Geyser Point Bar & Grill Now Open at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

 

The all new Geyser Point Bar & Grill is now open at Disney's Wilderness Lodge.  Geyser Point is located along the water's edge and is designed to be reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest with cedar beams and natural stone.

The bar at Geyser Point will feature artisanal sips that include drinks from Pacific Northwest Brewers and distilleries, as well as wines from Oregon and Washington.  

 

Geyser Point will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and will also offer a quick-service walk-up window.

Get Your Picture Made With Cinderella's Royal Carriage for Valentine's Day

 

Just for Valentine's Day Disney Photo Pass is bringing out Cinderella's Royal Carriage and this is your opportunity to get your picture made with Cinderella's Royal Carriage.  If you are in Disney be sure to take advantage of this rare opportunity!  The carriage will be set up on February 13th-14th in Magic Kingdom.  It will be located near the wall in New Fantasyland by Pinnochio's place, which is behind the carousel and before you get to the the Beauty and the Beast area.  

Animal Kingdom's River of Light Opening Date Released

For months now we have been teased about the opening of Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom as the opening date was pushed back, but now we have an official opening date.  Today, Walt Disney World announced that Rivers of Light will officially open on February 17th.

The Rivers of Light show will add to Animal Kingdom's growing number of night offerings as Walt Disney World makes the push for this park to go from a daytime only park to a full day park.  The show will feature floating set pieces, live performers, music, fountains, lights and more.  

What's even better is, like Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios, Rivers of Light will be available as part of a dinner package.  The dinner package will be available for Tusker House Restaurant and Tiffins.  I am ecstatic that it will include Donald Duck's Safari Breakfast at Tusker House Restaurant.  The dinner package must be reserved in advance, and can be reserved starting today.  The good news is that the dinner package for Rivers of Life is the same price as what it would cost to eat at the restaurant normally and can also be paid for using the Disney Dining Plan.

 

Navigating Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Rides When You are Afraid Of Heights

I am the world's biggest chicken when it comes to rides that involve any type of heights.  So the thought of having to tackle some of the rides at Walt Disney World terrified me. I highly suggest to get the most fun out of your Walt Disney World vacation that you try to push some of your fears and attempt rides that you wouldn't normally attempt but at that same time it is important to know what your limits are when it comes to rides.  On our recent trip I rode rides that I wouldn't normally have rode due to heights, but there were also some rides I knew there was no way I could manage.  This is where it important to be honest with yourself and know what you can handle.  Also one great way to judge how terrifying a ride will be for you is to watch videos of rides on You Tube.  You can judge pretty well how each ride will go from the videos.  I did this for pretty much every ride before our trip, and it let me get a good idea of what the rides were going to be like.

Here are the Magic Kingdom rides that I think could possibly be an issue for you if you are afraid of heights.

Astro Orbiter - If you are afraid of heights just looking at Astro Orbiter will make you queasy.  With Astro Orbiter you actually have to ride up an elevator to get onto the ride itself.  Even my thrill ride loving kids found the height of this one scary so if you have a fear of heights this is definitely one you will want to skip.

The Barnstormer - The Barnstormer is considered a kids roller coaster in Fantasyland but this mild roller coaster moves fast.  You never go upside down and the ride is over fast.  If you want to give a roller coaster a try, this would be a great entry level roller coaster if you are afraid of heights.  The good thing is that you can view the ride before getting on it so you can evaluate whether or not you think you can handle it.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - For those afraid of heights Big Thunder Mountain Railroad sounds like your worst nightmare.  The good thing about Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is that you stay on a flat surface the entire time, and are never really "hanging" the way you would on a traditional roller coaster.  There are a couple of climbs that might be a little tough if you are scared of heights.  

Dumbo the Flying Elephant - This iconic ride does go up in the air and can be terrifying for someone scared of heights.  For me I skipped this ride.

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin - Another ride that goes up in the air the way Dumbo the Flying Elephant does and that I skipped.

