The Hogwart's Express is truly a great experience

The Hogwart's Express is truly a great experience. Your experience is enhanced by the level of Detail that Universal put into Kings Cross Station and Platform 9 3/4.  From the Saxophone player as you enter the station to actually crossing into Platform 9 3/4, you will feel as if you are really on your way to Hogwarts! The hogsmeade station offers a great photo op with the Express in the background but the station itself is just so so. You will need a Park to Park ticket to experience this attraction and you will enjoy riding it back and forth as the to watch both shows to and from London!
Watch the detail with our spoiler free video

Aquatica Revisited: An Honest Review

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of visiting several different water parks, both indoors and out. I have visited the largest outdoor water park, Noah's Ark in Wisconsin Dells, which is an amazing water park. The largest indoor water park, The Kalahari in Sandusky, Ohio; it may have size but that's about it. A few mom and pop water parks that had two slides at the most and are no longer in business, and some major park chain water parks. I have also visited all of  the water parks Disney World has had, River Country  included. It pretty safe to say, I like water parks and enjoy going to them and on my last trip to Orlando, I revisited Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. I also recently visited the AquaVenture at Atlantis in Nassau.  The visits to those water parks made me really appreciate Aquatica.

Aquatica.... you have arrived

Aquatica is a water park that is part of the SeaWorld Orlando park complex that includes SeaWorld and Discovery Cove. Aquatica opened in 2008 billed as a whimsical, one-of-a-kind waterpark unlike any you've ever experienced, immersing you  in the playfulness of the sea. This park heavily relies on the uniqueness of water park attractions with animal interactions.

The star attraction of this park is  Dolphin plunge, a water slide that send you through the home of  black-and-white Commerson's Dolphins. When I heard about this attraction, I was sold and dead set on getting to this water park. I went into this park with high expectations and was really looking forward to the animal interactions like those of the Dolphin Plunge would have to offer.

Hello little guy, is there someone in that slide?

Look you have a friend also!

As always when heading to a water park, I plan on getting there at gate opening, crowds are generally smaller, lockers and chairs are easier to find, plus you can usually get a decent amount of slide time in before the afternoon showers interrupt the day and gates are closed because the parks are at capacity. My expectation grew as we entered the park with all the lush foliage and theming that is present around the Dolphin Plunge slide and the Commerson's Dolphins.  The kids excitement grew as well; we just had to get on that slide. So we got a locker that just happened to come with a "free" souvenir towel then headed straight for the Dolphins Plunge.

 Our  excitement turned to frustration because as soon as we got to the top of the slide, my daughter, who wears a shirt over her swimsuit to help from getting badly sun burnt, was told she couldn't ride with the shirt on and had to exit the slide and put it in the locker. This after walking past several park employees that monitored the line for the slide and no signage indicating shirts were not allowed. So, instead of walking all the way back to the locker, I had my daughter take the shirt off and I went and waited for her to ride, then gave her her shirt back after her journey through Dolphin Plunge(this was the only slide the unposted rule was enforced on). At the end of her ride, her reaction to the slide was rather lackluster.  So it was my turn to ride and I will have to say, I too was disappointed. The problems with this slide is the tube that goes  through the tank with the dolphins was cloudy and hard to see out of, plus you actually go through that portion of the slide so fast, it is hard to see the dolphins. The dolphins would have to be literally right next to the tube to actually see them.  Needless to say, out of the 4 of us that rode it, none of  us saw the dolphins while on the slide, and none of us liked the slide. The dolphins are best viewed from the underwater viewing area near the entrance of the park. Now the themeing and foliage that are around Dolphin Plunge is very detailed and also has some nice bridge overlooks for those long waits to use the slide.It is a decent experience with a lackluster slide, if you are more interested in just seeing the dolphins, skip the slide and head over to the underwater viewing area. Sporadically throughout the day there were trainers in the underwater viewing area to educate about the Commerson's Dolphins. Now to be fair over down at Atlantis's AquaVenture they had the infamous Leap of Faith Water slide through a tank of sharks. It has the same lackluster type slide that speeds your through the tank so you can't see the Sharks. The other tube slide that went through the tank was slower and more unique experience!

The best view for the Commerson's dolphins
is the underwater observation area off the slide

After spending our time at the Dolphin Plunge we headed over to the newest addition to the park at that time, Omaka Rocka. Since our visit Ihu's Breakways Falls has opened and I eagerly want to experience those new slides!
Omaka Rocka is a tube slide with sections that are half-pipes.  My family loves the half pipe/funnel slides and this one had several sections that fed into smaller versions of  half pipe slides, so it was bound to be a hit. It ended up being pretty boring. The reason this was boring, the half pipe sections of the slides became mini-splash down pools and did not allow the experience that larger half pipe slides offer.(google a youtube video of Michigan Adventure's Funnel of Fear for a good idea of what large half pipe slides are like)  So the first two slides of the day were not home runs.  So we decided to hit Roa's Rapids.

Roa's Rapids is a fast moving river with water falls, rapids and lush foliage all around. Roa's Rapids far exceeded our expectations and was by far the star of the park for my family and myself. We spent hours floating this river. My wife and I had to drag the kids out of it.We loved that it was a free of  inner tubes and you could opt in to wearing a FREE personal flotation devices. While there were no animal interactions on this river, unlike the lazy river Loggerhead Lane, giggles and cheers filled this area of the park. A special note about Loggerhead Lane, while it is the a lazy river, one can easily miss the fish tank on this river because of the split in the river and placement of the tank. Also be forewarned, to access some of the water slides(just a couple), you have to walk through Loggerhead Lane to get to them. This can be very confusing if you don't follow the signs.

