Monthly Archives: February 2011

Disney Fantasy 2012 cruises for under $200/month!

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The best possible pricing on a Disney Cruise is available as soon as the sailing is released for booking. Here is your chance to grab a stateroom on the Disney Fantasy at some amazing rates!

You can now book the Disney Fantasy for September through December 2012.

A family of 4 booking a 7 night Caribbean cruise in an inside or oceanview stateroom for September 2012 cruise would only need to save less than $200 per month between now and final payment next year to pay off their cruise!

Sail the Western Caribbean with stops in Grand Cayman, Costa Maya,
Cozumel and Castaway Cay on the following dates in 2012:
September 01, 15, 29
October 13, 27
November 10, 23
December 8, 22

Or visit the Eastern Caribbean with stops in St. Maarten, St. Thomas
and Castaway Cay departing on
September 8, 22
October 6

An alternate Eastern Caribbean itinerary with calls to St. Thomas, San
Juan and Castaway Cay is available for the following dates:
October 20
November 3, 17
December 1, 15, 29

Reserve your stateroom now before the prices start to increase!

Sample pricing for September 15, 2012 sailing:

Family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children ages 5 and 9) in a cat 11A standard inside stateroom: $3643.80.
Deposit: $692
Final Payment due by 7/2/12: $2951.80
Monthly savings required: $174

Family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children ages 5 and 9) in a cat 9B deluxe oceanview stateroom: $3671.80.
Deposit $697
Final Payment due by 7/2/12: $2974.60
Monthly savings required: $175

See ‘ya real soon!

Lori Hardegree
@DisneyMomATL
schedule a free vacation consultation call today!
Magical Memories Travel

Advance Dining Reservations a must for Walt Disney World vacations

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Over the last 12-18 months, it has become evident to those of us in the travel industry that the prevailing trend is that families are not planning their vacations as far in advance as they used to. With the current state of our economy, travelers are booking somewhere around an average of 90 days away from their anticipated travel dates. For guests planning a vacation to Walt Disney World, this can present on teeny little problem – dining.

Walt Disney World currently accepts reservations for dining 180 days in advance. There are a number of popular restaurants that will be completely and totally filled by no later than 120 days in advance, some even sooner. For guests planning their vacations 90 days or less in advance, this may mean forgoing some of the more popular restaurants.

First time guests are often a bit surprised when I say to them “we will want to go ahead and get some dining arrangements made for you. Have you given any thought to what restaurants you may be interested in?” I know that for my family, we often have a hard enough time figuring out what we want for dinner tonight, much less months from now so I understand the surprise. With the popularity of Disney’s Dining Plan where guests have pre-paid for their dining, you do not want to run the risk of arriving for your vacation and having a hard time getting a table at a reasonable time for those meals. Continue reading →

New check in procedures for Disney Cruise Line guests

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Disney Cruise Line has recently updated their procedures both for online check in and check in at the cruise terminal. Both sets of changes should make it both easier and faster for guests to get checked in for their cruise vacations.

Guests will be able to complete online check in information prior to their cruise.  A series of characters in portholes will guide guests through the process of online check in. Continue reading →

Best times to visit Walt Disney World

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Of all of the questions I am asked about Walt Disney World, by far the most frequently asked questions is “when is the best time to go?”  There is no one answer that is right for all families, but by and large people are wanting to know when can they plan their visit where they will find low crowds and low prices.

True “empty park” weeks are pretty much a thing of the past at Walt Disney World now but there are definitely some weeks that are better than others. I have listed the best week for each month but to read more information, check out this article on examiner.com. If you are ready to start planning your Disney vacation, click here for a free vacation consultation call.

Keep in mind that “least crowded week” is relative! The least crowded weeks in April and July are still going to be more crowded than the most crowded week in January or February. If you are looking for the lowest crowds all year, those will be in bold italics. Other weeks with low to moderate crowds are noted in italics. Continue reading →

Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios must for Star Wars fans

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Chewbacca in the Star Wars ParadeDisney’s Hollywood Studios will once again host Star Wars Weekends this spring. 2011 Star Wars Weekends will take place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 20, 2011 to June 12, 2011.

Star Wars Weekends has become a premiere event for Star Wars fans complete with character appearances, meet and greet with actors and technicians from the films, shows, parades and exclusive merchandise.

Interested in finding out more about Star Wars Weekends? Read more on Examiner.com.

May the force be with you as you plan your next Disney vacation!

See ‘ya real soon!

Lori Hardegree
@DisneyMomATL
Magical Memories Travel

Family Activities at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground

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Check out my article on the Atlanta Disney Travel Examiner web site on the fantastic, and sometimes FREE family activities available at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground.

Next time you visit Walt Disney World, take an afternoon to explore the campground. It makes for a great “out of park” day.

First Impressions of the Disney Dream

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As I struggle to catch up on the work that piled up while I was on vacation – or rather “conducting field research” last week, I wanted to take a second to share my impression of the Disney Dream. WOW! This ship is spectacular! Disney managed to strike a perfect balance between “state of the art” and timeless elegance.

The ship itself is beautiful. From the gorgeous chandelier in the atrium to the elegant dining rooms and the classic colors used throughout the ship, the impression it leaves is one that is reminiscent of a classic ocean liner. There are countless Disney touches around the ship, but they are understated. The theme of Mickey and friends is whispered quietly throughout the ship but it doesn’t scream Mickey Mouse, a fact that will likely please adults travelling sans children.

You can’t sail on this ship without acknowledging that Disney is first and foremost and entertainment company. It shows in countless ways on the Dream. This is a big part of what sets Disney apart from competing lines. The shows are magnificent and broadway caliber, you won’t find anything lik this on another cruise line. Entertainment doesn’t stop at the shows. even the art on the ship gets on to the act. Many of the pictures on board are what they refer to as “interactive art.” what appears to be a regular picture comes to life when you stop to look at it.

Let’s not forget the long awaited AquaDuck! I think this was the #1 thing my sons were looking forward to. It was overcast, windy and not even 70 degrees when we boarded the Dream for our preview cruise and yet the moment we boarded they looked at me with eyes filled with excitement and said “can we put on our bathing suits and go try the AquaDuck?!?” my oldest clocked in 20 rides on the first day alone and totaled almost 40 for the entire cruise. I’ll let my kids speak for themselves with their review of the AquaDuck:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBGelR8v4E4&w=640&h=390]

Between all of the Magical Memories Travel agents who were inboard the Magical Preview Cruise for Disney’s EarMarked conference we have over 2500 photos of the Dream! We are working hard to edit them and prepare them to share with you very soon.

Lori Hardegree
Magical Memories Travel