Category: In the Parks

Stroller Rental-Which is right for you?

Post author By Kathryn
Post date June 19, 2012
1 Comment on Stroller Rental-Which is right for you?

Most Disney guests know that strollers can be rented in the parks but many don’t realize that strollers can also be rented from a number of outside vendors. This blog post will offer information on both options to help you decide which is right for you.

Disney strollers (Walt Disney World):

One day and “length of stay” rentals available which allow you to customize your rental to best suit your needs.
Stroller locations can be found at the front of each park. Each park also offers additional locations to obtain a replacement stroller (with your receipt) should you accidentally misplace your stroller.
Both single and double strollers available for rent.
Strollers offer very minimal space for storage/carrying additional items.
Since strollers must be returned before leaving the park you do not have to give up space in your resort or hotel to store a stroller.
Strollers are constructed of a sturdy plastic which makes them easy to clean and makes it possible to accommodate larger children. However, this style means the seats are fixed and cannot be reclined but strollers are long enough that smaller children can usually have ample room to lay down comfortably
Strollers offer large sun shades which can be a huge benefit in the Florida sun.
Strollers feature a three wheel design which makes them easy to handle and maneuver through the park.
Strollers are rented on a “first come, first serve” basis so at exceptionally busy times of the year availability may be a problem.

Disney strollers (Disneyland):

Offers only daily rental rates but does have a discount if you are renting more than one.
Stroller rental location can be found adjacent to the kennel outside the Disneyland Park main entrance and strollers can be taken used in both Disneyland and California Adventure.
Only single strollers available for rent.
Strollers offer small basket for storage/carrying additional items.
Since strollers must be returned before leaving the park you do not have to give up space in your resort or hotel to store a stroller.
Strollers offer retractable sun shades to help keep children comfortable.
Strollers feature a three wheel design which makes them easy to handle and maneuver through the park.
Strollers are rented on a “first come, first serve” basis so at exceptionally busy times of the year availability may be a problem.

Stroller Rental from Outside Vendors:

Strollers are delivered to and picked up from your resort at no additional cost.
Both single and double strollers are available for rent.
Costs vary depending on the number of nights of your stay but in most cases the price is either the same or less than renting in the parks.
Since you will have the stroller at your resort you have the benefit of being able to use it from your room to whatever mode of transportation you are taking to the parks. As well, when you leave the parks you have the convenience of leaving children in the stroller until it is time to board transportation back to your resort.
On the reverse side, storing the stroller will take up some space in your room but in the folded position the floor space required is fairly minimal.
Strollers must be folded on Disney transportation and the models offered by outside vendors feature an easy one step fold.
Strollers feature large retractable sun shades, baskets for storage and some vendors offer the ability to add additional accessories such as rain covers, parent trays for holding drinks etc, or glider boards to attach for older siblings to stand on if they need a little reprieve from walking.
Strollers feature a three wheel design which makes them easy to handle and maneuver through the park.
Strollers can be reclined for naps or additional comfort for younger children.
Since you make reservations for your stroller ahead of time there are no concerns about availability.

Strollers can prove to be an invaluable tool during a Disney vacation and I hope this information will help you determine what will work best for you. I also recommend giving consideration to using a stroller for slightly older children who may not use one at home but who are still young enough that they could tire easily from the extensive walking. Some other benefits of using a stroller are eliminating the concern of getting separated from a child in a crowd, being able to move between attractions quicker, giving kids have a comfortable place to sit when waiting for or viewing parades, and having a place to nap if you prefer not to leave the parks for naptime.

Links to stroller rental vendors (Walt Disney World)

Orlando Stroller Rental: www.orlandostrollerrentals.com
Kingdom Strollers (also offers crib rentals): www.kingdomstrollers.com
Baby Wheels Orlando: www.babywheelsorlando.com
Walker Mobility (also rents wheelchairs and electric scooters): www.walkermobility.com
Magic Strollers: www.magicstrollers.com

Links to stroller rental vendors (Disneyland)*

*All of these vendors also rent a wide variety of other baby equipment.

City Stroller Rentals :www.citystrollerrentals.com
Baby’s Away: www.babysaway.com
Travel Babees: www.travelbabees.com

In the Parks Reviews Travel Tips

Disney Vacation Club

If you’ve been to any of the Disney parks you’ve probably seen many signs for Disney’s Vacation Club.

