Buy 4 nights, get 3 free offer extended!

I was checking the WDW Web site and I noticed the buy 4 nights get 3 nights free offer has been extended to January 24, 2009. So if you were thinking about taking advantage of this amazing offer, you still have time!

Tip Tuesday: Safely carrying tickets, FastPasses, PhotoPasses and receipts

Welcome back to the DisneyDaddy blog!

In this week's Tip Tuesday, I'll share a new tip I discovered during my December 2008 trip to Walt Disney World (see my trip report posts that are still ongoing about this trip).

If you're like me when you're at WDW, you're usually the one carrying all the tickets (or Key to the World Cards in my case), FastPasses, PhotoPasses, receipts, etc. while in the parks. I've seen many guests put their tickets in a lanyard-style holder. While this does keep the passes safe, I'm not a fan of showing the world where your tickets are. Many of those lanyard have break-away points, for safety reasons. The bad news is that someone could give your lanyard a good hard tug and it likely will come free - and there go your tickets and anything else that might be in there (like credit cards, licenses, etc.).

A better option, in my opinion, is to use a small credit-card or business card wallet. This is a very small wallet-like item in which there are some pockets to hold a few cards. This is not a full-size wallet. I've included a link to something similar I used during the Dec. 2008 trip.
http://www.amazon.com/Regal-Leather-Business-Wallet-SAM81220/dp/B000A6V0YE

Here's the benefit to using a business card wallet: It fits easily in a front pocket and can be quickly pulled out when needed. Best of all, it's much more secure than a lanyard. With the different pockets, you can easily keep the tickets separate from passes to make it easier to grab when you need them.

For those of you who use the Disney Dining Plan, this wallet also helps you keep easy track of your dining credits. Each day I would put the receipts from each restaurant in the holder. At the end of the day, back at my resort room, I would pull out the receipts and see what we had left. The next day, the previous day's receipt would go into a master envelope and I'd start the process all over again.

So the next time you're going to WDW (or any Disney park) give this tip a try, I think you'll find this much easier.

"Dawn Treader" movie sunk

According to a CNBC.com report, Disney has decided it will not make the third installment in the Narnia series, "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." The report says Disney made the decision based on "budget considerations and other logistics."

The second Narnia movie, "Prince Caspian," apparently didn't do as well as the studios hoped. The report says "Caspian" cost about $200 million to produce and it grossed $420 million globally. This is significantly smaller than the $745 million the first Narnia film, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," made.

I'm no economist, but making $220 million isn't shabby. The movie made a decent profit, why not produce the final film featuring the Pevensie family? Besides, "Dawn Treader" is a story that is made for action, while "Caspian's" story didn't lend itself to as much action (without major changes to the storyline).

Personally, I think Disney has made a bad call here. I understand the economy isn't doing well, but why give up on the while project? I could understand putting the film off a year or two until things do better, but to give up entirely? I hope another studio will work with Walden Media to produce "Dawn Treader," and watch it do much better.

Disney, there's more out there than Pixar. While Pixar does make some great movies, they aren't the only game in town. Stick with the plan - produce the third film.

Also online: a second CNBC.com article.

DisneyDaddy featured on the WDW Radio Show

Last week, I had the distinct privledge to record a segment about pressed pennies with Lou Mongello of the WDW Radio Show. Together we discussed one of the "Best of the Best" of Walt Disney World and fun collectibles - pressed pennies.

Be sure to check out the show #99. You can download the show in iTunes, or go to the WDW Radio Show site.

For more information about pressed pennies, be sure to check out my two Tip Tuesday posts on the subject.

• Part one
• Part two

WDW Dec. 2008 Trip Report - Day 4

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah and/or Kwanzaa. It's time to bring you day four of my December 2008 trip to Walt Disney World.

