Beyond Rides at WDW

 

With your Walt Disney World ticket purchase, you receive access to more than just rides. Enjoy all of Walt Disney World has to offer, possibly giving you the chance to explore sites & sounds that you otherwise would not have. Disney offers Broadway style shows, Arcades, Themed Lands, etc. Dining is also a favorite activity amongst my family, from fine dining to yummy snacks like Mickey Bars, Dole Whips, Lefou’s Brew or try a caveman treat, the infamous Jumbo Turkey Leg (just not in front of me, yuck). Go for it, guilt free-because you’re at Disney World of course!

Let’s not forget my fave thing while at Disney- SHOPPING at all the Disney themed stores or take it all in & relax on a bench while taking pictures of your family & surroundings. Another perfect thing to do while enjoying your time- find Hidden Mickey’s, make it a contest with your family (My family is very competitive, kids unfortunately win with Hidden Mickey’s.) If at Magic Kingdom, Roam Magic Kingdom Park in search of clues for “Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom” or EPCOT’s Phineas and Ferb: Agent P's World Showcase Adventure, it’s a lot of fun for the entire family.

• If you have a blog or enjoy writing- find a nice little corner or hidden spot to write about your experiences. If you’re pregnant maybe this would be great info to add to the baby book or in general about your family’s experiences. Maybe tweet, FB, Instagram & all forms of Social Media about your vacation, make peeps jelly that you’re at WDW, that’s always fun (muhaha).
• Character Meet & Greets for the kids, just you or with family & add these to the vacay scrapbook.
• If you have great chops, try out for American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, blow them away-great bragging rights too!
• Maybe enjoy Food & Wine or The Flower & Garden Festival during your dates of travel- the special events are a terrific way to enjoy Disney differently. They run throughout the year and you can pop over to; https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-events, for current dates for special events, maybe even the Concert Series depending on your dates.

 

• The Individual entertainment that Disney provides such as; Magicians, Citizens of Main Street at Magic Kingdom, The Dapper Dan’s or JAMMitors at EPCOT.

• Don’t forget about the fabulous parades at all four theme parks, my faves are at the Magic Kingdom and also remember the fireworks at both MK & EPCOT.

• The list goes on & on. Let me know what you like to do outside of rides at a Disney Theme Park, I’d love to hear. Wait, I thought of one more bonus you gain from NOT experiencing the rides- plenty of time-because you didn’t have to wait in the queue lines. WOOT!

Previously published on http://theadultsideofdisney.com/ and you can find me on  http://dawnsdorkydiary.com/.

Dining For Less at Walt Disney World

 Dining for Less Cha-Ching at WDW

For breakfast I suggest eating a granola bar or pastry in your hotel room, bring them from home or stop off at a local Target- 3200 Rolling Oaks Blvd
Kissimmee, FL 34747, (321) 677-3971) or Wal-Mart Supercenter- Kissimmee 3250 Vineland Road, Kissimmee, FL 34746,407-397-1125 for breakfast items, drinks, snacks and Disney souvenirs at a huge discount.

Magic Kingdom- I would grab some yummies at Main Street Bakery, for starters a Starbucks, Venti White Chocolate Mocha & a breakfast sandwich or a delicious house-made Disney sweet, you’re spending somewhere between $10 to 15 bucks. At DHS- Starring Rolls Café is my choice; my family might grab a croissant or apple turnover for under $7.00, any grab & go type of food. Over at EPCOT- Fountain View in Future World has Starbucks espresso and specialty beverages or just fill up on warm and tasty treats like Artisan breakfast sandwiches and house-made Disney sweets. While at the Animal Kingdom- try Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery.

*I would definitely save my largest meal for lunch, it’s usually less expensive during lunch hours and you could experience upscale dining without spending all your cha-ching, maybe try “Be our Guest” a quick service dining facility at Magic Kingdom with fine dining appeal, based off the popular tale Beauty & the Beast. Here you have a choice of three enchanted rooms & meals under 15.00 pp. Try the Speedy Salads and Sandwiches, Quick Quiche or the Chefs fave 8-hour-braised pork & for the little beasts, they’ll love Mickey meatloaf or whole-grain macaroni. Lunch time at DHS- 50’s Prime Time Café, it’s a stick to your ribs kind of lunch with a 50’s theme & fun lovin’ family humor. EPCOT-is a great place for Sushi, Sunshine Seasons- has an inexpensive selection, gourmet sandwiches, soups and salads, and wood-fired entrées. Animal Kingdom-Tusker House hosts “Donald’s Dining Safari Character Buffet” 11am-2:45pm, with the price being a bit steep at $30 to 59.99 pp, but it’s a character buffet with African influences and it will definitely fill up the hungry hubby’s out there.