Peter Pan's Flight - This ride took me by surprise, as I wasn't expecting it to lift off the way it did.  The ride is worth it because it is beautiful.  I ended up riding it a second time.  I highly suggest that you don't let your fear of heights hold you back from this ride.  Just remind yourself that this is a ride where Disney magic makes it appear that you are actually much higher up than you really are.  In reality you are just a few feet up off the ground and it is a slow moving ride.  Unfortunately since this ride is indoors you can't scope it out to beforehand see how you think it will be for you.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - This ride is considered to be an "introductory" roller coaster of sorts.  I personally chose to skip it because of my height issues but others who say they have a fear of heights have given this ride a shot without issues.  One suggestion was to ride at night so that you really couldn't "see" how high you are.  Like some of the other rides the majority of this ride takes place on the outside so you can get a good idea of what the ride will be like.

Space Mountain - I will admit I rode Space Mountain one time.  I was eight and my step-mom convinced me to ride it with her.  This ride terrified me!  There are differing opinions on whether or not Space Mountain is good if you are afraid of heights.  Some people feel that because the ride is dark and you can't "see" how high up you are that this ride is okay.  The truth is that this ride does have big drops.  The ride through videos of this ride aren't much help because they are dark.  This is one you will have to judge for yourself, but my opinion is if you have a height issue as severe as mine you may want to skip it.

Splash Mountain - I really, really, really wanted to ride this ride with my kids but couldn't get up the courage to do it.  I even tried riding Kali River Rapids in Animal Kingdom hoping that it would "prep" me to ride Splash Mountain but I just couldn't get up the nerve to do it.  The majority of the ride is an indoor, smooth, slow moving ride but the end of the ride features a 52 1/2 foot drop!  You can see the drop from the outside of the ride so it will give you a good idea of whether or not you can handle it.  The drop does go quickly though if you decide you want to give it a try.

Swiss Family Treehouse - This is not a ride but a walk through attraction in Magic Kingdom.  As you climb through the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse you will be several stories up in the air.  This is probably a good attraction to avoid if you are afraid of heights.  

Tommorowland Transit Authority People Mover - The People Mover takes you on a ride tour of Tommorowland and you are up in the air.  However, I have rode this ride several times and the height has never bothered me.  I highly suggest that you give it a try even if you are afraid of heights.

This list may seem long but there are plenty of rides in the Magic Kingdom that you can still enjoy that involve no heights at all.

 

 

Saving Money on Food at Disney World

Visiting Walt Disney World can be quite expensive and families are often looking for ways to cut that expense down.  One of the easiest areas to save money on your trip to Disney World is on food.  When we booked our trip to Walt Disney World we were very interested in the Disney Dining Plan.  However, when we looked further into the Dining Plan we discovered that the cost worked out to be $200 per day for food, and that was the dining plan where we would get two counter service meals per person and a snack.  We decided that we felt that by paying for our food out of pocket we could beat that $200 per day, and that we did.  We kept the $200 per day as our planned food budget though.

When I started researching ways to keep food costs down at Walt Disney World I ran across tips like taking food into the park, or purchasing bread from a food stand and using peanut butter packets from the condiment cart to make peanut butter sandwiches.  I knew this was not how we wanted to save money on food at Walt Disney World but I still wanted to be able to keep our food costs down.

Here's what we did to keep costs down:

2 Meals and a Snack Per Day

We brought breakfast foods from home to eat in our room before we left for the park.  Among the items we brought with us were muffins, honey buns (yes these are sugary but we were on vacation), and breakfast bars.  We would then eat lunch and dinner at the park with one snack in the afternoon.  We also had snacks in our room to snack on once we left the parks for the day.  If you are staying on Disney property the rooms do come with a mini fridge, but not a microwave.