Day four started out about as nicely as any day ever could. What could be better than a bit of Soarin' during morning Extra Magic Hours at Epcot? This (and Toy Story Mania) are my two most favorite attractions in all of Walt Disney World. I could ride this a hundred times in a row. The music alone is outstanding and the sensation of flight is quite realistic -- and there's nothing like the scent of orange groves! If you haven't taken a flight on Soarin' - it is a DisneyDaddy Must Do!

After a pretty short wait on Soarin', we hustled over to Test Track to jump in the standby line before Epcot opened to the main crowd. This would be my daughter's first ride on Test Track. She was nervous and was a little startled by the high speed bank-turn, but she made it through (oh, she's not done with Test Track -- just wait).

After Test Track, we walked along the Canada-side of World Showcase to a pastry stand to grab a small bite before a late lunch. It was before 11a.m., so most pavilions weren't open yet. I have to say it was nice to stroll along the western side of World Showcase when there weren't many people around. You get a chance to really take in the architecture of the Canada and Great Britain pavilions. As we were finishing our pastries, I noticed a person in a Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure outfit. I asked if they were testing the system today and the cast member said that they were and invited us to test it out. I've already posted a spoiler-free review on the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, so see that post for more. Once it's up and running, this is most definitely on the DisneyDaddy Must-Do list.

We continued our walk around World Showcase, stopping in a few stores including one in Great Britain where we managed to complete the Harry Potter quiz to win a magical moments certificate. My kids had a great time interacting with the cast member as they were working on this quiz - yet another reason why it's the cast members that make Disney such a magical place.

Later that night, we were going to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, so we took the monorails back to the Grand Floridian in order to change for the party and let the kids (and us!) rest a bit. We were in the Sago Cay building at the Grand Floridian, so we had views like what you see above from our balcony. Just to the right of this vantage point is the outside patio for Gasparilla Grill and Games. This is a great place to sit and watch the evening fireworks at the Magic Kingdom.

Early that afternoon, we hopped on the resort monorail for the short trip to the Magic Kingdom. We had an ADR at the Crystal Palace before MVMCP started. We had breakfast at the Crystal Palace back in March and loved it, so I was hoping dinner would be just as good. The Crystal Palace didn't disappoint. It was wonderful! We also had a great server who had a lot of fun interacting with the characters and with our children. Even the topiaries from the Hundred Acre Wood had decked the halls.

After dinner, we watched the lighting of the Cinderella's Castle. It was incredible! I had been waiting to see this for a year and it was worth every second of the wait. As the lighting wrapped up, we checked in and received our wristbands for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. This might be the only real disappointment of our entire trip. I understand the intent behind MVMCP is to create an exclusive event, but the park felt more crowded than it had been (and would be) for our entire trip. We stood in line 45 minutes just to get a picture with Mickey Mouse and the Twas The Night Before Christmas shows were standing room only! The lines to get hot chocolate and cookies were huge. I never got a chance to sample this part of the party. We skipped the first parade and managed to slip into a short line to see Santa just as the fireworks were wrapping up. Of course the lines were huge within a few minutes.

The kids were getting pretty tired, so my wife took them back to the resort while I stayed to see the second parade. Expecting a big crowd, I staked out a prime standing spot about 30 minutes ahead of time. I had a tripod, so I was back from the curb a few paces so others could sit in front of me and, for the most part, I had a great view. There was one person who kept trying to step in front of my lens. I guess rude people are everywhere, even at WDW. I do have to say this is the best nighttime parade I have ever seen. I am a big Spectromagic Fan, but this parade was fantastic. I also was amazed with how LONG it was! It ran for more than 20 minutes!

Once the second parade had ended, there was a huge throng heading for the exit. Following my own tip, I hung around and made my way towards the Partners statue to take a few million photos of Cinderella's Castle. There was a near-full moon as well, which made for some very beautiful shots.

Probably the best part of of MVMCP was being in the castle forecourt with no one around you. It was just me and the castle as the party came to an end. I joined the last part of the throng leaving the park and found a new tip for getting back to a Magic Kingdom resort -- look for that on an upcoming Tip Tuesday.

Well that does it for day 4. Stay tuned for day 5!

