History of Disney World - How Walt Disney World Came About

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Although Walt Disney never saw the fruition of Disney World while he was still alive, it was really his concept to make it. That's why relating the history of Disney World would naturally begin with him. His concept lived on even after he died through his brother, Roy Disney.

Walt Disney's Idea

Walt Disney didn't just want another Disneyland. He dreamed of something much more than Disneyland and yet similar to it. He still wanted to bring entertainment in his theme parks. But he wanted to have a place where he could constantly add or develop something new to his original park and structures. Not only that, he wanted to test his concepts of urban planning through this project. True enough, what now emerged as the EPCOT or the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow was actually sprung out of his ideas.

From Opening Up to Now

Walt Disney World opened in October 1, 1971, five years later after the death of Walt Disney. It opened up with Disney's Contemporary Resort, Polynesian Resort and Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground.

In the following year, Disney's Village Resort with the tree house and the vacation villas was added. Then Disney's Golf Resort and Discovery Island were next opened in the next two years. In 1975, the Fairway Villas and the Walt Disney Village Marketplace were built up.

Come June 1976, Disney's River Country Water Park was added. In 1980, the Walt Disney World Conference Center and another village resort, the Club Lake villas, were put up. Then in 1982, EPCOT came about.

In 1988, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Caribbean Beach Resort became available. And then 1989, more parks were added. The MGM Studios, the Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Pleasure Island were opened.

In the years 1990 to 1992, more resorts were made for the guests. These were Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort, Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin Resort, Port Orleans Resort, Old Key West Resort and Disney's Dixie Landings Resort. Disney Vacation Club and Bonnet Creek Golf Club were also added to the growing Walt Disney World.

In 1994, Disney's All-Star Sports Resort and Disney's Wilderness Lodge were made available. Then in 1995, Disney's All-Star Music Resort, Blizzard Beach Water Park and Fairytale Wedding Pavilion were installed.

The following year, the Disney Institute and Disney's Boardwalk Resort became ready. The Coronado Springs Resort followed in 1997. Disney's Wide World of Sports and Downtown Disney West Side came that same year too; while Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney Quest just came in 1998. In 1999, it was Disney's All-Star Movies Resort that was added. In 2001 and 2003, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and Pop Century Resort were added respectively. Finally, Disney's Saratoga's Springs Resort and Spa came about in 2004.

This completes the list of facilities made available through the years. The history of Disney World has really come a long way and it still continues each day as it touches the lives of many of its guests.

Planning Your Disneyland Wedding

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A wedding day is considered by many the happiest day of their life. It can be even happier I it is held at the happiest place on Earth. That place is Disneyland. Disneyland has made weddings possible with Disneyland Weddings.

Women dream of their weddings from a young age. They visualize a story type wedding that is very unique and, romantic. With the story factor in it, it becomes very enchanting. Now that you're all grown up and at the point of marriage, you can have your wedding at Disneyland! Disneyland makes it possible to have a magical time and a very creative ceremony. It will certainly be the happiest place on Earth.

The best thing is that you don't have to stress over the details. Disneyland really makes it a Cinderella story by taking care of the details in providing a fairy God Planner.

You should know that Disneyland weddings should not be left for the last minute. Your planning should start one year in advanced. You must schedule a meeting with the Disney wedding planner, take a site tour and pick out the locations for the wedding. You must sign the letter of agreement eleven months prior the big day. Ten months prior the wedding the announcements are mailed out to your guests.

The panning becomes more intense eight months before the wedding date. Planning occurs over the phone and in person with the wedding planner. The ceremony and receptions are prepared as well. Like a jigsaw puzzle,all the pieces come together and into place for the big picture. Payments for the event are due 30 days before the wedding date and the guest count must be complete at least 4 days before the wedding date.

Disneyland plans everything out with your input and all the details are handled without any additional stress put on you. After all, you must be very stressed with your wedding date coming fast. Flowers, catering, music, invitations and other details are all included. After the wedding ceremony occurs, you will have a lifelong impression left in your heart. You are your husband or wife will have and enjoy the reception you always have dreamed of.

The staff will wear white gloves and will be complete with table settings from the resort. There will be a head table The floors will be lined with floor length linens and the tables will have place cards. Your imagination will run wild by seeing your life long dreams coming to life.

