I ran my very first 1/2 marathon and survived all the way to the finish! 


Backstory:  Last year, my friends and I decided that it might be fun to run the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon for my 30th birthday. Though I didn't consider myself a runner at the time (ie: could not even run a mile without thinking that I was going to die), I signed up. To me, it was a chance to play in my favorite place and spend time with friends that I hadn't seen in a few years. I started training using the Galloway method. I was doing well, until I hit a road block. In July, I had surgery and it caused nerve damage in my left leg. At first, it was numb and didn't really bother me, but then it became painful and running became excruciating. I slacked off on my training big time, but couldn't cancel the race, so I just resolved myself to the fact that I would be walking the whole thing. If I could do a day at Disney, I could definitely do this. My goal became to finish the race without being swept. 


Race day came and we all went to our respective corrals. The fireworks with each corral start and the atmosphere were incredible! I was just so happy to be there and when our corral's turn came up, I took off running and almost made it to mile 5 before I decided that I was going to walk for a bit, since I was almost to the Magic Kingdom.

​Running through the Magic Kingdom was amazing and there were crowds of people everywhere cheering us on! It was just the pick me up that I needed to keep on going, so on I went! 
​

(The time is from when the race started, and each corral was sent off at 3 minute intervals. My chip  time was 3:32:13)

I DID IT, you guys! I seriously cried huge ugly tears because I wanted this so badly!

(Princesses don't sweat, they sparkle!) 

After all was said and done, I did run into the Balloon Ladies about 30 minutes after the race had finished. They were not the same person that I saw running with the balloon earlier. Not even close. So I was scared to death for no reason, but I'm convinced that if I hadn't seen the girl with the balloon, I may not have been as inspired to keep going as fast as I could! 


It was such an incredible experience, from the weekend events all the way up to the race itself, and I highly recommend it to first time runners! I know I'll be doing it again for sure! 

Now that you've decided that a Disney owned Resort is the way to go, you'll probably notice that there are many different options that offer many different features! Do you want a Value Resort- which offers no frills convenience and all of the perks of staying on property? Or is a Moderate Resort more your style? What about that touch of luxury that can be found at a Deluxe Resort? If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you've come to the right place! Today I'm going to highlight all of your Disney owned resort options and the amenities that each one provides! 

Walt Disney World offers three different resort categories to it's on property guests- Value, Moderate and Deluxe. Each category offers different amenities at different price points, but all offer the Magical Perks that I discussed in THIS blog post. Here is a basic overview of what to expect with each category:

With the Value Resorts, you get a lot of the fun Disney theming, a Food Court that offers your typical Quick Service fare, a Gift Shop, a themed Main Pool with several Quiet Pools in different areas of the Resort, a Pool Bar, and Scheduled Resort Activities (Trivia, Games, Movie Nights, Etc.) They are the least expensive of the Disney owned Resorts and are very basic as far as amenities go.

​Standard rooms are appointed with 2 full size beds, though a king can be requested, a table with 2 chairs, small dresser, an area to hang clothes, a vanity area with privacy curtain and private shower/tub/toilet. These rooms are the same at all of the Value Resorts, with the exception of the Family Suites that are offered at Disney's Art of Animation Resort and Disney's All Star Music Resort. 

Here is an example of the basic layout of a Pop Century Standard Room (Thanks to one of my very favorite YouTube channels- iThemePark) : 

As you can see, the rooms are basic, but clean and nicely appointed. If you plan on spending almost all of your time on the go, these resorts will fit your needs perfectly, however, if you plan on spending a bit more time at your resort, then you'd be better off booking at a Moderate or Deluxe Resort. 

The Moderate Resorts are a step up from the Value Resorts, with more amenities and larger beds. They are also the only resorts that offer designated King rooms. These resorts are also well themed and two of them take the theming all the way to the guest rooms by way of the elaborately decorated Storybook Rooms. These rooms are the Royal Guest Rooms at Port Orleans Resort- Riverside and Pirate Rooms Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. 

Here is an example of a Pirate Room (courtesy of AllEars.net): 

A Storybook room is the perfect way to really put your family in the middle of the Magic! 

Standard rooms come equipped with 2 Queen Beds, a double sink with vanity, a table with 2 chairs, a dresser, a privacy curtain or door, coffee maker, and mini fridge. Some rooms are even equipped with pull down twin beds so that they can comfortably sleep families of 5! 

