Posts Tagged ‘family travel’

For 2011 Walt Disney World has announced a variety of changes to package inclusions and cancellation policies, room rates, and seasons; all of which we’ll be sharing over the next weeks.  One of the most interesting modifications is the addition of new room categories at a number of the resorts.  While this will allow guests to reserve guaranteed room locations and views, it means that preferences which previously could be requested will now come at a fixed additional cost.

Of note is the fact that particular views are perceived as having so much importance that in some instances, a standard room with a premium view costs more than a concierge-level room with a less-desirable view.

Here are some of the categories for Standard and Concierge rooms; keep in mind that Deluxe Resorts also offer a variety of Suites and Deluxe Rooms with prices that are determined by category rather than view:

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge: A new Arusha Savannah View is an addition to the previous Savannah View.  This pertains to non-concierge rooms only and includes an option for Arusha View with standard bed configuration and Arusha View Bunk Bed rooms.

Disney’s Beach Club Resort: Concierge rooms are now available in Standard, Garden, or Lagoon Views.  The Standard View is parking lot or rooftop, while the new Lagoon View guarantees a fifth-floor room with a Crescent Lake vista.

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn: Regular rooms can have a Standard View of gardens, leisure pool or parking lot, or a Water View which looks out over the Boardwalk and Crescent Lake.  In concierge, all standard rooms will overlook a courtyard, leisure pool, or the Boardwalk.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort: The Standard and Garden Views in the Garden Wing, and the Bay Lake and Magic Kingdom Views for both Standard Tower and Atrium Club Concierge rooms have been retained for 2011.  The 14^th floor Tower Club is still priced according to room or suite type rather than view.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa: Regular rooms continue to be offered in Garden, Lagoon, and Theme Park Views, while the Standard Royal Palm Concierge rooms in the main building come with or without a guaranteed Theme Park View.

Disney’s Polynesian Resort: Garden, Lagoon, and Theme Park Views are offered in both Standard and Concierge rooms.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge: No changes for 2011; Standard, Woods, and Courtyard views are still available for regular rooms, with hit-or-miss on the concierge floor.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort: Same options as Disney’s Beach Club although overall, the Yacht Club views tend to be superior.

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort: Room types include Standard View and a Water View that can be either pool or lake, King-bed, Preferred location, and Pirate-themed rooms with either Standard or Water Views.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort: This resort also features Standard and Water Views, King-bed and Preferred location rooms, as well as a range of suites.

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort: Standard and Water Views and a King-bed room are joined by the new River View category for 2011.

Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort: In addition to King-bed and Preferred location, Standard View, and Water View which may be of the river or pool, room choices now include a guaranteed River View for an additional charge.  Trundle-bed rooms will always be assigned to parties of five since other room categories only accommodate a maximum of four guests.

Value Resorts: Both Standard and Preferred location categories remain for 2011 as well as the Family Suites at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort.

Your Whimsical World Travel Concierge is familiar with all the different room categories and views at each resort and will help you choose the perfect “room with a view” for your vacation.

#5 A Concierge Stay

Comparable to “club” in other deluxe hotels, and referred to as “concierge” for many years, this represents the elite level of accommodations at Disney resorts.  Having recently installed “concierge” desks in the lobbies of all the resorts to assist hotel guests, Disney is struggling with the nomenclature to set this service apart.  They have given names to all the concierge lounges and are attempting to make the transition from “concierge” to “club,” as in  Old Faithful Club at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.  Nonetheless, most guests still think of these rooms as concierge.  In each deluxe resort, most suites and a certain number of single rooms are designated concierge.  They may be located on certain floors, keyed sections of floors, or in specific buildings, and suites may be found throughout the properties, but they all share access to the concierge perks.

Those booking club-level rooms can anticipate certain extras:  food and beverage offerings several times each day in a private lounge area; separate check-in procedures; a dedicated concierge staff to assist with information, reservations, and myriad special requests.  Concierge guests may also take advantage of the pre-trip planning services available from the Itinerary Planning Office. An itinerary questionnaire is generally mailed a month or so before arrival.  They can be contacted by e-mail, phone or fax as soon as you have a confirmed reservation.

Although Disney is renowned for customer service, you can expect that to be taken to another level when you arrive as a concierge guest.  It is pampering, indulgent, and delightful.  All the lounges are extremely child-friendly and feature small furnishings, a separate television, and special food items especially for kids.  A family vacation at Walt Disney World is very demanding, and having the resources of concierge can be priceless.

