Today I have a list of three trip add-ons I'm really into right now because they are a good bang for the buck.
I also have a quick tip to help find dining reservations at the times you want.
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These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.
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3 things I'm into right now
1.) Dessert parties
Disney has made changes to the parties and/or the nighttime shows that make these much more worth it than they used to be. Use this graphic to help you compare.
2.) Dining packages for people on the Disney Dining Plan
- Available at Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and seasonally at Epcot
- Same number of credits as non-dining package reservations
- Dining at non-buffets gives you an appetizer in addition to the entree and dessert
3.) Express transportation for people with Park Hopper tickets
At $19/day or $29/week, it's an inexpensive way to feel like a VIP. Read an overview of how it works.
Quick tip of the day
Lori from Wisconsin emailed in this quick tip:
"I was trying to book an early morning reservation for three at Garden Grill, and wasn't happy with the times available. I increased the number of guests from three to five and did the search again and found that more times opened up. I booked the breakfast for five, then went back in the reservation later and edited back to three guests. So my tip is, if you aren't finding the restaurant availability you want, try increasing the number of guests and more reservations may appear."
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Hi Shannon,
Planning a early to mid-September 2018 first time family trip with my 10 and 3 year old boys. I am thinking/hoping it should be some of the lightest crowds if it follows this 2017 trend you have on the calendar. With lighter crowds do you think the dessert parties are still necessary for optimal, no stress viewing? During lighter crowd times is it still shoulder to shoulder for these shows because of fewer places to view? Thanks for the advice and tips! Your site is top notch!
Shannon,
I wanted to add a tip for people with larger parties/families regarding Express Transportation. I used Express Transportation for a family of 5 on our last trip in March. After our trip, I found when comparing the cost of Express Transportation versus using Uber on a previous trip that using Uber to go between the parks was much cheaper than Express Transportation. I also found that when we used Uber, we entered the Park entrances at non-busy times so the time to get into the park was minimal and I didn’t find that Express Transportation was quicker than Uber. In fact, I think Uber was faster. I think Express Transportation is more affordable than Uber for small parties, but probably not for groups of 3 or more.
Hi Shannon!
Per your Quick Tip of the Day, I booked a Candlelight Processional dining package at Garden Grill for 4 people even though there are only 2 people in my party (there were no available times when I searched for a party of 2).
Your listener mentioned she went back into her reservation later and modified the number of guests, but I can’t seem to figure out how to do that. Do I even need to edit the number of guests or should I simply wait until we get to the restaurant and say we only have 2 people when we check in?
I just want to avoid being charged for extra guests if I’m not able to modify the reservation beforehand.
Thanks so much for all your help!
Glad you were able to get the reservation! For the reservations you can’t modify online, you should call and have a Cast Member on the phone edit it for you.
They also have the tony’s town square festival of fantasy parade dining package at Magic Kingdom
You’re right! Forgot about that one.