There have long been rules about what you can and can't bring into Disney World. This blog post details some of the common items you will want to know about and some that may surprise you. Updated to include changes and policies that come into effect May

A look at Disney's Contemporary resort, with information on pricing, rooms, amenities, activities, location, transportation, and more.

If you're looking for a Disney World 4 Day Itinerary, there are many good options but there's something incredibly important to note about any touring plan!

Disney’s Contemporary Resort is one of the original resorts located on Walt Disney World property when it opened in 1971. It is also known as the resort that has the monorail that runs right through it. You can even buy a mini replica of it to take home and run a toy monorail through! Here are […]

The vacation planning continues with a guide to EPCOT! From Future World to World Showcase, strap in for some fun.

It's a playground full of magic kingdoms, future worlds and galaxies far, far away. There is so much to do at Walt Disney World! The only question is ... when do you visit? 2024 and 2025 at the Most Magical Place on Earth are nothing short of exciting! With a...

See the main highlights of Central Portugal with this detailed 10 day Portugal trip itinerary from Lisbon to Porto and all the must see places in between.

Planning a trip to Disney World soon? Make sure that you have these commonly forgotten items on your Disney packing list before you go!

Free Souvenirs at Walt Disney World vary from collectible cards, to Mickey Straws, maps, buttons, and more. Check out the Best FREE Disney Souvenirs

101 don't do's at Walt Disney World to save you time and money

Walking distances in the Disney World and Universal Orlando theme parks. Includes maps and free printable Orlando theme park neighborhood bingo game.

In a land of Princesses, Disney World offers much more and boys will not feel left out. A Disney Vacation truly is magical for everyone, of all interests. Below are the 10 Best activities and attractions for Boys at Walt Disney World. 1. Jedi Training Academy Guests between ages 4 and 12 years of age are […]

by: guide4wdw – Collin Disney’s Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge – An Excellent Villa Option Wilderness Lodge has been and likely always will be one of our favorite resorts in all of Walt Disney World. So, when a great deal presented itself, as you can read about in our article we called Disney World Discount – […]

Feast your eyes on this must-read guide! Learn the top ten Disney dining spots to reserve ASAP for mouth-watering meals you won't want to miss.

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World and looking for all the secret tips and tricks? Check out these 11 rookie mistakes to avoid to at Disney World! Buying Water Thinking You Can See Everything The first thing you need to do when planning a Disney vacation is accepting that you cannot possibly

Where can you find the best quick service restaurants in each park at Walt Disney World? We usually eat a lot of ‘Quick Service’ (or ‘Counter Service’) meals while at Disney World because we like to save money and eat quickly while we’re in the parks. What is a Quick Service meal at Disney World? These restaurants get their name because of the Disney Dining Plan which designates some

Find and download a PDG of every Disney World map! From maps of resorts and hotels to the Disney parks and Disney Springs, these maps will help guide you.

Feast your eyes on this must-read guide! Learn the top ten Disney dining spots to reserve ASAP for mouth-watering meals you won't want to miss.

by: guide4wdw – Collin Kendall 8 Underrated Disney Dining Locations You Should Try! With the Disney parks continuously changing and growing year after year, it’s almost inevitable that a few dining locations throughout the parks and resorts will “fly under the radar” of most guests. Those little known or often overlooked dining locations tend to be […]

Searching for the best Disney restaurants for your visit to the happiest place on earth? Here are all of the best restaurants at the Disney World!

Discover tips for an unforgettable road trip to Disney World! From packing essentials to keeping kids entertained & pros of driving, plan your magical journey efficiently. Click for the full guide.

These are the hardest Disney World dining reservations to get. You need to plan ahead and book early to reserve these dining reservations.

Make the most out of your park hopper tickets at Walt Disney World. Read these five tips from a Disney expert on maximizing your park hopper tickets.