Expect the benefits to be emotional rather than fiscal.  After a tiring arrival day, when most guests still face a wait in line to check in, concierge guests are greeted and whisked away to comfortable chairs and cool drinks, or sometimes escorted directly to their rooms, for a relaxed and hassle-free registration.  The push of a button from a room telephone will connect to a member of the concierge staff who will try his best to obtain tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party, book a last-minute dining reservation, or give advice about park-closing hours or ordering a floral arrangement for a room.  Grabbing breakfast in the morning rather than spending the time in a restaurant offers the opportunity for the early start that’s so important in the parks.

Interestingly, each resort brings its own unique style to the concierge floor, and there are differences in service, food and beverages, extra amenities, and attitude.  Two resorts, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort, have two different club levels and uninformed guests are sometimes disappointed upon arrival.  Your Whimsical World Travel Concierge is familiar with each and every program and can offer guidance in choosing the best one for your party.

#3  concept^tm Itinerary

Expect White Glove treatment as you experience the Walt Disney World Resort in a unique new way with a customized itinerary from Whimsical World Travel’s concept^tm program.

Each themed vacation includes a comprehensive package of arrangements, events, recreation, and entertainment designed to appeal to guests who are looking for an innovative and immersive experience.

Choose from some of our most popular offerings:

Boo to You! Halloween is a month-long celebration at Walt Disney World® and we’ve arranged a frightfully good time!

Over the River and Through the Woods Share the joys of the holiday season with family and friends at the beautiful Wilderness Lodge; dressed to impress in its Christmas finery.

Honeymoon Dreams Celebrate a marriage or vow renewal in unforgettable Disney style with romantic activities and memorable surprises.

Grand Indulgence Relaxing, rejuvenating, restorative – sybaritic spa treatments and sumptuous accommodations make this vacation special.

Other current themes include golf, birdwatching, theater, engineering, hot-air balloons, horses, architecture, history, animals, and transportation.  Or, let us craft a one-of-a-kind stay especially for you.  From autographs to zebras, we have creative ideas for your next significant splurge!

We’ve shared our fav5 Splurges, both Small and Special.  Now, we’re moving to our top choices for a Significant Splurge!

#1 VIP Tour Services

For those of you who would enjoy the freedom of letting Disney be your guide, we highly recommend their VIP Tour Services.  While your Whimsical World Travel concierge will take care of all the details of your vacation, your private VIP Tour Guide will be your personal navigator during your stay.

After collecting information about the interests and expectations of your group, a custom itinerary will be created just for you.  Your Guide’s special expertise includes an in-depth knowledge of the parks; attractions, geography, trivia; which will guarantee a relaxed and carefree experience for your party of one to ten people.

What you can expect:

• With a touring plan and dining reservations based upon your preferences, your Guide will choose the best routes through the parks, obtaining new FastPasses for your party while you’re enjoying an attraction, to maximize your park-touring hours.
• You will be able to take advantage of special viewing areas for parades and fireworks, and enjoy premium seating at shows.
• There’s no need to worry about finding your favorite character or even the nearest restroom.  Your VIP Tour Guide knows the neighborhood!
• Your Guide has a wealth of stories to share about the parks, the buildings, the attractions, and the thousands of small details that make the Walt Disney World Resort so amazing.
• In the past, guests were expected to include the Guide in their dining plans, and pay for the meal, when a tour ran more than 4 ½ hours.  Currently, you may choose either to dine alone or include your Guide, with Disney picking up the tab for the Guide’s meal.
• The Guide’s pager number is provided to each member of the party, making it easy to reconnect in the event that anyone becomes separated from the group.

What you cannot expect:

• Back-door access to rides – while there may be special arrangements for entrance to shows, you will be expected to utilize regular stand-by and FastPass lines for other attractions.  Your Guide’s experience with crowds, wait times, and schedules will help to minimize time spent standing in line.

• Park admission – the cost for VIP Tour Services does not include admission to the parks which must be purchased separately.

Other services available at additional cost:

• Private transportation can be arranged for pick-up from your resort to the parks and between locations if you hope to visit more than one park on a given day.  This often involves access to the parks from backstage areas which is a real time-saver if you are hoping to experience shows and events scheduled close together in different parks.

• An Unlimited FastPass option allows your party to enter the FastPass lines as often as you want during your touring period.

VIP Tour Guides can be booked 180 days in advance.  Because this department was originally created to service high-profile guests who needed separation from the crowds, those guests remain the first priority and Guides may not always be available for the general public.