After the wedding, be sure to checkout the honeymoon packages available from the Disney Resort. Disneyland makes it possible to have the wedding of your dreams and the honey moon of your dreams.

Cheap Disney World Packages

You can find so many cheap Disney World packages available that it will be hard to narrow it down to the perfect package for your trip to Walt Disney World.

Walt Disney World always seems to offer various packages and discounts. Often, you can find them on the front page. There is a page hidden away in the website that lists all of the packages offered by Disney itself, and if you can find that page, it could save you a lot of money. It's not very accessible, though, so you'll have to dig to find it.

You can save a lot of money on a Disney World vacation in other ways, as well.. If you take advantage of value season prices, the Disney Dining Plan, using the free parking pass if staying on property, using the free provided transportation, or by sharing some of the large meals, you can save even more money. You can even save money on souvenirs by shopping at one of the outlet malls before visiting the parks.

Groups such as AAA offer discounts on Disney owned hotels as well as many other hotels nearby. You can book directly through AAA, or directly through the Walt Disney World travel company by mentioning that you're a AAA member and want the discount.

Disney travel is no exception to the ability of travel agencies to save you money on vacation. There are several travel agencies that only work with Disney World vacation packages, as well as regular travel agencies, and travel agencies that specialize in Walt Disney World vacations. Some agencies will even cancel and rebook your vacation with a newly offered discount so that you don't over pay or have to deal with the hassle of doing it yourself. Plus, travel agencies can save you money on your plane tickets or with car rentals, saving you even more money on vacation.

There are even some guide books that offer discounts or coupons, and there are several ebooks that are written by former cast members with an eye towards saving the casual traveler money. If you take the time to research a little, you can get access to many cheap Disney World packages.

What You Need to Know About Disney World Tickets

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Disney World and Disneyland theme parks are probably the most popular theme parks in the world. Attractions, rides, characters, the works, lots of fun for the children, as well as the parents. The big dream of most young children is to go to Disneyland or Disney World. While you can let the spontaneity guide your Disney vacation, this vacation though can cost you an arm and a leg.

The Disney World tickets to get in the theme parks are one of the major contributors to it. For an example, the tickets can cost you around $250 for 4 people age 10+ for one day or little over $100 for two children ages 3-9. In fact, if you plan your vacation, you can save tremendously on tickets as opposed to going there unprepared.

To compare the savings, if you plan on staying there 5 days, you don't want to buy Disney World theme park tickets each and every day. That will cost you around $315 per person for ages 10+ or $260 for ages 3-9. But if you buy a 5-day ticket, you will only pay around $200 per person for ages 10+ ($115 of savings) or $162 per person for ages 3-9 (around $100 in savings). Also, buying tickets in advance instead of waiting to get them at the gate will offer you even more savings.

It would be in your financial benefit to spend some time developing an itinerary before you buy your Disney World tickets. It all depends on how you plan to spend your days. There are lots of legitimate ways to get discounted tickets. Unfortunately, there are also lots of places where you can get ripped off. So, be very careful.

Do not buy Disney World theme park tickets from a booth on the side of the road and outside of Disney. You would have no idea if your tickets are valid or not. The only way you would know that you're purchasing valid park tickets is directly from Disney or from an authorized reseller on the Internet.

The Florida Sun-Sentinel released an article about the scam artists selling discount Disney World theme park tickets. The article was talking about some scam artists selling tickets that were not being full tickets but partially used tickets that legally aren't suppose to be sold. Also, some tickets at deep discounts were linked to timeshare pitches (explanation toward the end of this article). And even some scam artists were selling fake tickets.

There are several legitimate online resellers that sell Disney World tickets other than Disney themselves (floridaorlandotickets.com, mapleleaftickets.com, ticketmania.com). At these online stores make sure you check their shipping charges (if any). Sometimes you will find an excellent price, but once you add the shipping to it, it is cheaper to go elsewhere.

Also companies, such as Travelocity and Expedia, have longstanding relationship with the world's most popular vacation destinations including Disney World and Disneyland. They could afford to give you discounted theme park tickets if you book your vacation through them.