Disney’s Vacation Club (DVC) is a timeshare. I am a DVC owner and will try to give a brief overview, and some of our thoughts both for and against ownership. Unlike most other timeshares, you buy points which can be used at any time during the year, banked for the next year, or borrowed to use a year earlier. The lowest number of points on a contract is 25, I do not believe there is a maximum. Each year DVC send out a points chart, using this chart you can see how many points are needed at each resort each day of the year and you can use this information to plan your vacations. Since bookings are point based, the length of stay, location, and size of accommodations are decided by you (and availability) when you book your stay.

Here is an partial point chart for 2013 from: www.resalesdvc.com

DVC Animal Kingdom Villas Walt Disney World Resort												V – Value Accommodation S – Standard View SV – Savanna View C – Kilimanjaro Club Concierge
2013	STUDIO (sleeps up to 4)					ONE-BEDROOM VILLA (Sleeps up to 4, most sleep 5)					TWO-BEDROOM VILLA (Sleeps up to 8, most sleep 9)
Adventure Season		V	S	SV	C		V	S	SV	C		V	S	SV	C
Jan 1-31 Sep 1-30 Dec 1-14	Sun-Th	9	11	14	17	Sun-Th	19	22	29	35	Sun-Th	25	30	37	47
	Fri-Sat	12	13	16	20	Fri-Sat	22	26	32	39	Fri-Sat	30	35	44	54
	Weekly	69	81	102	125	Weekly	139	162	209	253	Weekly	185	220	273	343

So if I wanted to stay at Kidani, from Friday, January 11 to Sunday, January 13, 2013 (Fri. and Sat. night), in a Savanah View Studio, I would need 32 points. It would be 16 pts. each night of the stay.

DVC member have a “Home” resort, this is the resort you are a part owner of. Your yearly maintenance fees go towards the upkeep of your home resort and you are able to book stays 11 months in advance. You can book at other resorts 7 months in advance. We own at Kidani at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We chose this resort mainly because it was for sale when we were ready to buy but also because a one bedroom sleeps 5 and has 2 full bathrooms. In the older resorts, a one bedroom has only 1 bathroom. With three children moving into their teens year we thought we’d like the extra bathroom and now that we have three teens ages 14, 16 and 18; we NEED the extra bathroom.

View from Fire Pit to Kidani Lobby

Kidani Savanah view from room

Pros for my famiy:
We love staying at different resorts. With DVC, we’ve been able to stay at Kidani, Bay Lake Towers, Saratoga Springs and Grand California (Disneyland). So we’ve been lucky and reserving at the 7 month mark has worked for us!

Bay Lake Tower Courtyard

View of Grand Californian Hotel from Disney’s California Adventre

View from our room at Grand Californian Hotel

All the DVC rooms (except studios) have a washer and dryer in the unit. We pack lightly (carry-ons only) and do laundry. Each night we through a load of dirty clothes into the washer, move to the dryer in the morning and when we get back from the park, we have clean clothes.

With a full kitchen or kitchenette, we eat breakfast in the unit most mornings. Food can be delivered to the resort or brought at a local store. It’s nice to eat without waiting in a line for breakfast and we save some money. We personally have never eaten dinner in the unit but it would be easy with the full kitchen.

DVC perks are great. DVC members get discounts on annual passes, water parks admission, some dinning and shopping. DVC members can also pool hop (not to all pools or all dates though), can buy the Tables in Wonderland dinning discount card, and can add the dinning plan to their room without buying a package. The lounge at the top of Bay Lake Towers is open to DVC members; what a fun way to see the Magic Kingdom fireworks. However, perks are not guaranteed and can end at any time.

Bay Lake Tower Rooftop View

Staying at a deluxe resort in a one bedroom with a kitchen and laundry for the price of a value resort (Meaning the amount of yearly maintenance fees and the cost of ownership spread over the 50 years).

Having a living room to sit and relax or wait for the rest of the family to get ready instead of sitting on the bed or waiting in the hall.

Cons for my family:
No discounts on room rates.

No free dinning plans.

Must pay maintenance fees every year.

After 50 years your ownership is over and you own nothing.

So is DVC for everyone? No. Is it for us? Yes! We have vacationed at Disney World, Disney Land or Disney Cruise Line 13 times in the past 13 years. We’ve stayed at values, moderate and deluxe resorts. As our family got older and bigger we wanted more room. DVC was the answer for us. We joined about 5 years ago and are looking forward to the next 45 years. Some day we hope to take grandchildren to Disney World!

