{GIVEAWAY} Happy 5th Anniversary Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW!!

I know what you're thinking - another giveaway?? Well it is Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW's 5 year blog anniversary and what better way to celebrate than giving away THREE prizes! It's sort of a Disney blogger giveaway party over here. Sarah wrote a great blog post recapping the last 5 years of her journey and you must go read it. The giveaway runs from August 1 - August 31 so you have plenty of time to enter and have all your friends enter.

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{NEW DISCOUNT} Save up to 30% this Fall at Walt Disney World Resorts!

Disney released a new room-only discount today! This offer is VERY limited in regards to available dates and rooms so contact me today for a quote! LaurenKennedy@GlassSlipperConcierge.com or follow the "Requst a Quote" tab at the top of my blog. 

Travel Dates:  October 4 - November 25 AND November 29 - December 23, 2014

Save up to 30% off on a room only reservation at most Walt Disney World resort hotels. 

Savings Breakdown

October 4-19, November 8-15, November 29 - December 6

• Save 30% at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge - Standard/Pool View Rooms, Polynesian Resort.
• Save 25% at Disney's Beach Club Villas, Beach Club Resort, Boardwalk Villas, Boardwalk Inn, Old Key West Resort, Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Wilderness Lodge, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Yacht Club Resort.
• Save 15% at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House, Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village, Animal Kingdom Lodge - Savanna View/Club Level Rooms, Contemporary Resort

October 20- November 6, November 16-25, December 7 - 23

• Save 30% at Disney's Beach Club Villas, Beach Club Resort, Boardwalk Villas, Boardwalk Resort, Old Key West Resort, Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge - Standard/Pool View Rooms, Polynesian Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Yacht Club Resort.
• Save 20% at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House, Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village, Animal Kingdom Lodge - Savanna View/Club Level Rooms, Contemporary Resort.

October 4 - November 25, November 28 - December 6

• Save 20% at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Coronado Springs Resort, The Cabin's at Fort Wilderness Resort, Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter, Port Orleans Resosrt - Riverside.
• Save 15% at Disney's All-Star Movies Resort, All-Star Music Resort, All-Star Sports Resort, Pop Century Resort, Art of Animation Resort - Family Suites Only.

Fine Print

• Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than two adults per room.
• The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. 
• Length of stay requirements may apply.
• No group rates or other discounts apply.
• Advance reservations required.
• Offer exculdes Disney's Art of Animation Little Mermaid Standard Room, The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Campsites and 3-Bedroom Villas.

This offer must be booked by October 3, 2014

{GIVEAWAY} $75 Disney Gift Card AND Favorite Prince/Princess Shirt

It's giveaway time! I've partnered up with Disney with Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers and other amazing bloggers and we are giving away a $75 Disney Gift Card AND a Favorite Prince/Princess shirt from Behind the Mouse. You know how this works! Go to the rafflecopter in this blog post and start earning your entries! The winner must be 18+ and a resident of The United States. The contest ends July 30th so be sure to share with all your Disney loving friends before then.

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The Disney Cruise Line® Difference

Disney Cruise Line has one distinct advantage over other cruise lines - it’s owned by Disney! It’s no secret that Disney thrives when it comes to customer service and it’s no different on a Disney cruise. Customer service is just one of the many reasons you should choose Disney Cruise Line for your next cruise vacation. Let’s talk about some reasons why Disney knows how to cruise.

Staterooms

Disney does have some of the largest staterooms than other cruise lines but I think the major difference is in the layout. All staterooms have a couch and desk that can be separated by a curtain from the main bed. This is great for families as it creates some separation from the kids area and the adult area in the room.

Another great feature is the split baths. All staterooms except the Standard Inside rooms have split baths. There is one bathroom with the toilet and a sink and another bathroom with the shower and a sink. Also note that there are bathtubs in all staterooms though the size of the tub ranges.

The inside staterooms on the Fantasy and Dream have an extra sprinkle of Disney magic - a magical porthole with real-time views of the sea and virtual sightings of animated Disney characters.

