Veteran Walt Disney World visitors know what a FASTPASS is and use it to their advantage. It is the saving grace for our trips especially during peak seasons or busier times of year. I am all about being prepared for a trip to Disney World and am still amazed at the number of new visitors that have no clue what a Fastpass is or that it's free of charge. So here is my rundown on the fastpass!

This fastpass was one we got on our last trip to Disney World. In order you can see from the top down:

• The attraction and FASTPASS right underneath.
• The first time is the opening of your window to return to the attraction.
• The bottom time is the end of the window (more on that below).
• The next area explains that you can get a fastpass for another attraction after this time.
• The very bottom shows the time at which you received your fastpass.

A few important tips for the new users of fastpass. The most important thing to know is that your fastpass doesn't automatically expire after the window of time on the pass. My experience and that of many others has been you can use your fastpass later but they won't let you into the line one minute before the start of your return window. So if you show up with the above fastpass at 10:24 you will be waiting for 10:25 before they let you in line. I have collected fastpasses in the morning and used them in the evening on the same day with no issue. All fastpass expires the end of the day of issue.

The neat thing about fastpass is although you feel like you are going to the front of the line what's actually happening is your fastpass is saving your spot in line so that you can tour the parks or eat lunch and then come back and get into your spot in line. There is no cost for fastpass and any guest weather staying on property or not can utilize this system. Not every attraction offers fastpass and you can find out which do by checking your park map.

Sometimes you might receive a 'Surprise Fastpass'. There is no rhyme or reason to when you'll get one or from what attraction. You'll notice that all the information on this type of fastpass is the same as a regular fastpass. We got this suprise fastpass while getting our Peter Pan's Flight fastpasses. I have never had to use or even thought of using a fastpass for Mickey's PhilharMagic even during Thanksgiving. The suprise passes seem to more often than not point guests to other attractions in the same area that aren't as popular. This kind of gets it on your radar by spitting out the extra pass. These suprise fastpasses do not count against you getting another fastpass they are just an extra and you can choose to use them or not.

You may even get a pass for a ride like Carousel of Progress in Tommorowland that doesn't even have a fastpass system and is always a walk on. This is again showcasing under utilized attractions.

Spreading pixiedust at the parks is something I try and do each trip. One of my favorite ways to do it is giving fastpasses to others when we know we aren't going to use ours. I have received some funny looks and a lot of smiles. Our last trip we gave 4 passes to some teenagers for Expedition Everest. Sometimes I've had to explain they can use them until the end of the day even if the end return time has come and gone. If you use the fastpass system to your advantage you will never have to wait in massive lines again and be able to tour and enjoy your park days more!

Angela is a Disney Vacation Specialist with Pixie Vacations
Contact: Angela@PixieVacations.com or 865-247-5462
Follow: Facebook "Angela's Pixie Vacations"

We are putting together some Disney Group Cruises for our Disney Fans. By booking these as a group we can offer you some extras that you would not normally get by booking a single cabin. The best part is the on board ship credit that you will get to spend on the ship. It's free money, so take a special excursion, get a massage, or have drinks on us.

Our first Disney Group Cruise is set for Feb. 2011. It is a 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on the Disney Magic.

Disney Cruise Line Special

Sail on the Disney Magic - 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise

Book By October 31, 2010 and Get up to a $250 On-Board Ship Credit.

Get a Quote

Sail Date: February. 19 -26, 2011

Sample Stateroom Rates:

Category: 10C - Deluxe Inside Stateroom (These are Total Prices and not the prices per person.)
2 People $2,425.00
3 People $3,478.00
4 People $4,530.00

Category: 9C - Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom
2 People $2,745.00
3 People $3,888.00
4 People $5,030.00

Category: 5C - Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah
2 People $4,085.00
3 People $5,288.00
4 People $6,490.00

Category: 4 B - Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah
2 People $5,425.00
3 People $6,628.00
4 People $7,830.00
5 People $9,033.00

For a free no-obligation quote please contact Pixie Vacations for this Disney Fan Group Cruise Special.

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Call Pixie Vacations Today to hold a cabin. These are group rates and the rates will go up as it gets closer to the cruise sail date. If you think you might be interested you can hold a cabin at the group rate today while you take a few days to decide.

