Disney World Planning Tools

Planning for Disney is a multi-resource kind of endeavor. Many people employ the use of travel agents (read this enlightening article about travel agents) which can cost you NOTHING! If you're
interested in seeing what an agent can offer you, you might try:

Ears of Experience: a Disney-centric travel agency that is fee free! Their website could use some updating, but they are active on Facebook and one of their specialties is booking military discounts with Disney vacations for current/former service members. Their services are free so long as you are booking at a Disney-owned resort for accommodations. If you aren't, there are concierge packages available to you for $130-$150 and those services include personalized itineraries, dining reservations, and more! (also recommended by Military Disney Tips - see below!)

If you want more options for finding a travel agent, look no further than than this agency locator: Authorized Disney Vacation Planners. Travel agents and agencies come with all different skill sets- you MUST use one that is a Disney-centric agency if you want to get the best deals and most thorough info on current WDW happenings. This site will return a list of local-to-you agents or online agents (or both) and you can then further research their websites and    policies to find your right fit.

Aside from travel agents, you will find hundreds of blogs, Disney-related Pinterest pages, and websites devoted to planning tips, itinerary-building, maps, and more. Some of the sites I've taken advantage of:

Touring Plans - for $12.95, you get year-long access to TP's excellent trip-building tools. Interactive itinerary-builders allow you to use pre-made itineraries with wait and walk times for your specific dates based upon crowd-data for those dates. You can go on to customize your itinerary completely per day adding any and all types of attractions. You gain access to the TP forums upon joining, and the friendly forum members are ready to offer advice and answer questions. If you are detail-oriented and need to          understand just what it will take to make a plan for your Disney trip
(read more here about planning vs. not planning your days in the parks).

Kenny the Pirate  - If you're interested in meeting characters while you're at the World, Kenny the Pirate is for you! This blog has many useful features (a crowd calendar and character location maps are just two of them!) Kenny even has an info-packed app! It involves a couple more steps to properly work on your device than your typical app, but the reviews say it is worth it!

WDW Prep School - Shannon's blog is packed with good stuff for your trip to Disney World. Her site is clean, neat, and easy to navigate. One of the coolest features of WDW Prep School is that Shannon does podcasts! So if you're strapped for time and can't sift through tons of info on your computer, you can take her anywhere!

Military Disney Tips - though it isn't the prettiest of prettiest when it comes to blog designs, it has TONS of info for military discounts of every kind (and they aren't limited to just Disney discounts, but other major Orlando-area discounts as well). The Armed Forces Salute FAQ section is thorough and perfect for any and all AFS ticketing questions. If you're part of the military sector- you can't plan without stopping in here and having your questions answered by Steve!

Mouse Savers - this site is so simple and easy to use, it is one I'd recommend to start with if you're overwhelmed by Disney planning. The info that is included here is extensive, well-organized, and easy-on-the-eyes as there aren't visual distractions, just information.


Finally, in 2015, a Walt Disney World trip can't be planned without the use of Pinterest (Well, ok, maybe it can, by why would you want it to be? All of those colorful pictures and diverse posts- I can't get enough!).

Which sites and apps (post on must-have apps coming later!) have you relied on when you're planning a WDW vacation? 

Saving for WDW with Disney Dimes

Our littles will be 7, 5, 4, and 2 years old when we visit The Mouse. We haven't really done a formal allowance, chore chart, or other variety of those items in our house. We have expectations of them and they know when certain things need to be done, but we have not monetarily rewarded behavior up to this point. When we decided to take them to Disney World, we also decided it was time that they worked towards something. Do we think we have all the parenting answers? Heck no- but this will work for us. That first night that we announced the Disney vacation plans, we also announced Disney Dimes. There was no big fanfare or to-do over announcing the Disney trip. Up to this point, it hasn't been a huge topic of conversation in our house. That said, I love how creative some families are with making this big announcement and I also love how much the gift of going on a family vacation becomes the souvenir in those moments. I am sure we'll announce any other trips to WDW in this manner, just to emphasize that fact: that going on a Disney vacation and having fun with family is the greatest present of all!

So, with the implementation of Disney Dimes, the nightly routine of the girls clearing our dining table after dinner became their first regular task. They earn one Disney Dime for this and are happy to do so. Realizing that this has been a big motivational tool, I now offer Disney Dimes for many tasks and behaviors. I never bribe a child out of a mood with the promise of a Disney Dime, but frankly, parenting is no-holds-barred territory. You do what you do to raise your kids, and I'll do what I do. I try to make everything a choice. You choose to earn the DDs or you don't. No anger or frustration from me when they don't want to comply, but lots of praise and a dime or two when they work for it.

Once the kids earn enough dimes for conversion to a Disney Dollar(not to be confused with official Disney Dollars at Disney resorts), Tinker Bell visits, dusts some Pixie Dust on ol' George, and they're set! For those of us who don't frequently have visits from Tink, some body/hair spray-glitter from the Dollar Tree will suffice for the Pixie Dust! I get to then recycle their dimes back into the pot and they have an extra boost of motivation to see if they ever catch Tink dusting their dollars! If you have a Jake and the Neverland Pirates fan in the family, a "gold doubloon," a.ka., Sacagawea Dollar, is also a fabulous exchange for 10 Disney Dimes! I'm not keen on the official Disney Dollars. My opinion is that kids are already disattached enough from the idea that work begets money. I don't want them to associate play-money with getting anything, as it feels like it negates the work that went into that. That said, if you're gifting a child Disney money, I can completely see why these adorable dollars would be fantastic!

So far, the plan is that we'll match what they earn as a special gift from us. That said, we haven't made this announcement and only plan to do so should their attitudes on vacation warrant such a surprise. Since I bought Disney souvenirs for the kids pre-trip, I know that our shopping in the parks or at Downtown Disney's outlet will be minimal- just the way I like it!

Free Movies With Disney Movie Rewards

Did you know that you can put that stack of

Disney DVDs or Blu-Rays to work for you? Until recently, I ignored the Disney Movie Rewards flyers that are clipped inside of each movie case. I wrongly assumed that the only rewards I'd be getting would be cheap toys, stickers, or the like. I have no need of these items in my life (do any of us, really?) so I skipped entering the often-long codes online. When I joined the Disney Movie Club and had nearly 20 movies arrive on my doorstep, the rewards flyers were staring me in the face. I collected all of my flyers and created a DMR account. After poking around on their site for a bit- I discovered a few more ways to earn Rewards points and even enter exclusive sweepstakes for Disney World and Disneyland vacations.

In order to earn Rewards points, you have to enter your Magic Codes from one of three purchase types:

Most movies are worth 100-150 points, but there are often bonus points available for certain titles. The DMR Facebook page also has a bi-monthly Disney quiz game that you can play to earn extra points. Explore the, "My Account," area and earn more points by answering survey questions. 

Once I've accumulated a few hundred points, I check out the Rewards area and head straight to the DVD & Blu-Ray section. You can exchange a minimum of 550 points for a DVD and that includes free shipping and handling! Currently, you can exchange as many as 2500 Rewards points for a Monsters University Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack. The best part about exchanging your points for a DVD or Blu-Ray is that these movies also come with a Rewards code that you can then enter to add back into your Rewards points bank! 

If you're looking for a more vacation-centric way to spend your Rewards points, you can exchange 1100 points for a $10 Disney Gift Card! 

Has anyone out there saved up several thousand points? What Rewards are you saving for?