If you want another step up in luxury and customer service try a concierge suite! Stay tuned for a separate blog post on the benefits of booking concierge with Disney Cruise Line.

Disney Quality Entertainment

Another thing I think we can all agree on is Disney knows how to entertain. The nightly shows onboard are truly Broadway quality and entertaining for all ages. They are a highlight of every cruise!

In addition to the nightly shows each ship boasts a movie theater showing recently in theater movies (along with some Disney classics mixed in). That’s right - you can go to the movies for no additional cost! Often if a new Disney movie is released while you are cruising they will show that movie in the main theater which can be a lot of fun. They even show movies in 3D!

Rotational Dining

Disney Cruise Line does dining a little bit different. There are three main restaurants on each ship. During your cruise you will rotate between the three and your wait staff will come along with you! Each ship has different restaurants but one on all three is Animator’s Palate where you get dinner and a show.

Enchanted Garden on the Fantasy

Royal Court on the Fantasy

Animator's Palate on the Fantasy

Disney Characters

Every day there will be a number of scheduled character meet and greets. Check your navigator for times and locations. The number of characters you can meet on a Disney cruise is very impressive. One of my favorite things is to watch the interaction between the princesses and the little kids. It’s truly magical to see a little girl hug and chat with her favorite Disney princess.

Amazing Kids Clubs

If your child is 3 years or older they can spend time at one of the spectacular kids’ clubs onboard - for FREE! Kids ages 3 through 12 can go to the Oceaneer Lab or Oceaneer Club. They can play in Andy’s room, perform on stage, participate in crafts and other supervised activities.

Preteens, ages 11 through 14, can head to Edge - a loft style lounge. Daily there are scheduled activities such as improv!

Teens, ages 14 through 17 have Vibe to hang out (with a little supervision to put Mom and Dad at ease). Vibe also has scheduled activities such as karaoke and on the Dream and Fantasy teens even have their own sundeck and “splash” pool!

For the infants through 2 year olds there is the nursery. The cost is $9 per hour for the first child and $8 per hour for the second child in the family. Advanced reservations can be made and you must cancel any reservation at least 4 hours before to avoid a cancellation fee.

Adult Only Areas and Dining

Disney does not forget about the adults! There are many adult only areas onboard including pools, lounges and restaurants. One of my favorite adult only areas onboard the Fantasy is Satellite Falls. I could sit up there all day long!

The two adult-only restaurants, Palo and Remy, are an additional charge but absolutely worth it. You will find some of the best food Disney has to offer at these restaurants. Advanced reservations are recommended, especially for the brunch at Palo, as they do book very quickly. Note that Remy is only onboard the Dream and the Fantasy while Palo is on all four ships.

Remy onboard the Fantasy

Palo onboard the Fantasy

There are many reasons Disney stands out among the cruise line options. You really cannot go wrong when choosing Disney Cruise Line. For 2015 Disney has added some amazing itineraries including Norway, Hawaii and the Mexican Riviera. Add that to the already great destinations like Alaska, Europe, Bahamas and Caribbean and the biggest problem when choosing a Disney Cruise Line vacation is deciding which itinerary! 

{DISCOUNT} Disney Visa Card Holders - FREE Dining

Great news today! Free dining has been announced for select dates in September, October, November and December 2014! Currently this offer is only available to Disney VISA Cardholders (with immediate deposit required on a Disney VISA). 

What will you get?

Value Resort guests will get free Quick Service Disney Dining Plan.

Moderate and Deluxe Resorts will get free Plus Disney Dining. 

Guests can upgrade to a higher level of Dining Plan by paying the difference. 

Number of rooms allocated for this discount are extremely limited. 

Travel Dates

August 31 - October 3

October 26 - November 1

November 9 - November 20

December 12 - December 23

*As long as your vacation dates begin during one of these windows you will get Free Dining through your entire stay. 

