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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.

The Best Way to Do Walt Disney World in the Summer

Olaf

Many travellers to Walt Disney World choose to visit in the Summer for a variety of reasons.  Parents who don’t want their children to miss school, educators who can only travel on school breaks, and other folks who simply enjoy a good old Summer vacation flock to Walt Disney World in the Summer months and contend with the Florida heat ...

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Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort – 9 Reasons to Love It!

Turf Club Dining

Let’s Recap! 1. The Turf Club – The Turf Club is a lesser known restaurant at Walt Disney World, but many really enjoy their offerings.   2. Phenomenal Grounds – You may do a lot of walking here, but the grounds at Saratoga Springs are gorgeous.     3. Easy Access to Disney Springs – Perhaps the biggest draw of Saratoga Springs Resort ...

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Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort – 9 Reasons to Love It!

Pool Saratoga Spring

5. Calm Atmosphere & Subtle Theming Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa is themed after 1800’s Saratoga Springs, located in upstate New York.  In addition to Victorian styling, you’ll notice plenty of subtle nods to horse racing at the resort; my favorite are the pillows in the rooms that feature Disney animated horses.   6. Plenty of Pools Such a sprawling ...

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Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort – 9 Reasons to Love It!

8. Golf On Premises Lake Buena Vista Golf Course is a world class 18-hole course, having hosted both the PGA and LPGA tours.  It’s located right at Saratoga Springs, so if you’re traveling with a golfer, the convenience to this great course is a real treat!   9. Booking a Room is Easy – AND a Good Value for your ...

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Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort – 9 Reasons to Love It!

Treehouse at Saratoga Springs

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa is a great big beautiful resort located across the waterway from Disney Springs.  With over 1,300 rooms on property, it is Disney Vacation Club’s largest property. Saratoga Springs is often overlooked, perhaps due to its age (having opened in 2004) and it’s perceived inconvenience to the 4 main theme parks.  Saratoga Springs Resort has ...

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How Walt Disney World has Changed And Will Continue to Change In Coming Years

Disney Characters

5. Introduction of more IP (Intellectual Property) Walt Disney World started with rides based on original ideas and concepts, but today we see more emphasis on attractions being based on intellectual property (movies, television characters) that have shown proof of concept.  We’ve seen hit movies become rides (a la Frozen), and we’ve even seen attractions become movies with the hugely ...

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How Walt Disney World has Changed And Will Continue to Change In Coming Years

Great Movie Ride

Let’s Recap! 1. Pricing – When the Magic Kingdom first opened its gates, the cost of entry was under $4.00 per adult; tickets were then purchased for each attraction based on their classification (A through E-ticket).  2. Transportation – If Walt Disney were still alive, I can only imagine how excited he would be about the innovations in transportation that we are ...

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How to Enjoy Walt Disney World Parks When They’re Most Crowded

Main St. USA

Sometimes you have to travel at one of Walt Disney World’s most crowded times, and let’s face it- the “off season” doesn’t exist the way it did in the past.  If you’re traveling at a peak time, you’ll want to take advantage of a few of these tips to minimize your wait times and crowd-navigating. Don’t be discouraged if the ...

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How to Enjoy Walt Disney World Parks When They’re Most Crowded

MK Ride Crowd

4.  Attend special events Hard-ticketed events are certainly pricey add-ons to a trip, but they also offer opportunities to enjoy the parks with much smaller crowds.  If you’re travelling during Spring Break or Christmas weeks, I’d argue that the special events are a greater value than during lower crowd weeks in January or August, because they afford you that chance ...

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