Guides must be reserved for a minimum of six hours and you may choose to take advantage of the service for only one day of your vacation, or arrange to be met and accompanied by your Guide from the moment you arrive, for the length of your stay.

Prices are per hour and vary widely depending upon a number of factors including the time of year, whether or not you are a guest at a Walt Disney World Resort, any additional inclusions, and sometimes, who you are talking to.  Current prices start at about $175.00 per hour.

VIP Tour Guides are a terrific option for first-time visitors and those looking for a stress-free, fully-planned experience.  They are wonderful for organizing the park time of an extended family group, and can be quite cost-effective, per-person, for parties of eight to ten.  For busy adults who spend their working hours planning and organizing, VIP Tour Services offers the opportunity to enjoy a true “vacation!”

If it’s true that dreams are today’s answers to tomorrow’s questions, then Disney Dream is certainly providing answers for future travelers with innovative elements throughout the ship.

One of the most exciting is the new AquaDuck, a water coaster offering guests a unique onboard experience. Riders glide through a transparent tube as it winds around the ship’s upper decks, over the side, even right through one of the funnels, twisting and turning, accelerating up hills and dropping down, before ending in a lazy river. It’s a thrilling ride for kids of all ages who are at least 48” tall!

Every stateroom will feel like an “outside” cabin thanks to the Virtual Portholes which offer live exterior views and special surprises.

In the Children’s Clubs, kids have the opportunity to chat with Crush and Stitch thanks to the technology, borrowed from EPCOT’s Turtle Talk with Crush, that brings them to life on the screen.

Passengers who stop to admire an example of Enchanted Art will be amazed when it comes magically to life, often in different ways for different guests.

Reservations open on November 9, 2009.  Contact Whimsical World Travel for more information and to book your dream cruise!

All images – Walt Disney Imagineering Concept Art

Long renowned for its youth programs, Disney Cruise Line has reimagined the onboard experience for all ages with exciting new spaces and activities on Disney Dream.

For the smallest sailors from 3 months to 3 years old, It’s A Small World Nursery, inspired by the famous attraction in the Disney Parks, offers a safe and playful environment.

The central rotunda of Disney’s Oceaneer Club is not only an interactive stage, its ceiling sparkling with Disney constellations, but leads to other lands:

• Andy’s Room: kids can play with larger-than-life characters from Toy Story and even climb up on Andy’s bed to watch a movie
• Monster’s Academy: Mike and Sully host all of children’s favorite activities – climbing, dressing up in costumes, and playing computer games
• Pixie Hollow: Tinkerbell and friends invite kids to pull up a mushroom and enjoy crafts and storytelling, then play dress-up
• Disney’s Explorer Pod: the Nemo Sub is the centerpiece of this undersea-inspired land where virtual worlds come to life

Disney’s Oceaneer Lab offers supervised activities, toys, games, and movies with opportunities to learn some new skills in specially-designed areas for animation, gaming, music, exploration, crafts, and just kicking back.

The main hall connecting the Lab and the Club boasts a huge 102” plasma screen features Disney movies and interactive fun with Crush and Stitch.  It’s the place where kids can learn to be a pirate and be the star in a pirate play.

A workshop and laboratory are the venues for experimentation, both scientific and culinary.

Passengers from 11 to 13 years old will have access to Edge, the cool loft lounge in the forward funnel, where they can dance, socialize, enjoy the giant eighteen-foot video wall; even pose for spectacular photo postcards in three green-screen rooms.

There’s more than 9.000 square feet of  indoor and outdoor space for teens from 14 to 17 at Vibe, where key-card technology keeps it private; sunbathing areas, video games, a 103” plasma screen, even a juice/coffee/smoothie bar, keep it fun.

All images – Walt Disney Imagineering Concept Art

Admiral Donald commands the magnificent atrium lobby of the new Disney Dream, set to sail on January 26, 2011.  This third ship in the Disney fleet will accommodate 4,000 guests in its 1250 staterooms.  Disney has just released exciting details of this brand new ship, which we’ll be sharing over the next few days!

Several new categories of stateroom will debut on the Disney Dream.  Interior staterooms will feature an amazing Virtual Porthole which connects to an onboard camera for high-definition, real-time outside views and possible surprise visits from certain VIC’s (very important characters).

In response to the needs of guests, there will be 500 connecting doors on the ship, bringing together larger families and groups in adjoining staterooms.  The concierge level which previously included only a handful of one- and two-bedroom suites will see the addition of 20 family ocean-view suites with verandah and a total of 19 one-bedroom suites.  The two Royal Suites will have spectacular panoramic verandahs.