As far as the the amenities at the Moderate resorts go, you'll find a Table Service restaurant, a pool bar, a lounge, a pool with a water slide and a quick service food court. As with the Value Resorts, you will also find scheduled activities for each day of the week. If you'd like a little something that stands out among the moderates, one of these resorts, Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, has a concierge style lounge for guests who are staying in a Business Class room and a salon/spa- all of the amenities of a Deluxe Resort for a fraction of the cost! 

What if you want to enjoy being steps away from the parks and the ability to retire to a luxurious room appointed with the finest in amenities whenever the mood arises? Welcome to the Disney Deluxe Resort category!

These resorts are the epitome of elegance and, as with the other resort categories, reflective of the world class Disney service that guests have come to expect. These resorts offer several dining options, unique recreation opportunities, special extras- like a sunrise safari at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, and close proximity to the Disney Theme Parks. 

With the Deluxe Resorts, you'll have all of the amenities of the above mentioned categories, and then much, much more. Beautifully themed pools are a centerpiece of each resort, including one pool that doubles as a mini water park. There are multiple shops, restaurants, bars and lounges that cater to the most discerning palate, and guests have the ability to book club level rooms- which allow access to the resort's concierge lounge. The concierge lounge is a wonderful way to escape the crowds, kick back, and enjoy the various complimentary food and beverage offerings that are set out for guests throughout the day. 

For more on Club Level rooms, click HERE. 

Standard rooms are equipped with 2 Queen Beds, or 1 King Bed, a double sink with vanity, upgraded toiletries, a table with chairs, a coffee maker, a desk, a dresser, a private balcony, and a closet. Some rooms even offer a daybed to allow families of 5 to sleep comfortably. 

Here is an example of a Standard Room at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort (courtesy of AllEars.net):

As you can see, a Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort is a great way to feel like you are truly getting away from it all. 

Are you traveling with a party of more than 5? Perhaps a Deluxe Villa is for you! Imagine all of the amenities of home, located on Walt Disney World property! The villas are located throughout Walt Disney World and can sleep up to 8 people. 

For a list of the Deluxe Villa Resorts, click HERE.

There's something for everyone and all of the Magical extras are included, no matter which Resort Category you choose! 

Do you need help figuring out which Resort would fit your family's needs best? Remember, my services are 100% FREE and I would be thrilled to assist you in planning your next Walt Disney World vacation! If you're ready to make some Magical memories, email me! ftjbyjenniec@outlook.com

Attention Military Disney fans! The 2016 Disney Armed Forces Salute discount has just been announced! 

​Here are the details of what to expect this year:

Dates

January 3, 2016 - December 13, 2016

Eligibility

Active Duty, Reserves, and Retired Members of the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard, 100% Disabled and Permanently Disabled Veterans, and Unaccompanied Spouses of Eligible Members. 

WDW Ticket Prices

4 Day Park Hopper Tickets: 196.00

4 Day Water Parks and More Tickets: 196.00

4 Day Park Hopper Tickets with Water Parks and More: 230.00

WDW Resort Discounts

30% off at Value Resorts. 

35% off at Moderate Reosrts. 

40% off at Deluxe Resorts. 

Disneyland Resort Military Salute Discounts

3 Day Military Salute Park Hopper Tickets: 143.00

Resort discounts will remain between 30% and 40% off, depending on the resort. 

You can buy up to 6 tickets and use them until the expiration of the salute. For example, if you only use 2 of your  days on one trip, you'll have your remaining days left to use before December 13, 2016.  

Tickets can be purchased through your local MWR, at Shades of Green or shipped via FedEx through Shades of Green or Camp Pendleton's ITT office for a $10.00 fee. The nice thing about having your tickets shipped is that you can take advantage of getting your Fast Pass+ reservations at the 60 day mark if you are staying on property or 30 day mark if you are staying off property, as long as you have linked your tickets to your My Disney Experience account. 

To order your tickets, you can call: 

Shades of Green Ticket Office: 407-824-1403

Camp Pendleton ITT Office: 760-725-5863

A Valid Military ID Card will be required upon activation of tickets at any Guest Services location on Disney Property. It will also be required upon Resort check-in when using the Military discount. 

That pretty much covers the basics! If any of you have specific questions, you can post them in the comments or send me a message and I'll be happy to answer them! 

In this post, I'm going to discuss the Disney Dining Plan in depth so that you, as a consumer, can decide whether or not it's the right choice for your Walt Disney World vacation. 

There are three main plans to choose from, and then there are two packages which are pretty inclusive that have the Dining Plan incorporated into them, which I will delve into in an upcoming post about Disney for the Luxury Seeker. So stay tuned for that if it's something that you are wondering about! 

