Google maps new feature allows you to get street views. One of the areas recently added was Walt Disney World. Click on any of the blue lines for the street view.

This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Google Maps and Disney World Street View

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Almost every parent who has been to Walt Disney World has had a “magical day” go wrong and turn into a “meltdown day”. Maybe it was the hot sun of July or August, the snail like pace of the line on Dumbo, or one too many verses from “it’s a small world”, but the spot I’ve seen it happen most often is Fantasyland.

The trick to successfully going through Fantasyland, or any of Disney’s parks, is to have a plan, and to use fastpass to your advantage. On my most recent trip to Disney World I used this plan successfully on two days, over the Memorial Day weekend, so unless you go during Christmas or Easter you shouldn’t have a problem getting it to work for you.

First off you’ll need to be in the park between 9:00AM and 9:30AM. When I say in the park I mean on Main Street, not on the monorail or ferry, not parking your white mini-van in Goofy aisle 53, and not sleeping in because gosh-darn it yore on vacation. As soon as you can go directly to Fantasyland, your first two rides will be It’s a Small World and Peter Pan, the order doesn’t really matter. After those two rides, head towards Dumbo in Fantasyland. At this point you’ll need to split up, one parent should take the kids and get on the line for Dumbo, The other parent will take all of the tickets over to Winnie the Pooh, and get fastpasses for everyone. You’ll need to resist the temptation to get on the ride now, you will be rewarded later. At this time of the day your fastpass should give you a ride time between 30 to 60 minutes after the current time. If you look at the picture you’ll see the fastpass was issued at 9:25 and the ride time is between 10:05 and 11:05. You should also notice the time down at the bottom that says you’ll be able to get another fastpass after 10:10, this is crucial. Go back and join your party waiting on line at the Dumbo ride. If any of your children are girls (I have two) chances are they will want to see Ariel, so get on line after Dumbo. If you haven taken a bio break this is good spot, as the bathroom is right next to Arils Grotto. You’ll need to do a time check at this point. It should be after 10:05 but you should still have enough time to ride the carousel before 11:05 (when your fastpass expires). Before you leave the area you’ll want to get a second set of fastpasses, this time for Mickey Philharmagic.

This is a key trick to maximizing your Disney Vacation, getting two fastpasses, whenever possible. Now you want to use your fastpasses, for the Winnie the Pooh ride. After Winnie the Pooh you want to head over to Mad Hatter’s Tea Cup Ride. This line can be fairly slow moving on busy days. After the tea cups it’s over to Snow White’s Scary Adventure. You’ll need to check the wait time and compare it to the fastpasses you still have for Philharmagic. If you have enough time go on Snow White then Philharmagic then do, otherwise go on Philharmagic first, then Snow White. I used this plan on two consecutive days and finished between 12:30 and 1:00 on both days.

You should be pretty tired and kind of hungry by now, so head on over to Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café for lunch and well deserved rest.

This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Fantasyland in 4 Hours or Less

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The is Disney Channel is making a big push with a newly updated version of DisneyChannelGames.com, so if you have some kids in you house be sure to swing by and check it out

This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

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Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida currently has four value rated resorts on their property. These resorts cater to Disney family travelers and offer the same park benefits (such as Extra Magic Hours, free bus transportation services) as any other Disney resort. If you are traveling to Walt Disney World on a budget and want to experience a Disney resort – these value properties are great finds. Although the room features and layouts of the four Disney value properties are, for the most part, the same, the theme of each is quite different.

All Star Movies – This resort hosts over 1900 rooms and was the third hotel built in the All Star Complex. The buildings are designed to reflect some of Disney’s most popular movies, including Fantasia and Toy Story. Each room is 260 square feet in size (not exactly what you would call roomy), but considering the rates start at under $100 per night – you are getting a Disney deal. Each room is very brightly decorated with heavy movie theming. Floor rugs are covered with stars, lighting is shaped as stars and bed comforters even reflect Disney movies! Two pools are on the property plus a small kiddie pool/splash area. Dining is available in food court. Overall, a very clean and adequate hotel for a short Disney stay. If you are traveling with children they will love the overall look and theme of this resort. Travelers looking for a quite hotel – this is not the place for you (with the same going for any value resort on the Disney property).

