Our son Luke grabbing some much needed Shut-eye at the Contemporary Resort.

Some folks take a “commando” style approach to their Walt Disney World  vacation. Up before the sun dragging the kids out of bed. By gosh they are going to get every minute that they paid for! Ride every ride, and see every parade.  I have seen this time and time again and I admit that during our first WDW trip I was also tempted to do this. But let me tell you, this will end up in melt downs and frustration during the 90+ degree afternoons. The next time you are at the parks look around; you will see these folks. They are tired and cranky and their kids are tired and cranky. The yelling and crying do not make for a magical experience.

We take a different more relaxed approach; sure we do plenty of pre-planning including restaurant reservations, a different park each day (often two parks) and other activities, heck I even have a spreadsheet with our daily plan, but these are just a plan and can be changed at any time based on how tired or energized we are. Our number one goal is fun and relaxation! Yes, you can have a relaxing vacation at Walt Disney World! If your bunch are already early risers then you are in luck this is the best thing to do in the hot Florida climate. Go early, have fun and come back to the hotel for an afternoon siesta or swim. This brings up another annoying thing that many parents may not admit, yes there is a certain age group of kids that love the pool more than the parks. After your break and some lunch head back to the parks, take in an afternoon parade, ride some rides but remember not to stay out too late. Another way to maximize the fun is to sometimes split the group, during a past WDW vacation Karen took the boys for some fun in the pool while I took the girls who were older back to the parks for some extra magic hours!

Slow down, breathe, and pay attention to everyone making sure they aren’t tired. When you see your kids, spouse or feel yourself getting tired, take action or rather inaction! Take a break, hydrate, cool off and if you need to go back to the hotel and nap. I promise that with this approach your family will be refreshed relaxed and you will get more magic out of each moment instead of getting more moments with less magic.

Jim Ferrell

Get Out! Travel & Tour LLC

Your Disney Experts!
www.MouseJourneys.Com
(614) 500-3555

How do you approach the parks? Comment and let me know your park style:

A mischievous Stitch spits water on passersby at Downtown Disney.

When my frugal family goes to Disney World we want to get the most bang for our Disney Bucks. We typically will stay for 7 days, but lets face it tickets are expensive and who wants to pay for 7 days of tickets when one of those days will be partial due to travel. With these 2 neat tips you can squeeze out an extra day or two of Disney magic!

• TIP 1: If you are staying on property, hop on a Disney Bus to Downtown Disney Marketplace. The atmosphere, shops, and restaurants just ooze WDW magic. Check out the worlds largest Disney store “World of Disney” it’s a kids dream come true and if like us you gave your kids a budget, remind them of this and it takes a little stress out of the shopping part. Stop by the Lego store to be amazed by the giant Lego constructions. Browse through the gift shops at the T-rex and Rainforest Cafes (you can see all the animatronic fun here without spending $$). The lakeside setting, fountains that shoot water out of the ground and other great entertainment and eye candy make for a fun day.

• TIP 2: A Monorail Adventure! With this tip you can stay at a value resort and live it up at the Deluxe Resorts. The Deluxe Disney Resorts on the monorail are beautiful and packed with great shops and restaurants. We love to make a lunch reservation at Kona Cafe at the Polynesian Resort. That takes care of resort entry and parking,  or for an even more frugal option you can just hop a resort bus to the TTC or Magic Kingdom and hop on a Resort Loop Monorail from there. Take your time and make the free monorail ride an experience in itself. Stop at the different resorts, walk the grounds, shop in the shops. Then for a topper take the Epcot Monorail from the TTC; this one travels a good distance and ends up taking a loop into Epcot and around Spaceship Earth! Shopping, sightseeing and the monorail! Trust me the kids (and Disney loving adults) will enjoy this day!

These are just two of the fun ways to stretch your Disney Dollars; if you have more great tips feel free to share them in the comments!

Jim Ferrell
Co-Owner
Get Out! Travel & Tour LLC

Your Disney Experts!
www.MouseJourneys.Com
(614) 500-3555

I am turned off by the price (yes I am cheap lol) and wouldn’t want to miss a day in the parks but I am sure there are guys out there (you know who you are) that would rather do this or a round of golf while the wife and kids hit the Magic Kingdom.

