have a lengthy search for a parking spot.
It’s also worth mentioning the challenge that it might be for some visitors to get to the outlets in the first place. Of course, it won’t be a problem for everyone, but timid drivers and those who aren’t comfortable with city driving might want to consider whether or not navigating heavily trafficked roads surrounded by other unsure tourists is a situation they want to put themselves in.
Is It Worth Making The Trip
Honestly, this is a more complicated answer than either of us originally anticipated it would be. While we would love to give a solid “yes” or “no” answer to this question, like so many other topics we cover, this is one that falls into that wide expanse of “it really depends”.
Over the past week or so as we’ve discussed this topic at length, we continue to face these same roadblocks that are preventing us from recommending visitors plan a trip to Disney Character Warehouse next time they’re in Central Florida. It starts with the outlets being hit or miss and ends with the amount of unnecessary stress that is involved with making the trip. Combined with the time that it takes out of your vacation to make the trip, we have a hard time calling this a “must do” or considering it a good way to save money. Sure. . . it’s possible, but it’s just as possible that you’re going to eat up a bunch of time, get frustrated and walk out of the outlet empty handed.
Who Shouldn’t Consider A Trip & Who Should
Look, we never want to encourage someone not to do something. Especially if they feel strongly about it! You do you! Regardless how we feel, if you want to visit Disney Character Warehouse during your next Walt Disney World vacation, you should. That said, we know that some of you are on the fence about whether or not visiting a Disney Character Warehouse location is right for you and we have some opinions.
We don’t think you should consider a trip to Disney Character Warehouse if you’ll have to go out of your way to get there. While the deals might be good, they aren’t good enough to compete with the cost of renting or hiring a car. Prices change for both of these services all the time, but as of writing this, the cost for a Lyft [round trip] is around $40.00 before tip and renting a car from the Walt Disney World Car Care Center is around $90.00 total for the day. While this type of savings is possible in one haul at Disney Character Warehouse, assuming they have merchandise you’re interested in, it seems like a much better use of funds to save that money and buy something from the theme parks. On the other hand, if you already have access to a vehicle, a trip to Disney Character Warehouse won’t add any additional financial burden to your trip and it may be something you want to think about.
Expanding upon that point a bit, we don’t think you should consider a trip to Disney Character Warehouse if you’re working with a tight budget or a limited amount of time. Like we were saying earlier, there are some great deals at the Disney Character Warehouse, but they aren’t the type of deals that someone working on a very tight budget needs to make a trip worth their time. In fact, there are a lot of alternatives to visiting the Disney Character Warehouse that would better suit those working on a tight budget, including shopping the Twice Upon A Year Sales at shopDisney. Of course, we’ll talk more about that in the future, so be sure to keep checking back!
At the end of the day, while a trip to Disney Character Warehouse might be right for some, it’s not going to be worth everyone’s while. We hope that we’ve been able to give you a little bit of useful information and deciding if it’s the right choice for you!
While there are a few different offerings that happen during the holiday season in Celebration, the most iconic is like to be the festivities at Celebration Town Center. Known in 2022 as Now Snowing, this event takes place in the heart of Celebration at Celebration Town Center and includes free activities for residents and passers by alike.
Considered to be “Central Florida’s premiere ‘snowing’ event” according to the Celebration Event Calendar description of the event, this “throwback to the traditional family style holiday” is something like out of a holiday movie. The picturesque Celebration Town Center is closed to traffic in order to make way for a massive Christmas tree, “ice” rink and even an opportunity to meet Santa himself. There’s also horse drawn carriage rides, where you can tour around parts of Celebration in a Pumpkin Coach! Guests can also enjoy a large patch of “snow” and blizzard like conditions that happen periodically throughout the evening.
While fees apply to some of the activities, there is no admission fee to the event, making it the perfect way to spend an evening leading up to the holidays. Information about this event can be found on the Celebration Events Calendar HERE.