The rest of the water park  had standard water park slides, kid's slide& splash complex, and a well themed, but tame wave pool with a sandy beach.  The animal interactions were just ok.  We loved Roa's Rapids, and it was interesting to see Commerson's Dolphins in a water park(just not the water slide affixed to them). Aquatica is a nice small water park and is well worth a visit. If you can, definitely look for a deal where you can get a day at SeaWorld or Discovery Cove that includes admission to Aquatica(currently those deals are available but could change at anytime). Aquatica has it picturesque areas but still has room to improve.Roa's Rapids made up for the shortcomings of Dolphin's Plunge. This is still a young park and a new concept for SeaWorld, I hold hope out that this park can be expanded and improved upon. Aquatica is probably one of the better Water Park in Central Florida. It's hard to live in the shadows of Wet n Wild, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach, but  Aquatica has stepped out from the shadows and become a force in Central Florida.We will come back to the park over the years because over all, it is a really is a nice park.

Aquatica is neatly placed behind Seaworld, as you can see it behind
Journey to Atlantis here.

SouthWest Airlines... My pleasant Experience

Before I get into the meat of this post, let me debunk some myths, urban legends, and  rumors. First off I don't earn commission from the airlines! SouthWest Airlines may not be the cheapest or best option for your travel. This is just my experience with SouthWest Airlines.Occasionally a supplier, not the airline, will offer a percentage to every agent that uses them to try and get the agent to book everything through them. Sometimes it works out great for you as a client, other times not so much and in reality that commission maybe coming from an inflated airline ticket passed on to you. That is why I look at all the options that are available to you and make suggestions on airfare to you based on that; trying to save you money. I will be honest with you, many times cutting out flying and choosing to drive(if possible) will save you the most on any vacation.

Let's face it, flying isn't as easy as it used to be. There are fewer flights and so many hidden cost out there that at times airfare(especially during peak travel times) can actually cost more than rest of your vacation and that cheap advertised airfare is way too good to be true.  I know that there are many options out there for choosing an airline and some of the airlines are region specific or seasonal in operation which can be frustrating. I have had the pleasure and displeasure of flying on the major airlines and some of the discounters airlines that are out there. In the current air travel market, I will have to say SouthWest Airlines WOWED me for our Spring Break Trip to Orlando! This is no frills flying at it's best! Just because it is no frills doesn't mean that is not quality!

So here is the scoop. We booked a Spring Break Trip to Orlando a little over 6 months prior to the trip happening. At that time the major airlines had their flight schedule and pricing available but I was not satisfied with how high the airfare was. So we dabbled with driving to Florida and I continued to watch airfare.  At our 6 month mark, SouthWest Airlines released their air schedule and pricing. It was high but significantly lower than the other major airlines(yes SouthWest is a major airline now). So I began to play the waiting game to see if prices dropped and or increased. During that time I watched flights sell out and began to kick myself for not grabbing the flights.  So I decided to make the jump and book the flights because the other major airlines were raising prices. SouthWest was raising their prices also but not as much as the other major airlines and flights their flights were becoming scarce. At one point Airfare on a major airline out of Kalamazoo was at over $800 per person round trip.  We paid nowhere close to that with SouthWest and best of all there were NO BAGGAGE FEES for the first two bags!  At the time I booked I was offered Early Bird Check In for a nominal fee per Flight. I choose not to get it, but at later date choose to purchase it still for a nominal fee.($12.50 per person) Keep Reading for more information about this. 

From the moment we arrived at the counter to drop off our luggage until we stepped off the plane, we were greeted warmly and treated extremely pleasantly until we left the gate at our Destinations. When checking our bags we were informed our plane was running about 15 minutes late because of fog, but there was a chance that it would make that time back up.(it did!) We are a tall family, my wife is 6'2, and we were impressed with the leg room on the planes! There is no first class area separating the cabin of the plane this open cabin design allows more space between seats freeing up more leg room.
Seating is based on 3 groups of A, B, C.  You are assigned a boarding group and number based on the Fare you purchase , Early Bird Check-In purchase, or at the time you Check-In following the 24 hour mark to your flight(check-in online as soon as possible when it becomes available, don't have a computer? Use the SouthWest Airlines App on your Smart Phone!)  There are no TV monitors in the seats or  in the cabin for you to watch. There is the ability to purchase Wi-Fi for your mobile devices to keep you entertained, or just bring a book or take a snooze for your flight. On our flights we were offered nuts, pretzels, and a non-alcoholic beverage that was complimentary but if you felt the need, you could purchase alcoholic beverages and other snacks. That right there in nutshell is No Frills Flying!

If you were to look online at the airfares that Southwest offers you might get confused. The lowest fare generally available is the Wanna Get Away but has the most restrictions etc. So here is a brief summary of the fares you can expect when booking a SouthWest fare.

Business Select
This fare gets you in the first portion of the "A" boarding group.
If your in there mileage club called the Rapid Rewards Club(always join the mileage clubs of any airline you fly on) you earn extra Rapid Rewards points
You will receive one premium beverage of your choice
These fares are refundable and changeable and may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines for the originally ticketed passenger only.
Lower fares may be available.

Anytime
The fares are refundable and changeable and may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines for the originally ticketed passenger only.
Lower fares may be available.

