Tag Archives: Magical Express

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Upping the Ante/Satisfied DVC Member

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In nineteen days, I get on an airplane and fly to Orlando International Airport. Then I get to transfer to Magical Express and head to Disney’s Old Key West Resort. Hot-dang! So…

  1. Today I upped my daily walk by five minutes. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but to me it is a lot. (Thank you to Noom for encouraging me to walk further!) The featured photo for today’s blog was taken about ten minutes after my walk. I was pooped, hot, sweaty, a little bit cranky, yet invigorated. It felt good to push myself that extra five minutes.  So that is one of my major accomplishments for today.
  2. Also today, I took care of some vacation business. I called Magical Express directly, because only five of the eight of us traveling for this trip received our luggage tags. (We want them all because it is so nice to drop your luggage at your home airport and have it delivered directly to your hotel room. Man, I LOVE this service! Disney Vacation Club, [DVC], you rock]) I had a three minute wait for a rep, who then reissued our tags, so we will receive a new set of eight tags in seven to ten days. Mischief managed!
  3. Then I called DVC Member Services and waited fifteen minutes for a Cast Member who helped me to tweak my reservation. Cribs are sorted out for the little ones. We don’t need the Pack n’ Plays that Disney provides, because the kids rented cribs to be delivered and picked up instead. And I requested to be in a building with an elevator. Usually our three bedroom grand villa in one story up. After a day in the parks, I am absolutely dragging and climbing those steps can be the last straw. There is no guarantee we’ll get that request, but if it is available, then we’ll get it. (Please, please, please…)

So anyway, it’s been a good day so far. I hope you are having a good day, too.

Meet me at the Kingdom.

Donna

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Disney Vacation Club Member

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Now I have only 35 days until heading to Walt Disney World. While there I will be staying at Disney’s Old Key West Resort. I am a Disney Vacation Club Member, and Old Key West is my home resort. When I check in, I will be greeted, “Welcome, home!” And after all this time, it does feel like home away from home. It is so Florida-looking with palm trees and waterways every little while. It smells like citrus and suntan lotion and vacation. It feels warm and mild and, depending on the time of year, muggy. I love it!

Here’s some of what Disney has to say about Disney Vacation Club:

Disney Vacation Club is a vacation ownership program—or timeshare—that helps you stay close to the magic. As a Member, you can enjoy a more cost-effective way of taking Disney vacations.

Membership & How It Works

To become a Member, you purchase a real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club Resort. This is your Home Resort.

Your real estate interest is represented by an annual allotment of Vacation Points. You’ll use your Vacation Points to reserve accommodations in one of the many vacation destinations available to Members.

Vacation Destinations
As a Member, you can enjoy access to accommodations at your Home Resort or another Disney Vacation Club Resort. You can also choose from thousands of other vacation options in destinations around the world.

Home Resort Priority
At your Home Resort, you can take advantage of the Home Resort Priority Period, which allows you to make reservations 11 months in advance. Members who do not have an ownership interest at that Resort can book up to 7 months in advance. (*This is why I held out until I could purchase my points at Old Key West. It is my favorite resort. It has the largest rooms, and the most laid back atmosphere.)

Vacation Points & Booking Flexibility
With more Vacation Points, you can enjoy extra flexibility when planning vacations. If you’re thinking of becoming a Member, you’ll want to consider the number of Vacation Points that’s right for your vacation lifestyle.

Value & Savings

Disney Vacation Club offers value and potential savings on accommodations as you enjoy Disney vacations for years to come.

Value
By becoming a Member, you are locking in today’s purchase price. You can use your Membership to enjoy decades of future stays at Disney Vacation Club Resorts, which feature spacious 1-Bedroom Villas, 2-Bedroom Villas and 3-Bedroom Grand Villas that offer many of the comforts of home.

Savings
Members can save up to 50% on future Disney Vacation Club Resort accommodations over the life of the Membership.

Why Disney Vacation Club?

Disney Heritage
Disney Vacation Club celebrates the heritage, traditions and values that began with Walt Disney himself. The Disney difference begins with a unique sales approach and continues throughout the lifetime of your Membership—whether you’re on a vacation or planning your next trip.

A Personalized Sales Experience
Enjoy a personalized experience with a knowledgeable Disney Vacation Club Guide—a helpful resource for you as you research Membership. They’re happy to answer any questions you may have about Disney Vacation Club and how it can work for your family.

Disney Vacations
As a Member, you can look forward to magical vacations in Disney destinations. Highlights include:

  • Accommodations at uniquely-themed Disney Vacation Club Resorts designed by Disney Imagineers—with spacious villas that offer many of the comforts of home
  • Convenient proximity to Disney theme parks at most Disney Vacation Club Resorts 
  • Service that exemplifies the Disney standard of excellence

Enjoy the freedom to choose when, where and how often you vacation! As a Disney Vacation Club Member, you’ll receive an annual allotment of Vacation Points (“Points”), which represent your real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club Resort. You’ll use Points to book your accommodations—and you’re never locked in to a specific Resort, time of year, type of accommodations or length of stay.

