Top Five Character Meals at WDW

These are MVT by Candice's picks for Top 5 Character Meals:

5.  Disney Jr. Play 'n Dine at Hollywood & Vine 

Hollywood Studios

This character dining experience is such a treat for the younger kids who spend their days watching Jake, Sophia and Doc McStuffins!  This restaurant offers the Disney Jr. Play 'n Dine character meal for breakfast and lunch.  I recommend making the earliest breakfast reservation possible (usually 1 hour prior to park opening).  This allows you to enter the park early (this is a great opportunity for pictures without the crowds), and you can spend more time enjoying the attractions once the park opens.  If you do have a breakfast reservation prior to park opening, you will enter the park through a special line designated for the Disney Jr. Play 'n Dine breakfast.  If you are staying at a Disney Resort, you will need to check with the front desk/concierge the day before to get the time for the "early breakfast bus," which will run early enough for you to make your reservation.

 4. The Crystal Palace - Winnie the Pooh Friendship Day Celebration

Magic Kingdom

Everyone loves a "Friendship Day Celebration!"  Especially when it's with Winnie the Pooh and his friends!  This is a great meal inside Magic Kingdom where you can just sit and relax a moment.  This is another great opportunity to get an early breakfast reservation prior to park opening, so that you can get pictures in front of Cinderella Castle without the crowds.  However, doing the early breakfast at The Crystal Palace means that you miss the Magic Kingdom Welcome Show (also known as "Rope Drop"), and it's harder to make your way to a popular attraction before the lines get long.  This location offers a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The dinner buffet is absolutely fabulous, as there is such a wonderful variety of dishes.  You can find something for even the pickiest of eaters!

3. Chef Mickey's

Disney's Contemporary Resort

Who wouldn't want a date with The Mouse, himself!?!  At Chef Mickey's you can!  Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto circulate the dining room throughout your breakfast or dinner at Chef Mickey's located on the 3rd floor of Disney's Contemporary Resort.  The buffet is wonderful!  Depending on what would delight your party more, you can request to be seated with a view of the monorail which whizzes by overhead periodically, or with a view of Magic Kingdom.  There is very limited seating with these views, but it never hurts to ask!

2.  Akershus - Princess Storybook Dining

Epcot

 Akershus is located in Epcot's Norway Pavilion.  Because this restaurant is in Epcot, the attention to detail inside the restaurant is amazing.  You really feel as if you've stepped into a fairytale set in Norway.  Of course, the princesses are sure to enjoy a Royal Banquet as well, so you will have the opportunity to meet 4 or 5 princesses throughout your dining experience.  The food at this restaurant is wonderful!  It's fun to try new things without going over the top, and that is exactly what this restaurant gives you the opportunity to do.

1.  Cinderella's Royal Table

Magic Kingdom

Of course, the best place to dine like royalty, is in the castle itself!  At Cinderella's Royal Table, you are first introduced to your royal hostess, Cinderella.  Then you take an enchanting walk up a spiral staircase, complete with stained-glass windows, which opens up to the regal dining room.  Outside the dining room windows you can look over Fantasyland, and inside you can feast your eyes on the incredible details.  And don't forget to really take in that you are Eating Inside The Castle!!!  But the view isn't the only magic!  Each child is presented with a "wishing star," while boys receive a sword and girls receive a wand.  At a special moment during the meal, the lights dim and the lights dance on the ceiling while children are asked to make a wish on their star.  How fun!  Of course, several of Cinderella's friends circulate the dining room for pictures and autographs while you dine.  And any meal that ends with something as beautiful as their Signature Dessert "The Clock Strikes Twelve," surely has my vote for the number 1 character meal at Walt Disney World.

HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!

Candice

2015 Agency Exclusive Offers

Want to visit Walt Disney World?  Want to save money? 

How about BOTH!

You can visit Walt Disney World AND save money when you book one of Magical Vacations Travel's Agency Exclusive Offers*.  These offers are for deeply discounted rooms at Disney Resorts AND discounted park tickets with a complimentary Bonus Feature**!  It doesn't get better than this! 

___________________________________
Magical Vacations  Travel's
2015 Agency Exclusive Offers 

Travel anytime between the following dates to receive exclusive discounts at select Disney Resorts. 

