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These are items on my Disney Cruise Packing list that I must take with me! Sound Machine. I don’t know about you, but I have to have my white noise when I sleep.  It can get pretty quiet in your cabin, so this is a must have for me!  Yes, there are white noise apps on your phone, but I haven’t found one that I love, and this is very compact, so doesn’t take up too much travel space. Pirate Outfits!   Almost every Disney cruise has a Pirate Night!  They will leave some pirate bandanas in your stateroom, but this is a chance to get the entire family dressed up for the festivities!  I found these shirts on Amazon for a great price.  Check them out here! $1 Bills. We like to take advantage of room service on our Disney cruise, so we always like to tip the server who delivers our food. Lockable Beach Bag. This is a great thing to have for your cruise, not only on the ship, but at ports also.  There are times you want to get up to go grab a drink, the unlimited ice cream or get in line for the Aqua Duck and can’t take your bag with you.  It’s nice to have peace of mind knowing that your belongings are secure.  Just lock it to your chair and go.  Click here to find it on Amazon. Lockable Beach Bag Sea Bands / Dramamine. Luckily I don’t get motion sickness, but my husband tends to get queasy.  These both work great for him!  The last thing you want to do is be nauseous your entire vacation! Sunscreen.  Definitely don’t forget the sunscreen!  Here’s my favorite that smells great (like suntan lotion instead of sunscreen!) and it feels good on your skin. The BEST smelling sunscreen ever!! Binoculars.  This is something that we wish we had on our first cruise as we struggled to see some dolphins swimming at sea.  Fun especially if you are in a Verandah stateroom. Light Sweater. Even if you are on a cruise in the heat of the summer, the indoor spaces such as theaters and restaurants can get cool!  I’m cold-natured anyway, so taking a light sweater is a must for me so I can enjoy the entertainment comfortably. Lanyards.  When you check-in for your cruise, you are given your “Key to the World” card.  This unlocks your cabin doors, contains information with your dining rotation schedule and is used to make any purchases on the ship.  It’s nice to take a lanyard to hold these in so you don’t have to dig around in your bag or hope they don’t fall out of your shorts/pants pockets.  Once you have sailed with Disney once, each time you sail again, you are given a lanyard as a gift for being a Castaway Club member.  I’ve been on several Disney cruises, so I have plenty of Castaway Club lanyards, but this one is still my favorite!  Click on the pic to take you directly to Amazon. Poo-Pourri. This can be a life-saver!  First off, we know what we all do on a cruise right?  Eat!  All.The.Time.  The staterooms are not the largest, so we carry this on cruises with us and it works amazingly well!  Just click on the picture to find it on Amazon!

A Disney Cruise for a Large Family (3 or more children), can sometimes be tricky with accomodations.  With Disney Cruise Line (as well as most other cruise lines), the most a cabin will sleep is 5 people.  There are only certain room categories that will hold 5 people, and especially if your children are older, it can still be pretty tight. So what does a large family with four or more children do?  Our family of six gets two connecting staterooms.   Even when you are a family of five, sometimes it comes out cheaper to book two connecting rooms instead of one of the higher category rooms that sleep five, so make sure you check out that option – the extra space having two cabins is wonderful! With our family, we would leave the connecting doors propped open so basically it was just like a bedroom next door where we could always keep an eye on the kids. Open Door to the left is opening to the connecting room Most Disney Cruise staterooms offer the split bathroom plan, so you get a toilet and sink in one room, and a shower and sink in the other.  So if you have two connecting rooms for your large family, you get 2 toilets and 2 showers – which definitely helps out!  You are also getting double the storage space.  This is especially good if you are on a 7-night or longer cruise so each person can have some space and not be on top of each other.  Although Disney cruise staterooms are larger than other cruise lines, it can still be cramped after a while, so stretching out into two rooms is great (and necessary if you have more than 5 in your family!) Do you have a large family and want to know the best ways to afford a Disney cruise?  Be sure to check out my blog post “Ways to Save Money on a Disney Cruise”

