Disney and it's Dining!

With my trip less than 3 weeks away I am starting to get very excited to be heading to the “world”!  One of the things that I love to do the most at Disney World is trying out the new restaurants.  With 66 table service restaurants within Walt Disney World on the Disney Dining Plan, I have only eaten at 15 and will make it to 18 by the end of the month.  Wow, I thought I was doing well but now it looks like I have only eaten at 23% of what they have to offer!

When I am making our plans for Disney World I always include new restaurants into our trip and rarely am I ever disappointed.  I do also allow time for our favorite character meals which is now a toss up between Ohana’s Best Friends Breakfast with Lilo and Stich and the ever so popular Chef Mickey’s.  On this trip I have finally talked my family into having lunch with the Princesses in Norway at the Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.  I am claiming it is for research not that I have the overwhelming urge to meet Belle!

When it comes to choosing restaurant one place that needs to be considered is EPCOT! EPCOT has 15 table service restaurants that will give you a wide variety of choices from restaurants around the world.  So far my favorite is Teppan Edo which is a Hybatchi style restaurant that brings Japan to you.  EPCOT is known for bringing in cast members from the specific countries to make sure you are experiencing the culture and food with accuracy.  This has to be the easiest way to travel around the world in 80 minutes and not 80 days!  If you don’t want to settle in to a sit down restaurant most countries also offer a quick service restaurant that you can grab a quick bite and move on to the next.

This is only a quick glance at the dining Disney has to offer and I hope to one day sample it all!  If you have ever wanted to sample it all the best way to do it is with the Disney Dining Plan or the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan.  For less than $48 a day for adults and $13 for children between 9 and 3 you can have 1 quick service meal, 1 table service meal, and one snack per person, per night of your package stay for everyone in the party age 3 and over.  This is for the Disney Dining Plan.

The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan includes 3 Meals and 2 snacks per person, per night of your package stay for everyone in the party age 3 and over.   The plan also includes1 resort refillable drink mug per person over 3 that can be used at your hotel’s quick service restaurant as many times as you would like during your trip.  The cost of this dining plan is less than $79 a day for adults and $22 for children between 9 and 3.  Just to let you know gratuities are not included in either plan.  Just to do the math for a 7 night stay you could try 21 of the restaurant in one trip!  How cool would that be?

Now here is some good news…there is a way to get the Dining Plan FREE! 

Now through Aug. 27, 2011, book the new Memories Vacation Package for 5 nights and 6 days at select Disney Moderate, Disney Deluxe or Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts at the Walt Disney World® Resort for arrivals most nights Aug. 28 – Sept. 24 and get the Disney Dining Plan** FREE!**

Offer Details:
The New Memories Vacation Package Includes:

• Accommodations
• Magic Your Way Base Ticket for each member of the traveling party
• One 20-page Disney's PhotoPass® Photo Book***

Great fares may be available on AirTran Airways when you include air in this Memories Vacation Package Plus Free Dine for travel on select dates.

Booking Window:
May 2 – Aug. 27, 2011

Travel Window:
Aug. 28 – Sept. 24, 2011

Sample Pricing:
Book 5 Nights and 6 Days with FREE Disney Dining Plan for $86* per person, per day, for a family of 4, at a Select Disney Moderate Resort in a Standard Room (valid for stays most nights Aug. 28 – Sept. 24, 2011). That’s a total package price of $2,047.

Ask about packages in other resort categories and for other lengths of stay.

*Price based on 2 Adults, 1 Junior and 1 Child. The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Tickets valid for one Theme Park per day and must be used within 14 days of first use. No group rates or other discounts apply. Advance reservations required.

**Excludes gratuities and alcoholic beverages Children ages 3–9 must order from children's menu if available. Some Table-Service restaurants may have limited or no availability at time of package purchase.

***Online registration required. There is no charge to use Disney's PhotoPass Service to capture, view or share your photos. Prints and other products are available for purchase. Photos must be claimed within 30 days of being taken. Once claimed, they will be available for 30 days from claim date. Not responsible for missing, lost or damaged photos. Promotion code is a one-time use only and cannot be combined with any other offers. Promotion code will be provided as a voucher in your travel documents and will expire on 1/31/2012. Promotion code is not redeemable for cash in whole or in part. Promotion code holds no cash value. Promotion code is a one-time use code which will remove the cost of one (1) Disney's PhotoPass Photo Book with 20 pages. Standard domestic or International shipping charges will also be removed from your order. Offer does not include duties or value-added taxes, which may be assessed and are the responsibility of the package recipient. If additional pages are added to the Disney's PhotoPass Photo Book, additional products are added to this order, or Express shipping options selected, additional charges will apply upon final check out from DisneyPhotoPass.com.