Winter 2015:
January 1 - January 5, 2015 
January 30 - February 8, 2015 
February 14 - February 23, 2015 

Spring 2015:
March 29 - April 12, 2015
May 2 - May 10, 2015***
May 23 - June 6, 2015

Summer 2015:
June 21 - July 5, 2015
July 31 - August 9, 2015
August 16 - September 8, 2015

Fall 2015:
October 3 - October 17, 2015***
October 24 - October 31, 2015
November 1 - November 7, 2015***
November 21 - November 29, 2015
November 30 - December 6, 2015
__________________________________

*The number of rooms available for these Agency Exclusive Offers is limited.
Resorts and room categories included vary depending on dates. 
Discounts cannot be combined with any other offer.

**Bonus Feature:  When you purchase a minimum of a 2-day park ticket with one of these Agency Exclusive offers, you also get one visit to your choice of the following:  Disney Quest, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Disney's Blizzard Beach, Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course (1 round before 4 pm), Disney's Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course (1 round before 4 pm), Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course (1 round of golf - greens fee) or ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

***Dining Plans:  A Disney Dining Plan can be added for an additional cost to reservations during these dates.

Contact me for rates and resort availability.


HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!
Candice

Top 7 "Hidden Gems" at WDW

These Walt Disney World attractions are great "hidden gems" located inside the parks.
Yes, they are all on the park maps.
No, you don't need a super, secret password to get in.
These are just often overlooked attractions that really deserve a second glance!


1.  Animation Station - Hollywood Studios

Located in The Magic of Disney Animation building in Animation Courtyard at Hollywood Studios is an awesome "hidden gem!"  Take a short "class" where a Disney artist teaches you how to sketch a Disney character, step by step.  

2.  Dinosaur Gertie - Hollywood Studios

Situated on Echo Lake in Hollywood Studios is a large dinosaur-shaped ice cream stand.  The "hidden" part of this gem is not in the location (because let's face it, it's a huge dinosaur in a prominent place), but in the story behind it.  Gertie the Dinosaur played a pivotal role in the beginnings of animation.
Check out this post for more about Gertie. 

3.  Flights of Wonder - Animal Kingdom

Flights of Wonder in Disney's Animal Kingdom is a fabulous show located in the "Asia" section of the park.  This show gives you the opportunity to experience birds from all over the world, up close!  It's a wonderful show that all ages will enjoy!  Check out the video I made below from when I was asked to join the Cast Members on stage.  It was an amazing experience!

4.  Journey into Imagination with Figment - Epcot

Located in the base of the Imagination Pavilion in Future World at Epcot is Journey into Imagination with Figment.  This ride features a lovable purple dragon named Figment who takes you on a journey to explore the 5 senses.  This is a great attraction for the nine and under crowd!  As you exit the ride, there is a wonderful, sensory exploration area for kids to play and discover.  This attraction is a great option for those who need to split up so that some can ride Soarin' while the younger ones enjoy Figment.

5.  Mickey's PhilharMagic - Magic Kingdom

This "hidden gem" is hidden in plain site!  Mickey's PhilharMagic is located just behind Cinderella Castle in Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom.  Unfortunately, many people just pass right on by this amazing 3-D show.  This show features Mickey and Donald.  Through a series of "Donald-esque" events, Donald travels through scenes featuring the most loved songs from some of the most loved Disney movies:  Lion King, Peter Pan, Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast and Aladdin.

6.  Minnie's Dressing Room Meet & Greet - Hollywood Studios

This one truly is "hidden."  In the Animation Gallery in the Animation Courtyard at Hollywood Studios, you can find several character meet & greet opportunities.  Generally, you can meet Sorcerer Mickey on the left side of the meet & greet room, and the right side generally features a popular duo from a recent Disney movie (in the past it has been the Incredibles, Wreck it Ralph & Vanellope and most recently Baymax & Hiro).  Situated right in between these two meet & greets is a little hallway that leads to a door.  That door is a door to Minnie's dressing room meet & greet!  It's so easy to miss, and many people do!  We actually walked right past it, but a Cast Member waved us over and invited us in.  There was no wait, and it was a relaxed meet & greet session.   

7.  Sum of All Thrills - Epcot

Sum of all Thrills is an awesome virtual roller coaster located inside the Innoventions East building in Future World in Epcot.  You get to design your own thrill ride in a design room and then ride the coaster you created!  Hint:  If you like extreme coasters, you can ask the Cast Member at the design stations to help you make the best choices for the most extreme ride possible. 

HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!
Candice

Services offered by MVT by Candice

So what exactly can Magical Vacations Travel by Candice do for you???

Here is a list of the Top 10 Services that I offer to those who book their
Vacation Packages, Accommodations or Park Tickets through me.

It costs you NOTHING to book your vacation through me!!!

Even better, I can often help save you money!!!