Let’s be real.  Disney cruises are expensive.  Are they worth it?  Absolutely.  But I am a bargain hunter, and I want the best deal possible.  These are ways that I save money on my Disney cruise: Book EARLY. Disney cruises can be booked up to a year and a half in advance.  When rates are first released, this is the best pricing you’ll get.  As rooms sell out, the price goes up.  Not to mention, it gives you plenty of time to make payments. Book with a travel agent specializing in Disney vacations. Disney specialists often earn higher commission from Disney (since they sell mostly Disney) and therefore can offer better incentives than other travel agents.  (Shameless plug and Full Disclaimer – I am a travel agent and I offer generous on-board credits to my clients for booking a cruise with me, as well as a five page tip sheet with everything you need to know before you cruise).  Keep in mind, this is based on each individual agent, and not all Disney specific agents will offer incentives.  It is free to use a travel agent, and you are still able to do your own online check-in, book excursions and activities if you want.  The only requirement is that payments be made through the agent, as well as any changes/cancellations (but who wants to sit on hold with Disney anyway when someone will do that for you!).  Check out Why You Should Use a Travel Agent. Disney Visa. When you use your Disney visa card, you get 0% financing for six months and also some discounts on merchandise, photo packages, excursions and spa services, not to mention the rewards you earn from everyday purchases that can be used to make payments on your cruise. *Discounts only on specific packages – check your card member benefits before sailing. Discounted Gift Cards. There are several ways to obtain discounted gift cards that can be used to make payments on your cruise.  I buy my gift cards from Sam’s Club ($500 for $485).   BJ’s wholesale club also offers discounted gift cards ($100 for $95) and you can buy these online with no membership.  Also if you have a Target RedCard you can buy Disney gift cards in store for 5% off.  This may seem small, but it definitely adds up! Book your cruise in the off-season. Summers and holidays are very expensive on a Disney cruise, so if you can pull your kids out of school, that’s definitely when you’ll get the best pricing on a Disney cruise. Book your next cruise while on-board. This is basically the only time you are guaranteed to get a discount on a Disney cruise.  When you book a cruise (or just book a placeholder) on-board, you will get 10% off your next cruise, as well as an on-board credit ($100 for up to 6 nights, or $200 for 7+nights).  This is in addition to any on-board credits you receive from your travel agent.   When you book a placeholder, you do not have to have a set date, you just pay $250 to reserve your discount, and then must book a cruise within the next two years.  If you do not book a cruise, then your money is refunded. Money Saving Apps.  Use money-saving apps on your phone to save money for your Disney cruise such as Ebates and Ibotta. Last Minute Deals For Florida Residents & Military. Disney occasionally offers special rates for cruises that aren’t selling out.  There is never a guarantee and you must be able to get vacation time off at the “last minute.”  If you are not a planner and can go on vacation with a few weeks notice, this may be the route for you.  Usually only certain room types are available for these rates and only a certain amount of rooms are allocated, but the discount is generally pretty good.  Proof of residency/military status is required within 48 hours of booking or will be cancelled. Book an Interior Room. Oceanview and Verandah rooms can be right much more expensive than an Interior room.  Any room on a Disney ship is a great thing, so if the budget is tight – going with an interior room is a great way to save some money.  Interior rooms on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy also have a “magic porthole” window which offers real time views, not to mention cute characters swimming by to say hello. The Magic Portholes are only on the Dream and Fantasy 10.  Book 2 Connecting Rooms. As mentioned in my “Disney Cruise for Large Families” post, families of 5 or more can sometimes save money by booking two connecting rooms (interior or oceanview) instead of a higher category Deluxe Family room that sleeps 5.  To me this is a win-win as you are not only getting a lower price – but also much more space! This photo is with doors propped open taken from one room looking into the other As an Independent Travel Agent with Mouse Counselors, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, I offer concierge travel planning for Walt Disney World® Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland® Resort, Adventures by Disney®, Aulani and all other destinations at no cost to you.  Message me today if I can help book a magical vacation for you.