Phone Pixie Vacations for all the details at: 678-815-1584

In December, my parents announced that they were taking my family to Disney World in October. It would be my kids first trip to Disney. My oldest was 8 at the time and the twins were 6. They were excited but they really did not understand what to expect. They kept making comparisons to Six Flags which seemed silly but what could they compare it to? Not much compares to the Disney World experience so it was time to introduce them to all to the Disney magic.

First, I went onto the Walt Disney World vacation planning site and selected customized maps. Here I chose all of my favorite attractions to be highlighted on the maps. I made one for each park - the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Disney will send you the set of customized maps once every 6 months. Of course, having three kids I needed three sets. So, I repeated this at my parent's house and at my in-laws. A couple of weeks later all three sets arrived and I was ready to give them to the kids. The maps are beautiful - written on thick parchment paper they resemble old fashioned treasure maps. The kids went wild over them. They each sat down pouring over the maps and asking what each of the rides were that I had marked. Also included was a map of the whole Disney World complex. They were finally beginning to comprehend how big the whole place was.

I had also ordered from the Disney World website a current Disney World Vacation Planning DVD. As a family, we all sat down to watch it. And not for the vacation planning information - that was done already. But now the kids could put the pictures and sights to the names they had seen on the maps. Certain parts were watched a couple of times and now they were really starting to feel the magic and the excitement.

Next, I bought Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids - basically a travel book aimed at kids for them to read. I started by reading aloud from it before bed to all three kids. They really liked all the descriptions of the rides. It rated them by fun factors and scariness and gave any height restrictions. Soon, my oldest took over the book reading it every night before bed. He even did a book report for school on it. By the time we left for vacation, he had everything he wanted to see memorized. (He still won't give up that book.)

As the summer progressed, I dug out all the old Disney cds that I had played for them when they were little. We would listen to them in the car and the kids would have to guess which movie the song was from and who was singing. It was a great way to get familiar with all the classic characters. We also started re-watching all the Disney movies. My oldest is still disappointed that I can't find a copy of Song of the South to watch.

The last thing I did was order matching Disney t-shirts for everybody. The kids had heard all about the Disney trip that my extended family had taken when I was in high school. 20 people all wearing the same red shirts. This time I found matching Mickey & Minnie Mouse t-shirts for everyone. Armed with autograph books, pens, maps and all that information in their heads they were ready to meet Mickey Mouse. And I knew all the prep time was worth it, when we walked on to Main Street for the first time and R.J. said, "Lets go left to Adventure Land."

Jennifer Webster
jennifer@pixievacations.com
847-909-4575

Are you looking for a Disney World Resort with a little more room to spread out? Do you like the convenience of a full kitchen and daily maid service? Would you like a tranquil peaceful setting, instead of the hustle and bustle of a hotel? And would you like all this at a very moderate price? If so, then The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness are just what you are looking for.

Each individual cabin sleeps six people comfortably. In the bedroom are a twin bunk bed, a double bed, dresser and television. The living room contains a pull down double bed, sofa, dining table that seats six and television. The kitchen is full sized and fully stocked with all the glassware, dishes, silverware and pots & pans you might need. There are no storage containers though so if you tend to have any leftovers you might want to remember to bring ziploc bags or plastic wrap. The refrigerator is full sized complete with ice trays and there is even a dishwasher. Don't worry though, the maid service will load and run it for you. Outside you will find your own patio, picnic table and charcoal grill. At the cabins, you will find more privacy then in a typical hotel room. They are spaced apart enough so that you don't know if you neighbor is home or not.

From each cabin, you can walk to a bus stop. There are three different colored buses that run throughout the Fort Wilderness resort that will take you to the three main destinations on the resort grounds: The Meadow Recreation Area, The Reception Outpost and the Settlement. These buses run about every 20 minutes and will get you anywhere on the resort that you want to go but after a long day at one of the parks waiting for another bus was not fun with three kids. And even the short trek from the bus stop to the cabin was an ordeal. So, on the second day we did break down and rent a golf cart. The golf cart was great, we could speed around the resort wherever and whenever we wanted. Each area had spots to park the golf carts and plug them in for charging. This small luxury was well worth the price.


