Feb 27 2019

New IllumiNations Dining Package Now At Epcot

With so many changes at Walt Disney World over the last few months and years, it’s always difficult to say good-bye to a nostalgic favorite, but that’s what we’ll all have to do later this year when we bid farewell to IllumiNations. If you are planning on catching the nighttime spectacular at Epcot one last time before it ends its run, you might want to consider the new offering from Disney – The IllumiNations Dining Package.

With this package currently being offered now through late summer, you can enjoy a delicious dinner while seated at the lagoon-side patio of Rose & Crown as you take in the mesmerizing show.

Guests will dine on a prix fixe menu that includes favorite Rose & Crown dishes as well as unlimited alcoholic beverages for the over 21 crowd (valid ID required). The meal begins with your choice of a Scotch Egg or the United Kingdom Cheese Platter, followed by entrees including Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips, Corned Beef and Cabbage, or Pan-roasted Scottish Salmon, and for dessert, a tasty trio featuring Sticky Toffee Pudding, Chocolate Nougat Bar, and English Trifle. The children’s menu starts off with a choice of soup or salad, followed by their choice of Fish and Chips, Cheesy Pasta, Cheese and Turkey Flatbread or Meatball Pasta, and wraps up a choice of English Trifle or fruit salad.

Pricing is $85 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $35 per child (ages 3 to 9), with tax and gratuity included. For more information or to make a reservation, call 407-939-3463 or click here.

Important Policy Information For The IllumiNations Dining Package, Courtesy of Disney:

Epcot park admission is required and is not included in the price of the IllumiNations Dining Package.
Dining plan entitlements may not be redeemed for this offering.
Check-in begins at 8:00 PM—60 minutes prior to the show. This dining experience will last approximately 90 minutes, ending when the show ends.
Advance reservations are highly recommended and can be made up to 180 days prior to your visit.
On rare occasions, evening entertainment may be rescheduled or canceled. Please consult the entertainment schedule or call (407) 939-3463 at least 2 weeks prior to arrival to reconfirm showtime. Guests under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian permission to call.
It is highly recommended that Guests check the schedule again upon arrival at Epcot.
The venue is uncovered and outdoors. In the event of inclement weather, this experience will take place in a covered area outdoors.
All menu items are subject to change and the experience may be changed or canceled without prior notice.
Guests must be at least 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages. Please keep a valid form of identification on hand at all times to verify your age.
Guests who do not cancel their reservation within 48 hours of the event will forfeit the entire price of the dining package.

Heading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Check out my UPDATED book 501 Ways to Make the Most of Your Walt Disney World Vacation for secret insider tips and tricks that you won’t find anywhere else!
View the latest Disney World discounts currently available!
Guarantee the best vacation price by clicking here for more information!

Will you be seeing IllumiNations before it ends later this year?
Please leave a comment!

Feb 25 2019

Helpful Information For Your August 2019 Disney World Vacation

So you are planning a vacation to Disney World in August 2019?
August is a wonderful time to visit Walt Disney World!

Weather

The weather in Disney World during August is hot and rainy. The average high is about 92 degrees, the average low is about 73 degrees and the average rainfall is about 7.71 inches. You can expect some rain most afternoons or evenings, so be sure to bring your poncho!

Crowds

The crowds in August are moderate at the beginning of the month as families enjoy vacationing during the last few weeks of summer break. By the end of the month, the crowds drop off dramatically as kids head back to school.

August 1 – August 3
Average Crowd Level 5.0 out of 10
August 4 – August 10
Average Crowd Level 5.7 out of 10
August 11 – August 17
Average Crowd Level 4.9 out of 10
August 18 – August 24
Average Crowd Level 3.7 out of 10
August 25 – August 31
Average Crowd Level 1.7 out of 10

Park Hours

Magic Kingdom
Open most days from 9am – 9pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)
Epcot
Open most days from 9am – 9pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)
Hollywood Studios
Open most days from 9am – 9pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)
Animal Kingdom
Open most days from 9am – 9pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)

For specific hours on each day during August, please click this link. Remember that park hours are subject to change and are often adjusted two weeks prior.