All Star Music – This resort is the same overall size as the All Star Movies resort, with rooms being the same size as well (260 square feet). The basic different is the theme of the resort. Here you will find the decor to focus on music, with themes like Jazz and Calypso. Music is detailed throughout from the lobby/check-in area to the mail pool (with a piano theme). Again this value resort only has dining in a food court area (no full service restaurants).

All Star Sports – Also located in the All Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resorts this value location has the same number of rooms as the other two (1920 rooms). Room layouts and hotel services are the same as the others. Only the overall theming and room decor are different. Rooms, pool areas, check in area, and shops are all themed in sports. Dining only in the food court area – no other dining options.

Pop Century – The newest value resort at Walt Disney World brings its guests back to legendary times of the 1950 through the 1990. Building decorations at the resort include oversized rubik cubes, walkmans – and a computer pool. Rooms are valued size standard of 260 square feet. Resort includes multiple pool areas and a kiddie pool/splash section. Food courts are the only dining option, no sit down/full service eating available.

Tags: walt+disney+world, disney+world, wdw, disney, travel

This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Walt Disney World Value Resorts

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Now that it’s September and people are starting to prepare for the fall season, do you know what it’s the perfect time to do … Go on vacation Disney World! That’s right Disney World, savvy travelers and Disney fans know that you can get great hotel discounts, and get on more rides with shorter lines by traveling during the off season. Want to learn more secrets check out our 25 tips that will save you time and money on your Disney World Vacation listed below:

1. Know when to go – you will get to do and see much more of Walt Disney World if you travel during the “off season”. If you can travel in January, September, or October you will be visiting during the least crowded times. Hotel prices, airfares and many entertainment options in Orlando are greatly reduced (including rooms on site at Walt Disney World).

2. Plan in advance – decide which parks you wish to visit and how many days you wish to tour. Develop a general idea of how you want your spend your time in Orlando. Once you do this you will be able to book flights, hotel rooms and park tickets to cover you time on vacation. Last minute changes to your plans will cost you money.

3. Learn the layout – spend time reviewing each park you wish to visit. The sheer size of a park like Animal Kingdom is daunting, especially to first time visitors. If you are able to research the attractions in advance you will be able to spend your time enjoying the parks instead of trying to figure out what you want to see once you arrive at the Magic Kingdom, or any one of the four major Disney Parks.

4. Use FastPass – this Walt Disney World attraction system, allows park guests to avoid long lines on top attractions. FastPass is free to all park guests and allows you to return to an attraction during an assigned period of time and avoid the general attraction line. It is very easy to use and will definitely save you time in the parks.

5. Use FastPass Wisely – once you get the hang of the FastPass system you will find that there are ways to save even more time at the parks with FastPass. Two things to do with FastPass are – when you enter the park and race (okay, walk briskly) to your favorite attraction before you enter the general line, grab a FastPass for a return visit later on. If it is your favorite, you will want to ride more than once. Second tip on FastPass is grab a FastPass for an attraction before you sit down for dinner or before you sit and watch a parade. This way after you are done, your time will most likely be up for the wait and you can go right to your attraction.

6. Eat your meals at “off” times – when touring it is difficult to see an entire Disney park in one day, especially if you stop for sit down meals. A big time saver is to plan one meal at counter service (for fast food) and one sit down meal. You will save a lot of time if you are able to eat lunch early – 11am and dinner early 4pm or late 7pm or later.

7. Set a budget for souvenirs – the array of options for souvenirs is abundant, even overwhelming when visiting the theme parks. You will save money if you are able to develop and stick to a solid budget on spending. This is very important when traveling with children, who will want everything they see. At $0.51 a pressed penny is about as cheap as souvenirs get, a collection of 6 princess pennies will cost you $3.06 it doesn’t get much cheaper than that.

8. Park Ticket Options – research park ticket options before traveling to Orlando. Once you know how long you will be visiting Orlando and how many days you plan to spend at the parks, it will be easier to purchase the correct tickets. Disney offers many options on their passes from park hoppers, no expiration options, etc. Many people waste money on options they do not need. Others do not purchase the best tickets for their trip and wind up dissatisfied that they “waste” days on short days at the parks.

9. Research travel deals – the internet is a great source for finding the best pricing on airfare, hotels and rental cars. If you are thinking about a trip to Orlando, sign up for offers and discount deals with all rental car companies and airlines online. You will start receiving deals via email.