Tags Disney Vacation Club, DVC

Reviews

Review of Caribbean Beach Resort – Part II

Post author By Susan0326
Post date June 11, 2012
No Comments on Review of Caribbean Beach Resort – Part II

I ended the first part of my review of the Caribbean Beach Resort after checking into the room and spying the gorgeous beach. That was just the beginning of our wonderful journey. As we walked along the promenade, the pathway around the lake, we were happy to see that there were beaches scattered all around the rest of the resort. The views were breathtaking at every turn!

We followed the winding path and took the bridge across the lake through Castaway Cay, a tropical island in the center of the lake. There were several places to picnic, rest, or play on the lush little island that serves mainly as a scenic cut-through from one side of the lake to the other.

It didn’t take us long to figure out that this resort has an abundance of wildlife, too. We saw all sorts of bunnies, squirrels, ducks, and a lot of birds and lizards!

When we reached the other side of Castaway Cay, we found Old Port Royale, which is also called Centertown.

Old Port Royale is the main hub for many activities at the resort and includes the main pool, marina, rentals, a bus stop, parking, and the building that houses the food court (Market Street), a restaurant (Shutters), shopping (Calypso Trading Post & Straw Market), and an arcade (Goombay Games).

We received free dining with our package and it also came with free refillable mugs. We picked up our mugs at Market Street and decided to get counter service for lunch. There were several different stations to pick from with a variety of fare. We all enjoyed our food but the Caribbean burger and Cuban sandwich were probably the favorites.

After lunch, we headed back to the room before leaving for Magic Kingdom. Our vacation was off to a wonderful start, thanks to the beautiful surroundings and amenities of the Caribbean Beach Resort. It was such a great week and we didn’t have any negative experiences whatsoever during our stay. It is a very relaxing resort to come back to each evening after a busy day in the parks.

Even though I’m not much of a morning person, I have to admit that the sunrises at CBR were one of my favorite things all week. On the morning of my birthday, I decided to go for a run around the resort. The stillness of the resort being bathed in morning light was incredible and such an fantastic way to begin the day of my birthday. Those colorful images and the memories of those moments will be forever burned into my mind.

In case you are wondering, we did spend a little time on the beach just chilling out on the lounge chairs and in one of the hammocks. It was never crowded and always quiet and relaxing!

By the end of our stay, the Caribbean Beach was definitely our favorite moderate resort! I’m sure the beauty and amenities we experienced there will draw us back down those winding paths in the future.

Be sure and save a hammock for me, okay?

Reviews

A Review of Caribbean Beach Resort – Part I

Post author By Susan0326
Post date June 5, 2012
4 Comments on A Review of Caribbean Beach Resort – Part I

I began to get really excited last year when Disney announced free dining for this past March. When I looked at the dates on the offer and realized that not only was it during my kids’ Spring Break, but it was also the week of my birthday. I was so excited that yet another Spring Break trip would soon be ours! How could I be denied free dining on my birthday and Spring Break? Of course, I didn’t get much of a fight and my kids were as thrilled as if it were their first trip, not their 11th! However, I did cause them to gasp aloud when I told them to pick a moderate resort since we wanted the regular dining package and not just the quick service variety that comes with the value resort package. We could’ve paid the extra for free dining and stayed at a value resort (um, Pop Century!), but I just threw the moderate thing out there to them.

We looked at all the moderates, and to be honest everyone was really struggling with not going back to Pop Century, which has become like home to us since we first went there in 2004. The only moderate we’ve stayed in was Port Orleans Riverside and no one really wanted to go back there. After browsing pictures of moderate resorts, the kids informed me that we must go to Caribbean Beach since it combined our two favorites – Disney and the beach! I made the reservation and I must admit I second and third-guessed myself for months until I was forced to stop reading comments about the resort. There are a lot of negative things out there about CBR and it really concerned me a little.

Fast forward to the day we arrived at Caribbean Beach resort. It was a beautiful day as we pulled into the gates.

We pulled into the parking lot of the Custom House and found plenty of great parking. When we stepped inside, it wasn’t crowded and the atmosphere was so relaxed. I had completed the online check-in, so I picked that line and was face-to-face with a cast member in just a minute or two. Check-in was flawless and the cast member was very friendly and helpful. As he was wrapping up, he reached over and handed me a birthday button! I’ve been to Walt Disney World several times on my birthday and have never received one at check-in. I just knew this was going to be a great trip!

Being unfamiliar with CBR, it took us a few minutes to get oriented and figure out which way to go to our village of Aruba. The resort is pretty big and the Custom House, where you check-in, is slightly detached from the rest of the resort which centers on a 45-acre lake and beach. We were able to pull pretty close to unload our luggage and we were totally surprised at the amount of available parking! We always had to fight for parking at Pop Century, but there were parking spots galore at the CBR!