Looking for the best Walt Disney World tips and tricks to save more money and stress less about your Disney Vacation? Check out my favorite Disney World hacks and a travel blogger and former Florida Resident. Here's how to get shorter lines and the best deals on your trip, as well as what to pack fo

For all the planners that just need some Disney World maps, we have you covered here. Check out our list to find exactly what you're looking for.

by: guide4wdw – Collin Our Ideal Disney World Resort Hopping Day! 9 Resort Visits in One Day! If you’re a Disney parks fan or even simply a casual traveler to Walt Disney World, you’ve likely heard of the term “resort hopping.” In essence, resort hopping is = going to resorts other that your home resort to visit, shop, dine, and ultimately explore a […]

Rain is inevitable in Florida, but it doesn't have to spoil the fun! Read these 7 tips to be prepared and survive rain at Disney World.

Doing Disney on a Budget doesn't have to be hard, especially when you have this list of Free things to do, see and get from Disney World.

There are some things you can do to maximize your chances of finding a flight to Disney World that works for you. Here are some tips and tricks to help.

Wondering how to save money on your vacation to Disney World? Learn how you can get the best deal for Disney and save big! Plan your next Walt Disney World trip on a budget & save hundreds (or thousands!) on your trip! All the tips and tricks you need to save money for your family trip and do Disney World on the cheap!

Planning a Disney World vacation is more involved that any other vacation I have ever been on. To get the most out of your trip you'll need the My Disney Experience App. Here I'll go over what the app is, what it can do, how to use it, and more. What is My Disney Experience? My Disney Experience is an app you will want to download on your smartphone. You can also access your account from a desktop by going to https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ and clicking on “My Disney Experience” at the top. While you can do a lot from your desktop, you will want the app when you are in the parks. All of your Disney information will be found here. Everything from your resort reservations to your photo pass photos can be found here. How Do I Set Up My Account? If you are booking your resort reservation and tickets directly through Disney World, you will be asked to create an account at the time of booking. This will be your log in for My Disney Experience, and your resort reservation should should up under your plans. If you booked through a travel agent or a third party (Orbitz, DVC rental, etc) you will need to manually enter your confirmation number. Once you do this, you will see resort check in and check out information. How to Link Family and Friends on Your Disney Account If you are traveling with family and friends, you will want to make sure that all of your Disney accounts are linked on My Disney Experience. There are two ways to do this. The first, is to head to the My Disney Experience app. Click the three lines on the bottom right of the app. From there scroll down to "My Profile" and click that. Finally, click "Show My Linking Code" to get a unique code to link friends and family. You'll be given a QR code that members of your group can scan in order to add each other to friends and family lists. If you are more comfortable using desktop, go to the Disney website and log in to your account. In the drop down for My Disney Experience you'll find an option for My Family and Friends. Here you'll find everyone you are connected to, and you'll be given the option to link more people. If you are traveling with children (or an adult who wont be managing their own trip), you can create a friends and family profile for them here. This will allow you to reserve things like Lightning Lane passes on their behalf. If you are traveling with an adult who wants to manage their own account, but you want to share plans, you can link to them here. First, make sure they have their own account set up. You can then send them an invite to connect with you. This can be done by either entering their email or reservation information. After you are connected you will be able to see each others plans. This includes any Lightning Lane selections, restaurants reservations, and park reservations. Depending on the permissions you select, you will also be able to make reservations on behalf of the other person. This is especially useful for things like Lightning Lane selections where you want to be sure you are riding together as a group. What Information Can I Find on My Account? Your account will be home to your resort reservation information, your park tickets, your restaurant reservations, Lightning Lane and Genie+, virtual boarding pass information, and your photo pass photos. If you did not purchase any of these items directly from Disney, you will be given the opportunity to link them. When you are ready to book dining reservations, you can do it from the app or from your account on a desktop. Same with your virtual boarding passes and Lightning Lane selections. You can easily book, change or cancel these reservations as needed. *Quick tip: If I am trying to get one of the hard to get reservations, and am up early to book them, I will often have my phone AND computer open and ready to go to book. The Disney website can be tricky at times. So if I am having issues with one, I have the other ready to go. Will I Need The App on My Trip? Yes! The app is incredibly helpful when you are in the parks as it will have all of your park reservations, resort information, reserved rides, and more. The app can also be used as your park ticket and Disney Resort room key. To unlock your resort room door with the app just pull up your resort information on the app and hit "unlock door" to get in. You can pull up your park tickets to scan in to the park, or even set up Magic Mobile on your phone. This allows you to get in to the park by simply tapping your phone. You wont even need to pull up the app! You can read how to do that here. Disney Genie Starting on October 19 you will be able to access Disney Genie, Genie+, and Lightning Lane Individual Ride Selection through the My Disney Experience App. This will be updated once we have more information on Genie. Maps The app has maps of all of the parks and resorts. It defaults to your current location (Or to Magic Kingdom if you aren't in the Disney area). While there is a function that offers walking directions based on where you are, I find it isn’t always the most reliable. But even so, you can take a look at the map to help get where you are going. The map includes helpful things like wait times for rides and characters, photo pass spots, rest rooms, dining, and more. If you click on the drop down at the top of the map you can select from several options like wait times, dining, entertainment, restrooms, and more. To find the maps hit the "location" button at the bottom of the app. Restaurant Reservations and Mobile Ordering Being able to make dining reservations and order food is one of the best features of this app in my opinion! You can book dining reservations in advance from the app. Just enter the date, time and party size and the app will show you all available locations. You can also mobile order food from the app while you are in the parks. You'll select a window of time for your food to be prepared, and then place your order and pay from the app. It's important to note that you must place your order, and then then head to the location at the selected time. Once you are at the location you notify them you are there, and then they prepare your food. So while I am a fan of mobile ordering, know that it does not mean you wont be waiting. Lastly you can often find walk up dining reservations in the app. If you want a sit down meal at the last minute you can grab walk up if you are in proximity to the restaurant (and they have availability of course). While availability can be hit or miss on walk up dining, it can be a great way to keep things more spontaneous during your trip. Lastly, you can adjust and make changes to everything in the app. I tend to over book restaurant reservations. I book more than I think we will need, and then I make changes as we go. As long as you change your reservation within 24 hours you are fine (also, I have found if I want to cancel a reservation less than 24 in advance, I can CHANGE the reservation in the app to the next day, and THEN I can cancel the reservation without penalty). The app makes changing restaurant reservations fairly simple. Photos One of my favorite things is checking out our photos immediately after a photographer takes them. The photo pass photographer will scan your magic band, park ticket, or phone (If you are using Magic Mobile) after they take your photo. The photos will then pop up in your app. If you have memory maker you can download directly from the app. If you don’t have memory maker you have the option to purchase through the app. Bus Schedules One of the best features is knowing when the bus will be arriving at your hotel to go to the parks. The app can let you know up to the minute when your bus will be arriving at your hotel, so that you aren't standing around waiting in the Florida heat any longer than you have to. While the bus times aren't always 100% accurate, it does give you a sense of when you need to be out at the bus stops. Still Confused or Need Help? I am happy to help! Contact me. See you at the parks, -Julie