*Dinner at Magic Kingdom, I would grab a combo-style meal at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn in Frontierland, they have a terrific “toppings bar” so you can make the simplest item on the menu go a lot further. I like the 1/3 Angus Cheeseburger-$10.79 served with fries or apple slices or the Taco Salad-$8.79 & add some hot cheese, caramelized onions or Pico de Gallo, yummy to my tummy. I particularly like to dip my fries in the hot cheese, always a late night family fave! At DHS- the Hollywood Brown Derby $15 to $29.99 per adult from 3:30-9:30pm. Enjoy a nice signature dinner with herb-roasted rack of lamb over buttermilk blue cheese-corn pudding, desserts & more. EPCOT- Rose & Crown Pub, fish & chips with a beer, simple & tasty! Animal Kingdom-Flame Tree Barbecue for none other than yummy barbeque.

 These are just a few suggestions for daily meals at WDW. By no means are they the cheapest for dining, but they offer a nice value for your money. Happy Eating*O*

Previously published on http://theadultsideofdisney.com/.

How to Keep The Disney Magic Alive-And Save a Little Money

Making Every Day Tasks A Little More Fun

If you’re like most Disney fans, you’re always searching for little ways to keep the Disney magic alive whether you’re in the Parks or at home, dreaming and planning of your next vacation. While check writing isn’t something that would normally elicit a smile, think about how much less painful it would be if you had a little Disney to go with it.  This is where Checks In The Mail Disney Products comes in.  Is there anything better than paying the electric bill with your favorite villain?

Or how about brightening the day of your favorite dance teacher as you hand her the monthly tuition courtesy of Mickey Mouse?   With Checks In the Mail, you can treat yourself to the magic of Disney every day with their exclusive collection of Disney character checks, address labels, check covers, stationery and stamps. Whether your favorite characters are Mickey & Minnie, Winnie the Pooh or the crew from "Cars," you can share your passion for all things Disney when you shop, ship gifts or write letters to friends and family. Browse their selection of Disney checks online or find the perfect gift for the Disney fan in your life.  Looking for something other than Disney, from Animals, to Hip and Cool to Animated Pop Icons, this site truly has something for everyone.  And now, to thank you for being a part of the Disney Gal family, our good friends at Checks In The Mail have something special just for you:

From now through July 29, 2014 Get $5 off any checkbook cover with a purchase of any check design. Use promo code DISNEY5 at checkout but don’t wait-this offer turns back into a pumpkin at the end of the month. 

 

In addition, as if that weren’t enough, be sure to check out this week’s edition of Kid’s Korner for your chance to win your very own “Frozen” Checkbook Cover and an adorable Dusty the Plane debit caddy from Disney’s “Planes: Fire and Rescue” now playing in theaters every where.

 

There’s no time to waste- fly on over to Checks In The Mail and be sure to mention Use promo code DISNEY5 at checkout for your $5 off discount and check out Kid’s Korner on Sunday for your chance to win.

Disclaimer:  I was sent complimentary products to test and review but the opinions expressed here are my 

Kid's Korner "Summer Camp" is Back With Free and Fun Activities For Your Family

Looking for Free Things To Do Around Your Neighborhood this Summer?

How About a Give Away To Get Things Started?

School is out, the lazy days of summer are here and if you’re house is like so many across the country, you’ve already begun to hear those two dreaded words, “I’m bored.”  Luckily for you, Kid’s Korner Summer Camp edition is back with our weekly, free or practically free list of fun things you can do with your children right in your own neck of the woods.   Let’s get started!

The Great Outdoors

1)    Explore your own neighborhood, city and surrounding areas.  Whether you take a stroll to your local park, play at the neighborhood playground or one outside your own neighborhood, or go for a hike along unexplored trails, there is much to discover right in your own backyard. Pick a new spot each week and keep a map and rate your favorites and then go back for a second visit later on in the summer.

2)    Make up a scavenger hunt or make a detective game out of your walks, collecting items on a list or solving clues leading you to the next location.

3)   One of my favorite things to do with my students is to go on Photo Walks allowing them to be the photographer.  It always amazes me to see the world through their eyes.

4)   Looking for a real life treasure hunt? Why not try Geocaching. New to this family friendly activity or not quite sure exactly what it is. Head to Geocaching, which explains that this just like a real world treasure hunting outdoors game. Players try to locate Geocaches, which are hidden containers by using a GPS enabled devices such as your smart phone and then share their experiences online.  The real fun starts, after you’ve been on a few hunts of your own, and you start leaving a Geocache for others to find.

5)    Ready to venture past your own backyard? Great resources can be found at Trail Link to find local trails for everything from hiking to biking and everything in between. Also don’t forget to check out your own city, county and state websites to see the bounty of outdoor adventures that await. Many are free, or have seasonal passes at greatly discounted rates.

     

6)   Traveling this summer or are you lucky enough to live near one of the National Parks. Be sure to visit the National Parks website. And learn how you can visit a National Park for free.

