Palm Fronds & Nom Noms

I remember when Disney first introduced their dining plans.  I also remember scoffing at the idea thinking that it would limit my options.  There were a couple more family trips taken before we decided to test it out.  The "test run" happened 1) because my then-new-husband had done it before with good success, and 2) Disney was savvily incentivizing the Dining Plan option by noticeably increasing menu prices all around. On that "test run" trip we had the middle of the road plan allowing each person 1 counter service meal/1 table service meal/1 snack per night of our stay, and a Rapid Refill mug.  The inclusions for each level of the plan have stayed fairly consistent, though now each level of the plan includes 2 snacks daily and the options of either an alcoholic beverage or specialty drink (e.g., milkshake, smoothie) with each meal.  I would argue that the increase to 2 snacks was a game changer planning wise, though the alcoholic drink option definitely he...

Note: We excluded Sarasota Springs and Old Key West DVC properties from this run down because they are not considered "premium" locations and do not have traditional rooms to compare with.  In general, these are less expensive than what we have listed below for comparisons.  Note: Referenced pricing based on 3/7/2020 room availability through Disney website. DVC rental point references are based on pricing through DVC Rental Store and are not representative of actual availability at the time of this post.  Renting Disney Vacation Club (DVC) points via a reputable broker is a great way to save precious dollars on your Disney vacation AND still stay at a deluxe level property.  Purchasing tickets through an authorized seller offers additional savings.  Disney World has a streamlined online booking tool that puts everything in one place and linking your reservation immediately to your My Disney Experience account/app.  There is more legwork on the fro...

We aren't exactly sure how many Disney trips we have each taken in total.  Together, Adam and I have been 6 times since we were married in January 2011.  (Twice with kids, 4 times without them). One of the nice things about having visited so many times, and being relatively certain that we will again, is that we no longer feel any sort of pressure to "do everything".  We don't even feel bad now about missing out on an iconic classic ride here and there. On this most recent trip, we add a number of "firsts" to our collective Disney experiences and had a great time doing it! First time eating at these restaurants: Art Smith's Homecomin' Topolino's Terrace Storybook Dining at Artist's Point (we've been there before, but not since it was reimagined) Sampling of food booths at the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival First time rides/shows: The teacups at Magic Kingdom Epcot Experience pavilion Finding Nemo stage show at Anima...

The main lobby/entrance at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort The short story - that worked amazingly well! Maybe we just landed under a lucky star, because from the get go on this trip things just clicked.  We got a view upgrade at the airport hotel.  Our flight was a bit early.  The text saying our room was ready came through just as we were driving up to the resort.  We were seated early for every meal and only had one truly obnoxious person seated near us all week during meals.  About the only down side of this entire trip was that neither of us slept particularly well; but that was due to uncontrolled factors like snotty noses, post-nasal drips and snoring.  Also, I think we may have missed the weighted blankets that we so love on our home bed.  We even landed early in Boston on the way home allowing us to catch an earlier bus back to Portland and get home 2 hours before we thought we would! Daytime view from our Studio Villa Fire...