WDW Prep To Go - a Disney World planning podcast

May 2015
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Sun, 31 May 2015

PLANNING DISNEY WORLD TRIPS BASED ON PERSONALITY – PREP092

Not all personality types love Disney World trips as much as others, so I have advice today on tailoring your plans for various personalities.

I also have news and a quick tip of the day regarding refillable mugs.

These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

In this article

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MYERS-BRIGGS TYPE INDICATORS AND DISNEY WORLD TRIPS

First, you'll need to determine the personalities of everybody in your family. You can take a short quiz or longer version to help figure that out.

Planning by types:

EJ types (ESTJ, ENFJ, ENTJ and ESFJ) are the most likely to enjoy the typical Disney World trips that include being around lots of people and having a structure in place.
IJ types (INFJ, ISFJ, INTJ, and ISTJ) are likely to enjoy the structure of Disney World trips but not the crowds, so good touring plans to avoid crowds plus afternoon breaks will be helpful for allowing these types to recharge and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
IP types (INFP, INTP, ISTP, and ISFP) are the least likely to enjoy a typical Disney World trip because they will often feel boxed in by all of the plans. A trip with more spontaneity and freedom will be more appealing to IPs. See podcast episode 87 on doing Disney World without a lot of advanced planning for help with that.
EP types (ENFP, ESFP, ENTP, and ESFP) are more about the journey than the destination and will likely enjoy learning about things as they plan and taking their time getting to Orlando (perhaps on a road trip or by train).

NEWS

The Great Movie Ride has had a few updates including signage and the pre-show
Food and Wine Festival has had some details announced recently, including the Eat to the Beat concert lineup. See my Food and Wine Festival overview for 2015 for more info.
Harambe Market in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom has opened. See the complete list of Animal Kingdom dining options for more info.
Rapid Fill refillable mugs have had the pricing change recently. The 1, 2 and 3 day options have gone away and the length-of-stay pricing is now $16.49 instead of $17.99.

QUICK TIP OF THE DAY

A listener named Lisa emailed me with this tip: take your refillable mugs to the food court to fill them up, and then return to your room and pour them into the disposable cups in your room and take the disposable cups to the parks with you. This will keep you from having to carry around your refillable mugs all day.

Have a quick tip of your own? Call it in at https://www.speakpipe.com/WDWPrepToGo

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

There are a few ways to get new episodes of WDW Prep To Go (if you're used to listening on the website, subscribe so you can take new episodes with you on your phone)

Subscribe in iTunes (and please leave a review!)
Subscribe to the feed
Listen on Stitcher
Not all personality types love Disney World trips as much as others, so I have advice today on tailoring your plans for various personalities.

I also have news and a quick tip of the day regarding refillable mugs.

Direct download: episode92.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Fri, 22 May 2015

ALL ABOUT MY LAST DISNEY WORLD TRIP – PREP091

I've just returned from our 2nd annual mom/daughter end-of-college-year trip that included a couple of days at Disney World where we got to try several new things. I have info on that today.

I also have a quick tip about how and when to cancel your dining reservations at Disney World.

These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

In this article

BECOME A WDW PREP TO GO PATRON

MEXICO

My review of The Grand Residences Riviera Cancun

NEW THINGS WE TRIED AT DISNEY WORLD

Old Key West - we loved it and it has now become one of our favorites. See some of my pics from there.
Rebel Hangar at Hollywood Studios. This option is available 7 days a week during the time period that Star Wars Weekends takes place. We gave it a 6 out of 10. Read my review and see pics.
Saw preview of Tomorrowland at Epcot - loved the preview, and plan to see the full movie. Captain EO may be going away permanently.
The Boathouse restaurant in Downtown Disney - loved the food and atmosphere. Reservations available at both OpenTable and through the Disney Dining system. The restaurant is 2 Table Service credits on the Disney Dining Plan.
Be Our Guest breakfast - good food, recommend taking the pastries to go and pre-ordering online up to 30 days beforehand.
Trader Sam's at The Polynesian - not as much charm as the Disneyland location, much easier to get a seat outside than outside, but bring bug spray
Snapchat geo-stickers - you can find stickers for Orlando, in each park, in sections of the parks, and at some specific rides

DID NOT GET TO TRY

I wanted to try the new Express Order app as we were waiting for Fantasmic to begin, but when I tried 30 minutes beforehand, they said they were no longer accepting orders. If you want to test it, I'd suggest placing your order more than 30 minutes ahead of time.

