Have a question about planning a trip to Disney or something you’ve read here? Hopefully this blog can help! We’ve visited every Disney resort around the world, from Walt Disney World to Tokyo Disneyland, have stayed in nearly every Disney-owned hotel in the world, and have dined at the majority of Disney restaurants.
Presumably, most of you coming to this site are here for Walt Disney World or Disneyland trip planning advice. Common questions you have can probably be answered by posts we already have written that pertain to these topics and contain links to most critical vacation planning info.
If you’re trying to plan a Walt Disney World trip, visit our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide. If planning a Disneyland trip, check out our Disneyland Trip Planning Guide. If you look on the right-hand sidebar, you’ll also find links to other key planning-related posts.
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Thanks,
Tom Bricker
Good post & Info
Right-wing bias is strong in this article: Florida Ends All COVID-19 Emergency Orders & Disney World’s Response
You’d be better off removing this. There is no shortage of outlets to express your political views. Things related to Disney vacations should not be one of them.
Hey Tom-
Is there a function to see when an article of yours is posted? I see a calendar icon but that doesn’t seem to reveal a date for the post. Especially around the time of COVID regulations changing I’d like to know how current each post is. I’m sure you try to stay updated but, for instance, on a post about park pass availability being recently added, I’m not sure what ‘as of today’ means if I don’t know when the article released. Love the blog but would love this feature!
hello mickey mouse
Hi, I have a question about pin trading at Disney World. My 12-year-old daughter and my wife and I will be spending 5 days at Disney this May. If this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for our family and we won’t be returning in the foreseeable future, is it worth it to do pin trading — or is pin trading more for people who return to Disney World on a more regular basis? Your articles have been very helpful, but I don’t see this question addressed anywhere. What do you think?
For those of us trekking back into the most magical place on Earth, do you have any news on the stainless steel refillable resort mugs? We are doing a split-cation between Kidani and Poly. I would love to pick up the stainless steel editions, if they still exist.
Hello, Would you be so kind as to update your article title. This holds true for vaccinated people as well as those that test negative for C-19. Thank you
Hello Brickers! Big fans of yours! We read the blog vividly and frequent your sponsors. I realized that we didn’t get a chance to report to you about a Disneyland Paris trip we took in 2018…..(21Oct2018). We have been Annual Passholders at Disneyland Park (2016-2017) as well as Annual Passholders at Walt DisneyWorld (2017-present), and been to both parks almost 200 times. We also have used the Disability Access System extensively with our child. So us new Floridians feel like we are Disney veterans by now. Your DLP guide is incredibly accurate. The quick version of our assessment….Disneyland Paris (DLP) 2018:
Abundant stroller parking! European kids walk, American kids are pushed in strollers = lots of room for strollers. But realize that train transportation to DLP = stairs and only a few lifts (elevators). Need to collapse/hike those buggies.
Multiple FastPass acquisitions are not obvious at first, so strategy is key! (Um, Why is Crush’s Coaster not a FastPass attraction?)
Crepes and Nutella! Although not freshly made on the griddle before tour eyes, heated up and melted with Nutella still makes a quick grab snack. (On that note: not a Mickey Pretzel to be seen anywhere…which we think guests would enjoy, an American classic especially with nacho cheese dip!)
We discovered refillable popcorn buckets at 10.99 Euros, refills are 6.49 Euros (no tax). Popcorn has considerably less butter and salt. DLP Needs more cast members for food cart service (one cashier and one serve/prep). Most carts only had one cast member even during peak meal times.
Couldn’t stand the “no boundaries smoking and vaping” everywhere. We wish this wasn’t the case.
Fall trip is perfect for the changing tree leaves and cool temps! Not to mention free Halloween offerings that don’t require additional tickets!
Children were remarkably better behaved than we expected (not as many Disney meltdowns), but it is also 65 degrees outside. Weren’t as many kids as we were expecting either, but one other families mentioned that it is not “the ultimate vacation” like it is in America because there are so many different holidays and journeys to take here.
DLP Needs more restrooms distributed though out the park (stalls are spacious and run almost floor to ceiling, but few in number compared to US counterparts). And definitely DLP needs more lower level basin sinks (kids/disabled) or folding steps (up to higher mounted sinks). Of course the US parks need the sink height improvements, too. Not a big deal to you? Have you ever hoisted a squirmy child to a sink before?
Needs more cast members for line queues, (not very effective at pre-loading and loading for most attractions which is sad because it could easily shave off 10-25 minutes from wait times).
The “show based” attraction cast members with hosts were naturally much friendlier than other attractions.
Ultimate Disney fans must come here!
Don’t need cash (Euros) for anything here. Chipped cards are fine.