Events

On Thursday and Saturday evenings during the summer, Disney will be throwing a glowing pool party at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.

On select nights beginning in August, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will be held at Magic Kingdom. This party is a lively, light-hearted, family friendly event. There are special parades, exciting dance parties, stunning fireworks and tons of trick-or-treating stations filled with candy for everyone! Adults and children alike really get into the spirit of the event by dressing in costume, trick-or-treating and dancing the night away with all of the characters.

Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival will begin late August. Last year’s festival featured 197 chefs and included more than 35 food and beverage marketplaces scattered around World Showcase, signature dining experiences, food and beverage demonstrations and music concerts.

Refurbishments

Periodically throughout the year, Disney closes attractions for refurbishments and enhancements. Here are the currently scheduled closures during August (subject to change without notice):

Magic Kingdom
Tron Themed Attraction: Opening in 2021

Epcot
Guardians of the Galaxy Themed Attraction: Opening in 2021
Ratatouille Attraction: Opening in 2021
Space Themed Table Service Restaurant: TBD

Hollywood Studios
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: Opening in 2019
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: Opening Late Fall 2019

Animal Kingdom
No Scheduled Refurbishments At This Time

Water Parks
No Scheduled Refurbishments At This Time

Disney Springs
No Scheduled Refurbishments At This Time

Planning Tips

If you are traveling to Disney World in August 2019, your planning is probably well under way at this point. Here’s a checklist to make sure you are on track:

Make sure you have created your My Disney Experience account. If you haven’t, click here to sign up now.
If you haven’t already made your dining reservations, be sure to make them now by clicking here.
If you are staying on site, be sure to customize your MagicBand on your My Disney Experience account by picking the color and adding your name. And if you really want to make your MagicBand special, personalize it with your own custom designed MagicBand Skin from Magic YOUR Band. Click here to get started!
Now is a great time to research what attractions you and your family would like to see at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Because Walt Disney World is so large, it is very difficult to see everything during one trip, so be sure to get everyone’s top priorities. This is also a great time to begin looking at menus for counter service restaurants so that you have an idea of which locations serve foods that your entire family will enjoy.
Whether you are staying on site or off-property, be sure to purchase your admission tickets and link them to your My Disney Experience account.
Once your tickets are linked and at exactly 60 days in advance of your check in date (7am EST time) if you are staying on site or 30 days in advance for all other guests, login to your My Disney Experience account and book your Fastpass+ reservations.
If you are staying on site, be sure to check in online at 60 days out from your arrival date.
Double check your flight times and if you will be using Disney’s Magical Express for your airport transportation make your reservation at least 60 days in advance by clicking here.
It’s never too early to start creating a packing list so that you don’t forget anything.
Need more help planning? Please check out my UPDATED book 501 Ways to Make the Most of Your Walt Disney World Vacation, for hundreds of insider tips and secrets for having the most magical Disney World vacation possible!

Special Offers

If you haven’t already made your August 2019 reservations, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save money:

View the latest Disney World discounts currently available!
Guarantee the best vacation price by clicking here for more information!

Join The Fun

Disney Vacation Planner Jennifer Hardy and I have teamed up to create a new Facebook Group called Next Disney Vacation! It is the perfect place to talk about your next Disney vacation, ask your questions, get them answered, and share the magic. Everyday you’ll find posts, photos, trivia, tips, and more that we find all throughout the Disney Universe. If you’re counting the days until your next Disney vacation or just dreaming of one, we would love to have you join in the fun! Please click here to be a part of our group!

Have a magical vacation!

Feb 24 2019

Disney World Enthusiast Weekly Round Up February 24, 2019

Here’s the Disney World Enthusiast Weekly Round Up for February 24, 2019!

Latest Disney World Enthusiast Articles

Tip Of The Week

If you are visiting Magic Kingdom when the park is open late, you’ll be happy to know that the crowd level drops dramatically after the fireworks. Many guests choose to leave after the show to try to beat the lines for transportation that will form once the park closes. You can take advantage of this extra hour or so to ride some of the more popular attractions that normally have lengthy waits. During one of my recent visits on a crowd level 10 day, my kids and I were able to walk right on Space Mountain at one in the morning!