Merry Christmas from the DisneyDaddy!

As we get into the heart of the holiday season, I wanted to take a moment to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa. It really doesn't matter what holiday you celebrate, they all recognize the spirit of giving to others.

It is with that in mind that I ask you to consider the spirit of giving.

Many Disney fans know a friend of mine, Lou Mongello. He has a project called the Dream Team in which he helps the Make a Wish Foundation send seriously ill kids to Walt Disney World. The Dream Team has a goal to raise $45,000 by the 100th episode of the WDW Radio Show, which is in a few weeks.

As of this post, they've raised a little more than $43,000. Please consider helping to send a seriously ill child experience the magic of Walt Disney World. For many of these kids, it can make an enormous difference in their life. I hope you will consider supporting this program.

You can make a donation at this Web site: http://www.firstgiving.com/dwtdreamteam

Thank you and may you have a very happy and safe holiday!

Tip Tuesday: Divide and Conquer

This week's Tip Tuesday comes courtesy of Mickey (no, not the mouse, my wife Mickey) and is for families visiting Walt Disney World: Don't be afraid to split up. One of the challenges Walt Disney World can present to families, especially larger families with several children spanning a wide range of ages, is that not everyone wants to do the same things.

My first grade daughter won't set foot inside Space Mountain (aside from the TTA), while my 3rd and 5th grade boys will melt the pavement trying to get there as fast as possible. In a similar manner, my two boys may die of embarrassment if they get caught inside the Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

This difference of interests is a common problem for big families (and groups for that matter).

The easy solution is to split up. In our case, myself and the boys will go off for a few hours to do "boy stuff" while my daughter and wife will go do "girlie things." We set a time and place to meet back and then go our separate ways within that park (we have even split among two parks before -- if you can handle it - go for it).

One extra tip from Mickey: Have two photopass cards. You never know when you might run into a great photo opportunity. By the time we finished our Dec. 2008 trip, we had four photopass cards. They all go to the same place later so there's no problem with multiple cards.

So the next time you have a larger family or group and are planning a visit to Walt Disney World, don't be afraid to divide and conquer. You'll be surprised how much more you will get to do!

WDW Dec. 2008 Trip Report - Day 3

Day three at Walt Disney World started out with a return to Hollywood Studios were we got into the park early because of an ADR at Hollywood and Vine. This is another character breakfast featuring stars from Playhouse Disney. This breakfast was quite good and we had a very good waiter who helped make it fun.

After breakfast, we hustled over to Toy Story Mania to get some Fastpasses. When we got there (around 9:30), the standby line already was at 60 minutes! Our Fastpasses were up in a few hours, so we went across the park and took the first of what would be several runs on Star Tours (one of our favorite attractions). We then stopped by Muppets 3D and walked down the Streets of America where the Power Rangers were doing meet and greets. New this time was the White Ranger (he wasn't there during our March 08 trip), so we were able to get a picture with him.

We then walked over to Pixar Place, which was quite crowded (no surprise there). We still had some time until our Fastpasses were up so we stood in line at the new Toy Story picture spot called "Woody's Picture Corral". This was pretty interesting. While you're waiting to see Buzz and Woody, there are cutout picture opportunities all through the queue.

By the time we got out of the picture spot, our Fastpass window had opened, so we went across the street to for our first ever ride on Toy Story Mania. When people ask me what my favorite attractions at WDW are, Space Ranger Spin at the MK is in the top 3. This is because of the high re-rideablity factor. I'm always trying to get that 999,999. Toy Story Mania is like Buzz, version 4 - it was incredible. I was totally blown away by the live 3D rendering. I can't imagine the computing power this attraction requires. It immediately became our most favorite attraction at WDW.

From TSM, we journeyed into Narnia. The set reconstruction is awesome! It was so neat to be at the Stone Table. We also walked through One Man's Dream. Walt is a key figure for me so I very much enjoyed walking along his life's work.

