Dining Plan Treats & Travel Agents

Frequently we get asked "Why do you go through a travel agent?" Since 1998 we have been to Walt Disney World about every other year. We like to keep up with Disney's Blog and see what new and exciting things they are adding. There are times when we have questions about something and not able to locate the information or the calling Disney directly they don't have an answer. This is where your travel agent comes in handy. The great thing about using our local Disney representative here in the Mid Ohio Valley is she is always on the look also. Our travel agent Kim Walters at US Travel & Tours 304-485-8687. Not only does Kim have first hand experience traveling to Disney with her family of 6 she has additional access to information that we the public can't access. The other benefit of using the travel agent, they have feed back from recent families that have recent experince first hand with feed back. With the new wrist band items rolling out, she had a family that was able to be a trial family for the new technology. Travel agents are not limited to Walt Disney World Florida, they have first hand feed back on all the other locations and experiences that Disney offers. Her clients, take the cruises, travel to Disney featured properties and other hotels on Disney property. Give her a call! Something we learned about the Dining plan through are travel agent was a snack is not limited to the hotel or a snack cart. Making the most of your snack is important. The first year, we stuck to getting fresh fruit, soy milk, water, pop or frozen treat. Yes you can alos pick up popcorn and other micellaneous items. Don't stop there when your in the Magical Kingdom, be sure to stop by The Lunching Pad. This little snack shack has tons of options. Not really hungry? Not really thirty? Grab one of their wonderful smoothies, which are made with real fruit, juices and ice. Very tasty treat for the little ones who don't handle dairy as well. Stop by Casey's corner and get a pretzel. Shopping and have a sweet tooth? Most of Disney's merchandise locations have rice krispie treats or lollipop instead of getting something less dersirable. Are you exploring the worlds at Epcot? Stop by Cantina de San Angel for a drink and some chips and salsa. Although these are listed on the dining plan, be sure to always ask a cast member if you are unsure. Disney does a pretty good job of marking them, however the snacks are not advertised very well through out the parks or online and people feel limited to what they can purchase. Don't feel limited, be sure to explore and if ever your unsure just ask! Signing off- MOV Mouse Mom

My Disney Experience App

My family is 21 days and counting away from our next Disney adventure. The whole family is excited! We have another family joining us, making us a party of 9. A friend who is going to Disney over Spring break, brought up some questions over lunch last weekend. "How will I know what to do in the park?" I suggested that she downloaded the new My Disney Experience Application to her Iphone. This app is free and can be downloaded at any of the app stores. I explained to her this is the easiest mobile way to keep things on track and what is happening in the park. She is a mother of twin boys age 6 and a little princess age 2. She also has another family going with her, another family of 5. They have children ranging from 18 years of age down to age 3. This was my reccommendation to her: After downloading the application, login with your Disneyworld account information. (This is the information that you log into on the Walt Disney World site to price vacations and glance around the park information. After logging into the "My Disney Experience" slide over one screen to the right and use the Full Time Guide for the park of your choice. This allows you to know where all the meet and greets are being held and what time they will be arriving. We all have been victim of walking around the park and next thing you see it that one special character. You look around and there is already a line a mile long, leaves you wondering if it is worth it to stand there with the children. Fret no more! This mobile app tells you where the specific character is going to be and when they are arriving at that location. What a wonderful feature so you get, yet another special moment with your prince, princess or pirate. My additional advice to utilizing this feature, is request or print out a map of the parks online. Get familiar with it prior to your arrival. This will minimize confusion and allow you to have an idea of all the locations in the park for rides and meet and greets. Although you may have character dinners planned, the park offers so many more wonderful encounters. Where else can you walk among Davey Jones or rub elbows with Smee. Go ride the Magic Carpet ride and immediately visit with Aladdin and Princess Jasmine, in their "Whole New World". The list of additional characters goes on and on. Go expore your Whole New World! MOV-Mouse Mom

In the beginning.......

Hello and welcome to the Barnes-Disney-Family-Fun Blog. We have a lot of our friends come to us for advice, mixing it in with their own idea of what they want their trip to be. We feel very excited to help and listen throughout their planning process. In addition to that we reach out to friends too for advice and information. We have a couple of friends that are in the Vacation Club and another friends family that go just a frequent as us at different times. In 2000 we became husband and wife. Knowing that he was a fan of Disney, it was exciting to know our honeymoon for a week would be worry free at WDW. What a great time and I knew I was hooked. As our family expanded and we knew that we wanted to pass down the Disney tradition that my husband and his family had started. In 2005 we took our first trip with our child. In addition to that, we added Grandma, Grandpa, Uncles, Aunts and cousins. We had a party of 10. At the time Disney was considering parties of 8 or more a Grand Gathering. What a wonderful week we had! 2007 our family expanded again with another bundle of joy. We then started planning another family vacation. This time around 3 friends,6 other family members and our family of 4. (We try to think more the merrier.) Again planning was a little tricky with the larger group, but it was fun for everyone in our trip of 2009. Throughout the years we have made it to Walt Disney World in Florida about every other year. Each year there is something new to us, which makes it fun! Throughout the years Disney keeps adding and we keep learning and creating new adventures. I am going to try and post once a week something new that Disney has put out there. Currently Disney is gearing up to launch the My Disney Experience App and Fastpass +. Please feel free to add information, the more that we share the easier it is for everyone to make thier WDW experience more pleasurable. I look forward to your comments and thanks for stopping by! See ya real soon! MOV- Mouse Mom