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Author Archives: Meredith Smisek

Meredith Smisek is a kid at heart who works as an elementary school counselor. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, son, and corgi. Meredith is a DVC member who loves music, podcasts, crafting, and "talking Disney" with anyone and everyone.

6 Sensational Things You’ll Love About Disney’s NEW Riviera Resort

Skyliner

4. Access to the Disney Skyliner
 One of the biggest advantages of staying at Riviera is the park access.  Disney busses are usually great, but resorts with alternate transportation options like monorail and boat access have always been desirable to guests. The Skyliner gives guests easy access to both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios (via a transfer at the Caribbean ...

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6 Sensational Things You’ll Love About Disney’s NEW Riviera Resort

Riviera Resort

New offerings- whether rides, resorts, or even cute snacks- often get lots of hype.  Disney’s Riviera Resort is no exception. The Riviera is Disney Vacation Club’s 15th resort, and it has taken its place among the most luxurious resorts on property.  Are you curious about Disney’s new Riviera Resort and whether the hype is deserved? Read on to learn about ...

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Tackling Disney Parks Without FastPasses or Dining Reservations

Scifi Dine In Theater

Find a Dining Reservation or Use Mobile Ordering!  No reservations? No problem!  Same-day reservations are often available in My Disney Experience and walk-ups are sometimes accommodated as well.  You can’t count on finding prime meal times at the most popular locations, but it’s fairly likely that some sit-down restaurants will have availability.  We recently tried to dine at Sci-Fi Dine ...

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Tackling Disney Parks Without FastPasses or Dining Reservations

philharmagic

My family was recently surprised by unexpected crowds on our February trip.  One day in particular, we arrived at the Magic Kingdom early in the afternoon after using our FastPasses in another park.  Without any reservations or Fast Passes, we were faced with what many guests experience as the norm – huge crowds, long lines for even non-headliners, and no ...

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A 7-Day Plan For Families at Disney World Resort

Hollywood Studios

Day 3: Hollywood Studios Hollywood Studios is very important to rope drop if you want to avoid long waits. If you plan to ride Rise of the Resistance, you’ll need to be in the park when it opens to attempt to secure a boarding group. Then, prioritize one of the park’s headliners, like Slinky Dog Dash, Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, ...

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A 7-Day Plan For Families at Disney World Resort

Castle Parade Mickey

Day 6: Magic Kingdom Assuming you’ve already done what you wanted in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, it’s time to head to the left side of the park. If you’re rope dropping, you’ll want to target popular attractions first. Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, both in Frontierland, see huge lines mid-day. Try to enjoy those first, or use a FastPass. ...

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A 7-Day Plan For Families at Disney World Resort

Castle Balloons

There’s no right or wrong way to plan your Walt Disney World vacation. Still, the prospect of mapping out a dream vacation from scratch can be a bit overwhelming. Each family has to take their own travel style into account, including budget, age/energy/ability levels of those vacationing, and many other factors. What follows is a sample plan for a 7-day ...

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How NOT To Be Exhausted On Your Trip To Disney World Resort

World Showcase Lagoon

Schedule a date night There are plenty of date-worth experiences around Walt Disney World, and scheduling some adult time is a great idea to combat vacation burnout.  Some great ideas for a date night include strolling Epcot’s World Showcase, having a delicious meal at Disney Springs, or having dinner at California Grill and watching the Magic Kingdom nighttime entertainment.   Wondering ...

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How NOT To Be Exhausted On Your Trip To Disney World Resort

Seven Dwarfs

Theme park-centered vacations can be exciting, energetic, and magical.  However, they can also be draining to one’s energy. Parents full of great intentions plan amazing trips with their children, only to become burnt out halfway through (or earlier).  As a mom, I can certainly relate to this feeling. Encouraging little ones to eat and sleep when they should, to stand ...

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How To Prepare For Disney Using The My Disney Experience App

My Disney Experience

5.  View Park Hours You can use the park hours section to plan your trip itinerary well in advance (which is super helpful for organizing your FastPass and dining reservations). You’ll want to consider Extra Magic hours if you’re staying on site; early rising families can really get a lot of attractions done if they arrive for Extra Magic Hours.  ...

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