Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow! I’m leaving for the Mouse House tomorrow! Keep following me throughout my trip as I’m hoping to blog while I’m there! I digress, though. Let me introduce today’s blog post: The MagicBand & You.

This week’s big news out of Walt Disney World was the introduction of the purple MagicBand, now available for annual pass holders and Walt Disney World resort guests!

Of course, there were already many colours to choose from, but if you go as often as I do, you will know a new colour to choose from is exciting!

In light of the “big news”, I thought I’d devote a post all about Disney’s MagicBand.

The MagicBand is essentially an RFID-enabled wristband that you are given either prior to, or at, check-in at your Walt Disney World resort, and that you will wear for the duration of your Walt Disney World vacation.

If you live in the United States, your MagicBand is mailed to you prior to your trip, but Canadians receive their MagicBands at check-in. Colour and name selection are done through your My Disney Experience account, which you are asked to create online after booking a Walt Disney World vacation.

From your online account, you can link your resort reservation, and subsequently book your dining and/or FastPass+ reservations. This information is “magically” transferred to the MagicBand through the RFID technology.

Once you receive your MagicBand, you will see that it is waterproof and customizable to different sized wrists.

At check-in you will also be given the opportunity to link a credit card to your MagicBand. This essentially eliminates the need for credit cards at the Disney parks. Your MagicBand can be used to make all purchases at Disney! At the end of your trip, you either have the option of paying off your MagicBand account with cash, or the charges will simply be billed to your credit card.

With any new technology, there are bound to be some initial bugs. Disney has done a great job of working out the kinks, and I think you will now find that your MagicBand is indispensable! You will use its RFID technology to “tap” your way through your Disney vacation! From unlocking your resort room door, to entering the Disney parks, to paying for merchandise, to using your dining credits from your meal plan, or using your FastPass+ reservations at the attractions, a simple tap of the Mickey head on the MagicBand against the Mickey head on Disney’s readers will open a world of experiences!

The experience doesn’t stop there though. Disney is always conjuring up new magic for its guests and we know there will be even more uses for the MagicBand in the future! Having guests interact with the ride queues and enhancing guest experiences at the character meet and greets are just a couple of things we are hearing about!

Have you used a MagicBand? I would love to hear about your experience!

Well, being sick sucks. Being sick and having to cancel your skiing plans over the weekend because of said sickness sucks even more. But, as I lay on the couch this Monday morning with Paw Patrol playing in the background (my poor son fell victim of said illness, too), I thought what better thing to do than write a new blog post! Talking/thinking about Disney usually gets me out of my funk.

Today’s inspiration for my post comes from my friend whom I’ve just booked at Disney’s Art of Animation resort for a couple of days over March Break. I don’t think I really need to “sell” this resort too much, since the AWESOMENESS of this resort speaks for itself!

Besides touring this resort on a couple of occasions while in Orlando for Disney training, I’ve also had the pleasure of staying at this resort in 2014. I think it definitely holds the spot of my kids’ favourite resort to this day!

Disney’s newest Value Resort is right beside Disney’s Pop Century Resort. In fact, there’s actually a walkway that joins the two resorts. It’s unique in the fact that it is the only Value Resort which features mostly family suites. The suites are located in either the Lion King section, the Finding Nemo section, or the Cars section. Each exquisitely-themed suite features 2 bathrooms, a master bedroom with a queen bed, a living area with a sofa bed, a dining area with a dining table that also turns into a bed, and a kitchenette with sink, microwave, bar-sized fridge and coffee maker.

Here are some pictures of the Lion King Fanily Suite from my stay there:

Ensuite Bathroom

Master Bedroom

Dining area

Living Area

Living Area

The Little Mermaid section features standard rooms with 2 double beds and these are some of the hardest rooms to book because they are so highly sought after! They are priced out only slightly higher than the standard rooms at Disney’s other Value properties, while at the same time getting to take advantage of staying at Disney’s newest Value resort!

You will find the Values’ signature building-size icons throughout this property, but this time, Disney took it to a new level! In my opinion, the Cars section of the resort is the most impressive, giving you the feeling that you are truly in Radiator Springs!

The rest of the resort’s theming is pretty darn cool, too!

Disney’s Art of Animation is perfect for days off from the busy Disney parks. The resort features 3 pools: the main pool is in the Finding Nemo section called the “Big Blue Pool” and features underwater speakers for your listening pleasure! Listen carefully and you can even hear Mr. Ray! The Little Mermaid section offers the Flippin’ Fins pool and the Cars Section features the Cozy Cone Pool. My kids almost loved staying at the resort in those pools more than going into the parks!

If you want more information on staying at this fabulous resort, contact me and I would be happy to help!

Welcome! I promised myself this blog would be something fun to do. I vowed to keep things light, not stress over what to write, and pick fun topics which come to me naturally and organically. Let’s see if my Type A brain can stick to that plan! In keeping with my vow to make this an enjoyable hobby for myself rather than an arduous task to complete after “adulting” all day, I pledge that this blog will feature (what I hope to be) insightful commentary from my personal adventures with my hubby and kids around the world… But mostly from Disney!

You see, to explain, I’m first and foremost a Disney aficionado, freak, and nerd, and, so, naturally, I became a travel agent mostly focused on selling Disney Destination travel. My hubby is just as big of a geek as I am, and I hope we are doing a good job of creating little Disney freak offspring people.

We have umpteen stories, tips, tricks, and guides on doing Disney well, and I hope this blog will serve as an outlet for those.

We also travel other places a freakishly good amount so you should prepare yourself for other destination anecdotes, as well. So, again, welcome. If all of the above interests you, I hope you will join me for this wild ride.