Earl of Sandwich - Earn 2X the Points - This Week Only!

One of my most favorite places to eat at Walt Disney World's Disney Springs is Earl of Sandwhich.  I was so excited when I found out they had a loyalty club.

If you are a current loyalty club member, and heading to an Earl of Sandwich this month, check out this deal - you can earn double points through October 31st!

Happy eating my friends!


*Double points will automatically be added to your account; offer valid for current members only.

Walt Disney World's Disney Springs Offers New Gift Card Offer!

Walt Disney World's newest shopping district, Disney Springs, will soon be offering a new gift card offer (and yes, kids, it's not even the holiday season yet)!

Starting July 10th, when you buy a $100 shopping card for Disney Springs, you will receive a $25 bonus card!

The $100 gift card does not have an expiration date, but the $25 bonus card expires on October 29, 2017.  Perfect for spending all summer and fall.

The gift cards are only good at Disney-owned and operated stores, but don't worry...there are plenty to choose from!

Happy shopping my friends.  Walt Disney World is truly the most magical place on earth!


*This promo is only available for purchase from Disney's World of Disney store at Disney Springs.

**FREE** Disney Planning DVD!

Are you planning a very special and magical trip to the land of Faires, Princesses, and Pirates?

If so, visit the Walt Disney World website to request your own, and **FREE,** planning DVD (right before you secure your own personal travel agent, of course)!

This DVD will highlight all four Orlando theme parks as well showcase many of the other fun and interesting things to see and do on Disney's Florida property.

It's the perfect thing to whet your family's appetite for either your upcoming trip or the trip you've always dreamed of taking!

The Art of Gingerbread Across Walt Disney World

From the Disney Parks Blog.  I think you will enjoy seeing (and wishing we could SMELL) the wonderful gingerbread creations at the Walt Disney World resort:

"You can smell the gingerbread as pastry chefs all across Walt Disney World Resort crank up the ovens to bake thousands of pieces of gingerbread to craft spectacular holiday creations.  From a Gingerbread Holiday Castle at Disney’s Contemporary Resort to the life-size gingerbread house in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, here’s what you’ll find beginning Nov. 23:

 

• Already on display is the Gingerbread Holiday Castle at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, nestled in the Grand Canyon Concourse on the fourth floor, inspired by Disney’s blockbuster “Frozen” and a touch of Disney artist Mary Blair’sit’s a small world.  Adorned with sugar snowflakes, gingerbread shingles, and chocolate-coated trees, guests can spot Anna, Elsa, Olaf, and more. (Look for the 16 Hidden Olafs.)
  

• Starting Nov. 16, the biggest creation is the life-size gingerbread house in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, made with a classic gingerbread recipe from Austria.  And every day, except Sunday, there are gingerbread house decorating demonstrations in the lobby (and a gingerbread house collectible pin featuring “Alice in Wonderland“).   This gargantuan creation is 16 feet high and uses 1,050 pounds of honey, 800 pounds of flour – and it takes more than 400 hours just to bake the gingerbread!
  
  
• The American Adventure pavilion at Epcot is an intricate re-creation of the United States Capitol Building debuting November 25 – and, new this year, the Lincoln Memorial joins the vignette.  Look for five Hidden Mickeys in the 50 pounds of gingerbread and 20 pounds of icing.
  
  
• New at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort is the “Gingerbread Academy” that lets guests build gingerbread houses to take home, along with complimentary hot chocolate and apple cider for sipping.  Cost is $125 for up to four guests.  If you prefer to decorate a gingerbread cookie, cost is $8.95 per ornament, with proceeds to benefit Give Kids the World.  And a chance to work with one of the pastry chefs to create holiday cupcakes is $10.95 per person.  Make sure to walk through the lobby to take in the beauty – and delicious scent of gingerbread houses decorated by the pastry chefs of Disney’s BoardWalk Resort.
  
  
• A 3-foot-long African-inspired Marketplace graces the lobby starting November 23 at Tusker House Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, a creation made with 23 pounds of flour, 8 pounds of honey, 25 pounds of dark chocolate, and 5 pounds of white chocolate, just for starters.

 

• The Holiday Carousel is back at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts in the “Beach-side” lobby. Again this year, the team of chefs has crafted a life-size spinning carousel with 36 pounds of honey, 96 pounds of flour, 100 pounds of icing and more. Look for 17 Hidden Mickeys. The limited-edition collectible pin features Minnie Mouse and the carousel, and there’s also a Disney’s Beach Club Resort holiday pin featuring Donald Duck. Over on the Yacht side, check out the Holiday Village with Miniature Train surrounded by rock candy mountains.
  