Want to surprise your kids with a vacation reveal? Use one of these three vacation announcement scavenger hunts for kids to break the exciting news!

Explore the beautiful Irish countryside with a local guide on this day trip from Dublin to Wicklow Mountains with Wild Wicklow Tours!

We are going to Disney World this October, and I am already starting to plan for it. I know based on our last trip that we will easily spend at least $3,000 on this trip (more like $3,500-$4,000), so I am getting a jump start on my savings plan. I don’t mind dipping into savings for big trips like this, but I would much rather save up the money ahead of time. I kind of like knowing we have the money allotted in advance and can have fun worry-free. Last time we went to Disney World, my youngest daughter got

Disney Springs is Walt Disney World's not so hidden treasure. You should absolutely set aside time from your vacation to explore all that Disney Springs has to offer. There are delicious restaurants, a plethora of shops, exciting bars, unique activities, and so much more! Check out the Disney Springs map to see everything it has

Complete with a small town vibe and even its own vineyard: here's a guide to the best hidden gems and secret spots in Montmartre!

Walt Disney World is a big magical place filled with many attractions. As a Walt Disney World first timer, planning and coordinating your vacation, it is easy to forget the small things. Mouse Travel Matters is here with 26 tips for you.

As those who read my recap of the first annual Gluten Free Teen Summit know, I spent the last week of June at Disney World. Although my mo...

Don't waste your time checking everything. Find the best places you should NOT go and make your time in Barcelona the best of your life.