QUICK TIP OF THE DAY

You can cancel almost all dining reservations by midnight the night before without any penalty (though Disney officially says it's 24 hours ahead of time). For more info about when all reservations can be made or canceled, see my post on this topic.

Have a quick tip of your own? Call it in at https://www.speakpipe.com/WDWPrepToGo

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

There are a few ways to get new episodes of WDW Prep To Go (if you're used to listening on the website, subscribe so you can take new episodes with you on your phone)

Subscribe in iTunes (and please leave a review!)
Subscribe to the feed
Listen on Stitcher
I've just returned from our 2nd annual mom/daughter end-of-college-year trip that included a couple of days at Disney World where we got to try several new things. I have info on that today.

I also have a quick tip about how and when to cancel your dining reservations at Disney World.

Direct download: episode91-1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Thu, 14 May 2015

DOING DISNEY WORLD WITH TEENS – PREP090

Today I have info on how to do Disney World with teens in a discussion that includes my assistant, Heather. We share our thoughts on when to go, how to plan your days, and suggested places to eat.

I also have a quick tip of the day for people hoping to book a princess meal and makeover together.

These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

In this article

BECOME A WDW PREP TO GO PATRON

DISNEY WORLD WITH TEEN SUGGESTIONS

When to go - plan around school schedules which often means going during spring breaks and summers. Might also consider a long weekend for teen-friendly events like Star Wars Weekends.
Where to stay - on-site options could give older teens more freedom to navigate on their own. Off-site options gives you more space and privacy.
Making a daily plan - get teens involved in planning. Consider adding Universal to a Disney World trip.
Choosing dining - narrow down a list and have teens pick. Consider options like Sci-Fi Diner, restaurants that non-picky teens might like (such as many in the World Showcase), character meals are still fun for many teens, and then there are fun/ornery restaurants like Whispering Canyon Cafe or 50s Prime Time Cafe.
Park touring - have them prioritize what they must do, keep in mind that teens can still be tired and need breaks, and consider adjusting plans as necessary (which might include rescheduling FastPass+ reservations for later).
Adding extra magic - consider ordering in-room celebrations from the Disney Florist if staying on-site, many teens are old enough to go on backstage toursthat have age requirements, provide gift and arcade cards, and get teens involved in pin trading or collecting.

QUICK TIP OF THE DAY

If you're staying on-site and hoping to book a Cinderella Royal's Table/Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique combo, consider booking it toward the end of your trip since both are available 180 days before your trip begins. Doing it this way will make it easier to get the times you want.

Have a quick tip of your own? Call it in at https://www.speakpipe.com/WDWPrepToGo

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

There are a few ways to get new episodes of WDW Prep To Go (if you're used to listening on the website, subscribe so you can take new episodes with you on your phone)

Subscribe in iTunes (and please leave a review!)
Subscribe to the feed
Listen on Stitcher

Direct download: episode90.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Mon, 11 May 2015

RANDOM BITS AND TECH TIPS – PREP089

Today I have some random info to share with you including a bit about the anniversary of the site and meeting with some readers over the weekend. I also have 5 tech tips that could help you with your Disney World trip.

And, finally, I have a quick tip of the day about something you should be sure to pack in your luggage.

These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

In this article

BECOME A WDW PREP TO GO PATRON

3RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE SITE

It's the 3rd anniversary of the site! Listen to episode 38 (2nd anniversary episode) to hear the story behind how/why I started the site on Mother's Day 2012.

TECH TIPS

Five tips that might come in handy for your Disney World trip:

If you want to use digital boarding passes for flights and have an iPhone, I recommend texting the pass to yourself, clicking the mobile link and then adding to Passbook.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with burst mode on your iPhone camera which will help you take pics of things that move during your trip (such as parades, the monorail, and children who are always in motion).
To get wide shots, be sure to take advantage of the panoramic mode on your phone camera.
When recording video, always remember to turn your phone to landscape since videos outside of your phone are almost always wide instead of tall.
If you use Gmail for email, you can add a + sign to the end which can make it easier to filter things as they arrive in your inbox. For example, youremailaddress+disney@gmail.com is something you could use for all Disney-related emails, and then you can set a filter to put all messages sent to that email address into a separate folder.

