Magical Fairy Travel

The fairies guide to everything Disney

Disney Tips

Head down to Disney’s EPCOT and smell the roses….

If you have not been to any of EPCOT’s many festivals, be sure not to miss this one. The 2022 EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival is being held between March 2nd and July 4th. While enjoying the traditional attractions EPCOT has to offer (including Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Test Track, and The Seas with Nemo and Friends), you will be truly amazed by the wonderful variety of gardens and 55 topiary displays. 

The magical encounters at this year’s Festival consist of:

  • Heading out to the Mexico Pavilion and checking out the Tropical Rainforest Garden, while there you will encounter the biodiversity of the Mexican rainforests.
  • The Italy Pavilion’s Garden Italiano offering the many produce and herbs used in Italian kitchens.
  • If your interest lies in the Mesozoic era, then the Prehistoric Garden in World Discovery has plant life that bloomed during the time where dinosaurs roamed the earth.

While there you can also enjoy the many outdoor kitchens and exceptional exhibits the Festival has to offer.

*    Warm Cheese Strudel with Mixed Berries at the Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market – Germany Pavilion.

*    At the Cider House near the United Kingdom Pavilion, you will find tasty libations such as Bold Rock Watermelon Hard Cider from Nellysford, VA.

*    Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with Savory Garlic Spread (plant-based and gluten/wheat-friendly) is being served at the Flavor Full Kitchen hosted by AdventHealth.

*    Pick up a Festival Passport and purchase items from the many food offerings of the Festival.  Once you collect 5 stamps on your passport, you can redeem it for a special treat.

Get the whole family involved in a springtime scavenger hunt where you will follow Spike the Bee on his pollination trail.  Map and stickers are purchased separately.  Once you complete the scavenger hunt you will earn a special surprise.

Happening simultaneously with the Festival is Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary celebration where you will get to enjoy among other things Beacons of Magic. Here, the lights will shine from within Spaceship Earth’s reflective panels (a beautiful sight), and Harmonious, EPCOT’s new nighttime spectacular festivity showcasing some of Walt Disney’s animations.

So, what are you waiting for? If you enjoy the many splendors of Spring and what it has to offer in the beauty of flowers, head down to EPCOT and smell the roses. You will be transported to a land of gardens.

Are you interested in free help planning your Disney vacation? Just contact us and we can help you with prices and planning at no cost to you!

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Getting the Most Out of Your Stay at the Walt Disney World Dolphin and Swan Resorts

What you didn’t know about staying there

While we did stay at the Walt Disney World Dolphin, you will find that our discussion will apply to the Walt Disney World Swan as well. 

So many have asked whether the Walt Disney World Dolphin and Swan Resorts are owned by Disney.  The simple answer is no. Marriott International, Inc. manages both results as well as the newly-opened Walt Disney World Swan Reserve.

However, the resorts are on Disney property (located in the Epcot Resort area) and visitors can enjoy the many benefits Disney offers to guests staying on their property. For instance,

Free transportation around Walt Disney World.

*Buses to the various parks stop in front of the resorts.

*There is a ferry that stops between the Dolphin and Swan Resorts that takes you to the Boardwalk, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club Resorts.

* You can catch the ferry to Hollywood Studios and take a ride on the Skyliner (if you have some free time, ride the Skyliner just for the fun of it)

* You can transfer to the Monorail (great to ride if you have some free time) from the following locations: Magic Kingdom Park, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and the Transportation and Ticket Center.

Ability to take part in advanced dining reservations.

*You can make Disney World dining reservations for your trip starting 60 days in advance.  Even though this is available for all guests regardless of where they are staying, Disney Resort guests including those staying at the Dolphin and Swan can make dining reservations for their entire stay as opposed to only making reservations for one day at a time.

Close proximity to Disney’s Boardwalk, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club Resorts and other great activities

*Disney’s Boardwalk has the feel of those iconic boardwalks found in coastal cities around the United States.  Here you will find dining, shops and a jumping nightlife. The Boardwalk is just a five-minute walk from the Dolphin and Swan or you can take the ferry there.

*If you feel like walking, you can take a stroll to Epcot or Hollywood Studios.  Hollywood Studios is a bit further, but if you are up for the walk then by all means go for it.

*Disney’s Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk Resorts are within a five-minute walk.  You can enjoy the amenities each resort has to offer.

Enjoy other benefits:

* With your theme park tickets, you will get to experience Extra Magic Hours. You can access one of the four Walt Disney World theme parks when they open one hour early or remain open up to two hours after regular park closing time.

*Priority access to Disney’s Lightning Lane service. This allows you to reserve access to some of your must-do experiences.

*Complimentary parking at Disney Theme parks with a valid room key.

*Complimentary package delivery of purchases made in Disney gift stores and shops back to the resort

What will you find on-site? There are many amenities for all kinds of budgets:

18 restaurants and lounges

Five swimming pools

Mandara Spa

Jogging trails

Health clubs

Paddleboat rentals

Camp Dolphin supervised children’s activities

Beachside playground

Game rooms

Great view of Epcot

You will definitely like staying at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts.   In November, 2021 a new resort across the street opened: Walt Disney World Swan Reserve.  You will now have 3 hotels to choose from. Even though not owned by Disney, you will experience the many benefits of staying at a Walt Disney World Resort. We highly recommend staying there.