1.  Vacation Quotes:  
(included)
I am happy to provide no-obligation quotes for Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney and Disney's Aulani Resort & Spa in Hawaii.

Click here for more information about these great destinations.

After gathering a little information from you, I can put together vacation quotes that will best meet your groups' needs and desires.

2.  Trip Booking:   
(included)
Once you have decided which vacation quote best fits your desires, I can handle all of the booking details for you.  There's no need to worry about forgetting an important detail like airport transfers, photo packages, dining plans or trip insurance.  I make sure that you are aware of all of your options at the right time, so you don't have to stress!  I also make all of the booking phone calls for you, so that you don't have to spend your precious time on the phone.

3.  Reminders:  
(included)
All trips come with a number of details to handle and plan for, but none are as involved as a Disney trip.  From Advanced Dining Reservations, Fast Pass selections, Magic Band personalization, Memory Maker pre-purchase deadlines, Magical Express ground transfers and payment due dates, there are a LOT of dates to remember.  Well, I make sure that you get reminders for all of these deadlines and more, as well as helping you through the process of taking care of each step!

4.  Details (tips, tricks & more):  
(included)
Disney does such a wonderful job of weaving magic into every detail of a Disney Vacation!  However, you have to know how to take advantage of each one of those magical moments.  I send emails to my clients, leading up to their vacations, with lots of suggestions on how to take advantage of the magic.  From Free-Time tips to money-saving ideas and great ways to celebrate while on vacation.

5.  Dining Reservations:  
(included)
Making Advanced Dining Reservations at your favorite character dining spot can sometimes be tricky.  I love to assist my clients with their hunt for the perfect dining reservations!  My clients can choose to either make their dining reservations on their own, or they can send me their list of preferences, and I can make those reservations for them (for no charge).  Either way, if there is a desired dining reservation that cannot be made, I add that to my list of Dining Reservations to find.  I call Disney Dining every-other day to try to scoop up the perfect dining reservations for my clients!

6.  Fast Pass Selection Reminder & Tips:  
(included)
I make sure that my clients are aware of their Fast Pass selection date several days in advance, so that they can prepare to make their choices.  During that time, I am happy to give recommendations based on the specific needs, likes and dislikes of the travel party.  Once my client has made their Fast Pass selections, we can then move on to planning the trip itinerary!

7.  Itinerary Planning:  
(basic itinerary planning included)
I am happy to help my clients plan their Park itineraries as much or as little as is desired.  My basic itinerary planning services that are included free for all of my clients are:  Itinerary Reviewing, Itinerary Suggestions, Tips & Tricks.

8.  Concierge Service (pre-trip):
(included)
Prior to my clients trips, I can handle arrangements for special activities during the trip.  Some such activities include reservations and ticket purchases for:  Special Group Tours, Bippity, Boppity Boutique, Pirates League, Cirque du Soleil, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and other special events.  I also handle arrangements for ground transfers to and from the Orlando International Airport, Memory Maker (photo pass) purchases, etc.

9.  Concierge Service (during the trip):
(included)
While we all know that Disney is the most Magical Place on Earth, we also know that it doesn't mean that there are never any hiccups while on a Disney Vacation.  My clients can text, call and email me during their trips to trouble shoot anything that comes up, so they can continue to enjoy their vacation while I deal with the issues.

10.  Agency Exclusive Discounts & Promotions:
(included for qualifying bookings)
Everyone loves to save money, and I have a couple of ways that I help my clients do just that.
First, each client receives money saving tips and ideas leading up to their trip.
Second, my clients have the option of taking advantage of one of the many Agency Exclusive Discounted Vacation Packages available through my host company, Magical Vacations Travel.  If your travel dates fall into the same dates as one of these discounted offers, I will automatically let you know.
Third, I run periodic booking promotions which include Disney Gift Cards and On-Board Cruise Credits for certain types of bookings.


Ultimately, my clients are in control of their Vacations!  When you book your vacation through me, you have the added benefit of knowing that no detail will be forgotten.  I am here to help as much or as little is desired by my clients.


HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!
Candice

November 2014 Giveaway!

Time for the November 2014 Giveaway!

Disney Mickey Mouse...Season 1 on DVD

This DVD would make a great Christmas gift!  It would also be a great excuse to have a chill, family night at home on the couch!

Click on the Rafflecopter Giveaway on the right for how to enter.

Contest starts November 7 and ends at midnight November 14, 2014.

Contest open to US Residents only.


HAVE A MAGICAL DISNEY DAY!
Candice