This is another guest post by my friend Alexia.  Alexia is a Disney Vacation Specialist with Destinations in Florida.  When she is not helping plan magical vacations, you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.  Click here to contact her and she’ll help you find the best rates for your magical vacation!  

One thing I love about staying onsite at Walt Disney World is the free transportation systems.  There is no need to drive or rent a car unless you choose to do so.  Here is an overview of the Walt Disney World transportation options:

To and from the airport:  If you fly into MCO (Orlando International Airport), make sure you sign up for Disney’s Magical Express Service.  A few weeks before your check in date, you will receive a voucher and luggage tags in the mail.  Once you arrive in Orlando, head straight to Magical Express.  No need to pick up your luggage from baggage claim!  Disney will do it for you and deliver your luggage to your room.  One thing to note:  It can take up to three hours for your luggage to be delivered, so be sure you have everything you need for the day in your carry-on bags.

If you drive to Disney World:  Parking at all Disney resorts, Disney parks, and Downtown Disney is free if you are staying on the Disney property.  I live just south of Nashville, TN, and we always drive to Disney World.  It takes about 12 hours for us to get there.  Once we are there, the last thing we want to do is more driving, so I love knowing that we can just park our car at the hotel and use Disney transportation to go everywhere on the Disney property!

From the value resorts:  If you are staying at All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, All-Star Movies, Pop Century, or Art of Animation, the buses are your only transportation option.  Buses run to Downtown Disney, Disney Water Parks, Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports, and the four Disney parks.  If you plan on visiting another resort, you will need to take a bus to one of the parks or Downtown Disney and then switch busses to the resort you are visiting.  Buses usually begin an hour and a half before the parks open and run until about two hours after the parks close.

From the moderate resorts:  Like the value resorts, Caribbean Beach Resort and Coronado Springs Resort only offer buses as your transportation option.  Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter also offer a ferry boat to and from Downtown Disney.  The Cabins at Fort Wilderness also offers a water taxi to and from the Magic Kingdom.

From the deluxe resorts:  Animal Kingdom Lodge only offers buses as your transportation option.  Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Polynesian Resort, and Wilderness Lodge also offer a water taxi to and from the Magic Kingdom.  Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan, and Dolphin all offer boats to and from Epcot and Hollywood Studios.  Old Key West and Sarasota Springs offer a ferry boat to and from Downtown Disney.  Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, and Polynesian Resort all offer the Monorail to and from the Magic Kingdom.

If you plan on visiting other theme parks during your stay:  Universal Studios offers a round trip transfer ticket option as well.  This ticket option includes a shuttle to Universal Studios, one day base ticket to either Universal Studios or Island of Adventure, and a shuttle back to your Disney resort.  If you plan on visiting Sea World, Legoland, or else not on the Disney Property, you will need to drive.

What are your thoughts of the Disney Transportation system?  Are you a fan or do you prefer to drive?

This is another guest post by my friend Alexia.  Alexia is a Disney Vacation Specialist with Destinations in Florida.  When she is not helping plan magical vacations, you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.  Click here to contact her and she’ll help you find the best rates for your magical vacation!  

Last week we discussed the Epcot Food and Wine Festival which takes place in the fall. Did you know that Epcot also hosts a spring festival called the Flower and Garden Festival? Today we will go over Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival’s highlights and what to expect from this event.

The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival takes place on select dates March through May. For 2014, the event will be held March 5, 2014 to May 18, 2014. This event is included in the price of admission of Epcot. Not much information for the 2014 festival has been released, but here is what we know so far and what to expect based on the past events.

Goofy, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck will be present in topiary form as they celebrate spring with a butterfly hunt adventure in the Epcot front entrance garden. Whimsical topiaries of Mickey Mouse and other Disney character favorites will surprise guests beyond the park’s iconic Spaceship Earth. More than 100 topiaries, 220 floating mini-gardens, dozens of flower towers and sweeping beds of multi-colored blooms will add floral splendor to the park landscape.

At the Festival Center, daily interactive gardening seminars will set the stage for outdoor do-it-yourself inspiration, and popular HGTV celebrities will headline weekend seminars filled with home, garden and design ideas. Personally, I would love to attend one of these. I seem to have a black thumb instead of a green one. I think I have found every way possible to kill a plant!

Back by demand, the Cars garden and playground will bring Lightening McQueen, Mater, and friends to life. Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House will feature hundreds of the butterflies and intricate fairy topiaries including Tinker Bell and Periwinkle.
Musical entertainment pairs brilliantly with the breathtaking botanicals during the nightly Flower Power Concert Series. The diverse lineup of performers include popular musicians of the 1960s and 1970s. The opening weekend Flower Power Concert Series at America Gardens Theatre will present fan-favorite band The Guess Who March 7-9. Other pop acts set to perform include Chubby Checker & the Wildcats, The Village People, Paul Revere & The Raiders and Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone.

Similar to the Food and Wine Festival, the Flower and Garden Festival will feature Garden Marketplaces at the World Showcase for the second year. Although there are not as many marketplaces as there are at the Food and Wine Festival, the Flower and Garden Festival Garden Marketplaces feature flavors from around the world using only the freshest and highest quality ingredients. Fan favorites from last year include shrimp and stone ground grits from the Florida Fresh Marketplace, tarte à la ratatouille et fromage de chèvre (zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onions and tomato tart with goat cheese) from the L’Orangerie Marketplace, baked goat’s brie with kumquat chutney from The Cottage Marketplace, and Dole Whip with Siesta Key spiced rum from the Pineapple Promenade Marketplace.

Have you been to the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival? What are your thoughts?

This is another guest post by my friend Alexia.  Alexia is a Disney Vacation Specialist with Destinations in Florida.  When she is not helping plan magical vacations, you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.  Click here to contact her and she’ll help you find the best rates for your magical vacation!  

My favorite event at Walt Disney World is the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. During select dates during September, October, and November, this event is included with your regular Epcot admission. Today will we discuss what to expect from this fun event.

The most popular aspect of the Epcot Food and Wine Festival are the marketplaces. There are over 25 marketplaces featuring food, wine, and beer from different countries. The appetizer sized food selections usually vary in price from $4.00 to $8.00. The drink selections usually vary in price from $3.00 to $6.00. If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, snacking your way through the marketplaces is a great way to use your snack credits and have a fun lunch or dinner. Even my picky eater loves to snack around the world for lunch and requests that we do it every trip to Epcot. If you are interested in trying the beverage selection or are not on the Disney Dining Plan, gift cards can be purchased at the welcome station for any amount for convenience. They even have gift cards you can attach to a wrist band!

Another popular aspect is the Eat to The Beat Concert series. These concerts take place at the American Gardens Theater across from the American Experience pavilion usually three times per evening and feature popular acts from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. For 2013, some of these acts included Starship, The Pointer Sisters, Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth, the Go-Go’s, Wilson Philips, and Christopher Cross.

Looking to sharpen your culinary or beverage skills? How about a seminar or demonstration? Guests can learn tips from a wine or beverage expert and sample the selections, learn how to prepare both trendy and classic cocktails from a professional mixologist, or learn tips and sample selections from chefs and beverage professionals during a 45 minute culinary demonstration. Prices for these demonstrations and seminars begin at $14.00 per person.

If you are looking for a signature dining experience, the Food and Wine Festival has you covered as well! Prices vary from $55.00 to $295.00 per person, depending on the experience you select. Experiences vary and include the 3D Dessert Party, Parisian Breakfast, Mexico Tequila Lunch Paring, and The Chocolate Dinner.

Have you been to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival? What are some of your favorite aspects of it?