Wanna Get Away
Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines for the originally ticketed passenger only.
Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime fare.

Pretty straight forward when it comes to fares. We chose the Wanna Get Away Fare. 

Things to consider when flying SouthWest.

Just because they may have a cheaper fare doesn't mean they are not a reliable, quality airline. They are great value and the employees genuinely seem happy to be working there and to serve you. (trust me some of the discounters airlines out there are scary)

They may not be the cheapest for your region. Shop around before you buy.

If you have kids and they are sitting in a seat, they will be the same fare as an adult sitting in a seat. If you have a child that qualifies to sit in your lap, they need to be sitting in your lap. This is strictly enforced on full flights. 

Join the Rapid Rewards Club and Ding! newsletter, they will give a heads up on sales. SouthWest has some nice sales on airfare occasionally. 

Consider purchasing an Early Bird Check-In option. Really consider this option especially if your not going to be near a computer 24 hours before your flight or you want a better chance of sitting with family members. Special note here Everyone on your flight has the option to buy the Early Bird Check-In, so in theory everyone could have bought Early Bird Check-In for your flight. 

B and C boarding positions  can make finding a seat  a pain the rear on full flights but if you made it on the plane there is a seat for you. You may not like it though. 

This is No Frills flying. If you need to be entertained, bring something to entertain yourself but follow all FAA regulations and listen to your flight attendants about electronic devices..

Nuts, Pretzels, or a non-alcoholic beverage not gonna be enough for you? After you make it past security, pick up something from a restaurant near your gate or gift shop and bring it on the plane with you.(this may or may not be available to do on your flight, check with the gate attendant first!) 

If you hear the ticket agent asking for volunteers to get bumped from the flight,and if you have the flexibility to do so, find out what they are offering it may be extremely worth it. 

Would I recommend SouthWest Airlines? Absolutely! My experience with them will make them my go to airline for my personal travel!

Relax and enjoy your flight!

Which Central Florida Attractions are best for you? Part 1

Most people know that Disney World is the big cheese in Orlando and Central Florida. Without a doubt since 1971 they have dominated the area. Since Disney rooted themselves on their 43 square mile goldmine, Central Florida has evolved around them and changed into what most dub the "Theme Park Capitol of the world"! There are more than 100 attractions in the area  that are competing for your vacation dollars and offer unique experiences for visitors, but which one is right for you? Here is quick and dirty breakdown of the some of the  player that make up the "Theme Park Capitol of the World".

Let's Wrestle!

Tourist Traps- There are tourist traps scattered through out the middle section of Florida. Central Florida is a mini golf mecca with many choices. Universal's Hollywood Drive-In Golf is one the newest and best themed in the all of Central Florida. Then there are the typical roadside tourist traps;each having their own gimmicks ranging from feeding the alligators to seeing authentic relics from the Titanic. Most of the tourist traps are a complete waste of money but their are some gems out there like GatorLand.
Audience-  All of these attractions are geared toward the entire family to try and separate you from your money. Proceed with caution with any of these attractions.

Dinner Shows- There are many dinner shows in the Orlando area. Some have been there for years, other open then quickly go out of business. Food is generally mediocre at these attractions and in essence you are paying for the entertainment. Some of the mainstays in the area are Medieval times, Pirates Dinner Adventure, Arabian Nights, Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows, and the Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show. Each have their pluses and minuses.  All the shows menus vary, so checking their website would be advisable before choosing one. They all of course strive to be as popular as Disney's Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. Hoop-Dee-Doo is so popular, it is best to book it 180 days in advance!

Audience- The entire Family. These can be a nice filler on arrival days, days in between theme parks, or when there is really bad weather. Disney's Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is a great show for the entire family and has had unprecedented run! Teens to adults would more then likely enjoy Medieval times,  Arabian Nights, and Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows. Families of all ages would more than likely enjoy Pirates Dinner Adventure and the Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show.

Fun Spot. OK... Fun Spot can easily confuse people because there are 2 Fun Spots in the Orlando area. What started out as a go-kart paradises has grown and is posed to be even more popular in the near future. First there Fun Spot Action Park near Universal Orlando. Something that will cause even more confusion in the near future, Fun Spot Action Park is expanding majorly in 2013 and will be re-named Fun Spot America. They are adding 2 roller coasters, one wood and one steel along with a 250 ft SkyCoaster ride and a few other things. This will complement a large arcade, go-kart tracks, and some carnival rides.

She Lights up the Orlando Skyline!

Fun Spot USA which is near DisneyWorld has the he world’s tallest SkyCoaster standing over 300 feet tall. This bad boy is very impressive at night with it's LED Lightshow! This place has some nifty go-kart tracks, a  wild mouse coaster, and carnival rides. 

Audience-This is your above average tourist trap that is geared more towards teens to young adults.

LegoLand Florida- This is the new/old kid in the area. It once was Cypress Gardens, flourished for a while, died, got new owners who brought in rides, died; now has been revived and made into a decent player in the area and rebranded LegoLand Florida. This park is more of visual feast than a thrill ride park. While there are some rides, couple of Coasters, and a WaterPark; the prize of this park continues to be the old Cypress Gardens section and all of the Lego sculptures and Lego Branding that has arrived. This park can easily be done in one day and is located about an hour west of Orlando.

Audience- This park is branded towards and most enjoyed by families with children 10 and under. The park even encourages this to be a family park by suggestion that Teens should be accompanied by adults (BRAVO LegoLand!) Teens will probably get bored here.