By now it was the afternoon, so we took a Friendship boat to Epcot. We had wanted to catch some more of the Santas around the world. This time we saw the Norway Santa (and his "assistant") and the Three Wise Men in Mexico. We took a ride on Malestrom and the Gran Fiesta Tour and then made our way to the walkway between Future World and World Showcase for the lighting of the Epcot tree. Unlike years past, there was no character show for the tree lighting. There was just an announcer with a quick spiel and then the tree lit up.

The walkway lights were pretty cool. Disney did a nice job synchronizing the lights to the holiday music. After the tree lighting, we walked over to the America Gardens Theatre to try to catch the Candlelight Processional. Here, I was in for a rude awakening. Disney has reserved seats for guests who book the dinner package. I knew this was the case, but I didn't know that everyone and their brother had reserved seating! The theatre was filled with dinner package people - hardly any other guests could get seats. I ended up standing to the left side of the lighting room. The view was pretty good, aside from a tree or two in the way. As we read the program, I saw that three choirs from my hometown were performing later in the week. I'll have more on this in another post coming soon.

While I really enjoyed the Candlelight Processional, the kids weren't as enamored, probably because they had to sit on the ground or stand. The performance was inspirational - these people really can sing!

After the processional, I could tell the kids were quickly running out of steam, so we made our way back around the lagoon and through Future World to the monorail. It's so nice that the monorail is our main form of transportation as opposed to waiting for a bus that might come someday. Within 15 minutes we were in our rooms and off to sleep.

That's it for day 3 - stay tuned for day 4 and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party!

WDW Dec. 2008 Trip Report - Day 2

Day 2 at Walt Disney World could be summed up thus: Go Wild!

After a nice character breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, we hopped a bus from the Grand Floridian to Animal Kingdom. I have to say up front this is not my family's favorite park, so they went here at my request and with some grumblings (at first).

My goals for this part of the day were pretty limited: ride on the safari, see Rafiki's Planet Watch and see the Jingle Jungle Parade. I didn't have much interest in Everest - I rode that in March and I wanted to do new things.


We first went over to Camp Minnie Mickey and walked right into a showing of the Festival of the Lion King. We were in the elephant section (insert elephant noise here). I had not seen this show before and I was quite impressed. The monkeys were very good!

Afterward, we went over to the Kilimanjaro Safaris and grabbed a pack of Fastpasses for a slot about an hour later. We went up to Rafiki's Planet Watch while we waited for our time slot. I managed to catch a quick shot with one of my favorite characters and I found a hidden mickey I really wanted to see in person (see below).

When our Fastpass time arrived, we returned to the safaris and waited in a relatively short line for our ride vehicle to pull up. I had not been on the safaris and was pleasantly surprised. The lions weren't out, but other then that, there were animals everywhere. It was a photographer's dream - shots everywhere!

After the safari, we walked along the Pangani Trail. My kids found the gorillas pretty interesting, though my daughter said as her nose wrinkled, "They smell."

The time was coming to stake out a spot for the parade. We sat near the entrance to the It's Tough to Be a Bug and waited for the parade to come down the path. I have to say the Jingle Jungle Parade has to be the best daytime parade of any at WDW.

After the parade, we booked out of the park and hustled over to Hollywood Studios to catch the Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights. Here I was totally BLOWN away! I thought I did a decent job of outdoor lights -- I'm not worthy!!! There were so many lights, there was no way to really take it all in! This lived up to all the hype I had heard - it really is amazing. Any pictures and/or video you may see can't do it justice. You have to see this in person to really get the experience.

After a bus ride to the TTC and a monorail to the GF, we were back in our room and off to bed to rest for another busy day tomorrow.

Stay tuned for day 3!!

Disney is celebrating YOU in 2009!!

As you know by now, the big Disney Parks event for 2009 is "What will you celebrate?" Now Disney has come up with one more way you can be a part of the magic and I have to say this is really cool!



Enter your information and you will get a video like the one you see here (click the play arrow to watch).

Just go to http://www.sun7news.com/ to get started.