Use the Food Courts

Each Disney resort has a food court that offers food at a cheaper price than the food inside the parks.  We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and really enjoyed the food court that they offered.  We ate breakfast one morning in the food court and was not as impressed with the breakfast as we were with the lunch and dinner options.  On the day we visited Animal Kingdom we ate lunch at Animal Kingdom but since the park closes early we went back to our resort and ate dinner in the food court.  Another day when we were leaving late for the park because we had slept in to catch up on sleep we ate an early lunch in the food court and then ate dinner at the park.  Then on another day when we went to Magic Kingdom early in the morning and were planning to stay until midnight we left the park at lunchtime to return to the hotel to eat lunch at the food court, then returned to the park after lunch.  Some resorts do have better food courts than others, so be sure to look at the reviews of each resort's food courts before going.

Buy Kids Meals

The menu at all of the restaurants will say that kids meals are for guests ages 9 and under.  When I inquired about this for my 14 year old daughter who barely eats, I was told by a cast member that the age is only put on there to emphasize the size of the meals, and that guests of any age can order a kids meal.  In fact every member of our family ordered a kids meal at least once during our trip.  The kids meals are actually quite large in size.  The kids meals typically come with an entree, two side items and a drink.  You do not have to stick with the side items listed on the menu, you can choose different sides. For example, my son ordered a sandwich that was listed to come with 3 cucumber slices as a side, and a bag of grapes.  He was able to replace the 3 cucumber slices with a bag of apple slices instead.  In my opinion, the kids meals are worth the money.

Eat at Counter Service Restaurants

In my opinion the counter service restaurants are the best value.  They offer food similar to that of table service restaurants, and in some cases the exact same food, but at a fraction of the cost.  In Magic Kingdom our family's favorite counter service restaurants were Columbia Harbor House, The Diamond Horseshoe, and Tortuga Cavern.  In Animal Kingdom our favorite counter service restaurants were Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes and the Beastly Kiosk (there is seating across the path for this).

Eat a Dole Whip

While you are at the Magic Kingdom you absolutely must eat a Dole Whip!  It won't save you any money but it is a treat you won't regret splurging on!

What To Pack and What to Skip When Packing for Disney World

The Internet is full of packing lists for Disney World and many of them list must take items.  Some of these items I agree are must haves but some of them really aren't worth giving up room in your suitcase for.  Here's the list of what I think is worth packing and what I think is worth skipping.

Absolute Musts

Comfortable Shoes - this can not be stressed enough.  And be sure to test drive them before you go.  I took a pair of brand new walking shoes with me to Disney World and hadn't bothered wearing them before we left.  By the end of day the shoes had rubbed blisters on my feet and I ended up buying a pair of Mickey Mouse crocs in the gift shop.  Well two days later those had rubbed a different set of blisters on my feet and I ended up wearing my daughter's tennis shoes for the rest of the stay.  My husband and kids wore tennis shoes that they had been wearing before the trip and they didn't have a single blister.

Blister Pads - These are a must for the blisters that you will most likely get if you are going to be staying at Disney for a few days.

Costumes - Many little girls love visiting the parks in Disney Princess costumes.  We looked at some of the beautiful costumes that Disney sold in the parks and they were at least $65 or more.  If you have any inkling that your daughter will want to wear a princess dress your best bet is to bring a costume from home.  The Disney Store is a great place for purchasing these.  If you do decide to dress your little ones in a costume for the day be sure to bring a change of clothes because the costumes get itchy and hot so if they are stuck in a costume all day there might be a melt down.

Extra Set of Contacts - If you are a contact wearer bring an extra set of contacts along.  You might have trouble getting a spare pair of contacts while you are out of town and you won't want to leave the park to get a replacement set either.

Magic Bands - If you are staying on Disney Property more than likely your Magic Bands will get mailed to your house before your trip.  Be sure to take these with you and pack them where you can get to them easily when you arrive to check-in at your resort.

Sunscreen - This is often overlooked but a must and sunscreen is ridiculously overpriced in the park.

