The wonderful world of Disney

I have just returned from a very special two-week holiday in Florida with my family. My children are 9 and 7 and we really wanted to create and share some special memories with them. I have been to Disney as a child and also as an adult with friends but this was the first time I have taken my children and it was even more special seeing it through their eyes. There was a little bit of fairy dust on everything. The excitement began from the moment we booked, and we were able to plan our whole trip together as a family. There was much discussion as to what would be the best options for us with regards to accommodation and where to stay so we could make the most of our time in Florida. Previously I have stayed on International Drive and in villas, mostly in Kissimmee, and have hired a car to get around. On this occasion we decided that it would be more convenient and easier to stay in a Disney Hotel and make full use of the airport transfers and shuttle buses to the parks. This was definitely the best option for us and the added bonus of free Disney Dining made the decision easy. Around March/April each year Disney offer free Disney Dining to all passengers booking for the following year. This made such a massive difference as all our meals were included and we were able to eat in any Disney restaurant including some great table service restaurants or just include a meal on the go or a snack. We didn’t need to worry about where we were going to eat or how much it was going to cost, we just had to go along and enjoy it. We calculated that this saved us $300+ per day for a family of four. (Approximately £2500). We stayed in the Port Orleans Riverside Hotel which was fabulous. This is one of the moderate hotels so a middle of the road option. The theme was a Bayou, southern feel which we loved. The staff were amazing, and the level of service was everything you would expect from Disney and more. There were several pools and various options for meals including a food court or a table service restaurant, live entertainment in the evenings and there was even a steam boat available to Disney Springs. This is the shopping, dining and entertainment area of Disney and there are lots of designer shops, Disney merchandise outlets and an abundance of restaurants which are all available on the dining plan. There is a Rain Forest café, Planet Hollywood, Japanese, Chef Art Smith (Oprah’s personal chef for 10 years), Cuban Restaurant, House of Blues with great live entertainment to name a few. Then onto the fun bit and the parks themselves. With your Disney ticket you will have access to all the Disney parks including Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Disney Springs, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. There are often 14 days for the price of 7 offers available. An absolute must is downloading the My Disney Experience App. You can link your reservations and park tickets to the app and this allows you to book your FastPass for up to three rides, character greetings and shows per day and your table service reservations. With free Wi-Fi in the parks you can change this as you go if necessary. You can also see what the wait times are for each of the rides and where the characters are throughout the parks. Our favourite park was Magic Kingdom, and this is where magic is made. The shows are spectacular and extremely professional. The rides are thrilling, I even enjoyed Space Mountain! There are many professional photographers around the parks and they will take your photos at some of the iconic locations such as in front of Cinderella’s castle. This is fantastic and means all members of your party are in the photo, they scan your magic band and the photos are available on the app for you to download in minutes. This is with the special free Memory Maker package. This normally costs $200 if you book it when you get there. It also includes all photos taken with characters. There is so much to say about Disney and the parks. I can guarantee that I can offer lots of tips and help with not only booking your holiday and finding the perfect holiday to suit your needs and budget but also planning every last detail to ensure that you get the most of this special trip leaving you free to enjoy every minute and make magical memories. I would really love to help you plan this special holiday so get in touch and let the magic begin.