Bookings open on November 9, 2009 to the general public.  Passengers who have completed at least five previous Disney Cruise Line voyages, Gold and Platinum Castaway Club members, will be able to make their reservations beginning November 2, 2009.  Only one stateroom will be available to each member.

Special booking terms will apply to the maiden voyage:

• $400 deposit per person
• Deposit must be paid by 11:59 p.m. on the day of booking
• Deposit is non-refundable
• Final payment is due 105 days prior to sailing

All images – Walt Disney Imagineering Concept Art

Disney Parks will continue the popular “What Will You Celebrate?” theme in 2010 with a new focus.  At a time when many are facing challenges, Disney has chosen to celebrate volunteerism for the coming year.  Hoping to inspire one million people in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada to contribute a day of service, Disney will reward program participants with a one-day ticket to a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort.

Guests who are visiting on a vacation package or have an Annual Pass or Passport can choose one of the following:

• a special FastPass for the participant and up to five additional guests
• a collectible Ear Hat figurine with trading pins
• the option to donate the ticket to a designated non-profit organization

Beginning January 1, 2010, individuals six and older may log onto the dedicated “Give a Day. Get a Disney Day” program website to search and sign up for a selected activity.  Upon completion of the service, Disney will email a confirmation certificate which can be exchanged for a ticket to be used on the day of redemption or upgraded to a multi-day ticket or Annual Pass at additional cost.  The one-day ticket will be valid for most days through December 15, 2010 with the following exceptions:

• March 29 to April 8, and July 4, 2010 at the Walt Disney World Resort
• February 13 and 14, March 21, June 21 and 22, July 4, November 21, and December 11 and 12, 2010 at the Disneyland Resort

For more information about the program, and to sign up for email reminders, visit the website and start planning your own special celebration!

I read something today written by a person who has taken 120 cruises.  He stated that the most memorable, by far, was the one he took with extended family.  This type of trip is so much more than the sum of the shipboard activities, it is about memories shared, and a ship encourages and fosters the family reunion experience.  It offers opportunities for people to spend time together, and the space for separate pursuits.

Disney cruises, in particular, are a great choice for a multi-generational vacation.  One of the concerns when planning an extended-family trip is making sure that there is something for everyone.  On a Disney cruise, there are activities, dining options, recreation, and public spaces for all ages and interests.

Features like the split bathroom design and large staterooms make family travel more comfortable.  Rotational dining allows the group to stay together with their wait staff while enjoying different dining venues during the cruise.  There are food choices to suit every taste, from kid-friendly buffets to the elegant Palo for adults.  Of course, everyone loves the chocolate chip cookies and milk delivered to the stateroom for late-night snacking.

Disney’s beautiful private island, Castaway Cay, has separate beaches for families, teens, and adults.  Onboard, there are the renowned children’s programs with specially-designed areas and appropriate activities for different age groups from three to seventeen, plus a nursery for little ones.  Adults can enjoy their own special areas – a separate adults-only pool, a sybaritic spa, a café, and special nighttime entertainment venues.

Those who love the parks will appreciate those special Disney perks – top quality family entertainment and, best of all, Disney characters!  A Land and Sea Vacation Package will seamlessly blend a fun-filled stay at Walt Disney World with a relaxing cruise experience.  Whether you’re considering a trip with grandparents or a once-in-a-lifetime get-together with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins, Disney Cruise Line can help make it unforgettable.

Neal Stephenson has a beautiful mind, one that roams both the highways and back roads of human knowledge with equal ease.  As a writer, he is willing to grab you by the hand and take you along, pointing out new concepts, and asking you to follow a different route when revisiting the familiar.

In his book Anathem, he talks about the “story” and the way in which organizational work life has sucked most of the individual stories out of people’s everyday lives.  Their stories have become those of the institution, rather than those of their own making. People who find it difficult to sacrifice their personal storytelling to the constraints of economy and efficiency may strike out in a different direction, choosing a more entrepreneurial or adventurous way of life. 

Could it be that this is why the idea of travel seems so much more like a necessity than a luxury?  Perhaps it’s not just that people feel they “deserve a reward for working hard all year.”  Perhaps travel fulfills a very basic need that we all have to tell a tale; to have an experience with a beginning, a middle, and an end; one that is unique to us; one we can cherish in our memories and in the retelling; a story of our own.