Camera, Batteries, and an Extra SD Card - While packing a camera and batteries seems like a no-brainer, an extra SD card is something that you might not think about.  It was something that I didn't think about.  Let's just say if you are going to be staying in the park for several days and will be taking a lot of pictures you will possibly max out an SD card in no time.  The cheapest SD card that could be bought at Disney World was $35.

Pennies and Quarters for Pressing - My daughter loves pressed pennies and collects them from every place we visit.  We knew going to Disney that they had a TON and I mean a TON of penny press machines.  Luckily we had brought quarters and pennies from home for her so that we weren't having to run get change so that she could use these machines.

A Backpack for the Park - Even if your kids are older or you don't think you will need a backpack take one anyhow.  We used our backpack daily and it was a lifesaver.  However be sure to pack only what you need in it because if you over pack it will get too heavy by the end of the day and your shoulders will be killing you.

Bubbles, Glow Sticks, and Light Up Spinners - Bubbles are everywhere at Disney World and your little one is sure to yell they want some of their own when they see other kids with them.  Skip the overpriced Disney bubbles and bring bottles of bubbles from home.  You might also want to pick up an inexpensive bubble gun to blow the bubbles while you are at it.  As the sun begins to set the cast members start bringing out glow sticks and light up spinners.  Again, save yourself some money and bring these items from home.

What to Skip

Refillable Water Bottles - Everybody suggested taking refillable water bottles and we bought expensive ones to take.  On the first day we loaded these into the backpack and lugged them to the park.  We never used them.  We drink a lot of water but we prefer extremely cold water, so when it came time to drink water we purchased ice cold water.  In my opinion, the refillable water bottles are worth skipping.

Quarters for the Laundry Machine - Halfway through the trip I decided to take an afternoon break and wash up some of our clothes in the resort laundry room.  They were renovating the laundry room closest to us and the result ended up being my one bad moment of the trip.  Long story short, part of the reason for the renovation was that they are switching over laundry machines and those machines require you to use a credit or debit card to pay for your laundry instead of quarters.  So if you are staying on Disney property you won't be needing quarters for the laundry machine.

Choosing Which Disney Resort to Stay At

There are a wide variety of options to choose from when it comes to staying at a Disney World resort.  The options are as varied as the Disney World guests themselves, with everything from your basic hotel room to spacious bungalows to choose from.  Before booking your Disney World accommodations it is important to know what they have to offer.

Disney World's resorts are divided into four categories.  Those categories are Value Resorts, Moderate Resorts, Deluxe Resorts, and Deluxe Villa Resorts.

Value Resorts

Value Resorts are the entry level resort at Disney World.  The Value Resorts that Disney World are Disney's All Star Music Resort, Disney's All Star Movie Resort, Disney's All Star Sports Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort, and Disney's Art of Animation. The standard room sizes at Value Resorts are 260 square feet, and have a maximum occupancy of four people.

All Value Resort rooms offer wi-fi access, and a mini-fridge.  Value Resorts also offer basic resort amenities like a themed pool, poolside bar, food court, video game room, and gift shop.  

Moderate Resorts    

Moderate Resorts are the next level of Disney World resorts.  The Moderate Resorts that Disney World offers Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Coronado Springs, Disney's Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter, and The Cabins at Fort Wilderness.  The standard room sizes at Moderate Resorts are 314 square feet with the exception of Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort whose standard rooms are 340 square feet in size.  The Moderate Resorts do offer rooms that accommodate up to five people.

Moderate Resorts also offer in-room wi-fi, and a mini-fridge.  Moderate Resorts offer outstanding public areas, a highly themed main pool with a water slide, several quiet pools, hot tubs and spas, food court, table service restaurant, pool bar, video game room, gift shop, and on-site recreation.

  Deluxe Resorts

The Deluxe Resorts are the upper level resorts Disney World has to offer.  These resorts include Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney's Beach Club Resort, Disney's Boardwalk Inn, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Disney's Yacht Club Resort, and Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel.  The standard rooms at the Deluxe Resorts range in size from 344 square feet to 440 square feet and offer rooms that accommodate up to five people.

