Walt Disney World: Where Dreams Come True (in Orlando, Florida, USA) - by Anne Shier (a.k.a. "Annie")

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https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/vacation-packages/

If you want to visit Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, you would be best advised to figure out the best deal you can get on your flight, hotel and attractions package, as well as the necessary transportation you’ll need to and from the venues.  If you have a small family (of 4) visiting this magical place for the very first time, you would save yourselves a lot of money by first doing some comparison shopping on the Internet for the best package price available.  This usually depends on when you want to go because the time of year has a big impact on prices.

For example, I might want to take my son and my grandson to Disney World one day.  This event would probably happen in the spring, during March Break.  People who visit Disney World in Florida usually have kids with them and I would be no exception.  Disney World, from what I remember of it when I visited there in the early-to-mid 1970s, was a place that was unequaled in its magic and technology and the incredible variety of things to do. There’s Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Water Parks, entertainment, dining, various theme parks, and more.  There are so many things to do and see; if you pick the right package and include as many attractions as possible that you want to include, this is, no doubt, the best way to travel and stay there.

When I went there for the very first time, I was with my boyfriend, Paulo, and his family.  There were four of us altogether.  Although Paulo and I did not have to pay anything for this trip, I grew to appreciate the wonderful things that Disney World had to offer its guests.  I remember that we stayed in a big hotel that was right in Disney World Park itself; however, I don’t remember the name of that hotel anymore.  All I remember was that this hotel was truly unique.  Each floor had a balcony that faced the rotunda of the hotel and, when you looked down from your floor to the ground floor, there was a train running on a railroad track right through the hotel lobby that transported the hotel’s guests right into the heart of Disney World Park.  It was amazing!  I’d never seen anything like it before nor have I seen anything similar since.  But, that was just one example of the uniqueness of Disney World.

Another thing that I remember about Disney World was Magic Kingdom.  There were rides there that I’d never been on and never would be on again.  Specifically, I remember the Magic Mountain ride, where you were strapped securely into a car that rode on tracks, and then you were taken on a ride in which everything around you was pitch black except for a few twinkling “stars”.  It was supposed to make you feel like you were in space.  You had to keep your arms and hands inside the car at all times because it was impossible to see anything, which meant there was only one way to be safe and that was to make sure you didn’t lose any appendages during the ride.  It was awesome!  I was terrified and yet exhilarated at the same time!  Whoever thought of this ride was clearly thinking “out of the box” – it was not at all like any conventional ride I’d ever been on before.  It’s now the year 2014 – about forty years later – and I’ve never forgotten those experiences.  I guess that’s what Disney World is all about.  Being there just once makes you want to go back again and, at the very least, keeps your memories alive.

These days, there are many different arrangements being offered to guests that you can take advantage of for your required accommodations.  All you need to know to book it properly is: the exact number of people in your group (and their ages), the size of the hotel rooms or villa needed, the number of days and nights you’ll want to stay, and the time of year of your stay.  Unless you’re rich, price is usually a major factor in planning an adventure of this size.  You’ll need to have all the correct information on you at the time you book your vacation package.  Although there are some things you can change later, like adding more attractions to your package, there are some things that cannot be changed if they are part of a package:  flight and hotel usually cannot be changed easily, if at all. 

The only way you could change your flight is if it’s a regularly-scheduled flight somewhere and the only way to change your hotel is to get a smaller one, if one is available for you.  I don’t know for sure, but I would bet that flight and hotel would be the hardest things to change after a reservation has been made.  Also, cancellation of your trip will be a problem unless you’ve purchased cancellation insurance at the time of your booking.  It’s well-advised to purchase cancellation insurance any time you want to travel, since you never know if someone in your party will become ill just before you plan to leave home.

For your information:  *Sample Package Details
Sample prices are based on 2 adults, one junior and one child in a standard room at a select Disney Value Resort for select 2014 dates: Now through August 2, 2014. The number of rooms allocated for these packages may be limited. Tickets valid for one theme park per day and must be used within 14 days of first use.

I am personally looking forward to taking my son and grandson to Disney World some day in the not-too-distant future.  My son is 30 and my grandson is 9, but this is a trip that people of all ages should take if they haven’t done so already.  It’s definitely worth going.

copyright 2014, Anne Shier.  All rights reserved.