Animals and Coasters how could you go wrong?

Busch Gardens- This park is by far the Thrill Ride park of  the "Theme Park Capitol of the World". Busch Gardens has an amazing collection of  Roller Coasters, other thrill type rides, and some children attractions mixed in. Throw in the Animals and lush themeing, this park is a true hidden gem worth the hour drive to get to! Here you can see Big Bird, play tug of war with a tiger, and challenge one of  the two Floorless Dive Coasters in North America. This park can be done in a day and might require an up-charge Quick Queue pass on busier days so you can spend less time in line and more time enjoying the park.

Audience- Teens to Adults that are thrill seekers will get the most bang for their bucks here. The zoo aspect and Sesames Street area of the park will appeal to children. The Sesames Street  area is small and usually pretty crowed for the youngsters. With a slightly larger children's area this place can be a well rounded family park. Even in it's current form, bringing the whole family is well worth it. 

Peaceful fun!

Discovery Cove-  This is an intimate park experience like no other. One of a kinda animal interactions with a controlled snorkeling environment that has the feel and amenities of an all inclusive resort. The number of guest are limited each day so the park doesn't get or feel crowded. You are in a "controlled" tropical paradise where you can interact with aquatic life, small mammals, and birds. Don't forget the Dolphins!(Dolphin interaction and SeaVenture scuba helmet adventure are additional charges) This park is a great day park and you will need to be pried away from it once closing time arrives. There are a some drawbacks to this park.The biggest being the price. It really is expensive but worth every penny! This park is also very weather dependent. If there a storms your not going to be in the water or with the animals. The water is chilly year round so be prepared for some shivers.

Audience- The entire family can have a blast here, but remember this is a very water based attraction.While there are places for landlubbers and non-swimmers to experience Discovery Cove, the intent was for you to be in the water. Teens to Adults will cherish this experience for a lifetime. The chilly waters and animal interactions maybe huge turn off for children. Dolphins can be scary duh!

Stay tuned to Part 2 and find out even more of what Central Florida has to offer.

Have you been to these places? What do you think of them? Want to know more, just ask!

Your Local SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Specialist!

You asked and I listened!

Many people have inquired about going to SeaWorld, Aquatica,  Discovery Cove, Busch Gardens and how to add it on to their vacation. I am pleased to announce that I am now a SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Specialist!

I can now book your SeaWorld Orlando, Discovery Cove Orlando, Aquatica Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, Adventure Island Tampa, SeaWorld San Antonio,Aquatica San Antonio, SeaWorld San Diego, Busch Gardens Williamsburg,  Water Country USA Williamsburg, and Sesame Place Pennsylvania vacation!  

SeaWorld Parks are visual stunning parks that provide inspiring experiences with up-close exotic animal encounters. There also opportunities to  learn about endangered animals, marvel at innovative shows, challenge amazing rides, and to support wildlife habitat conservation, research, and education!

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment  have something for the entire family and sure to make memories that will last a lifetime. Contact me today to see how I can help you plan the Perfect vacation any of these parks or to add them on to a Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando Vacation!

Adam TheWoo

Want a unique look at DisneyWorld or Universal Orlando? Have you ever wondered what happened to old attractions like River Country or maybe the Nickelodeon Studios? Were you able to capture your 24 hour marathon at the Magic Kingdom on February 29th,2012? Maybe you wish you could find locations that some classic movies were filmed? One such man is doing that this very moment and you can share in his  adventures. Adam TheWoo is the adventurer that does things most of us only dream of and Youtube is his current venue!

Wonder what Adam TheWoo is filming today...another amazing video

First let me warn you his videos are awesome, but what Adam does is not necessarily authorized and you probably should not try them on your own. It is also important to note that from his own bio on his webpage  he makes it very clear "I will NEVER break into a place, steal anything, spray paint walls or destroy anything. I am completely opposed to all these things!"

Adam has amassed over 11,000 Youtube followers and that number is climbing everyday! The adventures he embarks on gives some really cool perspectives on some great locations and abandoned places.

Adam TheWoo on Location at Universal Studios
taking time chat and pose for a picture with Me

I was fortunate enough to happen upon Adam's Youtube channel about a year and half ago and even more fortunate to run into him in September when he was preparing to make a new video at Universal Studios. Occasionally in his videos you can see him wearing one of our Matt's Firehouse Family Vacations t-shirts.:) It was great to meet him in person and see how he films his adventures. The day I was able to meet him, he was able to capture an experience with his camera that many people's pictures(including mine) can't do justice. You can check out that experience by clicking here, then check out some of these great videos. 

EPCOT 30th adventure

River Country

24 Hours at the Magic Kingdom

Nickelodeon Studios

Jurassic Park Triceratops Attraction

These are just a sampling of the videos that  Adam does and there are more to come. Adam is currently on road filming more amazing videos and could use your support. Follow him on twitter, and like him on Facebook to see where he is going next.

The Disney Dining Plan...Is it worth it?

The views in this post are based Dining plans that have been offered in the past at Disney World. Disney does reserve the right to change a dining plan option or restaurants included in the dining plan at anytime. 


"Is the Disney Dining Plan worth it?" The simple answer is yes, but there are pros and cons to each dining plan and here I will try to explain all of those that I have encountered.