As with Value and Moderate Resorts rooms at Deluxe Resorts offer a mini-fridge and in room wi-fi.  The public areas at Deluxe Resorts are outstanding, and the Deluxe Resorts offer elaborate theming.  Amenities at Deluxe Resorts are the same as Moderate Resorts, as well as upscale fine dining, room service, a lounge bar, high end gift shops, babysitting services, and valet parking.  Some Deluxe Resorts offer salons as well.

Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

The Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts are actually Disney Vacation Club Resorts that can be rented through Walt Disney World's regular reservation system when they are not being used by Disney Vacation Club members.  The Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts are Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas - Jambo House and Kidani Village, Bay Lake Towers, Disney's Beach Club Villas, Disney's Boardwalk Villas, Fort Wilderness Cabins, Disney's Old Key West Resort, Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, Disney's Treehouse Villas, and The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge.  Some Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts offer villas that can accommodate up to twelve guests.  

The amenities at Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts are similar to those offered at Deluxe Resorts, and many of them actually share amenities with the Deluxe Resorts located next door to them.    

Should You Stay On or Off Site at Disney World?

Planning a trip to Disney World can be overwhelming.  There is so much to decide from how long to stay, which parks to visit, to which fastpasses to reserve.  We just spent a week at Disney World, and the planning was months in the making.  I thought I would lose my mind by the time it was all over.  One of the first decisions that I had to make was to stay on or off-site.

I put a lot of thought into this decision.  We have visited Disney World in the past but we only visited the park for one day so we stayed off site during that visit.  This time we wanted our kids to have the whole Disney experience, and wanted to visit several parks so with Disney being the focus of our vacation it played a huge part in our choice of accommodations.  

Before talking about staying off site I think it is important to discuss what the benefits of staying on site at Disney World are.

On Site Benefits

Disney's Magical Express - If you are staying on Disney property and flying into Orlando Disney's Magical Express will pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel free of charge.  It will also take you back to the airport when you are ready to depart.

Disney Transportation - Disney has it's own transportation system to get around Disney property.  You can get from the hotels, to the parks, to Downtown Disney without ever having to get in a car.  You can take a Disney bus, the monorail, or even the Riverboat depending on where you are staying and trying to get to.  Before we arrived I had heard horror stories about the transportation system and how it could take an hour to get from the hotel to the park or back to your room from the park.  In the seven days that we were there we never had any problems with the transportation.

Extra Magic Hours - Each day of the week a different park offers Extra Magic Hours.  During Extra Magic Hours the designated park either opens early or stays open later for guests staying on site.

Magic Bands - While Magic Bands can be purchased by any Disney World guest, guests staying on Disney property are given Magic Bands to use during the length of their stay.  The Magic Bands act as your room key, your theme park ticket, your fast pass, and can even be linked to your credit or debit card to make purchases.  I can not tell you how convenient these were with no tickets to keep up with or room keys, it was nice having it all in one.

FastPass+ - Disney guests can make fastpass selections for their entire stay 60 days before check-in.

Hidden Extras - What I consider to be hidden extras are the little things they do not tell you about.  These include a booklet of coupons for Downtown Disney which included a $15 food credit at Planet Hollywood, free admission to attractions, and discounts.  We also received luggage tags in the, and a personalized Mickey Mouse sketch in the mail.  It seemed that we were getting mail from Disney almost daily in the weeks leading up to our visit.

Disney Dining Plan - Guests who stay on Disney property are eligible to purchase the Disney Dining Plan.  During certain times of the year the Dining Plan is offered free with certain room and ticket prices.

