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Dining is a dream come true at Magic Kingdom® Park. Beginning Feb. 7, 2010, Fairytale Dining will be the new name for the character dining experience at Cinderella’s Royal Table.

Once you enter the Castle foyer, they will have a photo opportunity with Cinderella as she welcomes you to the feast. Upstairs in the enchanted dining hall, Cinderella’s royal friends, the Disney Princesses, will mingle with you as you dine.

The current pricing structure will remain in effect. Reservations can be made by contacting your Personal Dream Maker.

When you book a 5-night/6-day (minimum) non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company room and ticket package at select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels, you’ll get a FREE Disney Gift Card.

Gift Cards

• FREE $300 Disney Gift Card for stays at a select Disney Value Resort, OR
• FREE $500 Disney Gift Card for stays at a select Disney Moderate Resort, OR
• FREE $750 Disney Gift Card for stays at a select Disney Deluxe Resort or a select Disney Deluxe Villa Resort

Booking Window:
Now through March 27, 2010

Travel Window:
Valid for stays most nights:
Jan. 3-11, Jan. 19 – March 27 and April 11 – June 3, 2010

Click here to start planning your Walt Disney World Dream Vacation!

The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Tickets must be used within 14 days of first use. No group rates or other discounts apply. Advance reservations required. Excludes suites and campsites. One gift card per room provided at check-in.

“Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate’s life for me!” The Pirates League is a great alternative for boys or girls who wish for a pirate inspired makeover. The Pirates League is located next to the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in the Magic Kingdom® Park at the Walt Disney World® Resort. I took my 7 year old son, Joel, during our recent Halloween Walt Disney World® Resort vacation. Boy, were we impressed!

First, the pirates gave him his pirate name: “Jeffery Blade Cutter” from the Pirate log, and then he had the choice of several different pirate looks. Joel and I were whisked away to the Muster Station, for applications of beards and eye patches, scarves and scars, earrings and gold teeth – all done with the savvy skill of a veteran pirate. Our pirate took the time to explain what they were doing to him and let him feel the brushes and sponges. Before you knew it he was transformed into a cursed pirate. Every time a makeover was complete the pirates would ring a bell and announce, “We have a new pirate”.

When Joel was done they made him take the sacred pirate oath. He then was taken to the secret room where the transformation was complete. He got to reveal the hidden treasure. Don’t ask, we were sworn to secrecy! No cameras are allowed in the secret room.
You can choose from three daily pirate packages:

• First Mate Package: Includes bandana; choice of facial effects; scars; tattoos; fake teeth; earring and eye patch; sword and sheath; pirate coin necklace; one 5×7-inch photo; and personalized pirate oath. – $49.95 USD plus tax
• Empress Package: Includes bandana; shimmering makeup; face gem; tattoos; nail polish; earring and eye patch; sword and sheath; pirate coin necklace; one 5×7-inch photo; and personalized pirate oath. – $49.95 USD plus tax
• Captains Package: Includes choice of costume/outfit from selection; choice of facial effects; scars; tattoos; fake teeth; earring and eye patch; sword and sheath; pirate coin necklace; three 5×7-inch photos; and personalized pirate oath. – $124.95 USD plus tax

From Dream Maker – Traci Elswick:  Is it possible to have a magical Walt Disney World® vacation with an autistic child? With a lot of planning, and a bit of pixie dust thrown in by our Dream Makers, it is. I have planned eight magical vacations to the Walt Disney World® Resort for my 13-year-old autistic son. I have seen vast improvements with my son while at the Walt Disney World® Resort. His language skills seem to improve. He copes well with the large crowds and loud noises, and he actually “lives in the moment.” In fact, I’m certain that our yearly pilgrimage to the Walt Disney World® Resort is something my son looks forward to every year.