If you would like any information about this great deal please feel free to e-mail me at Missy@wishuponastarwithdeb.com or call me at 618-920-8671 and we can plan a great trip for you and your family!  

And don’t forget to tell me about your favorite Walt Disney World Resort Restaurants in the comments!

The Magic of Disney

A family friend was recently at Walt Disney World and found out the Magic of Disney.  On their second or third day at the park they headed back to the room for a mid day break.  Once in the room they noticed that their camera was missing.  Obviously this was upsetting.  Not so much because the camera was gone but because the memories on the camera where gone; the past two day’s events, Christmas, a birthday, and so much more.  They immediately reported the lost camera to lost and found and went to the gift shop to look at their options of a new camera.  While there one of Disney's Amazing Cast Members asked where they last remembered having the camera.  After some thought they had an idea that they left it while having their picture taken with Mary Poppins.  The cast member then said "Believe in the Magic of Disney." Just before bed that night they received the phone call that their camera was found and once again the Magic of Disney prevailed!

This is just one of the many stories about the Magic of Disney but the outcomes are always the same.  Believe and the mouse will take care of you!  It is stories like this that keep me coming back to Walt Disney World year after year.  Not only does Disney World bring smiles to the faces of little children, it brings families together and even starts families with countless proposals in front of the castle.  If you haven't experienced the Magic yourself talk with someone who has been there and I am sure you will find it.

preston tillman (a word from my sponsor!)

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave your own stories in the comments because their are some days I need to be reminded of the Magic.

What you can hope to find on this blog

I have always wanted to start a blog but was never sure what I should talk about.  So here I begin with what I love to talk about and what I know...Disney.  I am a graduate from Disney's College of Knowledge and am currently planning Disney Vacations for families across the country. 

Here I will post information about things that are currently happening at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, one Disney Cruise Lines, and with Adventures by Disney.  I will also post different trivia, tips on the parks, where to find hidden Mickeys, and much more!

My family leaves in 40 days for a surprise trip for my son for Star Wars Weekend.  I can't count how many times I have almost tripped up on the secret.  There are five of us going and we refer to it as the Walker Family vacation.  Since I am working with families on their own trips Preston hasn't questioned it yet.  Thankfully he can't read my blog.  The other day he did inform me that he was jealous of the Walkers because they where going to Disney World.  Little does he know!

I hope you enjoy what you find here and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Welcome to my Disney World Blog!

Let me introduce myself..My name is Missy Tillman and I work for a wonderful company Wish Upon A Star With Deb!   At Wish Upon a Star with Deb you will receive my personalized planning services to help you have a magical Disney trip, wherever that Disney destination might be.  When you book your trip with me, my planning services are FREE. You can rely on my knowledge and expertise to help plan       your vacation.  Based on my experiences I can save you time, money, and stress; helping to guide you in your decisions about your vacation.

Here is a little bit about myself...

Disney is a part of my family.  You can find it in corners of my home, outfits that I wear, and in the memories and stories of my life.  I have been going to Disney World since I was a small child and one of the first things I do when I get there is find my favorite Indian Statue and have my picture taken.  Because no matter how much the world changes or my life changes this one statue has remained constant.  My family goes to Disney World to escape the hustle and bustle of real life and to emerge ourselves in a world unlike any other.  Disney offers a world of laughter and excitement; a world of togetherness and exploration.
One of my favorite things to do is to plan my family's Disney vacation.  From trying out different restaurants and hotels, to gathering knowledge to make our trip the most magical experience possible.  The day I met Deb was the day I was offered a dream of a lifetime!  She has given me the opportunity to pass on my knowledge to families and to allow me to put the magic touch on your vacation!  Since lives can be hectic, and days can add up, I want to be here to help you and your family enjoy Disney World as much as mine.  From your first sight of Cinderella's Castle you will know that you made the right decision choosing Wish Upon a Star with Deb to plan your Dream Disney Vacation.  I look forward to speaking with you soon!