QUICK TIP OF THE DAY

Take a spare bag in your luggage to use for several different things such as going to the pool/water park, to leave things with luggage services on your departure day, carrying souvenirs home, or using to do laundry.

Have a quick tip of your own? Call it in at https://www.speakpipe.com/WDWPrepToGo

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

There are a few ways to get new episodes of WDW Prep To Go (if you're used to listening on the website, subscribe so you can take new episodes with you on your phone)

Subscribe in iTunes (and please leave a review!)
Subscribe to the feed
Listen on Stitcher

Direct download: episode89.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT

Fri, 1 May 2015

MAKING THE MOST OF PARK HOPPER AND WATER PARKS FUN & MORE TICKETS – PREP088

You might be unsure if you should add options on to your Disney World tickets or maybe you got stuck with extras when you booked Free Dining. I've got suggestions today on how to maximize your Disney World park ticket add-ons.

I also have a quick tip from a listener with some suggestions on traveling with little ones.

These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

In this article

BECOME A WDW PREP TO GO PATRON

GOOD USES FOR PARK HOPPER TICKETS

My favorite ways/reasons to use Park Hoppers are for people who:

Will be visiting parks during Extra Magic Hours
Are staying in an Epcot-area resort
Want to catch nighttime entertainment that's not scheduled every night
Want to hop from a park closing early to a park that's closing later
Have a short trip and need to combine 2 parks in 1 day

WAYS TO USE WATER PARKS FUN AND MORE TICKETS

Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon water parks (I recommend visiting the first few hours they're open or the last few hours)
DisneyQuest
ESPN Wide World of Sports
Either of the 2 miniature golf courses (Fantasia Gardens which is located near The Swan, and Winter Summerland which is located near Blizzard Beach) as long as you're playing before 4:00
Round of golf at Oak Trail golf course

RECENT NEWS

The theater that has been showing Captain EO at Epcot is now showing previews for the movie "Tomorrowland" and will begin showing previews for "Inside Out" on May 30
Innoventions West exhibits are now closed except for the Chase meet-and-greet
Pre-ordering via the "Express Order" app (available for iOS and Android) is being tested at Hollywood Studios through May 12
The monorail schedule is being adjusted from May 3 - early July. Here are the details of that.

My eBook has been freshly updated and redesigned.
I have private "Breakfast worth melting for" scheduled for November 6 at Epcot where you can meet the ice queen, princess, and snowman himself. The cost is is $103/person. Please email events at keytotheworldtravel.com for details and to reserve your spot today. Space is limited and will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.
To celebrate the 3rd anniversary of the site, I'm inviting readers to meet me for drinks at a local restaurant. Here are the details:
- WHAT: WDW Prep 3rd anniversary party
- WHEN: May 9, 2015, from 8-10 p.m.
- WHERE: Carmel Restaurant and Lounge in Coppell, TX - http://www.carmelrestaurantlounge.com/
- COST: $15/person which includes a cocktail and choice of an appetizer or dessert
The number of tickets is very limited due to the space available to us. You can get yours here --> https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=34WEKQ7WAYFPL

Hope to see some of you there!

QUICK TIP OF THE DAY

Briana called in with several tips about traveling with little ones, including her recommendation for using umbrella strollers and taking a carry-on bag to be prepared while you wait for Magical Express bags to be delivered to your resort room.

For more information, check out my stroller comparison and info about Magical Express so you can decide what's best for your family.

Have a quick tip of your own? Call it in at https://www.speakpipe.com/WDWPrepToGo

SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW EPISODES

There are a few ways to get new episodes of WDW Prep To Go (if you're used to listening on the website, subscribe so you can take new episodes with you on your phone)

Subscribe in iTunes (and please leave a review!)
Subscribe to the feed
Listen on Stitcher

Direct download: episode88.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm PDT