First you need to consider where you want to stay onsite or off. If your budget allows, I suggest you stay onsite, preferably at one of the Disney resorts that are on the Monorail line or one of Disney’s Boardwalk resorts. The Monorail resorts give you easy access to the Magic Kingdom® Park and EPCOT®. The resorts along Disney’s Boardwalk give you boat access to EPCOT® and Disney Hollywood Studios™. If your child has trouble waiting in long lines or traveling on crowded buses, the Monorail or Disney’s Boardwalk resorts will make traveling between parks much easier for you. If you are looking for value, try to stay at the Disney’s Pop Century Resort. This resort is separate from the other value resorts and has its own bus line. Also, request a room close to the bus stop. If possible, try to avoid Disney’s All-Star Resorts. They share a common bus routes, have long wait times, and are often overcrowded.

Before you depart for your Walt Disney World® Resort vacation, obtain a signed note from your child’s pediatrician or psychiatrist stating your child’s disability and further stating that your child cannot wait in lines. When you arrive at the park, go directly to Guest Services in order to obtain your Guest Assistance Card. A Guest Assistance Card can be used for your entire party, and will dramatically shorten your party’s wait in lines.

How long should you spend in the parks every day? Nobody knows your child better than you. I suggest that all families who stay in a Walt Disney World® Resort Hotel take an afternoon break. That way your child can take a nap or a swim and you can have a relaxing family dinner. You can book your dining up to 180 days before your trip, and it is advisable to book your dining early because many of most popular restaurants fill up quickly. After dinner, you can do Extra Magic Hours. Extra Magic Hours are available for individuals who stay at a Walt Disney World® Resort Hotel and generally allow you to remain in the park for a number of hours after the park closes to the general public.

So what are you waiting for? You’ve waited so long to experience the magic of a Walt Disney World® Resort vacation with your child!

From Dream Maker – Kip Dennis:  Anyone who has visited the Walt Disney World® Resort in the past can tell you about their excellent dining options. From the ethnic restaurants in the World Showcase at EPCOT®, to the class act dinner theater like Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, and the one-of-a kind restaurants like 50’s Prime Time Café, there is something for everyone. But when you have a dietary restriction, you may think that you choices are limited. With the MAGIC of Disney it is actually quite the opposite.

While recently traveling with someone with a food allergy, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of service provided. When placing my advance dining reservations (ADRs), I notified the cast member of the allergy. All of my reservations were noted to alert the staff of the extra care needed. Just let your personal Dream Maker know of your special needs and they will communicate those to Disney. They can also provide you with additional information relating to your restrictions including suggested restaurants that will be able to best meet your needs.

At our table service meals, our waiter/waitress told us that their chef would be out to talk about our particular dietary need. Each chef went to great lengths to ensure a meal was made without any allergen contamination. If it was a buffet meal, the chef escorted him around to identify “safe” foods.

For counter service, we just notified the cast member at the order podium of our restriction. They once again notified a manager to come and consult us on what our available options were.

The Special Dietary program at Disney is just another example of how Disney continues to provide great service to their guests.

From Dream Maker: Kim Restagno – How many times have you heard someone say “You need to see the Walt Disney World® Resort at Christmastime?” or “Have you ever been the Walt Disney World® Resort during the holidays?” I know I heard it many times before I became a Dream Maker! I must admit at the time I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about, until I got to go in December and see for myself. It was one of my dream vacations; the whole family was able to go. What a grand gathering we had! After all I had heard about the holidays, now I understood the magic of it all.

Disney doesn’t skip over anything when it comes to attention to detail. Decorations abound everywhere you look. Each of the parks and resorts has its own specially decorated tree that greets you as you enter. The Gingerbread House at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a must see! Wreaths, ribbons, and bows garnish doors, light posts and windows. Presents sit under Christmas trees. Garlands, lights, poinsettias and music all add to the magic!

Cinderella Castle is transformed every night at the Magic Kingdom® Park during Castle Dreamlights, a glorious, wintry confection, twinkling in the sky! Or you can celebrate the holidays with your favorite Disney pals at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party* at the Magic Kingdom® Park. Join Mickey and friends, decked out in their holiday yuletide best, for the ultimate jungle holiday adventure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park! It’s a jinglin’, jumpin’, jivin’ time, you won’t want to miss!!

