New Disney Cruise Line Itineraries for 2016

Recently, Disney Cruise Line announced a new itinerary for 2016, the British Isles!  This is a 12 night sailing on the Disney Magic from Dover, England around the British Isles.

Photo Via Disney Parks Blog

Photo Via Disney Parks Blog

The ports of call are some pretty big highlights like Scotland; Dublin, Ireland; Paris, France; Liverpool, England; and Guernsey in the Channel.  If you have ever wanted to travel the UK  or Europe and want to check out more than a few places in a single go-this is the perfect vacation for you.

Disney will so be revisiting the Greek Isles and the Mediterranean as well at the Fjords of Norway, the Baltic Sea, and Iceland.

Of course there are the other standards like Alaska, Caribbean, and Bahamas.  The booking window opens March 26, 2015.  The best prices can be found at earliest booking so get your deposit down!

As always, if you are interested in any of these sailings contact us at DoleWhipped@gmail.com and we can provide an obligation free quote and our services are always free.

If you want to read more about cruising you can check out our Trip Reports section.  Jamie’s Greek Isles Cruise or Jillian’s Western Caribbean Cruise.

Podcast Episode 45: Deluxe Resorts Overview Part 1

Join the crew this week as we discuss all things Deluxe!  This episode covers Grand Floridian, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Boardwalk Inn, Wilderness Lodge, and Animal Kingdom Lodge.  We fill you in on all the amenities each has to offer as well as a general overview of our impressions of each hotel.  And don’t forget to tune in next week for the wrap up!  Don’t miss it!

Happy listening!

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What does $2500 get a family of 4 at Walt Disney World?

This is the second installment in our series of what your options are with different budget amounts at Disney.  As in the first post, this is a hypothetical family of 4: 2 adults, 2 children between the ages of 3 and 9.  These are rack prices, with no discounts, so you can see the top number for each category.  As always, if a discount is available, it’s a perfect opportunity to consider your upgrade options.  One of the Dole Whipped crew can help you decide what that is so feel free to fill out our Free Vacation Planning form and we’ll get back to you quickly!

Option 1:

popcentury

4 nights, 5 days at Disney’s Pop Century Resort in a preferred room (Value level)

5 day base tickets

Quick Service dining plan

Memory Maker photo package

$2491.60

Option 2:

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4 nights, 5 days at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside in a Royal Guest Room (Moderate level)

5 day base tickets

Memory Maker photo package

$2490.88

Option 3:

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3 nights, 4 days at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in a standard view room (Deluxe level)

4 day base tickets

Memory Maker photo package

$2389.82

Which option would you choose? What other budgets would you like to see us explore (and yes, there will be a “fantasy” budget to conclude this series, for fun!)?

Kona Cafe Breakfast Review

As a big fan of the Polynesian resort, I’ll look for any excuse to visit when I’m not staying there. During my last trip, my excuse was Kona Cafe for breakfast, prior to a day at Typhoon Lagoon! I’d heard a lot of good things about Kona, but had always opted for ‘Ohana, another favorite for breakfast at the Poly. Being that this trip was just my husband and I, and he’s not really ‘into’ character meals we decided to hit up Kona instead.

The menu at Kona grabbed my attention right away. I’m not a huge breakfast person but there were so many things that I could see myself ordering. It was hard having so many delicious options to choose from.

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The first part of our order, though, was a no brainer. The first thing that had caught my husband’s eye on the menu was the 100% Kona Coffee French Press Pot. As a coffee aficionado he was very excited to see a French Press option on the menu, since this is how he makes his coffee at home, and the coffee options at Disney World had always underwhelmed him. A little pricey at $7.99 per pot (2 cups) he decided it was a worthwhile splurge.

As for myself, I chose the famous Lilikoi juice. Lilikoi juice is the same as POG juice at ‘Ohana and Jungle Juice at Tusker House: a mix of Orange, Passion Fruit and Guava juices and it is SO yummy! If you’ve never tried it I suggest a visit to one of the places on the list and ordering for yourself OR, book a club level concierge room at the Polynesian resort, where POG juice is available on tap for guests 24/7!  😉

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On to the meal! While the most popular entree at Kona Cafe is Tonga Toast, it did not appeal to either my husband or myself. I went for the Macadamia-Pineapple Pancakes. These pancakes have Macadamia Nut Butter, Pineapple Sauce, and your choice of Ham, Bacon, or Sausage. I went for the bacon. My husband chose the Steak and Eggs: A Char-grilled New York Strip Steak served with Two Eggs, Home-fried Potatoes, and a Biscuit. The pancakes were very good! I’m not a huge fan of macadamia nuts but they worked really well in the butter and with the pineapple topping. The serving size was very large, I didn’t end up being able to finish the pancakes even though I wanted to. My husband enjoyed his steak and eggs but was less impressed overall than I was. He said he still couldn’t complain because he was getting steak for breakfast, but that he might choose something different the next time we dine at Kona. It also didn’t stop him from cleaning his plate!