  

• The Holiday Carousel is back at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts in the “Beach-side” lobby.  Again this year, the team of chefs has crafted a life-size spinning carousel with 36 pounds of honey, 96 pounds of flour, 100 pounds of icing, and more.  Look for 17 Hidden Mickeys.  The limited-edition collectible pin features Minnie Mouse and the carousel, and there’s also a Disney’s Beach Club Resort holiday pin featuring Donald Duck.  Over on the Yacht side, check out the Holiday Village with Miniature Train surrounded by rock candy mountains.

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I swear, I don't know HOW we are only going to Disney World for a quick weekend trip...it may be impossible to see and taste all the deliciousness!

Celebrate the Holiday Season at Disney Springs!

Disney Springs™ is the place to be throughout the holidays.

During this festive celebration from November 11 through Jan. 8, 2017, you can say hello to an entire winter “wanderland” of over 80 stores, including unique boutiques and name-brand shops

You can also indulge in more than ten delicious new eateries with mouthwatering cuisine from celebrity chefs and get in the holiday spirit with a spectacular variety of live entertainment with surprises around every corner -- including a sleigh full of festivities, a brand-new Christmas tree trail, and so much more!

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Have you been to the new Disney Springs yet?  I have to say that we just visited the completed area this Fall, and I am in love.

Through all my years of traveling to Walt Disney World, I have found that refurbishments and new additions never fail to amaze me!  I can't wait to visit for a quick weekend trip this December to see all the holiday "attire!"

Disney Reveals New MagicBand Packaging This Week

At Walt Disney World® Resort, they are always looking for ways to improve your experience while ensuring their products continue to support The Walt Disney Company’s environmental initiatives.

Beginning Nov. 11, 2016, Guests who receive MagicBands at home before their resort stay will have their MagicBands fulfilled in new packaging.  The new packaging is fully recyclable and printed on recycled paper, in response to Guests' requests.

This packaging will include the same grey MagicBand holder that’s provided to Guests and at the resort front desk.  It will also contain the same collateral information on how to wear the MagicBand, how to use it in the parks and resorts, and RFID technology.

The new packaging includes a sleeve on its left side, which is where the Walt Disney Travel Company luggage tags will now be located.  The luggage tag straps can be found inside the gray MagicBand holder.

I always love seeing the new changes that Disney comes up with.  I can't wait to get our next MagicBands in this packaging!

Disney Unveils New Money-Saving Ticket Option!

Discover Endless Magic at All Four
Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks with a New Special Ticket

 

With so many new attractions and experiences to discover at each of the Walt Disney World® Resort Theme Parks, now is the perfect time to start planning your stay – and Disney has a new special ticket offer to experience the distinctive magic in each Walt Disney World Theme Park.

The new 4 Park Magic Ticket is only $70 per day for a limited time and gives you one admission to each of the four theme parks on four separate days starting tomorrow, Nov. 15, 2016 through May 26, 2017.  (That is a savings of over $60 when compared to a four-day base Magic Your Way ticket!)

The 4 Park Magic Ticket is valid for a total of four admissions to the Walt Disney World Theme Parks and can be used to enter each Theme Park only once.

Tickets are valid for one day of admission to Magic Kingdom® Park, one day of admission to Epcot®, one day of admission to Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, and one day of admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios® on four separate days and may not be used to enter the same Park more than once.

This special ticket is the perfect way for you to stay at nearby at Walt Disney World Resort area hotels and experience all of this magic and more at each of the theme parks, but it won’t be available for long.

You can only purchase the 4 Park Magic Ticket between Nov. 15, 2016 and March 5, 2017*.  Tickets must be used within 14 days of first use or by May 26, 2017, and the following block-out dates apply:  Dec. 17, 2016 through Jan. 2, 2017 and April 10-21, 2017.

*Tickets are nonrefundable, nontransferable, and exclude activities/events separately priced.  Admission is subject to capacity closures and other restrictions.

 

 

All New Disney Nighttime SPECTACULAR at Disney's Hollywood Studios!

The all-new  “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!” holiday spectacular comes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios® at Walt Disney World® Resort on Nov. 14, 2016.

Santa Claus is missing, and the search-and-rescue mission to get The Big Guy back to the North Pole in time for Christmas Eve is all part of the fun.  The show comes to life on, above, and around the Chinese Theater with state-of-the-art projections, special effects, fireworks, and a rousing seasonal musical score.

Led by elves Wayne and Lanny, the duo from ABC/Walt Disney Animation Studios’ animated special “Prep & Landing,” the spirited yuletide adventure to the North Pole features memorable holiday moments from Disney films including “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pluto’s Christmas Tree,” “Bambi,” Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and more all building to a festive finale that’s “So tinsel!”

If you are thinking about heading to Walt Disney World this holiday season, Dreams by Design Travel can help you get there flawlessly with help making dining reservations, ride reservations, and more.  Contact them today (via the logo on our home page) for your free holiday travel quote.