We go every three years by banking one year’s points and borrowing one years points. That way we have three years of points to use on out vacations. It allows us a bigger space for a longer amount of time.

One of the best things about being a DVC member is you have access to Member Services. I have always had great service from them. But today I ran into a snag. I had emailed them to reserve Magical Express for Jake, Eliza and Linnie. They emailed me back saying they could only help DVC Members, and I was not a member. Imagine my surprise…I’ve been a member now since 2010. So after I calmed down, I called Member Services. The gentleman I spoke with was wonderful. He was able to straighten everything out, and assured me that all was well with my membership status. Whew! It is a 40 year membership, so I figure I have 32 years left on the contract. (I know, I know, I probably won’t live to be 94 years old, but the kids can use it.)

Anyway, I highly recommend membership in Disney Vacation Club. I love it; I use it, I recommend it!

Meet me at the Kingdom!

Donna

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The Busyness of Being Ready

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Just 70 days until our journey to Walt Disney World. It’s so exciting to think about it!

Hotel reservation made. Airline reservations made. Magical Express bus booked. Dining reservations made. Tickets to parks purchased. Tickets to Mickey’s-Not-So-Scary Halloween Party purchased. FastPass+es picked out (keeping my fingers crossed on those). Whew! That’s a lot!

All of that business taken care of and yet the thing I am looking forward to the most is just have our family together, Mike and I, the kids, their spouses, and…tah dah…the grandbabies! I look forward to lounging at the pool, and looking around at all their precious faces. Lord, may it be so, please. It will truly be my Happy Place. I can feel my sigh of contentment now.

Here’s hoping… Meet you at the Kingdom.

Donna

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Magical Mayhem

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Day 406 in fixing my mistakes on my way to meeting Mickey

Today I called Walt Disney World.  I few days back I tried to reserve a place for Mike and I on the Magical Express bus in December.  Even though I had put that there would be two of us taking the Magical Express to Disney’s All Star Sports Resort from Orlando International Airport and then back again three days later, by the time I finished online, they only had one person listed as riding the bus, and that person was Mike.   So I called and had a lovely visit with Danae (pronounced duh-nay).  She took a look and said that no reservation had been made.  Gee whiz!  Apparently I messed it up big time.  Danae got it all straightened out, and now we are reserved on the bus and all our flight information has been entered. Whew!  It sure doesn’t take much to mess things up.  So my advice? Always double check any reservations that you make online.  🙂

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Magical Express Madness

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Day 403 in my stumbling toward meeting up with Mickey

Today I signed Mike and myself up for Magical Express, the Disney-provided (free) bus from Orlando International Airport to Disney’s All Star Sports Resort and then back to the airport again at the end of our brief December vacation.  And…I screwed it up completely.  Even though I entered that there will be two adults traveling, somehow at the end it only showed Mike as registered, with no mention of me.  So tomorrow I’ll call and try to get this all straightened out.  Sheesh!

And now I just want to mention my frustration at trying to book dining reservations for the December trip.  Minnie’s Holiday and Dine Dinner is completely sold out while we are there.  This is supposedly one of the least busy times of the year at Walt Disney World, and still no openings.  ARGH!  I’m starting to believe that there is no such things as “least busy times” at Walt Disney World.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

 

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Harsh Realities and Happy Planning

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Day 81 in my migration toward meeting Mickey

Well, I danced like no one was watching last night.  It was fun…and tiring, but it was good to do it.

I don’t know how hard is too hard to push myself physically.  As soon as I push through the pain to walk further, my hip starts aching something fierce, my knees start snapping at me, my back throws in the towel and my upset stomach rears up.   I end up so sore and feeling so lousy that I am absolutely discouraged, so I end up taking several days to recover enough to be able to do it again.  I haven’t “listened” to my body for years.  Now I am hearing it loud clear.  And it is saying, “Slow and easy wins the race.  Rome (nor this gargantuan body) wasn’t built in a day.  Patience is a virtue.”  I know, right?  My body speaks in clichés…who knew?  But it is very clear to me that I need to take it slowly.

So today’s plan is to spend some time putting together our dates for the trip to Walt Disney World.

  1. What date can I call and book our rooms at Old Key West (11 months prior to check-in)?
  2. What date do I make our dinner/lunch reservations?  (180 days prior to check-in)?
  3. What date do I book Mickey’s-Not-So-Scary Halloween tickets?
  4. What date do I reserve our Magical Express ride from the airport to Old Key West and back?
  5. When do I purchase my Tables in Wonderland discount card?  (A discount dining perk that saves 20% on most meals)
  6. When do I register for my Fastpass+ choices? (60 days prior to check-in?)
  7. When shall I book our flights?

Much to do, but it’ll be fun research while I wait for my spine to quick clicking when I walk.  This getting older is not for the faint of heart.  🙂

Meet you at the Kingdom!