The six different sections or villages of the CBR are painted different tropical colors. They are all beautiful, but we fell in love with the pink and plum colors of our Aruba buildings. The buildings are surrounded with lush greenery and the curving walkways made it feel more like a park instead of a resort

We were amazed at all the beauty as we walked along the pathway to our building. Every couple of buildings in the village had a really neat courtyard with seating areas. When we found our room in Section 55 and opened the door, we were so surprised at our beautiful corner room!

At this point, all of my fears about CBR began to dissipate. However, the fears were totally nonexistent when I walked around the corner of the building and saw the incredible beach and lake!

There were plenty of empty chairs and open hammocks on the beach begging you to come sit and enjoy the view! I’d have to fight that urge since we were starving by this time, but I made a promise to myself that I would be back to enjoy some time just sitting on that beach,enjoying that amazing view!

To be continued …

Travel Tips

Staying Off Property in Florida

Post author By Disney Baby
Post date May 31, 2012
No Comments on Staying Off Property in Florida

For years we only stayed on property when visiting Walt Disney World. We always purchased the dining plan with three sit down meals as well. We continued this tradition for 7 visits. The advantages of staying on property are tremendous including the Magical Express Transportation to and from the airport, ability to purchase Magic Your Way Tickets and the Disney Dining Plan. Only WDW resort guests have unlimited use of the WDW transportation System and can take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours in the parks. If the parks are overcrowded, WDW resort guests are given priority. There are additional privileges including delivery of merchandise from the park and Downtown Disney stores, beautifully themed resorts that keep you immersed in Disney 24/7, and Disney Cast Members and Disney Guest Service that is incomparable.

In 2008, my parents were unable to use their time share and asked us if we wanted to transfer it to a property near Disney. We had just been in October of 2007 but my parents had to use their time share by the end of June. We were hesitant to stay off property but we now had three children and it made sense to try it out since the accommodations were free! We stayed at the Westgate Vacation Villas and we were less than 10 minutes from the Walt Disney World Resort. The accommodations were only a year old and the space was huge! We were in a two bedroom lock off that had two bedrooms, two queen sofa sleepers, a full kitchen, a mini kitchen, a huge living room, a smaller living room, two full bathrooms, and two sets of washers and dryers. Our oldest girl was seven years old and our twins girls were two years old at the time. We loved the space and the resort. We even loved having breakfast in the Villa before leaving for the parks, cooking and eating a few dinners, and doing laundry. I know it seems crazy to cook and do laundry on vacation! Having access to a full kitchen with the three children was an advantage since they had wasted so much food during our last vacation and we could feed them what they love to eat. The best part about doing laundry on vacation was unpacking clean clothes when we arrived at home. We had never been to WDW in the summer and we were thankful to have purchased two cases of water that we kept frozen so that we could have cold water in the parks. We even went to non-Disney parks for the first time as a family! We were surprised that we found leaving Disney property each night was a nice break from everything Disney.

Advantages:
• Less expensive (okay – so there is no comparison to free but in general off site resorts are less expensive)
• Huge accommodation (on par with the size of bathrooms in the Bellagio in Vegas)
• Quick access to non-Disney parks, restaurants, and shopping
• Found it relaxing not being immersed in the Disney excitement 24/7
• Easier and faster transportation to and from the parks with our own vehicle

Disadvantages:
• None of the perks of staying on property
• We felt like we were spending more money at the restaurants on property because they were not prepaid as part of a dining plan.
• No Disney Theming
• No Disney Guest Service

With that being said, my Husband and I concluded that we really liked it because of the size of the accommodations and convenience of having a kitchen and laundry room. In addition, we have stayed at six different hotels in the Orlando resort area and all three of the Universal hotels. We really missed the Disney theming and the Disney Guest Service. All of these hotels were nice and all of the Universal hotels are themed but it is not the Disney experience. The employees at all of these hotels were courteous but as I mentioned before, the Disney Guest Service is incomparable. If you are a Disney nut then you know that everything at Disney is well thought out and scripted from the placement of every shrub to carrying out the theme to include even the trash receptacles. All Disney Cast Members are trained in the Disney Traditions and are expected to uphold those traditions. They are expected to deliver a seamless experience to the guest. The Disney experience cannot be duplicated. We really missed the convenience and atmosphere of being in a WDW resort.
Although we have enjoyed off site experiences, our next investment will be to join the Disney Vacation Club. We feel that would be the best option for our family especially since we now have four children. We would have the Disney experience and still have the conveniences of home.