From the beginning I wanted to stay on site but since staying on site is so expensive staying off site was very appealing.  Rooms off site are absolutely cheaper than the on site rooms, so cost is the number one benefit of staying off site.  If you are on a very tight budget staying off site might be your best option.  Another situation in which you may want to consider staying off site is if you have a very large group, or if you are going to be visiting attractions other than Disney World during your stay.  One of the big downsides to staying off property is not only the commute to Disney World each day, which would include traveling on the toll roads, but also paying the parking fees to get into the park each day.

While I found the off site rooms to be cheaper I found the difference to be minimal.  I am sure that if you visited during the off-season there might be a larger price difference but during our stay this difference was minimal.  When you add in the cost of the parking and tolls there was only a $200 difference over the course of a week that could be saved by staying off-site.  For us the benefits of staying on site made the $200 cost difference worth it.  

Staying on site or off site is a very personal choice, and will be different for each family.  It is important to consider your family's individual needs, and budget when making the decision whether to stay on or off Disney property during your visit.

Destin, Florida Golf Courses

Sun, sand, and golf.  My husband's idea of an ideal vacation.  Our family loves Destin.  Part of the reason is that while he is enjoying the golf courses the rest of us can enjoy the sun and sand.  Among his three favorite golf courses in Destin are the Regatta Bay Golf and Country Club, Indian Bayou Golf Club, and Emerald Bay Golf Club.

Regatta Bay Golf and Country Club
Lying along the Choctawhatchee Bay in Destin the Regatta Bay Golf and Country Club is an award-winning golf course. The Regatta Bay Golf Course was designed by legendary course designer Robert C. Walker, who was once the lead architect for Arnold Palmer. This par 72 course was named "the #1 Favorite Golf Course in North Florida" by Emerald Coast magazine readers, and has also been named as one of Golf Digests "Top Places to Play in North America" and as one of the top fifteen courses in Florida. If you tee-off before 11 AM it is $89 to play the course, and if you tee-off after 11 AM the cost to play the course is $69. Course fees include eighteen holes of golf, a cart, and practice balls. Tee-times at Regatta Bay Golf Course can be reserved up to three months in advance, and can be made by calling the Regatta Bay Golf Club at (850) 337-8080 or you can book online at their website.

Indian Bayou Golf Club
Indian Bayou Golf Club, located in the heart of Destin, offers visitors twenty-seven holes spread across three different courses. The Seminole Golf Course, Choctaw Golf Course, and Creek Golf Course are each nine holes. The Indian Bayou Golf Club offers visitors the practice facilities, golf lessons, and a club house featuring a full service Pro Shop, restaurant, and lounge. The cost for eighteen holes of golf at Indian Bayou Golf Club is $79, nine holes are $39, and you can play an extra eighteen holes for $35 or an extra nine holes for $25. You can contact the club at (850) 650-2284 or you can visit their website for more information.

Emerald Bay Golf Club
Bob Cupp designed the eighteen hole course at Emerald Bay Golf Club whose back nine holes the Choctawhatchee Bay in Destin. It is rumored to be among one of Northwest Florida's best courses, and is a par 72 course. To play the eighteen hole course golfers who tee off before 1 PM will pay $76 while golfers who tee off after 1 PM will pay only $57. For more information on what the Emerald Bay Golf Club has to offer you or to book a tee-time you can visit their website.

The Disney Pirate Experience

Last week we talked about giving our daughters a true Princess experience (which you can read about here) while visiting Walt Disney World but what about our boys?  Did you know that Walt Disney World now offers plenty of opportunities to make your little swashbuckler feel like he is a pirate right off of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie? 

Here are a few of the ways you can treat your little pirate to a swashbuckling good time on your next trip to Walt Disney World.

Pirates of the Caribbean Rooms 

Located in Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort you will find a select number of Pirates of the Caribbean themed rooms.  All of the little details have been considered when designing these rooms, the carpet is made to look like wood plank floors, bedding covered in gold coins, beds shaped like pirate ships, and a picture of the Flying Dutchmen etched into the room’s shower.  Once outside of the room you will feel as if you are truly in the Caribbean, and can spend some fun in the sun at the resort’s large pirate themed pool.  The Pirates of the Caribbean rooms will sleep up to five people and cost around $174 per night.