The first Dining Plan that is available is designed with the budget conscious in mind- the Magic Your Way Package Plus Quick Service Dining. This plan is the least expensive and includes the following for 2018/2019: 

2 Quick Service Meals Per Person/Per Night of Your Stay (Alcoholic and Specialty Beverages are included)
2 Snacks Per Person/Per Night of Your Stay
1 Resort Refillable Mug Per Person that is good for the length of your stay. 

This plan is great for families that prefer to be on the go and don't want to deal with making dining reservations. If you're thinking that Quick Service means just Burgers and Fries, you'd be surprised to learn that Disney offers some really great options in that category. 

For example, a meal at Wolfgang Puck Express in the Disney Springs Marketplace can consist of anything from Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf served with Mashed Potatoes and topped with Onion Straws and a Port Wine Reduction, to Brick Oven Gourmet Pizzas, to Roasted Salmon served with Broccolini. You can certainly get a Burger and Fries using your dining credits if you want to, but with these options, you can see that a Quick Service meal can be so much more than that! 

The next plan that I'm going to highlight is the Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining. With this plan, you get the following:

1 Table Service Meal Per Person/Per Night of Your Stay (Including an alcoholic or specialty beverage)
1 Quick Service Meal Per Person/Per Night of Your Stay (Including an alcoholic or specialty beverage)
2 Snacks Per Person/ Per Night of Your Stay
1 Resort Refillable Mug Per Person that is good for the length of your stay. 

This dining plan is ideal for those who like to take a break from touring the Parks for a sit down meal and enjoy planning out their meals ahead of time. There are so many restaurants to choose from, and all of them are unique. If you'd like to have breakfast with Mickey, Donald and Goofy, you can do that! If you're all about the gourmet experience, you can do that too! There's truly something for everyone! 

If you're a foodie family that enjoys taking your time and experiencing multiple sit down meals each day, then the Magic Your Way Package Plus Deluxe Dining is for you! This plan includes: 

3 Dining Credits (Can be Table Service or Quick Service) Per Person/Per Night of Your Stay (Alcoholic and specialty beverages are included with your quick service and table service credits)
2 Snacks Per Person/Per Night of Your Stay
1 Resort Refillable Mug Per Person that is good for the length of your stay. 

This plan is fantastic for those who enjoy the Signature Restaurants or Dinner Shows, which all require 2 dining credits. It is also the most flexible dining plan, as the credits are interchangeable between table and quick service meals, so it allows you to decide how you want to use them during each day of your stay. You can mix and match your credits as you see fit. For example, if you'd like to enjoy a quick service breakfast at your resort, with a snack at the parks for lunch and an elegant signature dinner, you can make it happen. Your options are only limited by your imagination!

The Disney Dining Plan uses credits, which are good for different meal combinations, depending on the time of day. For example, at breakfast, you get an entree and a beverage or a full buffet and a non-alcoholic beverage. At lunch and dinner, you get an entree, a non-alcoholic beverage and a dessert or a full buffet with a non-alcoholic beverage. The Deluxe dining plan even adds an appetizer to it's lunch and dinner credits! No matter which plan you choose, it's a good amount of food and the options are endless! The Disney Dining Plan is only available to guests who book a Magic Your Way room and ticket package at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel.

One of the main questions that my clients ask me is if the Dining Plans are worth the money. It really is up to the family's specific needs. My family always gets it because for us, it makes the most sense due to the value and convenience that it offers. If you ask yourself how many times you have gone out to eat on vacation and were limited by your budget, then you may want to consider getting it. For example, during past vacations, you really wanted to try the steak, but the chicken was cheaper, so you went with that. The nice thing about the dining plan is that it allows you to get anything that you want on the menu that costs a credit, so the 23.00 chicken and 49.00 steak both equal the same dining credit. You won't have to skip dessert, because it's included with your lunch and dinner. Now, of course, it isn't for everyone. If you are a family who will not be spending much time on Disney Property, or would rather pack a lunch than buy one, then it may be best to skip it. The beauty of the Magic Your Way Package is that it is completely customizable and you can choose to add or skip dining based on your unique needs. 

Here is a video that explains the different Disney Dining Plans that are available: 

I hope that this will help your family decide if the Disney Dining plan is right for you! If you'd like more information, click HERE. 

In the third part of this series, I'm going to explain the perks and extras that make staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel a better value than staying off property. Aside from the Free Transportation that we discussed in the first post, these perks include: Extra Magic Hours, Free Magic Bands, Eligibility to make your Fastpass+ selections early and the ability to take advantage of the Disney Dining Plan. 