Excluded Resorts

All-Star Movies, Art of Animation Little Mermaid Rooms, Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, Grand Floridian Villas, Fort Wilderness Campsites and all 3-Bedroom Villas. 

Other details

You must book a minimum stay of 3 nights and also purchase at least a 2-day Magic Your Way ticket. 

Room Discount Too!

Disney also released a room only discount for travel dates August 16 - October 3. Visa cardholders can save up to 30% off on rooms at select Walt Disney World resorts. For more information on this discount head to the Walt Disney World Discounts page here on my blog.

Is FREE Dining right for you?

Free Dining is a very popular and highly anticipated discount. That does not mean it is always the best deal for your family. It cannot be combined with other offers. If you book your vacation with me I will price check every offer available during your vacation dates to ensure you are getting the best price possible - whether that is free dining or not!

Not a Disney VISA Card holder? Contact me today to get on my list for when this offer goes public May 7th. I will be spending that day making sure all my current clients get the best price possible for their vacation! 

LaurenKennedy@GlassSlipperConcierge.com 

Happy 25th Anniversary Disney's Hollywood Studios!

Today marks the 25th anniversary of Disney's Hollywood Studios. When you step into Disney's third park you are transported back to Hollywood's golden age of glitz and glamour. You'll run into the citizens of Hollywood while you stroll down the boulevards - and they can be quite entertaining! 

Appropriately, Hollywood Studios is full of some amazing shows but that doesn't mean it lacks good rides. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror are two of the better thrill rides in Disney Parks. Let's celebrate Disney's Hollywood Studios' 25th anniversary with some fun facts! 

*Disney's Hollywood Studios is about 135 acres in size.

*Hollywood Studios was originally planned as a movie Pavilion at EPCOT.

*The original name of the park was Disney - MGM Studios.

*The name was changed to Disney's Hollywood Studios on January 7, 2008. 

*The Earful Tower was the original icon of MGM Studios. It can be found in the backlot area of the park.

*The current icon - the Socerer Mickey Hat - was added in October 2001 as part of the 100 Years of Magic Celebration.

*Mickey would have to be 350 feet tall to wear the socerer hat. 

*Rock 'n' Roller Coaster goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds.

*When Tower of Terror was built it was struck by lightning.

*The lagoon where Fantasmic takes place is only 1.5 feet deep!

*The other half of the plane in The Great Movie Ride can be found on The Jungle Cruise at the Magic Kingdom.

*The names you see on the windows on the Streets of America are those of the Imagineers who designed Hollywood Studios.

Michael Eisner's dedication sums up Disney's Hollywood Studios perfectly:

"The world you have entered was created by The Walt Disney Company and is dedicated to Hollywood - not a place on a map, but a state of mind that exists whenever people dream and wonder and imagine. A place where illusion and reality are fused by technological magic. We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was - and always will be."

Here are a few of my favorite photos I have taken at Disney's Hollywood Studios:

Remy Featuring Pompidou’s Patisseries Dessert Experience {Disney Cruise Line}

Disney Cruise Line has announced a very excited new adult-only dining experience at Remy on board the Disney Fantasy! If you love dessert this is definitely for you. 

"Remy Featuring Pompidou's Patisseries Dessert Experience", named after the dessert chef in Disney Pixar's film Ratatouille, features a 5-course dessert menu, coffee or tea, a complimentary adult beverage (for guests 21-years or older)  and an in-depth discussion with the Executive Chef and Executive Pastry Chef of Remy. As each dessert is presented, they'll explain the history and evolution of the dessert. 

The Remy Dessert Experience is $50 per person and is available on sailings 4 nights or longer during days at sea. 

During my recent Agent Education Program I got the chance to tour the Fantasy. While we were touring Remy, Executive Chef Patrick Albert came out and chatted with us for a few minutes. He is full of so much knowledge and a very warm-hearted person. You will not be disappointed if you choose to take part in the Remy Dessert Experience! 

Executive Chef Patrick Albert (Remy, Disney Fantasy)