When you’re done with your exploration, extend the memories by having your children create their own summer journal or scrapbook. Check out Pinterest for hundreds of ideas on how to create the perfect summer scrapbook to hold onto these precious memories that will last a lifetime.

Jump Into A Good Book

Reading shouldn’t stop just because school is over.  Encouraging kids to read is a great way to keep them learning all summer long. One of the best ways to bring a love reading to children all over the world is through Disney’s Give A Book Get A Book Program.  How about a visit to your local library? Libraries across the country offer a wide variety of summer reading and incentive programs to help keep children actively engaged in the love of reading. Also be sure to check out:

7)   Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program - Have your child read 8 books from the list and get a FREE book!

8)   Barnes and Noble Online Storytime - No story time today at local library, just go online! Local Library Summer Reading Program – Check out your local library for summer reading programs and story time schedules

 

9) Pottery Barn Kids  has a wide variety of fun filled and   educational activities. From their Summer Reading Challenge to Storytime to Super Hero Celebration Day, there’s something for everyone all summer long.

Summer Movie Escape

Sometimes you just have to escape reality and lose yourself in a great movie.  While most of these options are not free, most are greatly discounted.

9) Regal Theatre Summer Movie Express - You can see two movies per week (Tues and Wed) at 10am for $1 each

10) Classic Cinemas- $1 Wednesday’s showing family films in June through August.

11)  Harkins Summer Movies Like Regal and Classic Cinema, Harkins is offering dollar movie treats for young moviegoers this summer.

12) Marquee Cinemas Check their website for location specific movies and prices.

13) Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse: Purchase tickets for all 10 films for $5, or $1 at the box office. Movies and days vary by location.

14) Malco Summer Fun- $2 tickets June through August on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

15) Dickenson Theaters Summer Movies  With 8 shows for only  $13 or $2.50 each in June through the beginning of August. Each location has a different schedule.

Learn Something New

Summer is a time to learn something new.  Check out these great classes, many of which are offered for free simply by registering ahead of time online.  Something we learned last summer is that due to the extreme popularity of many of these programs, many of these fill up fast! 

16).Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics this summer features everything from Toothless from “How to Train Your Dragon 2” to Turbo to Monsters vs. Aliens building kits complete with your own apron, hammer and goggles.

17) Home Depot Workshops for Kids On the first Saturday of each month, Home Depot offers fun and useful projects from building your own Bug House to creating your own Crate Pencil Holder.

18) Apple Camp at the Apple Store Apple Camp is back for another fun summer of IMovie Making and more. Check out an Apple Store near you for complete details. 

19) Microsoft Summer Camps – Microsoft Store’s Youth Spark Summer Camps is where technology meets creativity for ages 8–These fill up SUPER fast so be sure to get signed up early!

 20) Michael’s Kid’s Club-Michael’s allows kids to explore their creativity while parents shop! $2 reserves 30 minutes of creativity. From their Passport to Imagination to their Kid’s Crafts to their Kid’s Club, Michael’s has something for everyone.

Time to Get Your Bowl and Skate On

Time to strike a perfect combination for fun. Check out these free bowling and skating offers:

21) Kids Bowl Free- Registered Kids can get TWO FREE games of bowling every day all summer long at participating bowling centers!

22) Brunswick Bowling Summer Ball Pass – Students 18 and younger get one FREE game of bowling every day in June, July and August.

23) Free Bowling At AMF AMF Fun Centers are offering Free games to students 15 and under throughout the summer.

24) Kids Skate Free all summer long across the country. Check the website to find a rink near you.

How About A Little Culture

Many cities and counties across the country have museums, art galleries and beyond that have free admission during specific days throughout the summer as well as hands on programs for youth.  Check out their website for opportunities near you.

25) Bank of America Free Museum Entrance – Get free general admission to participating museums, science centers, botanical gardens and more on the first full weekend of every month. Check list of participating locations near you

26) Target Offers Free or Reduced Admission  to many concerts, events, and museums continuing their goals of community involvement.

27) Free Walking Tours Take a walk around a city near you. This website will lead you on the right path.

28) Show your children the history of a day gone by.  Such websites as Discover Walks will show you how to discover the history of major cities near you while a visit to the National Park Service website will show you what events are happening as well as a list of all the free options that are available through our National Parks across the country.

As you can see, there’s no shortage of free, or greatly reduced fun activities that you can do with your children this summer. Now your only decision is which one to do first. Have you taken your children on any of these fun “field trips”?  Have a great outing not listed here? We want to keep our list growing this summer and to help kick off the summer we’re having our first Give Away. To help you on your way this summer we have a great water bottle from Disney Jr.  To keep you dancing we have your choice of either a Jake and the Neverland Pirates CD or a  Sophia the First CD! How do you enter? Simply leave a comment below of your favorite free activity you have found or tell us about one of these that you’ve tried!  Let the summer begin.

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