So you are ready to book your Disney cruise, but still want to know what hidden fees you are missing?  Here’s a breakdown of everything you may have to pay extra for on your cruise: Gratuities.  Gratuities are recommended at $12 per person per night.  This will automatically be charged to your on-board account at the end of your cruise unless you go to Guest Services to make any changes.  Tip envelopes will also be left in your stateroom the last night of your cruise.  Most people tend to tip their servers in addition to the $12 per person per day, because service is that good on a Disney Cruise – so you may want to plan ahead. Alcoholic or Specialty Drinks.  Unlike other cruise lines, Disney cruise does include unlimited sodas.  However, alcoholic and specialty non-alcoholic drinks, smoothies and coffees are not included and do cost extra.  Please also note that an 18% gratuity is automatically added to any specialty drink purchase. Excursions.  This should be a given, but any excursion at the ports are going to be extra.  Parasailing, swimming with the dolphins and snorkeling are just some of the types of excursions offered at ports.  Excursions can also be booked direct (outside of Disney Cruise Line) and can save you money. Parasailing at Castaway Cay! Martini, Champagne & Wine Tastings.  Disney offers certain beverage tastings on their ships for an extra fee.  The fee is reasonable, with some starting around $20. Concessions outside theaters.  There are concessions outside both theaters for daily movies and the evening entertainment.  Sodas, popcorn and candy are sold, although you are allowed to bring in your own snacks and drinks as well. Bingo!  One of our favorite activities on the Disney Cruise is Bingo.  This does cost extra, but is family friendly and tons of fun. Photos.  Disney has professional photographers set up throughout different places on the ship (character meet and greets, special backdrops on pirate night, formal night, etc.) and also on Castaway Cay.  The photographers are not allowed to take a photo with your phone, but sometimes at the character meet and greets there are cast members there also that will take a picture with your phone.  Different photo packages are offered, and you can save a little money if you pre-order at www.mycruisephotos.com. Internet.  Disney does offer some internet packages with their Connect@Sea, but they are pretty expensive.  You can get 50MB free your first day of the cruise by signing up through the app. Small Package (100MB) – $19.00 Medium Package (300MB – $39.00 Large Package (1000MB) – $89.00 Adult Only Dining.  Disney offers two adult only dining choices – Palo and Remy.  You can read all about the Palo Brunch here.  These are five-star restaurants and a really good price if you want a special date night or adult only time on your cruise.  Palo is current $30 per person, while Remy is $85 per person. Souvenirs.  What is a trip to any Disney destination without going home with some goodies?  There are several gift shops on board and also at Castaway Cay for you to find that perfect souvenir to take home. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique & Pirates League.  Disney offers this service to girls who want to be made up like their favorite princess, or kids who want a pirate makeover for Pirate Night!  This is very popular and reservations can be made at your online check-in date (75 days before sailing for first-time cruisers). Spa Services.  All Disney ships have a spa on-board with services such as massages, facials, pedicures & more!  There is also a Chill Spa available for teens.  The spa will run specials your first day on-board, but usually require a booking for the first night in order to get the discount.  If you are a Disney Visa cardholder, certain services will be eligible for a discount.  Read about the Rainforest Day Pass here.

Art of Animation Resort is one of Disney’s Value Resorts.  However, it is usually priced more like a Moderate resort, as they are one of the few resorts that can sleep up to 6 people in their Family Suites.  The Family Suites are approximately 565 square feet (which is larger than 2 Standard Rooms at Pop Century Resort – 260 square feet each).  The Family Suites have a living room with a pullout sofa bed, a table that also pulls down into a bed, and a separate bedroom with bath.  There are also standard rooms at Art of Animation in the Little Mermaid Section.  However, the Little  Mermaid rooms are never included in Disney discount releases and have a further walk to the bus stops and food courts than the Family Suites do. There are three types of Family Suites – Cars, Lion King and Finding Nemo.  Cars and Lion King are always priced the same, with Finding Nemo being slightly higher in price.  They are all themed amazingly and there are 3 pools (Cars Cozy Cone pool, Little Mermaid pool and Finding Nemo – being the largest pool with a splash pad and underwater music.  My family of 6 absolutely loved staying here!  Here are some pics of the resort: Art of Animation Lobby Arcade off the Lobby We stayed in the Cars Section in a Family Suite.  We loved it! Hallway to our Room Living Room with pull out bed Picture with bed pulled out Bathroom off the living room View from the Living Room.  The Table is also a Pull Down Bed. Table Bed Pulled Down Master Bedroom. Aren’t the traffic cone lamps cute?? TV in Master Bedroom The master bath Cozy Cone Pool Cone Cabanas at the Cars Pool Finding Nemo Pool with Underwater Music! This is the walking path from Art of Animation to Pop Century Cute little signs as you walk along the resort

