Perks of Staying On Disney Property

Did you know that staying within the Disney bubble has perks?  Here are a few of these added benefits of staying on property and maybe a few you haven’t thought of!

• EMH, thats Disney lingo for Extra Magic Hours!  EMH is a precious time in the parks, where Disney will open one of it’s parks an hour early or keep it open an hour or sometimes two hours at night!!  Nighttime EMHs are my absolute favorite time in the parks!!  The families with kids (who didn’t take naps) leave and the guests who are saying off property aren’t allowed EMH are leaving as well.   It is the most empty, regular time in any park!  How often do you get the chance to ride a ride back to back at Disney with no wait?? It is positively magical! 
• Disney Dining Plan (DDP)- As a resort guest you have the option to take part in the Disney Dining Plan if you would like.  These plans are a way to pre-pay for your meals, therefore not having to pay out of pocket while you are enjoying your time at Disney World.    These plans are not mandatory for you as a resort guest, but are a great benefit for those who want their vacation to feel more all-inclusive.  There are three types of dining plans to choose from, so choose what you feel is best for your family.
• Transportation.  If you have ever read about my experience of staying off property, you will understand why I think this is my number one reason to stay on property!! The option to not have to drive, deal with the stress of parking-transport to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) and back tired and with cranky or sleepy kids is reason enough alone for me!! 
• The free extras!  Yes, your heard me these are things that most of us don’t think of when staying on property.  I didn’t until we stayed off property recently.  When you stay at a commercial hotel you are paying extra for things like parking or wi-fi per night of your stay.  When staying on Disney property, you get these things FREE!  Not only are you allowed to park at your resort without an added cost, but you can park at any of the parks or other WDW resort properties.  So feel free to book that dining reservation at Jambo House or the Grand Floridian, you will be allowed to park there, no problem.  We have even gone to a resort just to see if we would like to stay there.  Wi-fi is offered free at any of the parks and resorts. 
• Another perk of staying on property, is that you have the assistance of cast members that can help you before you get into the parks.  If you have any trouble with your tickets or your memory maker or need to cancel a reservation, you will most likely be able to get this handled before you go to the park by visiting the front desk.  Not wasting your park time in line at guest relations or will call.  

So there you have it, a few of my favorite reasons to stay on WDW property.  As a Disney trip planner, I would love to help you book your next magical vacation.  You can contact me at jilll@mmadventures.net for your free quote and service!

Top 5 Reasons You Should Use a Disney Trip Planner

Wanting to book a magical Disney trip?  Finding it overwhelming?  What resorts?  What type of trip? How many days?  When is the best time to go? What should I pack?  Well, rest your stresses, here are 5 reasons why booking with a certified Disney trip planner will make your life easier.

5.  We have been there and done that!  Most likely a Disney trip planner has the first-hand knowledge of the things you want to do.  And even if we don’t, we have the resources to find the  information, tips and tricks to make your Disney vacation magical!

4. Personalization.  The amazing thing about a Disney vacation is that no two trips are just alike!  We are able to help you get the most out of your family’s trip.  If your family would like to dine with their favorite characters or turn into a little princess, we are here to help. Depending on if you are going on an adult-only trip or one centered around your littles, we can help guide you in your planning! 

3. We are here to save you money!!!  DTPs are the first to hear about special Disney offers.  We know before the limited spots are released to the public. Disney specials are usually limited in terms of how many are available, so knowing as soon as a seasonal special is available is a huge benefit for you as a client!   We cannot offer special pricing.  As a matter of fact our prices are what you would find on the Disney website.  But, we have the knowledge of any special offers that Disney releases throughout the year, therefore saving you money!

2. Our speciality is booking Disney trips! Where general travel agents will book any type of travel, certified Disney Trip Planners only book Disney trips…and we aren’t just talking about trips to the Magic Kingdom.  Disney Trip Planners can book your trip on Disney Cruise Lines, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Alluni Resort in Hawaii and Disney Adventure trips all around the world!

1. The number one best reason to use a DTP is that we are 100% no-strings- attached free!  This is one of the most common questions that I am asked as a trip planner, “How much are your services?”.  I love hearing the surprise in their voices when I tell them my services are completely free.  We are compensated by Disney, meaning that you benefit from having a Disney professional on your side without any extra cost! 

*Bonus Reason:  Sit back and relax, let us worry about your reservations for character meals, FastPass booking and payment schedules.  

Jill is a certified Disney trip planner and a huge Disney fan.  Please contact me if you would like any help planning your Disney adventure at jill@mmadventures.net for your free service!

Hey y’all and welcome to my new blog, “Between the Castles”!

Before I start let me make a disclaimer:  I am NOT a writer!  This doesn’t come easy to me so bear with me as I start this new journey.  

I have wanted to start a Disney blog for some time now.  Ever since I was a little girl taking family trips, the “most magical place on Earth” has been a special part of my life. Three decades, a husband and two children later, I have re-discovered my love for all things Disney!  It is my hope through this blog that I can share some of my personal Disney experiences and insights with you.  

You have heard it said before and it’s so true, nothing compares to seeing Disney through the eyes of your children.  Our first born, Bailey, was 2 and my husband Tom thought she was too young for Disney.  He was afraid that she would not enjoy the magic and would not remember the trip.  Well we went anyway and the trip was nothing short of magical!  To this day she doesn’t remember all the details but she loves looking back at the pictures and telling the stories!  (Much to her daddy’s chagrin her favorite photo is of Tom holding her at Magic Kingdom right after her diaper leaked out on his shirt!!!)  That trip reinforced that you are never too young or too old to experience the magic of Disney.  After that first trip Tom and I couldn’t wait to go back again!  But we would have to wait because just a couple weeks later we found out we were expecting!!  This time we only waited until Parks, our second born, was 15 months old before we introduced him to the big mouse! 

Somewhere along the way researching Disney - the deals, the history, the magic - I started really having fun planning our Disney vacations.  It became so fascinating to me that I had friends asking me for advice, asking me to help plan their Disney trip, asking when they should book this or that, where they should stay, etc.  I realized that I got a lot of satisfaction out of helping others.  The real joy was getting to live vicariously through their own magical experiences. The seed had been planted!  I had a friend who was a certified Disney trip planner so I called her to see how I could get involved.  I felt like I had accrued knowledge over the years that could help others plan their vacations.  When I found out that as a Certified Disney Planner your services were free for your clients, I was sold!!  Before long I was enrolled in Disney training and became a Certified Disney Planner (CDP) in November, 2015!!

The name of my blog is “Between The Castles”.  You may be wondering what that means.  I played around with many ideas and finally it hit me!  As a CDP, I can help you with any Disney vacation “between the castles” and beyond - Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line and even Disney’s Alluani Resort in Hawaii!!  My other inspiration for “BTC” is that as someone who lives in Georgia, my family takes regular trips into Florida to Walt Disney World, the largest of the Disney properties.  And a fun fact about WDW is there are actually three castles at Magic Kingdom!   You can see Prince Eric's castle, dine inside the Beast's castle and visit Cinderella's picturesque castle.   So if you want to find me at my happy place, I’ll be somewhere “Between The Castles”.

If you would like any help planning your next trip to Disney, please email me at jill@mmadventures.net for your free quote and service today!  I would love to help make magic for your family as well!