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Count down to the Magic!

 “The Magic is Calling” and soon we will be making our way to Walt Disney World, and you should too! It is such an important year for Walt Disney World and you don’t want to miss it.

Not only are we going to relish in the 18 month long Walt Disney World 50th anniversary – “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” we will be celebrating our darling daughter’s first year at college, and what a great way to do so.

This time around we let her pick which parks to hit up and she chose: Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios. We chose to stay at the Disney World Dolphin Hotel (stay tuned for more details about this resort on a later blog) because the hotel and its sister hotel the Disney World Swan Hotel have such a large presence in the Epcot resort area, we wanted to see for ourselves what it feels like to stay there.

So, what is happening at Walt Disney World:

  • The 50th Anniversary Celebration anthem“The Magic Is Calling” will have special live entertainment moments across the Walt Disney World Resort. You can also enjoy the music on various platforms from YouTube to Apple Music.
  • Joining Mickey will be Santa Claus. Kris Kringle will be making appearances throughout the Walt Disney Resort. Guests will have individualized time to wave hello and share their Christmas wishes.
  • At Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure , EPCOT guests can experience a 4D escapade with Chef Remy on a caper that will have you zipping, and dashing through Gusteau’s famous Paris restaurant. C’est magnifique!
  • Also at EPCOT, “Harmonious” a nighttime show with music, moving fountains and lights, lasers, fireworks and other pyrotechnics will be part of the magic. This spectaculor show will featured pieces from Moana, Aladdin, Coco, Brave, The Lion King, Mulan, The Princess and the Frog and other favorite Walt Disney classics.
  • Enjoy Animal Kingdom’s Merry Menagerie of winter animals, these wildlife creatures will take the form of life-size, artisan-sculpted puppets. All sorts of animals will interact with guests, accompanied by serenading musicians as they create a whimsical display. Also, we can’t wait to experience KiteTails, where we will watch 3-dimensional kites and windcatchers dance through the air to the beat of beloved Disney songs.
  • We will definitely experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios. It was the most anticpated attraction and great things have been said about it. This attraction has multiple combined experiences and from the reviews, the Imagineers have outdone themselves.
  • Walt Disney World is introducing a new digital companion to help you with your stay at the Walt Disney World Resort.  The Disney Genie service and Disney Genie+ service is an app that will be built into the My Disney Experience app.  From food experiences to planning for specific attractions, this service will help you create a personalized itinerary for your vacation along with scheduling times to arrive at up to two highly demanded attractions each day using the Lightning Lane entrance.
  • The FOOD!!!. A little fairy told us that Disney has added speciality foods just for the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary. Can’t wait.

We are looking forward to our trip and hope you will too when you head down to Walt Disney World. We are especially going during a great time, experiencing the 50th anniversary. Stay tuned for more as we get ready to head out to the magic.

Are you interested in free help planning your Disney vacation?

Just contact us and we can help you with prices and planning at no cost to you!

10 things to consider for the perfect road trip to Walt Disney World

Road trips to Disney World. What’s good and what to avoid on your way to Florida.

Air travel is our family’s preferred method of heading down to Walt Disney World.  However, from time to time we would pack the minivan and hit the road to Florida. Firstly, full disclosure, we live in Southern Maryland, so it is a 12-hour door-to-door journey and a straight shot down I-95 to Florida.

Drive between Maryland and Florida

Well, gone are the days of traveling straight through to the Sunshine State.  There are many opportunities to indulge in the majestic sceneries of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. So with that being said what should you consider when road tripping to Disney. 

  1. Overnight stays. When we first traveled to Florida, we would drive straight through and only stop at rest areas for a couple of hours.  Honestly, that proved to be a little daunting.  By the time we arrived in Kissimmee, we were tired and spent whatever was left of the day in bed. No good, if your goal is to hit the parks. As years passed by, we’ve become smarter in how we road tripped. Think about staying overnight somewhere. Also, right off of I-95 is Florence, SC. This was the perfect stop for an overnight stay for our family. Hotels, restaurants, and shops are conveniently located off of I-95. We stayed at one of the new hotels in the area and our suite had a full kitchen with a separate bedroom and two televisions. The lobby and dining areas were clean. The staff was friendly and gracious.

2. Try to have more than one driver. If you are the only driver in the family, then a road trip would not be the best. Driving can sometimes wear you out.

3. Good navigation and road trip websites. Google Maps and the i95exitguide.com have become our friends. 

Google Maps provide you with directions, but it also offers ideas on how to find hotels, gas stations, and rest areas along your route, and i95exitguide.com offers info on hotels, traffic, rest areas, etc. along the I 95 corridor. We decided to drive halfway, spend the night and begin anew the next day.  After extensive research, we determined that anywhere between Florence, SC, and Manning, SC would be the best place to stop for the night.  Working our departure time to coincide with our arrival time in South Carolina had us there around 7:00 pm.