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Overall we really enjoyed our visit to Kona Cafe and would definitely make a repeat visit in the future, especially if we were staying at the Polynesian. I’d also consider trying Kona for lunch or dinner as their menu for those meals looks very appealing!

Have you dined at Kona before? What did you think? 

Walt Disney World or Disney Cruise Line?

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If you are thinking of a Disney vacation but aren’t sure where you should go, you aren’t alone! Plenty of people struggle with this issue since they are two very different types of vacations yet they still overlap in some aspects. So, let’s dig in and see which one might be right for you!

If you have been to Walt Disney World frequently and often you might find yourself wanting to avoid the crowds, heat, or construction. This is the perfect time to consider a Disney Cruise. You won’t see cranes or walls in ‘go away green”, a drained moat or attractions under refurbishment.

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A big perk is that a Disney Cruise vacation is pretty all inclusive, your food and some of the drinks, child care (unless they are under 3) all part of it. There are some things you have to pay extra, but you don’t have to budget for food or pay for the dining plan or even for a pop. You don’t have to do an excursion, as the ship offers plenty of activities even while in port! In fact this is a great time to swim as you will have the pool to yourself.

The lack of lines and crowds is also a huge point to Disney Cruise Line! Sure you might stand in line for the AquaDuck or AquaDunk but you don’t have to stand in line for EVERYTHING! You go right on in at dinner time, and food lines move very quickly because of all the choices.

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No construction or closed attractions! Yes we all know that attractions need to be maintained and repaired and changes are being made to Downtown Disney, and every single park to make things better but in the meantime there is no need to look at the construction walls, a half dismantled hat, or a gorgeous statue covered in a box.

New experiences and places! If you have never traveled abroad or want to visit a new country, a cruise is the perfect option! You can show your sweetie or your children new places with the Disney difference. This can also show you where you might want to take your next vacation, a place you never thought to go to before getting a taste while visiting on a cruise.

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You can have adult time! Of course we all love our little precious bundles of joy whether they are still a bundle or a teenager, but it is lovely to have a break as well. If you followed along with my recent Disney Cruise Line trip report you will see a common thread: my daughter LOVED the youth clubs! She spent a lot of time in them having fun with new friends and Disney friends. She played games, did crafts, had lunch, played in the play areas, had a pajama party and even performed on stage. This really makes is possible to have a relaxing vacation while you all have fun.

So now that we have covered Disney Cruise Line let’s look at a Walt Disney World Vacation!
If you have never been you should correct that ASAP. It is never too late or too early for a first visit. The parks are jam-packed with things to do! If you love rollercoasters, boat rides, stage shows, character meets, delicious food and fireworks you will love it! Food it a big deal at Disney! You can do so many character meals and meet princesses, Pooh and friends, Mickey and gang, the Disney Junior crew and even special events to meet Star Wars characters or Disney Villains! Sure you can get burgers and fries, (delicious ones at that) but you can also get 5 star dining, buffets and everything in between. Plus this doesn’t even touch on snacks *coughDOLEWHIPcough*. Just get that dining plan, you won’t regret it!

The whole family can get in on the fun! Walt Disney created his original park, Disneyland, out of a desire to be able to enjoy his Sunday with his daughters, a place where the whole family can have fun. This means the height restrictions are few and low. So that a tall 4 year old can get on the rollercoasters and enjoy themselves. The characters have come right out of your favorite movie or show and everyone loves to meet their favorite mouse!

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Special events, no one does them like Disney. Granted they are usually at an extra cost but if you use that as your park day you won’t regret going to the Halloween or Christmas parties! The parks are completely decked out and so are the characters and guests.   You can seem amazing Christmas lights, parades and firework shows, sure to bring delight to all!