Don’t miss the The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights* at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™! Immerse yourself in the joy of the season as millions of blinking, twinkling lights dance in synchronized motion to holiday music! Believe it or not, you might even see those tiny white flakes falling in the sky! Epcot’s World Showcase comes alive with diverse holiday traditions of food, fun and entertainment from across the globe.

You name it, you imagine it and the Walt Disney World® Resort has done it!

*Select nights in Nov. & Dec. 2009; Admission to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party requires a separately priced ticket.

Beginning Oct. 26, 2009, at the Walt Disney World® Resort, you can meet Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen, from Walt Disney Pictures’ full-length animated motion picture, “The Princess and the Frog.” Both characters will be in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom® Park eager to meet little princesses and princes.

In addition to hosting meet-and-greet opportunities with Guests, Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen and other colorful characters from the new feature film will star in “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee!”. This lively, jazz-filled parade starts in Liberty Square, heads down to the water’s edge, and boards the Liberty Belle riverboat. Guests can watch the performers sing and dance to jazz music and songs from the movie as they cruise along the river.

Make sure you catch this boat soon, because after Jan. 3, 2010, “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee!” ships off for good!

When you enter a Disneyland® Resort Theme Park or Walt Disney World® Resort Theme Park Oct. 5 – Nov. 22, 2009, and present your valid Theme Park ticket at select merchandise locations, you will receive a special card with details on how to get a certificate good for up to $8 towards the purchase of one child’s movie ticket when they purchase an adult movie ticket to see “The Princess and the Frog” at participating theaters. This full-length animated feature opens Dec. 11, 2009, and the certificates are redeemable Dec. 11-31, 2009. You must be age 10 or older to receive the special card.

You can get more magic without spending more booty, with free nights headed your way.

When you buy a non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney World® Resort room and ticket package at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts, you’ll get three more nights with tickets FREE.

- OR -

When you buy a non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company 5-night, 5-day Walt Disney World Resort room and ticket package at select Disney Value Resorts, you’ll get two more nights with tickets FREE.

Click here to request a no-obligation quote for this special.

This offer is available for stays most nights:

• Nov. 1-24, 2009
• Dec. 8-24, 2009
• Jan. 3 – March 27, 2010

*Room charge based on average per-night rate of your room during your stay. The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Tickets are for one Theme Park per day and must be used within 14 days of first use. Advanced reservations required. No group rates or other discounts apply.

After all the planning and anticipation, the day will finally come when you arrive for your Walt Disney World® vacation! What you do on that very first day can set the tone for your entire trip. How about some fun, undeniably magical, and yes, even relaxing suggestions for your very important arrival day?

If you’ve got a longer trip planned, lucky you! Why not spend your first day outside of the parks? Often, guests are so tempted to get in every last ride in at the parks that the special qualities of the resorts are often overlooked. Ease in to the experience by taking a swim, explore the resort grounds and participate in some of the activities going on there. You will be glad when you awake the next day rested and ready to take on the World!

If you are planning to stay just a few days, getting right into a park is probably on your agenda. But there’s no need to rush through the whole park in one day! Try a more laid-back approach: pick one headliner attraction you really want to experience and grab a FASTPASS® for it as soon as you arrive.

Then stop and smell the roses while you wait for the return time – watch the zany Streetmosphere performers in Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ or get a dazzling hairstyle with colored gel and “Mickey Dust” at the Harmony Barbershop in the Magic Kingdom® Park. Eat a Mickey Bar and watch the spectacular fountains in Epcot® or wander around the trunk of the Tree of Life in Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. Be open to just letting the magic happen!

Whatever you do, plan something to top off your first day with that essential Disney feeling. A character meal might just do the trick! Try Chef Mickey’s and be welcomed in a festive atmosphere hosted by the Big Cheese himself. There’s Disney magic even in a simple thing like taking a loop on Disney’s Monorail. Riding through the Disney’s Contemporary Resort, catching a glimpse of Cinderella Castle, you could just have that moment – when you feel a little thrill and know you’ve truly arrived.

Walt Disney World Vacations