                                                                                 

Pirates and Pals Firework Voyage

The Pirates and Pals Firework Voyage is a fun experience for the entire family.  With the Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage families can cruise the Seven Seas Lagoon where you will be entertained with swashbuckling stories, fun pirate songs, Disney trivia, and view the Magic Kingdom’s nightly fireworks show.  If you are lucky, you will cruise on a night when the Electrical Water Pageant is taking place, as the Pirates and Pals Firework Voyage gives you a close up view.  

In addition to the boat ride guests will also get a chance to meet and take photos with Captain Hook and Mr. Smee.  At the end of the voyage guests celebrating special occasions (like a birthday or anniversary) will be recognized, and a very special guest will meet you upon your return to the dock.

The Pirates League

Help your little one turn into a true pirate and join the leagues of pirates with a trip to The Pirates League.  For $29.95 boys and girls alike will be transformed into a true pirate and given a pirates name before joining Captain Jack for an Adventureland Pirate Parade.  Your little pirate will also be taught the Pirate Oath, and how to swashbuckle.  Pirate costumes are also available for purchase in both kids and adult sizes.

The Disney Princess Experience

A few days ago I shared with you all Disney's announcement of their new line of Princess themed Royal Rooms (which you can read about here). 

If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World and are looking for other ways to give your little princess the ultimate Disney Princess experience you might want to look at some of the other ways in which Walt Disney World allows your little girl to feel like a fairy princess.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
With a little help from their Fairy Godmother your little Princess can undergo a Royal transformation at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.  There are two locations, one located in the World of Disney Store in Downtown Disney and the other located inside of Cinderella’s Castle in Magic Kingdom.  The salon offers three different packages.  The Coach Package, which starts at $49.95, includes hairstyling and makeup.  The Crown Package, which starts at $54.95, includes hair, makeup, and nails.  For those that want the complete Princess treatment there is the Castle Package, which includes hair, makeup, nails, a Princess outfit of your choice, and a photo session.  The Castle Package starts at $189.95.

Cinderella's Royal Table
For those who wish to dine with Royalty while visiting Walt Disney World there are a variety of options.  Cinderella’s Royal Table allows guests to dine with Princess in Cinderella’s castle for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Cinderella greets each guest as they enter her dining room, and poses for a picture with each of them.  The cost of the pictures is included in the price of the meal.  1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian Resort also offers Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner which is hosted by Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drisella.

The Perfectly Princess Tea Party
Walt Disney World guests can also join their favorite Disney Princesses for tea at The Perfectly Princess Tea Party.  The tea party takes place every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:30 AM to noon.  The tea party costs $250 and includes admission for one adult and one child.  This royal event includes tea for two, beautiful cakes, a Disney Princess parade, a Princess Aurora doll, a silver link Princess bracelet, a princess scrapbook page, a “Best Friend” certificate, and a tiara. 

  
                                                

Disney to Offer Royal Rooms

Walt Disney World is already known for it's ability to make little girls feel like a true Princess but it is taking it's Princess experience a step farther with it's latest announcement.  Disney announced yesterday on them Disney Parks Blog that it will soon be opening 512 Princess themed Royal Rooms sometime in February or March of 2012.

The rooms (shown above) will be housed in Disney's Port Orleans Resort and will be fit for royal guests.  With headboard with fiber optic special effects, bathroom sinks that have Aladdin’s genie lamp as the faucet, a footstool that came to life as a dog from Beauty and the Beast, as well as artwork and special mementos left behind by the Disney Princesses themselves.

The premise behind the rooms is that Princess Tiana, from The Princess and The Frog, invited some of her royal friends on a vacation getaway and the Royal Rooms are the rooms that they stayed in. 

It is rumored that the Royal Rooms will be available for booking sometime in mid-summer.