We'll start with Extra Magic Hours, which give you more time to play in the parks than someone who is staying off site gets. For example, if Magic Kingdom has a morning Extra Magic Hour, you get to enter the park a full hour before everyone else, which allows you the opportunity to rush to the rides that usually have the longest lines and get them out of the way before the crowds come in. Evening Extra Magic Hours offer even more time in the parks because once the regular crowds have gone home for the day, you get to stay behind and play- often for 2-3 hours longer! That certainly adds value to your park tickets during your stay! 


Next, we'll talk about Magic Bands, which are an awesome new technology that you'll find exclusively at the Walt Disney World Resort! A Magic Band is a wristband that is water and sweat proof, which contains an RFID chip that stores your tickets, room key, Dining Plan credits, Fastpasses and, if you choose to, your credit card information so that you can make purchases on property. All of these preferences can be set up in your My Disney Experience account. If you stay off property, you'll be paying to use them, but on property, they are included! 


Moving on, did you know that as a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel guest, you have the ability to make your Fastpass + reservations a full 30 days before everyone else gets to? It's true! Guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel get to plan their Fastpass + reservations 60 days in advance of their stay, as opposed to the 30 days that off property guests get. This means that the most sought after  reservations (like the ones for Soarin', Toy Story Midway Mania and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, to name a few!) are twice as likely to be available for you to book! Awesome, right? 


Finally, we are going to discuss the ability to take advantage of using the Disney Dining Plan as a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel guest who books a room/ticket package. For those of you who are not familiar with it, the Disney Dining Plan allows you to pay for your meals in advance so that you can have more fun and do less worrying about how much your food will cost during your visit. For example, when you sit down for a meal, you won't have to micromanage what each member of your family orders since you can order anything that you want that falls under the category of a dining credit. It's so nice to be able to order what you want instead of looking at prices and there are Disney Dining Plans that work for every budget! 


For more information on the Disney Dining Plan, click here! 

For more information on Magic Bands, click here! 

For more information about Fastpass+, click here! 

For more information about Extra Magic Hours, click here! 


As you can see, it certainly pays to stay on Disney property! 

In the next post, we're going to delve into the different Disney Dining Plan options that are available to you! 

In the second part of this series, we're going to discuss the importance of location when it comes to staying on vs off property. 

In the previous post, I discussed the sheer expanse of the Walt Disney World Resort. Because it is so large, and there is so much to do within its gates, the location of where you choose to stay really matters. 

Many off property hotels are positioned within a reasonable commute to Walt Disney World's Main Gate, but don't offer the convenience that being on property does in that being on property puts you right in the middle of the Magic. Everything that you could possibly want to do is right there and easy to access. It's as simple as hopping on a bus, boat or monorail and you're there. You'll wait longer to get where you want to go if you're staying off property, and that takes away from the fun.

If you've rented a car, location will be especially important in that you will save on gas since you won't be traveling far to get to and from your hotel. There are even a few gas stations located on property for your convenience, so you won't be going far to fill up. 

There's also the exhaustion that many Disney Parks guests experience at the end of the day. It's so nice to just hop into your chosen mode of transportation after a long day of touring and be at your resort within a reasonable amount of time. There's no long drive to get back, which is really great when you just want to get to bed! 

Location is also a factor in choosing where to eat. If you are staying off property, your hotel may offer a complimentary breakfast. That's a great way to save money, but be sure to make sure that it's not just a piece of toast or a soggy bagel, or you may be driving to get something to eat or waiting for a shuttle to take you to the parks for breakfast. When staying on property, you can walk to a food court or table service restaurant within your resort in a matter of minutes and get your breakfast before heading out for the day. Even better, if you have the dining plan, you don't have to worry about the cost of your meal! (We'll discuss this amazing option in the Extras part of this series, which is coming up soon!)

There's also something to be said about the nostalgia and joy that comes from staying on Disney property, which you can't get while staying outside of the gates. You can wake up each morning at a Disney Resort Hotel knowing that you'll get world class service and that touch of Disney Magic that can't be found anywhere else. Cast members go above and beyond to ensure that you get that touch each day and the themes of each resort bring even more of that Magic to you, which we will delve into a little more in a future post. 

So there you have it in regards to location. Walt Disney World Resort Hotels are all positioned within the gates and close to everything that you could possibly want to do on Disney property, plus the built in and easy to navigate transportation system that we talked about in my last post helps you get to the action faster than if you were to stay off property. 

Next up, we will discuss the Extras of staying on property vs off, which includes information about the Disney Dining Plan!