All About Kimberly

Sailing Along the Life of Single Parenthood

Category Archives: Disney World

Reminder to Disney Mom’s

Tomorrow is the big day.  If you want to apply to be a part of the 2009 Disney World Mom’s Panel, tomorrow is the day to start applying.  You can begin applying at 10 AM EST.  You have a couple weeks to apply, but don’t procrastinate. You might forget.  This is a super deal.  If you are chosen, you’ll be awarded a trip for four to Disney World!

There are some obligations if you are selected, but they will be fun opportunities if you are well versed in Disney World knowledge and the trip will be the most awesome reward – much better than a paycheck in my opinion.

Curious to know if you qualify? Check out my previous post for more details.

Calling All Disney Moms!!!!!

Wow!!!  While pilfering through my email tonight I’ve come across such an excellent opportunity for all of us Disney Mom’s – a chance to join the 2009 Walt Disney World Mom’s Panel!!  This is the most amazing opportunity out there. I can’t even begin to tell you how exciting this would be for our house.  Got your attention? Let me tell you a little about this opportunity and how to apply!

The WDW Mom’s Panel is looking for 16 mom’s to serve on their vacation advising panel.  Disney recognizes who tends to do most of the vacation planning and then the keeping of the family on track once arriving and is looking for “experts” to help new mom planners. While I think just being able to say you served a year on this panel, Disney, of course, offers a much better benefit – a 5 night, 6 day vacation for four to Walt Disney World!

A few of the qualities Disney is looking for:

  • Must be at least 18 years of age or older
  • Must have access to a computer and Internet (this panel does its recommendations online)
  • Be familiar with WDW and made a trip within the last 12 months
  • Complete at least 15 responses a week (yes you’ll be earning this trip)
  • Be able to travel to Disney Dec 5 – 9th (ooh!!  a Christmas trip!!!)
  • Be willing to serve a full 12 month term

Mark your calendar! I’ve marked mine and set up a reminder in my new phone for September 8th. This is when signups begin (and you must have signed up by September 19th!

Oh, and if you are chosen, I fully expect to be one of your four free guests.  :P (just kidding….maybe)

Disney Theme Park Admission Increases

Disney has increased the price of admission into Walt Disney World and Disneyland.  If you are thinking of planning a trip, be sure to budget in these new prices.

At Walt Disney World one day adulkt tickets raised from $71 to $75, and children’s tickets raised from $60 to $63. At Disneyland adult tickets saw an increase of $3 going from $66 to $69, and children’s one day tickets will now cost $59 (up from $56).  These price increases will also be reflected in multiday tickets as well as the add ons that some of us choose when visiting Disney.  We always chose park hoppers as this allows us to visit multiple parks each day (if it’s crowded, we can leave and go somewhere else), and this option saw a price increase of $5 (going from $45 to $50).

I’ve read that this is because of the increase in price in oil (gas), food, and such, but if you look at Disney’s history, they tend to raise their prices on a regular schedule (prices went up last August) so while I don’t doubt that they are impacted by the increase in prices of these items, I think that Disney tickets will see regular price increases every year as long as they are not hit by less vacationers.

FYI: Six Flags actually decreased their admission prices this summer.

Sad Disney News

I’m usually happy to pass on Disney news to you guys, but today I’m really sad to report this news that I just found.  According to a recent press release from Disney, our favorite night time show, Fantasmic, will soon be going to only two nights a week (Mondays and Thursdays)!  This is really sad at our house. Like I said, Fantasmic is our favorite show and we have a tradition to always watch it our first night with a Hollywood & Vine Fantasmic Dining Package and then we catch it AT LEAST one more time through regular views. In December, we saw it with the H&V Package, tried the Mama Melrose dining package, and once as general admission!  For our upcoming trip we have reservations at H&V our first night (as tradition dictates), and Cameron plans on us watching Fantasmic the night of her birthday (as she gets to make the plans that day).  And if there are any other evenings that we aren’t happy where we are, we’ll head over to Hollywood Studio and watch it again.  It seems we never get tired of this show – no matter how many times we see it.

Why is this being done? According to a few Disney forums I read, primarily it seems to make room for a new show, American Idol (gag me!!). On a few message boards, I’ve seen it mentioned that it costs $30,000 for each performance of Fantasmic so that has something to do with it also, but Disney hasn’t said that.  On that subject, my theory is that every time I go, they have increased their rates so while that seems like a lot to me, they are continually getting more of my money, and I’d rather it be going towards Fantasmic than American Idol!

Here’s a copy of the news release that is out (please note though that I couldn’t find it on the actual Disney site anywhere):

Walt Disney World Resort Announcment
July 19, 2008

We are continually focused on providing the best possible experiences for our Guests who visit the Walt Disney World® Resort. Within the last six months, we have added significant new attractions and shows at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™, including Block Party Bash, Toy Story Midway Mania!, Pixar Place and Journey Into Narnia: Prince Caspian.

Coming in October 2008 will be the recently announced “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” and later this year, Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ will host the annual Night of Joy event for the first time and welcome back ABC Super Soap Weekend. At the same time, we have continued to update existing offerings such as Playhouse Disney—Live On Stage!

Next year, the park will unveil The American Idol Experience, host the first Grad Nite events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ and welcome back ESPN: The Weekend and Star Wars Weekends.

We regularly evaluate and refine our operations. At the same time we unveil The American Idol Experience in January 2009, we will make an adjustment to our operation by offering Fantasmic! on select evenings each week. Fantasmic! will be performed two times weekly –generally Mondays and Thursdays – and more often during our busiest times of the year.

On nights when Fantasmic! is not performed, Guests (with appropriate ticket media) will continue to have the opportunity to enjoy nightly fireworks spectaculars such as Wishes at the Magic Kingdom® Park and IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot®.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Price Increase

If you’ve never heard of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, it is a salon for princesses of all ages at walt Disney World where you can get a makeover by the Fairy Godmothers In Training. It is a really unique experience. when we went in December, I made an appointment for all three of us.  We had our hair styled and makeup done. Cameron had her nails done also.  There is also the option to buy princess dresses for the complete makeover. We did not do this option as the cost really starts to add up. I really do recommend this for all little girls at least once. I think it makes for an awesome Disney experience that a young girl will never forget. I’ve in fact planned an appointment for my youngest as a surprise on her birthday next month, and so I was particularly disappointed to find out that the prices for this experience have gone up again!! Here are the new prices:

Coach Package increased from $44.95 up to $49.95.
Crown Package increased from $49.95 up to $54.95.
Castle Package increased from a range of $179.95 to $249.95 up to $189.95 to $249.95.

If you want to take your little boy to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for a Cool Dude do then you’ll be happy that the price of this package has decreased from $10 to $7.50.