Snack Time!

One of the amazing things about travelling to WDW is the vast number of ways that you can do it! Whether you are completely budget conscious and don't won't to spend any extra money or you are planning on blowing things out completely, you can do it at WDW. One of the big divergences in opinion regards snack time in the parks. If you want to really save money on your trip, you have the opportunity to bring your own snacks into the parks. You have the option of bringing a book bag or small cooler into the parks, so long as they do not contain glass bottles or alcoholic beverages. As such, you can feel free to bring in your own drinks and snacks. Depending on the size and ages of your party, this option can save you quite a bit of money. If you are reading this and have a toddler or preschooler, a ready supply of goldfish crackers can be a life saver! Other popular options include cereal bars, chips, or fresh fruit.

For others of us, buying snacks in the park is the preferred option. This may be true for a number of reasons. Maybe you don't want to be encumbered by an extra bag or cooler. As the parent of three preschoolers, I fall into this camp. We have enough to carry on our own. We generally only carry snacks for the kids. The adults get their snacks in the parks.

A second reason, beyond the convenience of not having to carry food is that there are just so many great snack options available in the parks. Yes, you will pay more for them than you probably want to, but they are definitely worth it! In each of the parks, I have a few personal favorite snacks that I look forward to eating on each trip. If you plan wisely and share, they don't even have to be that expensive. So, here are a few tips for snacking around the world.

1) Drink the water. OK, I admit I have a pet peeve about bottled water. I can't imagine for the life of me why anyone would waste perfectly good money for something they are giving away for free. You can march right up to the counter at any counter service location and receive a free cup of ice water. If you will drink water all day you will probably feel better, and save enough money on the cost of three soft drinks to afford two snacks each day.

2) Package snacks to make a meal. One of our favorite meals in World Showcase is no meal at all. If we find ourselves near France near lunch time, we will stop in at the Boulangerie Patisserie where we craft our own meal out of the delicious offerings available there. Delicious ham and cheese croissants are availabe for $3.25 and a variety of pastries are available from $1.95-$4.00. If you take the free water, you can have a great lunch for less than $8.00 per person. You can find many examples of this phenomenon around WDW. Also, this can help you save time by allowing you to eat without fighting some of the crowds that accumulate in the more popular counter service locations during peak meal times.

3) Share! One of the best things about snacks is that, due to their relatively low cost, you can try new and different things without too much fear of wasting your money. If you are travelling with a larger group, go to one of the snack locations and order a number of different items. Come together and give everyone the chance to try something that they probably wouldn't have attempted otherwise. A great example of this phenomenon is the rice cream at the Kringla Bakeri og Cafe in Norway. In an every man for himself situation, very few members of your group will be willing to risk their snack on this unique treat. If they know, however, that they are only obligated to a few bites, they will probably give it a chance. After years of avoiding rice cream, I discovered how much I like it in a similar scenario. Also, the large number of small tastes makes the experience last a bit longer. Finally, don't forget that, even if you don't have a large group, sharing is a great option. Many of the snacks in WDW are quite large, and a couple can easily share them.

So, what are your thoughts on snacking around the World? Do you have any particular favorite snacks? Do you bring your snacks in, or buy them on the inside? Let us know about your snacking habits in the comments section below!

So you want to go to Walt Disney World?

It's a question people ask all the time, and it's a good one: "When's the best time to go to Walt Disney World?" While that's a great question (and probably the first question that you should ask!) there are no easy answers. The answer is going to depend on your schedule and your desires. For each guest, the answer is probably going to be a little different. Here are some questions that you have to ask yourself before going.

1) How much time do I need to plan my vacation?
This is an important question that I think many of us overlook, because most of us are planners. For many vacationers, a significant part of the fun is preparing well in advance by making ADR's (Advanced Dining Reservations) and attempting to get just the right room at our chosen resort. For some of us, however, those details just aren't quite as important (some of you are picking yourself up off the floor at this revelation). IF, and this is a big if, you are not all that into staying in a particular onsite property and if you are not dead set on particular dining experiences, then you can plan your travel at will. When I was a kid, that's the way we travelled. Dad would come home from work at lunch and tell Mom, "Pack up the car, when I get home we're going to Disney World!" Away we went, with none of the pressures of planning. If this is you, you can save a ton of money by booking an off-site hotel through Hotwire or Priceline, eating off-site, and/or eating quick service meals. Also, if you are flexible, you can find table service availability on off hours by calling the dining hotline (407) WDW-DINE, using the Disneyworld.com website, checking in with Guest Services at one of the parks, or checking in at the counter at any of the table service dining locations. Also, if you are willing to wait, sometimes there is the opportunity to get walk-up seating.

If you are one of those folks who broke out into hives reading that last paragraph, you need six months to plan your trip. Minimum, no questions asked, six months and possibly more. So, take that into consideration.

2)What's my schedule look like?
For many, if not most, Walt Disney World guests the local school schedule is a major determining factor for vacation dates. If you have kids in school or are a teacher, (and you're not interested in just taking the kids out of school) you will be limited on when you can go. The only problem with that is that most school schedules are pretty similar across the nation. There's a reason that the weeks before and after Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Summer break have some of the highest crowds, and its because most everyone is out of school. If you have the flexibility to go any time, you probably want to avoid traditional school breaks. If you are bound to the school schedule, be prepared for bigger crowds when you go and plan accordingly. You can go during school breaks and avoid some of the biggest crowds. For instance, our family loves a good Christmas trip to the World. However, we never go during the week between Christmas and New Year's due to the crowds. We wait for a year where a significant portion of the break falls before Christmas Day and come home on Christmas Eve as the crowds begin to build.

3) Do you have a favorite season?
This one's easy. Are the waterparks a must do for you and your family? Avoid February. Hate the idea of the summer heat? Scratch July and August. Love Halloween? Be sure to go during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Get to know the schedule of events at Disney's Special Events page and you may find something that particularly appeals to you and your family. Going at a time that makes sense for your particular interests keeps the experience fresh and exciting.

4)What about park hours?
Do late night hours matter to you? While the park opening is pretty well standard throughout the year, peak seasons will have extended hours during the evening. If you hate to get up early on vacation, but love to stay out till the late evening hours, you may want to avoid some of the seasons with lighter crowd levels. While the wait times may be shorter, night owls may be disappointed to get on vacation and find out that the Studios are closing at 7 tonight. Keep an eye on park hours as they become available. Disney releases this info 6 months in advance, and there are a number of resources available out there for accessing it. One of my favorites is provided by the folks at WDW Info.

Personally, my absolute favorite week to visit is the week before Christmas, with a shoutout to the week of Memorial Day. What about you? When have you found success visiting Walt Disney World? When are your favorite times to go?