4. Think about secondary roads. The easiest start for us is traveling down Route 301 and catching I-95 right before you hit Doswell, VA. This is where you will find another amusement park, Kings Dominion.  The first city we hit in Virginia is the capital city of Richmond. Richmond is located about one hour and a half from our starting point.

5. Roadside attractions. There are many roadside attractions along the way.  We never stopped here, but South of the Border is right at the North Carolina/South Carolina border. You will know it’s there, having seen signs along I-95 of its existence.

If you do want to venture there, it has hotels, restaurants, and recreational activities for the family.

6. Go beyond I95. If you are up to venturing away from I-95, one of my all-time favorite places to visit is Savannah, GA, so I made my husband (yes, I said it) make a stop so I can pick up some pralines at Savannah Candy Kitchen https://www.savannahcandy.com  (that’s how much I love chocolate).  Savannah is approximately 10-12 miles east of I-95, so it makes a great stop to have a meal and eat some chocolate.

7. Costs.  Economics always depends on the season, the number of people traveling, and time commitment.  Be sure not to forget to factor in gas, tolls, parking at the Disney resorts, and other hotel stays. Bringing things from home can save you money, especially if you pack meals for your road trip.

Standard Overnight Parking charges per Resort Category:

  • Disney Value Resorts: $15 per night
  • Disney Moderate Resorts: $20 per night
  • Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts: $25 per night

Standard park parking is included for guests of Disney Resort hotels.

For more info, check out this link: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/

8. See Florida. Having your own vehicle allows you to venture around the Orlando area. You may even decide to head out to Universal Studios.

9. Timing is everything. Tried to time your departures to coincides with hotel check-ins and meal stops.

10. Have fun. Traveling by air will get you to Walt Disney World quickly, but on the other hand, a road trip will create memories and appreciation of this country.

Are you interested in free help planning your Disney and Universal Studios vacation? Just contact us and we can help you with prices and planning at no cost to you!

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Walt Disney World in 2021

What’s new at Disney during this age of pandemic.

New looks for Mickey, Minnie, and Friends.

After a year of quarantine, I am ready to get out there and enjoy Disney again.  My family and I will be heading out to Walt Disney World in December. For those who can’t wait until December, Disney has been steadily working on phased reopening.  

One of the biggest events for 2021 is Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, which begins on October 1, 2021, and will run for 18 months.  So what better way to get back to our “normal” than to enjoy “The World’s Most Magical Celebration”.

What to look forward to when you head down to Walt Disney World for the celebration:

  • Disney Enchantment – Want to enjoy nighttime entertainment, then you will find it with Disney Enchantment. Here, you will discover fascinating Disney music, lighting, fireworks, and projection effects from Main Street, USA to Cinderella’s Castle. Location: Magic Kingdom
  • Harmonious – Fireworks and visual effects are the main attraction for this showcase. Location: Epcot
  • Beacons of Magic – Each park’s iconic symbol will light up into Beacons of Magic. Location: All parks on selected days.
  • Disney Kite Tails – Come out and watch the three-dimensional kites of Simba, Zazu, King Louie, Baloo, and more as they take flight above the Discovery River Amphitheater. Location: Animal Kingdom Park
  • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – A 4D attracted based on the Disney and Pixar film Ratatouille. Location: Epcot

What else is new

Resorts

  • Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has reopened and with this exciting news, you will find new, guest rooms inspired by the Pacific Ocean and details from Walt Disney Animation Studios film “Moana.”
  • If you will be staying at one of the Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Disney Resort hotels you will have the opportunity to enjoy extended evening hours on select nights in select theme parks. Information regarding specific dates and parks will be shared at a later time.  So be sure to return to this site for the most up to date information.

Reservations for Park Entry

Attendance at the parks is managed via the Disney Park Pass System.   You would have to purchase admission tickets and then make theme park reservations.  You will find a calendar on the Disney.com website with what parks have openings.

Dining

Disney is planning to bring the dining plan option back at a later date. However, Disney has continued to add new and returning dining options to its website.

Keep in mind that some restaurants require reservations and it is truly recommended—and are required. You can make reservations up to 60 days in advance, so be sure to contact me for help regarding dining reservations.

Dining Experiences

Character Dining is still available, however, only at certain restaurants: Garden Grill Restaurant, Hollywood & Vine, Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera, Chef Mickey’s, and Tusker House Restaurant.  Dinner shows are not available and some restaurants are still closed. Stay tuned for updates.

Remember to travel light.  Disney has made an effort to make sure that any contact between Cast Members and Guests is kept to a minimum.  Guests still have to walk through a metal detector, however, they would have to carry their belongings.

Remember to stay safe, abide by the rules and most of all have a wonderful time. Here’s to returning to a sense of normalcy, at least we can enjoy it with Disney.  We can talk if you want more info.

Are you interested in free help planning your Disney vacation? Just contact us and we can help you with prices and planning at no cost to you!

Get a free quote and planning help from Magical Fairy Travel