Back in the day, when I was a wee lad, I would visit Disney World with the Boy Scout Troop that I was apart of. The Leaders of the Troop budgeted money for each scout to have a food allowance each day as part of the trip cost and would distribute it each morning to each scout. This is was my first introduction to a food budget and a very primitive dining plan. That food allowance per day was $10 and over the years would be raised as the cost of food rose. By the last trip I took as a scout, the food allowance per day was $20. I could eat like a king on that food allowance back then, not so much now at Disney or other theme parks for that matter. Yes, one can still plan a food allowance per person, per day which some people enjoy doing. At the same time, opting into a Disney Dining plan can take care of the budgeting and offer you a fairly decent amount of freedom and selections of food while on your vacation at Disney World. You have to eat and drink while on vacation; this is pretty straight forward. Eating and drinking is also something that can break the budget on a vacation. Choosing how you will dine at Disney World depends on several factors that should include your dining style, the amount of food that you are accustomed to eating, and the amount of research you have done on the pricing of food on and off the Disney Resort Property. Disney has taken those factors into consideration and offers a few different dining plans that can be a part of your stay at Disney World.(Disneyland offers a different type of dining plan not discussed here.)

In order to understand the Disney Dining plans, I will break down what Disney considers a food type or restaurant style. This is a general overview and specifics can be provided upon request and are provided to you in advance of booking a package with a dining plan and is explained at check in as well.

Quick Service- This is going to be your no frills basic fast food type style of food with some nice surprises thrown in(waffle sandwiches) but generally include food from soups, sandwiches, salads, pastas, fish, chicken, and meat entrées. Think of this as a walk up to a counter and order just like you would at fast food type restaurant and in most cases, but not all, larger portions of food.

Table Service- This is a type of meal you will have a waiter or waitress serve you at a table. The name is kind of straight forward and at this level the food will be like  standard chain restaurant offerings but much better quality with preparation and cooking generally supervised by a real live breathing chef.Character dining(well worth it) and buffets are in this category

Signature Dining- Signature Dining is going to be the upscale(some have a dress code, most don't) extremely popular restaurants that come with larger price tags. There are some Character Dining options at this level because of popularity and location( think Cinderella's Royal Table).

Snacks - There is plenty of junk food and other food stands spread out serving ice cream, funnel cakes, candy apples, turkey legs,etc.     The brochures for the dining plans will outline what you can use as a snack if you are on a dining plan and those stands will be marked with signage also.

Now comes the more difficult aspect of the Dining plans. How do you choose if you should have a dining plan and which plan is for you? That will be based on how much you want to pay, what you want to eat, and how much you think is too much or too little food for you and your family. This is all in the eye of the beholder and only you know your family and their eating habits. Disney understand one size doesn't fit all and to help you with this, Disney offers a couple of different plans. Note if there is a free dining plan promotion taking place, it may or may not be the best deal out there, this is where a travel agent, like myself, comes in handy.

The plans are: 

Quick-Service Dining Plan
Standard Dining Plan( my recommendation)
Deluxe Dining Plan

Breaking down each plan based on the 2012 options for an adult

Quick Service Dining Plan-
For each NIGHT of your stay you will receive a credit(non-cash value) for:
2 Quick-Service Meals per person on the plan, used per person, at quick service restaurants that honor the dining plan.
On the dining plan a quick service meal would be:

For Breakfast -1 entrée or 1 complete combo meal and 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage
For Lunch and Dinner- 1 entrée or 1 complete combo meal 1 dessert 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage
1 Snack per person on the dining plan, per night of stay.
1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug Per Person

Use them any way you like to until you use your credits up, if you don't use them, you lose um.

Standard Dining Plan-My recommendation

For each NIGHT of your stay you will receive a credit(non-cash value) for:
1 Quick-Service Meal per person on the plan, used per person, at quick service restaurants that honor the dining plan.
1 Snack per person on the dining plan, per night of stay.
1 Table-Service Meal per person on the dining plan, per night of stay. Which would  include1 entrée,1 dessert (lunch and dinner only),1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage or 1 full buffet(character meals are table service meals)

1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug Per Person

Deluxe Dining Plan- This is a lot of food!
This option offers 3 meals per person, per night of stay for those on the plan
Those meals can be either table service meals or Quick Service meals, your choice!( but they must be on the list of restaurants that honor the dining plan)
2 Snack per person on the dining plan, per night of stay
1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug Per Person

This is a basic breakdown of the 3 most common Dining plans that Disney has offered over the years, there are a couple of other package options but those include other upcharge items on top of the dining options.


Now that you see what the options are, here is a general list of pros and cons I have come across.

Major PROS for all of the dining plans is that it is paid for already once you have checked in and each person on the plan gets a resort refillable mug,a great souvenir.( The mug was added to the dining plan in 2012 and is a much welcomed addition)

Major Cons for all the Dining Plans are if you don't use it, you lose it! The price can be a con but you are going to pay for food one way or another why not in advance?

Major Pros of the Quick Service Dining Plan are that even for picky eaters, there is a wide selection of options. You can get in and out of locations quickly. All of the Food Courts in the resorts accept the quick service plan because they are quick service locations and you can use snack credits here as well.(Makes for a nice quick breakfast before the parks or nice after park snack) It's a decent amount of food because the portions are bigger than most fast food places. Cheapest of the plans!

Major Cons of the Quick Service Dining Plan  include that it might not be enough food for you. You are on vacation and might want a nicer meal, that will have to come out of your pocket(A Table Service Meal for a family of 4 can easily cost $150).