Looking for more tips like this? Click here!

Disney Did You Know

It took a team of 20 artists to carve approximately 320 animals into the Tree of Life.

Walt’s Words

“When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.”

Featured Advertiser

Create your own unique look with a personalized Disney MagicBand Skin. Magic YOUR Band has a range of designs to choose from that you can use as-is or customize with your own text. And if you want to take it to the next level, you can even upload your own photos or images to fully personalize, customize, and decorate your MagicBand. With great discounts for multi-buys, why not create one for the whole family? For more information or to start customizing your own Magic YOUR Band Skin now, please click here.

Featured Book

UPDATED! The difference between an average and an outstanding Walt Disney World trip is in the details. Kristi Fredericks helps make your dream vacation a reality with her numerous tips and tricks to save money, time, and sanity while at the happiest place on earth in her new book “501 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Walt Disney World Vacation”. For more information, to read an excerpt, or to purchase, please click here.

Considering A Disney World Vacation

Jennifer Hardy, a Disney Vacation Planner with Destinations in Florida, is the official travel partner of Disney World Enthusiast. She can help you book your next Disney vacation whether it is to Disney World, Disneyland, or aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Currently Jennifer has some incredible deals for discounted travel to Walt Disney World. For more information about Jennifer’s amazing and absolutely free services or to get a free no-obligation quote, please click here!

You’re Invited

Jennifer Hardy, from Destinations in Florida, and I have teamed up to create a brand new Facebook Group called Next Disney Vacation! It is the perfect place to talk about your next Disney vacation, voice your opinions, ask your questions, get them answered, and share the magic. Whether it’s Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, or the Disney Cruise Line, Jennifer and I are ready to help. Everyday you’ll find posts, photos, trivia, tips, and more that we find all throughout the Disney Universe. If you’re counting the days until your next Disney vacation or just dreaming of one, we would love to have you join in the fun and conversation! Please click here to be a part of our group!

Coming Up Next Week

Next week I’ll have some planning information plus all of the latest Disney World news!

Have a wonderful week!

Feb 22 2019

Disney H2O Glow Nights At Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon In 2019

Great news for fans of water parks and beach parties…returning to Typhoon Lagoon for summer 2019 are Disney H2O Glow Nights! Here’s everything you need to know about this ultimate summer celebration, courtesy of Disney:

Experience the ultimate glow party at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park. Join Rex “The Dinosaur of Ceremonies” and his Toy Story pals when special lighting and entertainment turns this watery world into an electrifying nighttime celebration.

Event Highlights

DJ Dance Party: Groove to tunes on the sandy beaches by the Surf Pool.
Toy Story Pals: Look out for Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and Jessie.
Glowing Backdrops: Delight in the lit-up scenery that surrounds you.
Unique Food and Souvenirs: Treat yourself to a tempting array of limited-time specialty-themed bites, drinks, and souvenirs available for purchase.
Adults Only Area: Special area just for adult party-goers dubbed The Wharf – featuring entertainment and a bar with refreshing libations available for purchase (ages 21 and older).
Attraction Access: Enjoy access to all of Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park attractions with shorter wait times.
Special Glow: Upon arrival, receive a unique Glow wristband especially themed for the event.

Dates

Every Thursday and Saturday from May 30 through August 24, 2019 – except for June 20.

May 30, 2019
June 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 22, 27 and 29, 2019
July 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25 and 27, 2019
August 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22 and 24, 2019

Times

8:00pm to 11:00pm (Guests with event tickets may arrive early, beginning at 6:00pm)

Tickets

Tickets are on sale now by calling 407-939-1872, or by ordering online. Buy your tickets early and save, as advance tickets are $59 for adults (plus tax) and $54 for children ages 3-9 (plus tax). On event days, tickets are $69 for adults (plus tax) and $64 for children (plus tax).