Jim Ferrell, Co-Owner Get Out Travel & Tour llc

Contact Karen or me to get a free quote on your Disney Adventure. getouttraveltour@gmail.com, 614 500 3555, www.mousejourneys.com

The folks over at the Richard Petty Driving Experience invited me to an event yesterday at the Walt Disney World Resort Speedway and the funniest thing happened: I fell in love. When I first saw her she was just sitting there, dressed all in yellow. She looked Italian and exotic and, without a doubt, it was love at first sight.

“She” is a sleek, bright yellow 562-horsepower Lamborghini Gallardo – just one of the handful of “supercars” that guests can drive as part of the new Exotic Driving Experience that is being offered by Petty Holdings at the speedway. The experience officially debuts on Monday, but the kind folks over there gave a few of us a chance to get behind the wheel a little early.

Like I said, I fell in love.

This was easily one of the coolest things I have ever done, a real bucket list kind of thing. Put it this way, if Michael Jordan were a car, he’d be a Lamborghini (0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds and costs $220,000). The acceleration, the handling, the traction and, thank God, the braking are unlike anything I have ever experienced in a car. And it was even more evident when Brazilian race car driver Christian Fittipaldi took me for a spin in a black Ferrari 458 – we were doing 130 mph through a high-banked turn while passing mere inches from the wall yet the car felt like it was glued to the road. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to go back to just driving my little car ever again.

The Exotic Driving Experience offers the chance to drive a Ferrari 458 Italia, Porsche 997 S and Audi R8 in addition to two types of Lamborghinis, with more supercar models coming in the future. Prices range between $199-$389 for six laps depending on which model you choose.

For me, I’m sticking with my girl, the Lamborghini Gallardo, even though I swear that red Ferrari kept making eyes at me as I left the speedway.

Need a Disney fix?

Take a virtual trip to Walt Disney World using Google Earth!

Kids Sail Free to Mexican Riviera!

Great news! Kids 17 and under sail FREE* when traveling with two full-fare Guests in the same verandah stateroom in Categories 4A-6A on most Mexican Riviera sailings Oct. 30 – Dec. 18, 2011. Government Taxes and Fees not included.

Booking and Travel Window: Bookings open June 1, 2011

Travel Window: Most sail dates Oct. 30 – Dec. 18, 2011

Additional Details: 7 and 8-night cruises depart from Los Angeles, Calif. .

* This offer is only available to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Offer applies only to verandah stateroom categories 4A-6A (excluding suites and concierge) for most sail dates 10/30/11 – 12/18/11. The number of staterooms allocated for this offer is limited. There are a limited number of staterooms for four or more guests. This offer cannot be combined with any other special offers or discounts. Additional Terms and Conditions apply.

For a free quote email or call Jim and Karen of Get Out Travel & Tour at:

614 500-3555

GetOutTravelTour@gmail.com

www.mousejourneys.com

Disney Fantasy’s Maiden Voyage is March 31, 2012!

Discover a fantastical line-up of new design elements and experiences on the Disney Fantasy when the ship sets sail on March 31, 2012. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the unique features onboard:

“Animation Magic” at Animator’s Palate
The magic of Disney animation comes into the dining room with a new show called “Animation Magic.” The dinner show celebrates the magic of Disney animation and allows families to create and participate in a whole new way.

As Guests are seated, they are invited to draw a character of their own using a simple template on their placemat. During dinner, animated black-and-white drawings of Mickey Mouse appear on large monitors. When Mickey places the Sorcerer’s hat upon his head, magical transformations happen around the room!

For a finale, Mickey conjures the Guest’s drawings – now fully animated and brought to life – into the onscreen action for a parade around the room. At the conclusion, Guests will have their character drawing returned to them with an added touch – a golden seal proclaiming them an Official Disney Animator.

Europa Nighttime Entertainment District
Adults step into a world all their own at Europa – a nighttime entertainment district, exclusively for Guests 18 and older, that features sophisticated bars and trendy lounges inspired by the very best in European travel.

• La Piazza draws inspiration from Italian cities and their decorative outdoor plazas. The bar is modeled after a colorful vintage carousel. Venetian masks and a classic Vespa with sidecar add to the Italian flair.

• Skyline is a chic bar that provides ever-changing, birds-eye views of stunning European city skylines that transform from day to night.

• O’Gill’s Pub is a rollicking Irish bar with modern-day twists. Dark woods, brass accents and a selection of Irish beers create the perfect pub atmosphere for sipping a pint and watching live sporting events.

• Ooh La La is inspired by an elegant French boudoir adorned with velvet tufted walls, Victorian furniture and Louis XIV-style chaise lounges. A jewel-box feature bar is backed with sparkling diamond-like facets.