Major Pros of the Standard Dining Plan  are that some character meals are participants in the dining plan and the memories that come from this type of  meal last a lifetime.To super-size this pro, if you choose a participating character meal, it is paid for and character meals are expensive! Some buffets are a part of the table service meals, offering a wide variety and vast amounts of food! Signature dining meals can be a part of this dining plan, they use 2 table service credits, but again, it is paid for already. Finally,there is a lot of food with this plan, the snacks might even prove to much.

Major Cons of the Standard Dining Plan could include that  you could have dining options for table meals limited if you don't make advanced dinner reservations. You may have to end up paying for another meal if you use 2 credits on a signature dining option.Table service meals will eat up time in the parks, plan at least at the minimum of 1 hour for table service meals. Tips at some table meals are not included read the fine print, don't stiff the waiter or waitress, that is just not cool.


Major Pros of the Deluxe Dining Plan are that this plan has more than enough food for most people and allow for more flexibility in how dining credits options can be distributed between the types of food/restaurant types than the other two plans discussed. You can have a table service meal for every meal if you like and shoot for more signature dining meals if that is what you desire. You are less likely to run out of meal and snack credits. You could technically try to have every meal be a character meal.

Major Cons of the Deluxe Dining plan are that it is expensive. If you don't make advance dining reservations, your options can become limited, especially for the signature dining locations. Most signature dining locations fill up180 days in advance! You are more likely to have meal and snack credits lost if you don't use them. If you only use the meals for quick service meals, you might be better off just using the quick service plan and buying that extra meal a day. This is expensive but you may come out ahead in the long run depending how you use your credits!


As you can see, Disney has some great options for you when it comes to Dining plans. Based on my experience with the dining plans, this is something I will include on my family trips whenever staying at the Disney World Resort. It makes budgeting for a trip much easier and gives me a piece of mind while on vacation that my food is paid for in advance. This lead to less stress and more time to enjoy the park! So, tell us what has your experience been with the dining plans Disney offers?

Port Orleans Riverside

The Colonel's Cotton Mill building

Over the years that I have traveled to Disney World, I have stayed in several resorts ranging from the value resorts to the Deluxe Magic Kingdom Resorts as well as Fort Wilderness. While Fort Wilderness for many years became the default location for our family to stay, in the mid 1990's a new resort became our go to resort and home while at Disney World. We established our home resort under its old name and still cherish it under its current name. The hotel I am referring to is that of Disney's Port Orleans Riverside. From our first visit there, when it was relatively brand new operating under the name Dixie Landings, to our last trip, where I got to introduce my wife and step-daughter to not only Disney World, but to our home with in Disney World, Port Orleans- Riverside in the Alligator Bayou.

Nice towel art greeting on check in

                  One thing that when planning a trip to Disney World I have ingrained in my head is that, you are not there for the room, you are there for the parks. A big reason for this is because, in all honesty, all of Disney Resort Rooms are of far better quality than any chain hotel out there and it is not just because of the intricate themeing given to each resort on the exterior and interior. The original plan for our last trip was to be at Disney for as many days as possible, as inexpensively as possible.  This planning involved pricing a package that was going include a stay at one of the All-Star resorts. Since my wife hadn't been to Disney ever, that she could remember, I had been talking to her about the different level of resorts and the difference between the resort amenities. While doing this, we were drawn to Port Orleans Riverside and while discussing what we wanted out of this vacation, our first anniversary,  the perfect package became available to make stay at Disney Port Orleans Riverside.  So the package was booked.  Now with the forums and such today, after booking the resort, I was cruising the net to see how much had changed at the resort since the last visit my daughter and I had there. I really began to wonder what had happen to this resort, a resort with a fishing pond, nice main pool know as ol' man Island, the scenic  food court, comfy rooms with trundle beds, southern charmed and relaxed atmosphere, and scenic boat ride to Downtown Disney; because the forums were and are full of people trash talking the resort and the employees that work there. Things ranging from their trips had been ruined because a maid didn't make them towel art to beds that were not even fit for 3rd world countries and once someone would say something positive, a triad of trolls would trounce that person. Doubt weighed heavily in my mind that the resort would live up to the expectations my wife was getting from me and my daughter about our home at Disney. The doubt was so much about the shape of this beloved place was in,  that it lead to both my wife and I thinking it may be best to just switch resorts because of all the negatives out there about this place. 

Sassagoula River Port, my daughter has a flip flop in there.

 Hope prevailed though and we gathered that sense of home from the second we pulled into the check in gate with the rental car and proceeded to the main check in building.  The negative thoughts the forums have given, began to melt away as we walked up to the online check in counter. Looking around, the place was just as I had remembered it. The nice scenic "port" out the window, where on our first trip my daughter sent a brand spanking new flip flop to water grave when she was 3 and still remembers and laughs about, was teaming with activity and looked even more lush as the foliage has really taken off.  Walking the trails to our room, had an even better calming effect and the negative vibes we had gotten began to melt away even more.  Then upon opening the door to our room, being greeted with a Mickey towel art on the bed, we felt home. This was enhanced by the peaceful view from our balcony.  We knew we had come to the right place.  My wife even wrote this about why she loved this resort. "What I liked about Port Orleans Riverside... I liked how it felt very secluded, even though we weren't, everything was just a short walk away. I liked how easily we could get lost on the trails, and how if we had, had time we could have spent hours in the pools, or gone fishing. I liked how the bus stop for all the parks was just a short walk away, and at most we waited half an hour for a bus. I also liked how when it was time to go back, there were multiple stops so we could choose to go to the main building or our stop. The food choices were also great, we had quite a few choices to choose from, no matter the time of day. This place is tranquil as if it were from a different more relaxing world."