The discounted Disney World theme park tickets are a part of the whole vacation package. They may lose money on the tickets by giving them to you at a cheaper price while they buy them at the regular price, but they'll make up the difference from the vacation package that you're booking through them. So, the discounted tickets could be just a lure to get you to book your Disney vacation with them. If it fits your budget and your vacation plan, get the benefit of cheaper tickets.

Disney World tickets linked to timeshare pitches. You'll eventually bump into websites that will offer you a deep, deep discount on Disney World tickets. You might save anywhere around $250 for a 2 or 3 day ticket and up to $350 on a single 5-day Disney World theme park ticket. These are valid tickets but under a condition. You have to attend a "no obligation, interesting and entertaining" 90-minute or-so presentation.

If you have "time to burn" on your Disney World vacation and you're resistant to sales pitches, you could take advantage of this offer and actually benefit. The 90-minute presentation actually lasts a whole lot longer. They need to "massage" you before they "grill" you. You're also invited to a complementary breakfast before the presentation begins. And the presentation is loaded with sales pitches. They will make the money (that they will lose by selling you the Disney World tickets at deep discounts while they buy them at the regular price) by selling you something at this "no obligation, interesting and entertaining" presentation.

So, if you're easy on pulling your credit card at every sales pitch that hits you, this may not be for you as those are the kind of people that they're looking for. They will make a lot more money on the back end from the "easy-to-sell-people" than the money that they will lose by selling you the Disney World tickets at deep discounts.

When you think about it, the "easy-to-sell-people" are the only ones that will actually fall for this so-called "presentation." But, eventually some hard-headed "smart" and "sales-pitch-resistant" people will take advantage of this deep discount since they will benefit from this offer. The companies that offer these discounted Disney World and Disneyland theme park tickets attached to timeshare pitches know that the odds are in their favor. A higher number of "easy-to-sell-people" fall for this offer than "hard-headed" and "sales-pitch-resistant" people. So the money that they will make from these "easy-to-sell-people" at these "presentations" will compensate for the loss from the deep discount on Disney World tickets and a whole lot more. They will make a lot of profit. Otherwise, they wouldn't offer it if they don't make a significant profit from it.

(Note: this information also applies to Disneyland tickets).

Disney World Coupons For Off-Site Establishments

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Disney World discounts are an added plus to virtually any form of Florida vacation...and besides, who in their right mind wouldn't want a price break? However, discounts are not usually just handed out. More often than not, discounts are earned and worked for. If you aren't willing to work and dig for some of the discounts, then you'll likely get as little as those that are casually provided by different WDW institutions. There are several ways of acquiring discounts, including Disney World coupons, packages and memberships to affiliated clubs.

As of 2006, WDW has recreated the system for giving out special deals, discounts and Disney World coupons that are normally applied on resort hotels, restaurants, and theme park transactions.

Only recently, Disney World Management had been sending emails and post cards on a random basis. However, how random their system works in the selection of participants has yet to be determined by outside sources. These normally offer deep discounts inside Walt Disney World. If you want to get your hands on one of these promotions, you may sign-up on one of the many WDW websites (this seems to be the best option since there is no other way at this time for you to be able to get these deals).

Online, there are quite a number of printable coupons that may help you save money on off-site restaurants. The following is a list of a few suggested off-site restaurants that accept and give away Disney World Coupons.

There are periodic Disney World coupons that the Ghirardelli Soda fountain sends through emails. The key here is to sign up to their email list and identify that you're living in the 50 miles area of the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain. Saying no would only allow you coupons for their store online.

Another restaurant offering coupon transactions is the Planet Hollywood located at Downtown Disney. They have printable Disney World coupons available for taking $5 off of a $20 or more purchase.

There are a few good deals to be found in Coupons Alacarte, which include Jungle Jim's.

Ponderosa Steakhouse has six branches in the Orlando area. They offer two types of coupons, one for kids and the other for adults. Kids age 5 years or younger may eat free in any of their branches, while adult guests can take 10% off a lunch or dinner.

Boston Lobster Feast, on the other hand, grants printable coupons, which saves you the cost of drinks with every purchase of a feast (that are normally good for up to four people).