10. Snacks – Although Disney does have a policy on not allowing outside food and drinks into any theme park, they do understand guests will bring in small snack type items and bottled water. If you do not overdue it with the volume of items you are carrying in, you usually will not have a problem. It is especially important to bring snacks when traveling with small children, who will probably be off their normal schedule for eating times and will require quite a few snacks during the time you are visiting the park.

11. Park Maps and Times Guides – these are provided to you as you enter the park. They will help you greatly as you tour the parks. Consult the maps for locations of attractions, restrooms and restaurants. The Times Guide will detail what shows and parades are being performed that day. If you are looking forward to a certain performance you will want to schedule your day around it.

12. AAA/AARP – These organizations can help you save money when booking a vacation to Orlando. In addition to package deals on travel, they can get you discounts on hotel rooms and tickets.

13. Consider the Disney Dining Plan – this option is available to guests staying at a Walt Disney World hotel. It allows you to pay a set daily fee for your meals. The basic plan is about $35 per day for adults and includes one counter service meal, one sit down meal and one snack each day. Credits can be exchanged for high end restaurants or dinner shows (2 table service meals can be exchanged for the popular Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Show).

14. Find Free Things to Do – Although a visit to Orlando can certainly put a strain on any travel budget, the Walt Disney area does have many things to see and do that do not require a fee. All resorts on site are worth a visit, just to see the extensive theming and attention to detail – two favorites are Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge. The popular Boardwalk resort at Walt Disney World is a perfect location for a nighttime stroll. The Grand Floridian Resort has a breathtaking lobby where you can sit and enjoy music after a long day of touring the parks. Downtown Disney is another great place to spend time.

15. Annual Pass – consider purchasing an annual pass to the parks, if you are planning to visit more than once in a year. The cost of the pass pays for itself on your second visit (just time your trips to be within 12 months). Also having an annual pass will get you room discounts, in addition to discounts on shows, and park tours.

16. Know when to buy your tickets – avoid buying your tickets at the front gates to the parks. Buying in advance can save you money, as advanced tickets are discounted. It will also save you a lot of time, as you will have one less line to wait on!

17. Single Rider Option – one of the best kept secrets at the parks is that if you riding an attraction alone, or are willing to break up your party and ride as singles, you will not need to wait on general lines. Attractions such as Mission Space and Test Track have single rider lines that move much more quickly than general line.

18. Baby Swap – another great secret on avoiding extra time waiting on attraction lines is the Baby Swap. Families with small children can wait on line together, when boarding the attraction one parent stays off with children too young to ride. When they return, other parent swaps off and rides without any other wait time. This works great for families with both young and old children, as older child can ride with each parent – getting a two for one wait ride!

19. Bring your own sundries – you will need sunscreen, film, water bottles and other basic necessities. Whenever possible bring your own into the parks, it will save you time and money. If you cannot bring them from home, purchase locally in Orlando. Publix and Winn Dixie are conveniently located right outside the Walt Disney World resort area.

20. Save money on calls and internet – travel with your own cell phone – using the phone service in the hotels will cost you an arm and a leg. Also, if traveling with your laptop, research and bring a local dial up number to access.

21. Pace yourself – one of the biggest mistakes visitors make is trying to do too much when the visit the parks. Cramming too much into your day (especially if traveling with small children) will just upset your entire group. Avoid the temptation to cover ever inch of the parks, rather concentrate on what attractions and shows are on your “must see” list and take the time to enjoy them! Also, if you are spending several days at Disney work in a day for relaxing at the hotel pool – back to back days of park touring can burn even a seasoned traveler out.

22. Strollers & Car Seats – Bring your Own – If your child is small and will want to spend most of the day in the stroller (translation: Mommy, I don’t want to walk), then you should travel to Orlando with your own stroller. This will save you money on the daily rental fees and will enable you to have a stroller in places you need it most – the airport (Orlando International Airport is HUGE) and traveling into the theme parks – and more importantly out of the theme parks after a long, hot day. Also bringing your own car seat or booster seat saves you $7.00 per day that the rental car company will charge. It is easily checked with your luggage – and not difficult to travel with.

23. Meals – If you or your kids are not big eaters, you can ask for ala carte items at most counter restaurants. For kid’s meals, this works well when you have more than one child and may not want to order each a full meal. A child’s chicken nugget meal with fries and drink can be ordered with nuggets only (kids can share single order of fries). This saves you money and prevents wasting food.