Magnolia Bend Mansions with Royal Rooms

Alligator bayou cottage buildings

 Here are some of the facts for this resort.  There are two sections one being the Alligator Bayou cottage themed buildings and other being the Magnolia Bend mansions themed buildings. The Magnolia Bend section now house the Royal Rooms and are a must for those that love the royal treatment.

All sections are connected to the main building by scenic shaded walkways and well manicured lawns depending on which sections you are coming from. The bayou has water gardens outside most buildings are very relaxing to watch. The Colonel's Cotton Mill building houses the Resort's Main Lobby  where you'll find a variety shopping, dining and entertainment including an Arcade. At the  center of the resort  there is  the 3.5-acre Ol' Man Island is encircled by a bend of the Sassagoula River. It features an extensive pool complex, a wooded playground and an old-fashioned fishing hole where you can grab a cane pole and go fishing for a while. Here you can also catch a boat to downtown Disney on the Sassagoula River that takes you past Port Orleans French Quarter, golf courses, the tree top villas, and other great Floridian scenery, can be very romantic at night. It really is a relaxing ride and a must do.

Sassagoula River boat ride to Downtown Disney

 The rooms in the alligator bayou will allow you to sleep up to 5 guest, there are two full size beds and a pull out trundle bed.  For those that like to exercise there is a nice recreation trail for jogging or you can even rent bikes for a ride. For a nice couples night out or family bonding experience you can have a nice dinner at Boatwright's Dining Hall a shipyard-themed casual restaurant with  Southern-style cuisine as well as American dishes permeated with the south. Once dinner is done you can hop a horse drawn carriage for a peaceful ride down the scenic Sassagoula River.

Views from the Sassagoula River.

Approaching Downtown Disney from the Sassagoula River.

 

Fulton's Crab House from the boat.

This place is truly our home when we stay at Walt Disney World, I would defiantly recommend any family try it to experience this wonderful resort.

The Weather and your Central Florida Vacation

Disclaimer: The suggestions in this blog posting are just that suggestions.You should always follow the Directions and Warnings given by Weather Professionals and Medical Professionals . 


Like it or not, weather can have profound impacts on your vacation. It can leave you with a blistering sunburn, soaking wet, cold, injured, or even killed. Knowing this, it is always important to watch the weather when you are on vacation. In just about every state there is the cliche saying, "If you don't like the weather in(insert location name here), wait 15 minutes and it will change." Knowing the location you are traveling to can give you a good idea on what to expect, but  Mother Nature loves to throw you a curve ball and it always seems to happen when you are on vacation.

The weather even has effects on Pooh's friends.

 
Here are some things to take into consideration when traveling to the theme parks in Central Florida.

Obey the signs, they are there for a reason.

• Florida is the Lightning Strike Capitol of the United States. While the number fluctuate every year, the numbers are the usually the highest in Florida for people struck by lighting. On our 2011 trip in August, we were across the street at SeaWorld when 8 people were injured at Discovery Cove by a Lightning strike. These people were "lucky" they weren't killed, but less than a month later at Adventure Island in Tampa, an employee evacuating a slide was killed by a lightning strike. Lightning is not something to mess with, so take cover when lightning is in the area.

• Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1st and ends November 30th. While these dates are significant, hurricanes can strike Florida before and after these dates, but if you are planning to travel to Central Florida during these times, make sure you check your Trip Insurance policy and your destination’s policy about their procedures dealing with Hurricanes. Here is Disney's Policy. If you happen to be in the area when a Hurricane strikes, don't be that guy thinking they can get the vacation videos or photos of a lifetime, leave that to the weather professionals and news stations. Follow instructions given to you by officials and most importantly stay safe.

Even though it's pouring, not the best time to hop in the pool.

• Tropical Storms and Tropical Depressions can be just as bad as a Hurricane. Tropical Storms are well-organized storms with tight rotation and low centralized pressure with measured wind speeds of at least 39 mph. Once it has reached this point, it is assigned a name. They can dump a lot of rain in a short span of time, trigger tornadoes and fierce lighting.

 
 

Storm Heading in over Contemporary from Poly's Dock.

• Pay close attention when watches and warnings are issued; The National Weather Service issue these watches and warnings when conditions are favorable for the development of storms that can produce Tornadoes, hail, damaging winds, and frequent lightning strikes. There are several apps for phones and tablets now available that allow you delayed radar information, this is one of the few reasons I agree with having one of these devices with you on your trip. Also remember just because you are familiar with how storms travel in your neck of the woods doesn't mean you can predict the direction of a storm or how quickly it is moving when you are at a theme park.

•  Just because it's cloudy and cool that doesn't mean you won't get sun-burnt. Always lather up with sun screen. I have been on trips where I have gotten a blistering sun tan, VERY painful. Bring along a hat and sunglasses as well. Hand held fans can be helpful and so can the little mist sprayers, but remember when you add water to your skin; it can magnify the sun rays causing severe burns or even wash away your sun screen, so make sure you continue to lather on the sun screen throughout the day.

 

Afternoon shower building and heading towards EPCOT

Storm about to unleash heavy rain and lightning at Riverside.