The Reception Outpost contains the resort's main lobby for checking in and out, airline check in, guest services, golf cart rentals and any Disney information or help you may need. In this area, you will also find The Wilderness Corral Trail Rides, a kennel and most importantly, the bus station. This bus station is where guests can catch a bus to any Disney World park, resort and Downtown Disney.

The Meadow Recreation area contains the resort's main pool complete with water slide, Daniel Boone's Wilderness Arcade, tennis courts, and a snack bar. This pool has the new water slide and hot tub. The kids did their late night swimming here and it was never crowded. Pool was well lit at night, though the slide does close down when the lifeguards go off duty. At 10:00 they warned everybody it was swim at your own risk time. There is one other small pool, the Wilderness Pool. It was near our cabin though and always pretty empty. The kids enjoyed playing here and cooling off during our breaks from the parks. The Meadow Recreation area is also where Chip N Dale's campfire sing-a-long takes place along with a marshmallow roast and the outdoor showing of Disney classic movies. You will also find the Meadow Trading Post here where you can find the typical Disney souvenirs along with a decent selection of convenience foods and kitchen staples. Prices are very high on all the grocery items. So, if you wanted to use the kitchen to save money, bypass buying your food here. In your cabin, is the number for a local grocery store that will deliver the groceries right to your cabin.

The top of the resort is called the Settlement. This is where you will find Pioneer Hall, home of the famous Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. If you've never seen this show or even if you have, don't miss this high energy, hilarious show. Kids and adults of all ages will enjoy. Also in Pioneer Hall, you will find Trail's End Restaurant and Crockett's Tavern. Next door is the Tri-Circle D Ranch where you can take a carriage ride, wagon ride or even pony rides for the kids. There is a Settlement Trading Post which is slightly smaller then the Meadow Trading Post and contains basically the same items at the same high prices. A children's playground is also here right before you reach the beach and the marina and boat launch. Here you can rent watercraft, join in on fishing excursions and yes, take the ferry boat to the Magic Kingdom. Nothing quite beats the feeling of riding the ferry to the Magic Kingdom for the first time. Boats also can take you to Wilderness Lodge, the Contemporary, and the Polynesian resorts.

The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness is an expansive resort with lots of recreation opportunities. If you never left the resort in a week, you still wouldn't have done everything and seen everything the resort has to offer. Its moderate pricing gives a family room to spread out without breaking the bank. And its peaceful and tranquil setting offers a quiet place to unwind after a busy day among the crowds and bright lights of the parks. The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness is one of Disney's best family resorts and has a little something for everyone.

Jennifer Webster

Please contact me to help you plan your magical Disney vacation.

phone: 847-909-4575
e-mail: jennifer@pixievacations.com
website: www.pixievacations.com

Enjoy the taste of Southern European cuisine at Citricos, located inside Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Inside this signature restaurant, the master chefs rotate dinner selections frequently with American dishes inspired by the cuisine of Provençe, Tuscany and the Spanish Riviera. My wife and I have eaten here three times in the last year, and each time, the menu ha been different. Menu choices including steak, pastas, and seafood, depending on the season, but every dish is unique, and every dish is delicious. You can also choose from the extensive and award winning wine list featuring a number of international wines that are available both by the glass or the bottle.

Located on the second floor, the restaurant overlooks the courtyard and pool area, and if you are enjoying a later dinner, you might even catch a view of the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom (though the music is not piped in). Other tables overlook the bustling kitchen where you can admire the chefs bring their creations to life. Although the dining room is large and seats numerous guests, it still feels very intimate and is a wonderful setting for a romantic dinner. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable.

For even more of an intimate setting, guests may elect the Chef's Domain, where guests can order off the traditional menu or have the chef create a menu in a private dining room.

Citricos is a signature restaurant and costs two table service credits on Disney's Dining Plan. For guests not on the plan, Citricos also accepts the Tables in Wonderland card.

Photo courtesy of Disney.

Bob Angelo
Pixie Vacations
(941) 840-1347
Bob@pixievacations.com