Cast members don’t carry water bottles attached to their uniforms (poor things!). I thanked and smiled at every one of them, because we believe in “good cast member care!” They are the real pixie dust, not the parks!
Need more cast members on quick service food (for same reasons as above)
Language Translation in shows and rude instructions are remarkably seemless much of the time.
We wish Disney Studios did not close at 8:00 m this time of year and had a nightie spectacular if it’s own.
Much of the Didney Studios park were leftovers of Hollywood Studios or early 2000s films (Dinosaur, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor). Given the park opened in 2002 this made sense.
Now that DLP is the #1 Visitor Destination in Europe (yes, beating the Louvre and Eiffel Tower), it had really started to develop a great fan culture with it (emergence of Guest costuming, more mouse ears, more iconic selfies). I feel like France is finally proud of its Parc.
Thanks for the comprehensive report on your experience–really enjoyed reading this!
Hi Tom, I read your articles quite frequently, but might have missed it if you talked about parking at Disney World. I just found out that trams are not operating at the parking lots, and from what I understand Disney is charging their standard parking rates.
I’m sure Disney promotes their trams service, and the cost to runs the trams has a lot of the rational for high parking charge. Since Disney has temporarily suspended the trams service, has Disney offered and temporary decrease to their parking rates?
Can you give some insight on this?
Thanks,
Michael
Hey, don’t know if you actually read these comments Tom (or Sarah…or AI robots). Thought maybe in one of your upcoming posts you could mention that Pop Warner is hosting its football and cheerleading squad at Universal Studios at Cabana Bay and Endless Summer Dockside. I know you have mentioned before to be aware and risk your own sanity if you stayed at a Disney Value resort during Pop Warner week. Might be nice to extend the same warning to people wanting to go to Universal that week. I see a lot of people being taken by surprise if they book a stay at some hotels overrun by football players and cheerleaders. Also apparently universal will be hosting a party. I’m sure the parks themselves will see an uptick in visitors too. So same warning but just for universal. I know this is a Disney site but I see you are also adding in some universal stuff too.
hey Tom. What to do if I have my trip planned to WDW with one of the highlights for my kids to be Hollywood Studios. Now it shows it won’t be open while I’m there.
Are any of the monorails working?
We are traveling with my 83 year old Dad in May and
something on his wish list is to ride the Monorail
Thanks!
Hi there! We are 2 seniors trying to make a trip next week to replace the March 2019 trip that was interrupted by Covid. On our bucket list is ROR and I will try me best to obtain virtual boarding passes with arthritic fingers and a Galaxy S8 Tracfone. Has anyone had success with a Tracfone? I think I am limited to using a local WIFI since I don’t have a cell phone provider. My understanding is that if I use DW WIFI, it will be slow due to volume. Any successful Tracfone riders out there or any suggestions?
Thanks,
Doodle Mom
Hi Tom!
How can I find out about doing paid advertising with you?
Thanks,
Sherry Osborne
Hi Tom
Is Disney DVC going bankrupt? We have been trying to make a reservation using our points for 2 weeks and the site says that no reservations are being taken. I tried to call their number; where typically I get a quick response, and the message said “no-one is available please call back”. This was during business hours! Anyone know whet is going on?
Hi Tom –
I love your blog. I wanted to pass this on in the event you can offer any advice. This is an email I just sent to Disneyworld.
Good afternoon,
My name is Andi Snow. I am a military spouse and the mother of 2 children. We are Disneyworld lovers and frequent guests. We even had the pleasure of being guests of Give Kids the World during our son’s battle with cancer. His Make-A-Wish was a visit to Disneyworld. Needless to day, Disneyworld holds a special place in our heart.
However, this week has been anything but Magical. My husband (a soldier in the United States Army) is deployed to the Middle East. My children have not seen their dad in nearly 1 year. They have been doing school from their bedrooms for over 1 year. Our spring break trip to Miami has been cancelled at the last minute due to events in Miami Beach.
At the last minute, I was able to book a room for us at Shades of Green. I am grateful for their help. Unfortunately I cannot say the same about Disneyworld Cast Members. I understand that the world is living under unusual circumstances and health and safety must come first. However, I have received no help from any of the several Cast Members I have spoken with regarding last minute tickets to a park next week.
I am desperately trying to salvage the one week my kids have to escape from the terrible year they have experienced and give them a little Disney Magic. Yet I cannot get 3 tickets to Disneyworld Parks next week. I know this is last minute and a difficult request to accommodate. However, I cannot believe an organization such as Disney is not prepared to handle last minute adjustments.
Disney prides itself on 1) support of the military and military families and 2) world-class customer service. Thus far I have received neither.
I would very much appreciate assistnace with this.
Thank you,
Andi Snow
530-718-8125