24. Character Meals – Disney has many character dining experience that guest love, but are quite costly. If you are looking to save money, consider a lunch meal with the characters – this is cheaper than the dinner option and kids will still get to eat with their favorite Disney Princess.

25. Save Early – Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but if you are trying to save money it is a good place to save. Consider eating cereal, oatmeal or other items in your hotel room. This will save you money on eating breakfast out and will save time as you can travel directly to the parks and not have to stop for food. Buying food items locally and storing in your hotel room (even if you have to pay a daily fee to rent a refrigerator) is worth it.

Bonus Tip – Anyone can save time and money when traveling to Walt Disney World – and many people do. A valuable tip is to talk to people about their trips, whether it be with friends, neighbors or relatives. Search travel related websites where people post info and tips about their trips and experiences at Walt Disney World – the more you know about Walt Disney World – the better your trip will be!

Visit Travelocity for Discount Disney Vacation Packages

This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

25 Tips for Saving Time and Money at Walt Disney World

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When planning a vacation to Walt Disney World one of your first decisions to make is where to stay. When traveling to Orlando Florida, there is certainly no shortage of choices in regards to available hotels. In addition to Disney offering its own lodging choices, every major hotel chain is represented there. Every class of hotel; from low budget motel options to five star resort facilities are readily available.

With all these choices it becomes difficult for travelers to determine where to stay. Disney makes their options more appealing by adding features such as early entry to theme parks, free bus transportation and a variety of resorts in all different price classes.Disney’s hotel range from the value level (such as All Stars, All Sports) to moderate level resorts (Caribbean Beach, Dixie Landing) to Deluxe Resorts (Contemporary and Polynesian). Another benefit from staying on-site at Walt Disney World includes the availability of Disney’s Magical Express, which transports you from the airport directly to your resort. It also allows you to skip the baggage claim in the airport, as Disney picks up your bags for you.

Disney does go out of the way to create a themed experience in all of their resorts. Even the value priced ones work at every detail to immerse you in the Disney theme. The value styled ones offer the basic hotel room set ups, pool area and usually a food court. The moderate ones have slightly larger rooms, more pool options and in addition to food court areas, sometimes a sit down restaurant. Deluxe hotel options in Disney pull out all the stops in theming and atmosphere. The rooms are larger, with more details – more than one pool is usually available and several restaurants are on site. These deluxe resorts also include beach areas, on site water sports and gift shops.

Off-site hotels can be found beginning right outside of Disney’s property and many options are available. Budget hotels can be found at very reasonable prices and offer the basic necessities. Mid priced hotels are very popular and cater to vacationing families with focuses on the needs of families and tourists. Travelers looking for upscale hotels can also find many choices outside of the Disney property. Almost all hotels that are off site offer bus service to the theme parks.

In addition to being a top vacation destination, Orlando is also a popular convention area, and many convention type hotels can be found in the area. They are usually full service resorts with spas, health clubs and very comfortable rooms.

When making your decision it is always helpful to ask friends or relatives for feedback on hotels they have stayed at when visiting the Orlando area. Another option is to research on line reviews of hotels (although the information is not always reliable). When choosing where to stay at Walt Disney World, you will need to consider your budget for your hotel stay along with the people in your traveling party. If you are traveling with small children it might make more sense for you to consider staying on site, as you will be able to travel back and forth to the parks easier than staying off site. You can also be certain that the Disney hotels will be modern and clean and will cater to families with small children (even nosier children are not an issue). Likewise if you are honeymooning or traveling without children staying at a value Disney hotel will not be a quite, romantic experience. Consider all of your options and if you are on a budget, check online for any hotel deals. Most Disney hotels offer pricing based on the season so you can save money by traveling at a non-peak time. You can also find hotel deals on non-Disney hotels by checking online or calling the hotels directly.

When comparing on site and off site facilities you can figure that for the most part off site hotels will get you more for your money (in terms of room size and included features). However a Disney hotel will give you what they do best, a complete Disney experience.

It is always wise to decide what features you are looking for during your stay and focus on them when choosing a hotel. Consider what is important to you and your traveling party before you make a decision. Even for a short trip, your comfort level is truly important during your vacation to Walt Disney World.

This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Deciding to Stay Onsite or Offsite at Walt Disney World

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