Book Early. If you want the best price on a Disney cruise, the earlier you book, the better.  Disney cruises are based on “on-demand pricing.”  As rooms sell out, the price goes up.  There are occasionally some last minute special rates for cruises that aren’t selling out, but you can never count on these.  Plus the earlier you book, the longer you have to make payments. Use a Travel Agent. Yes, I am a travel agent – but hear me out.  You like free money, right?  Well, when you book with me, I give you free money (on-board credits) to use on your cruise.  I also provide a 5 page tip sheet with everything you need to know before you cruise.  You still have access to book all your activities (or I will happily do this for you).  Do you remember Hurricane Irma and all the chaos?  I’m sure a lot of people wished they had used a travel agent then instead of being on hold for hours trying to get a customer service rep….I’m just sayin’!!  🙂 If you are flying, plan to fly in a day early. You would be surprised at how many people have missed their cruise due to flight delays.  The cruise ship will NOT wait on you to arrive!  As your travel agent, I can recommend some great hotels at the port that will provide shuttle service. Learn about the extra fees involved when you cruise. Gratuities, any alcoholic or specialty drinks, port excursions, etc.  Check out my post on Disney Cruise Extra Cost. Learn about different stateroom options to determine if an interior room, Oceanview or Verandah room is right for you and your family.

As a Travel Agent specializing in Disney destinations, I often get asked “How far in advance should I book a Disney World vacation?”  My answer – as soon as possible.  Disney World requires a LOT of planning if you want to make the most out of your time there and really needs to be booked more than six months in advance.  Why, you ask?  Here are just a few reasons below: Availability. The earlier you book, the more options you will have as far as resorts and room choices.  Disney gets more popular every single day, and resorts can get booked up quickly, especially during peak times. Dining. Did you know that dining reservations can be made 180 days in advance?  For popular restaurants (especially character meals), if you aren’t booking at 180 days – you may very well not get the reservation you want.  In some cases (such as when free dining has been offered), it is even difficult to get the popular reservations at the 180 day mark.  Don’t miss out on that special  meal with Mickey & friends because you waited too late to book your vacation! Discounts. When you book ahead six months or more, you are booking without any discounts.  However, once a discount is released, your travel agent will automatically apply the discount for you if applicable to your dates – or will let you know if modifying your dates or resort will give you a better discount.  Discounts such as Free Dining are becoming harder and harder to come by, and your best chance is to already have a reservation booked. Why Not Put Your Vacation on Lay-a-way? How many other vacation options allow you to put a small deposit ($200 per room) with final payment not due until 30 days prior to your trip?  Cancellation up to that point is completely refundable.  Even renting a condo at the beach usually requires 50% up front.  This is a great way to save up for a vacation you’ll always remember!   Payments can be made as often as you want in increments of at least $20. Bottom line – you have nothing to lose planning ahead and booking your vacation in advance.  Only $200 down reserves your package and gets you on track to have the best vacation ever!

Animal Kingdom Lodge & Villas Beach Club Resort & Villas BoardWalk Inn & Villas Contemporary Resort Bay Lake Tower Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Grand Floridian Villas Polynesian Resort & Villas Wilderness Lodge Resort & Villas Yacht Club Old Key West Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

Port Orleans Riverside Port Orleans French Quarter Caribbean Beach Resort Coronado Springs Resort