• In the spring, summer, and fall months plan for at least a thunderstorm every day. Sometimes they happen in late afternoon and are brief, but they can pack a wallop and bring torrential downpours when they strike. On our last trip, one evening we got 4 inches of rain within a half hour. The paths that formed the lines for the Tower of terror were literally small rivers. The storm formed nearly on top of the Disney property and came with little warning. The line for Tower of Terror was 20 minutes, when we got in line the skies were clear, by the time the doors opened on the drop shaft for our ride, the sky was so thick with rain you could not see more than 5 feet out of the tower. Even though we had planned for rain every day by having all our valuables in zip lock bags in our water proof back pack, I ended up losing my phone to the rain because it was in my pocket.  These storms do wonders for clearing out Theme Parks though. Remember Outdoor attractions will close in certain weather conditions. Some attractions will stay open if there is just light rain with no lightning, but remember riding a roller coaster in light rain may feel like you are getting a chemical peel from those rain drops.

See it does snow at Disney World

• It is going to be Hot and Humid. Plan on the heat because it can be very hot no matter what time of the year you travel. While the late fall and winter months can be very frigid and darn cold (it can snow and freeze iguanas out of the trees), it can be very warm also. With the warm comes high humidity. When these two combine it can aggravate health conditions (asthma, common colds, elderly, infants, and other ailments) so take a break in the heat the day. Make sure you are staying hydrated, find air conditioned retreats, and do more activities when it tends to be cooler like early morning or at night.

After the storms, some nice photo ops can happen

• The weather will cause travel problems. Just because it is sunny in Florida doesn't mean it won't affect your flights. Weather may delay or cancel flights into Central Florida. While a storm in New York, Chicago, Denver, or any major hub will cause hic-ups across the country. Foggy conditions in portions of Florida cause roads to be closed by  brush fires or thick fog.  Torrential downpours from storms can leave I-4 at a standstill. There is even what is called Florida Ice on the road that can happen in long dry periods. Roads can become very slippery as if you were driving on ice.

Remember you are on vacation and weather will be part of your vacation. There is plenty of indoor activities and rides that you can partake in during bad weather. Make sure you make the proper preparations for all types of weather, even for the sunny days.  Have fun, don't become a statistic. 

My Top 5 Central Florida Non-Roller Coaster Rides

My Top 5 Central Florida Non-Roller Coaster Rides

Disney and Universal really know how to immerse guest in ride experiences. They really excel in the dark ride genre.Their immersion for their rides comes in story lines, preshows(the detail put into the lines and waiting areas), and also in the technology that make their rides thrilling and appealing to all ages. These are the rides I feel are at the top of the game in all of central Florida and possibly across the United States.

5) Star Tours 2- The first trip was great, humorous and memorable. Now with multiple story lines and 3D, this ride has gone to a whole new level. Disney and George Lucas have done wonders with this re-imagined ride. The story lines are randomly chosen so it make re-riding this ride a must. The preshows areas are amazing and humorous with homages paid the original Star Tours. This is must for any Star Wars fan! Who am I kidding, you don't need to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy this journey.

MIB the ride at Universal Studios Orlando

4) Men In Black- This is a great interactive shooter ride. Universal Studios take the humor from the movies, adds a nice story line for theme park visitors, and sends riders shooting and spinning through town under siege. Everyone emerges as a hero with fun and surprise awaiting you around every corner.   Men in Black will beckon you to re-ride and best your last score or see what you missed and make your opponent's car spin. There as scenes and characters from the movie in the preshow line, including the worms. While some may argue that Toy Story Mania is better, Men in Black has more depth and discovery than Toy Story Mania. Suit up and see if you have what it takes to Save the city.



3) Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. It's a classic dark ride combined with drop ride. It may not have the towering heights that some drop towers have, but it sure to give you plenty of air time and different drop sequences, something those other towers can't do. Themeing of this ride is by far one of Disney's best in all of the parks. There are great visual effects and I just love when the star field opens and the dropping and lifting begins. Be sure to try the penny trick.(Drop me a line and I will let you in it.)

What's up with that guy in the center...oh wait that's me.

Have fun storming the castle!

2) Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey- It's Harry Potter goodness and an over all great experience. To take it all in you need to ride it several times. I recommend sitting on the far right hand side, that is if you like dragon breath. The one flaw I see in this ride is that  you do have the same story over and over and over again. This is something Disney has been able to out do Universal with when Star Tours 2 opened. That doesn't make this a horrible ride, it is by far one of the most interesting and fun rides out there. Make sure you look closely at the mist from the Dementor, you will see your own face. Oh if your afraid of spiders, you might want to skip this ride. The line is very entertaining as well. Since the line moves at different rates, you may not get to see all of the stories or spells that are cast. For example, once in the room where you meet Harry and gang, it started snowing and other times we got to see some interesting happenings from the paintings that are hung through out the line.

1)The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man- This ride just got a digital upgrade(which I won't be able to experience until the fall) and is getting rave reviews! This ride was getting rave reviews even before the digital upgrades. Harry Potter may be the new kid in town, but this ride in my opinion offers a more multi-sensory trip. This ride can leave you disoriented,feeling toasty from real flames, and allow you to battle side by side with Spider-Man against some of Marvels most fearsome Villains like Doc Oct and Venom. Universal has a winner on their hand here!




The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man has a big brother and technology upgrade out there that just opened up out in California. Transformers:The Ride. Ride reviews have been phenomenal about this new version of the Spiderman ride as Transformers. Maybe someday it will show up at Universal Orlando?


What are you favorite Dark Rides? Who do you think has the better rides?

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