Orlando Area McDonald's restaurants are also giving away free coupons for free child meals for every 1 purchased adult meal. However, the participating branches exclude the two McDonald's restaurants that are closest to WDW, as well as the one that is nearest to the All-Star resorts.

Ride Trolley is giving away a bounty of printable coupons that may be used in the restaurants surrounding the International Drive Route area.

On a constant basis, Orlando Sentinel grants free coupons, which are split into two categories- dining and restaurants.

These are only examples of institutions that are providing their customers with free printable coupons outside Walt Disney World. There are many of these inside WDW and you may have to do some research to find those. Many websites (unofficial and official) may provide you with additional links and information for acquiring Disney World coupons.

Disneyland Paris Tickets and Attractions Advice

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Opened in 1992, Disneyland Paris is a holiday resort in Marne-la-Vallee, a town just outside Paris. As only the second Disney resort to open outside of the United States, 15 million Disneyland Paris tickets are sold to fans each year and it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.

The complex consists of multiple attractions including Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studios Park and Mickey's Magical Party.

Perhaps the most famous attraction is Space Mountain, which opened in 1992 at a cost of US$100 million, and was modelled on the original space mountain at Disney World Florida. Soon after, Disneyland Paris saw it's tickets sales rise year on year.

Apart from the world famous attractions, a Disneyland Paris ticket gives you access to the Disney Village where you can grab something to eat before seeing a show or find a lively bar to go dancing. For those looking for a more relaxed evening, the 15 screen IMAX cinema shows the latest movies in 3d and high definition.

Families looking for the full Disneyland experience, hotels within the grounds offer an excellent chance to get your head down early(or late!) and wake up right on the door of your favourite attractions. The hotel includes family rooms suitable for those with young children, 24-hour room service, a spa and swimming pool for the little ones.

Over the years the wide range of attractions have appealed to both young and old alike and whether you're a family with toddlers or looking for more a thrill, tickets to Disneyland Paris are flexible enough for you to craft the perfect experience.

Finding Trusted Ticket Retailers

When looking for a trusted retailer for your Disneyland Paris tickets, be sure to look for the comments and opinions of other customers and perhaps even give the company a ring to discuss which tickets would be most suitable for you and your family.

UK retailers showing the official British Travel Awards mark have been investigated and found to be both reliable and responsible when dealing with the holiday's of its customers. For full information on the British Travel Awards please see the official website.

Disneyland Paris

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To make a break at one of the many Paris hostels truly magical, visitors could head out to Marne-la-Vale where Disneyland Paris is located. Situated 20 miles from the centre of the city and an easy train journey from most Paris hostels, the resort features two theme parks and an entertainment district.

Whether it's meeting Mickey and his friends or taking a ride on one of the white-knuckle rollercoasters, there is something on the 4,800 acre site for everyone.

For the kids

The best bit of a Disney trip is getting up close and personal with famous faces from Disney cartoons. Visitors are advised to pack a pen to get their favourite characters signatures and a camera to record their special meeting. Different characters can be found at designated areas in both the Disneyland Park and the Walt Disney Studios Park.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse can be found on Toon Street in Walt Disney Studios, as can Sulley from Monsters Inc. Over at Disneyland Park, guests can meet Winnie the Pooh at Fantasyland and Woody and Jessie from Toy Story in Frontierland. The resort also offers Eat 'n' Greet opportunities where visitors can sit down to enjoy a meal with much-loved figures including Cinderella, Pluto, Pinocchio and Robin Hood.

For the big kids

There is also plenty for adults to do at the resort. Sports fans will no doubt make a beeline from Paris hostels to Golf Disneyland. Taking a round doesn't mean missing out on the cartoon fun, as the course carries a Disney theme. With a full 27-hole course, Golf Disneyland is open seven days a week all year round and is open to players of all standards.

The 27-holes are made up of three themed nine-hole courses that can be combined in several different ways to make one complete 18-hole round. All three courses start and end in front of the impressive Club House. Alternative outdoor events include the Treetop Adventure Trail and the ice skating rink which opens each winter.

The resort also includes a cinema and several bars and restaurants, not to mention the adrenaline-pumping Space Mountain and the Aerosmith-themed Rock'n'Roller Coaster.