• The Tube transports guests to a vibrant metropolitan club via the London Underground. Guests “mind the gap” as they walk across a Tube route map, pose by a red English phone booth and dance atop an illuminated Union Jack dance floor.

“Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular”
A new ship means new main stage entertainment at the 1,340-seat Walt Disney Theatre. Magic lamps, wise-cracking genies, princesses and evil wizards are all a part of this fast-paced musical comedy.

Of course, the production would not be complete without a magic flying carpet scene, which combines mechanical wizardry with state-of-the-art projections, allowing Jasmine and Aladdin to soar as they perform a heartfelt duet.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
Aspiring young princesses and pirates receive the full fairy-tale treatment with pixie-dusted and piratical makeovers at this very special salon.

Exclusive to Disney Cruise Line® – Captain Mickey Mouse, Princess Minnie Mouse and First Mate Minnie Mouse makeovers as well as special “Under the Sea” packages will be offered.

On pirate party nights, the salon transforms into the Pirate’s League, where swashbuckling boys, girls and grownups can get ready for the pirate life.

Atrium Lobby – Mademoiselle Minnie Mouse
The magnificent three-deck atrium lobby is reminiscent of grand ocean liners of the Golden Age. A focal point is a cascading chandelier of stained glass and crystal beads.

The pièce de résistance of the magnificent space is the atrium lobby statue – Mademoiselle Minnie Mouse. Inspired by travel of the 1920s and 1930s, Minnie, cast in bronze and dressed in vintage fashion with a parasol and steamer luggage at her side, serves to welcome all Guests who board the ship.

Royal Court
Guests are immersed in the lavish surroundings of an elegant dining room fit for a grand palace. Royal Court takes design inspiration from classic Disney films like “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Sleeping Beauty.”

Hand-crafted mosaic-tile murals of the princesses and their princes grace the walls. Inspired by the mosaic tile murals in Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom® Park, the mosaics are being meticulously created by skilled Italian craftspeople using more than 200,000 individual tiles.

Bookings Are Open!
The 4,000-passenger ship will sail 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Fla., beginning with its maiden voyage set for March 31, 2012.

For a free quote email or call Jim and Karen of Get Out Travel & Tour at:

614 500-3555

GetOutTravelTour@gmail.com

www.mousejourneys.com

Imagine a breathtaking photograph of a lion or cheetah on the African Savannah. You’ve seen them in National Geographic, art festivals and even art galleries. Now imagine that photo brought to life; well actually bigger than life in vivid digital high-definition. Disney’s African Cats is a work of art. My son Luke is 10 and is obsessed with animals. He studies animal encyclopedias and has become an expert; he now finds mistakes in animal identification guides. Luke has been not so patiently waiting to see this movie for months and finally on Earth Day he got his wish. He was not disappointed; African Cats has drama, action and focuses on the power of a mother’s love. Both of us thoroughly enjoyed this amazing movie and I am sure you will too. We give it two paws up!

Jim Ferrell, Co-Owner Get out! Travel & Tour llc   www.MouseJourneys.com

Image via Wikipedia

Shhhhh,   I want to tell you a secret…   There are places in Walt Disney World that most people don’t know about. Even in the most popular theme park in the world there are out of the way spots that have no crowds and less people. I will list a few today:

• At the end of Mainstreet USA in the Magic Kingdom there is a little known “passage” to Tomorrowland. You can beat the crowds by walking through the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station. Just look for Z on your park map!
• There is a second floor to the Magic Kingdom entrance. It’s the train station; go up the stairs and enjoy the view down main street. If you get there early enough it is a great place to watch parades and other events while being “above it all”.
• There is a walkway behind Mickey’s Toon Town Fair that goes to Tomorrowland and it is usually free of crowds even on the busiest days! Update: This walkway is currently closed because of the Fantasyland construction.
• Hot? Tired? there is a relaxing cool ride in the Magic Kingdom that you don’t have to get off of. You can keep riding it and relax! Wait you say, a ride that relaxes? Yes! The Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover is located near the Astro Orbiter in the center of Tomorrowland. It is a slow pleasant and interesting ride that actually goes through Space Mountain. Want to know another secret? Believe it or not it is a great place for a nap! Yes, I have seen small children and not so small adults taking a siesta on this ride.

Check out a Magic Kingdom Park Map HERE!

Want to go check these out in person? We can send you there: www.MouseJourneys.com

These are just a few great places; feel free to share your favorite in the comments or stay tuned and I will post more in the future!