Disney Resorts are all pretty grand too! They have a hotel for all budgets and the perks of staying there are many. No need to rent a car, let Disney do all the driving! And get more hours in the parks with smaller crowds! Of if you don’t want to leave your resort you have amazingly well themed pools and some have waterslides. During the day many will have activities for kids at the pool and resorts. Most have some delicious food offerings too! Or if you want to be active you can rent a bike, water craft, fishing poles, go for a walk, and take a trip to Downtown Disney. And then that evening you can watch a movie outside or roast marshmallows over a fire!

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There are 4 parks and 2 water parks! Which means there is so much to do! You can choose to stay at your resort or Downtown Disney for a day but if the parks are open that is where I want to be! You can see animals on safari, watch a veterinary procedure and ride a rollercoaster all in one park. They are so diverse and entertaining that you will have plenty of things to fill your day at each park.

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So now it is up to you to decide! You can put the question to your travelling party and see what they are interested in doing while on vacation. No matter which you choose you really cannot go wrong!

Wdw vs DCL

Podcast Episode 44: Breakfast Dining

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so join us this week as we talk about all things breakfast at Disney!  Find out what we like and where we like to get it, as well as the news about the Be Our Guest breakfast offerings!

Happy listening!

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What does $1500 get a family of 4 at Walt Disney World?

In a new series the Dole Whippies explore what’s available for families on different budgets at Walt Disney World. For our examples we’re going to explore families of 4 with two adults and two children between the ages of 3 and 9. All rates are also going to be “rack” which means during a time in which there are no discounts offered at Disney. As we all well know, those times are few and far between! If you choose to travel during a time that there are special offers at WDW you’ll be able to upgrade rooms, tickets or even earn a free dining plan for these same prices. As always, for guidance on which vacation options are best for you and your family feel free to email us or fill out the “Free Vacation Planning!” tab right here on our website. The assistance of one of the lovely travel agents working for Magical Moments Vacations doesn’t cost you a single penny on top of these prices!

Option Number 1

 popcentury

Three days and two nights at Disney’s Pop Century Resort (value resort)

3 Day Base Tickets

$1,492.16

Option Number 2

por

Three days and two nights at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort (moderate resort)

2 Day Park Hopper Tickets

$1449.84

Option Number 3

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Two days one night at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in a Garden Wing Garden View Room (deluxe resort)

2 Day Park Hopper Tickets

$1476.84

Which option would you choose? What other budgets would you like to see us explore (and yes, there will be a “fantasy” budget to conclude this series, for fun!)?

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2015

The dates for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2015 have been released.  Tickets will go on sale in April.

November
8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 29

December
1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a hard ticketed event  on select nights starting in November.  The party takes place in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.  During the party there are special fireworks, parades, rare character meets and cookies and hot cocoa.  The number of tickets is limited so be sure to order early as the can and will sell out.

 

Irish Disney Characters

Just for a little fun on this St. Paddy’s Day, let’s talk about some Disney characters that hail from Ye Olde Eire.

Bootstrap Bill Turner

Bootstrap

Portrayed by Stellan Skarsgaard, this character debuted in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and is the father of our hero, Will Turner.  Because he was cursed and left suffering on the ocean floor, he’s now covered in some rather unattractive sea flora.  Not the best look.

The Dignitaries

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There are lots of foreign types in Arendelle for Queen Elsa’s coronation, including one from Ireland.  He’s the one at the end who says “Wonderful!” after Anna gives Hans his well-deserved sucker punch.

Dr. Robin Doyle

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Remember The Legend of Tarzan?  Dr. Doyle was a lovely Irish anthropologist that captured the eye of Professor Porter.  Sheena Easton lent her voice to this character.  Both the show and the singer are blasts from the past.

Policeman

Policeman

I know the Irish policeman is kind of a trope, but this guy from Lady and the Tramp inadvertently helps Tramp and Lady in their adventures by arguing with a professor for bringing a dog into the park.  He’s worth a mention in the canine love affair.

Maybe you have some favorite Irish Disney characters?  Share them in the comments and may you have the luck of the Irish today!

Podcast Episode 43: How Far Does Your Money Go At Disney?

Have you ever wondered what kind of Disney vacation you could have if you only had a certain amount to spend?  Wonder no longer because we’ve laid out some helpful scenarios with common budget amounts for you!  There’s lots of great information this week so if you think you can’t do Disney because of your budget, you’ll want to catch this week’s episode!  Spoiler alert: Disney works with most budgets!

Happy listening!

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