All Star Resorts Pop Century Resort Art of Animation Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Prime Value On-Site Resort Hotels Value hotels included the following benefits:  Early admission to Wizarding World of Harry Potter one hour before park opening, Complimentary shuttle buses and walking paths to both theme parks and CityWalk, Resort-wide charging privileges with room key and Complimentary delivery of merchandise purchased to your hotel Universal’s Aventura Hotel Fact Sheet *Opening Summer 2018* Cabana Bay Beach Resort Fact Sheet Preferred On-Site Resort Hotels Loews Sapphire Falls Resort Fact Sheet  *Includes all benefits above Loews Royal Pacific Resort Fact Sheet  *Includes all the benefits above, in addition to:  Free Universal Express Pass (value of up to $89 per person), Complimentary water taxis, Priority seating at select restaurants Premier On-Site Resort Hotels Hard Rock Hotel Fact Sheet  *Includes all the benefits above, in addition to:  Free Universal Express Pass (value of up to $89 per person), Complimentary water taxis, Priority seating at select restaurants Minion Kid Suites! Loews Portofino Bay Hotel Fact Sheet *Includes all the benefits above, in addition to:  Free Universal Express Pass (value of up to $89 per person), Complimentary water taxis, Priority seating at select restaurants

When planning a Disney World vacation, a lot of people ask “should I stay on Disney property or somewhere close by to save money?”  For me personally, it is a definite stay on property.  While sometimes off property may work better for large families who want to stay in a house together, in almost all cases, staying on property has too many conveniences and perks to pass up. What is the “Disney Bubble?” When you stay on Disney property, once you get to your resort, you are in the Disney Bubble.  There is no need to go anywhere outside of Disney, and Disney provides free transportation to all four parks, their two waterparks and Disney Springs.  The magic of Disney is just not the same when you have to pack up and head outside Disney property. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (Cars Family Suite Section) Here are my top reasons to stay on Disney Property. Magic Bands. When you stay on Disney property, you will get personalized Magic Bands for everyone in your party.  These magic bands work as your room key, park tickets, dining credits (if you opt for the dining plan), and the magic band can be linked to your credit card, so you don’t have to carry cards or cash around at the parks.  Everything can be charged to your band.  You will receive your magic bands in the mail about 3 weeks prior to your trip, so it’s also fun to receive something in the mail to get you even more excited about your trip!  While you can buy magic bands and link your tickets if you are staying off property, the bands cost at least $12.95 each, and you will not have charging privileges staying off Disney property. Extra Magic Hours. Disney resort guests have access to extra magic hours at the parks.  There are either early morning hours (7am-8am) or late hours (anywhere from 9pm – 1am) that only resort guests have access to. Dining Plan. Staying on Disney property is the only way you will be able to purchase the Disney Dining Plan.  While the dining plan is not for all people, it is a definite convenience loved by many.  Should you get the dining plan?  You can read my post on that here. Disney transportation. While it’s not always fun (especially at park closing when you and thousands of other people are exiting the parks), the Disney transportation is a definite perk to staying on property.  Who wants to hop in their car, drive through traffic, and pay to park (if staying off-site – $20 per day).   Not only that….if you are wanting to leave the park for some pool time or an afternoon nap – it’s so much easier to hop on a Disney bus and head back to your resort. Mid-day breaks are a must for this family!  While some off-site hotels do have shuttles that go back and forth to the parks, they are not as frequent as Disney transportation, and it will be a longer trip. Access to book FastPasses at 60 days instead of 30 days for off-site guests. This may not seem like a big deal – but it can be for the popular rides such as the new Avatar Flight of Passage or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.   For these rides, if you don’t book at the 60 day mark – more than likely you won’t be getting a fastpass.  In some cases, if you don’t book at 7am at 60 days you may not get one.  (Another great reason to use me as your travel agent who will get up at 7am to book them for you). 6.  Charging Privileges.  When you stay on Disney property, you can use your Magic Band to purchase souvenirs while in the parks so that you do not have to carry around cash or credit cards.  Not only that, but whatever you buy can be delivered to your resort gift shop so that you do not have to carry it around with you all day! 7.  Disney’s Magical Express.  When staying on Disney property, if you are flying into Orlando International Airport, Disney provides free transportation to and from the airport to your Disney resort.  Luggage tags will also be sent with your Magic Bands that you can put on your luggage, and Disney will pick your bags up from baggage claim and deliver to your resort!  They will also deliver your bags to the airport on your way home! As you can see, there are many reasons to stay on Disney property.  If cost is your main reason for wanting to stay off property, be sure to ask about the Disney value resorts.  You may be surprised at how cost efficient they can be.  When you add up the additional costs that can add up when staying off property (parking fees, magic bands if you want to purchase, etc.) it may not be that different!