There is some speculation that the price of Disney World tickets will increase in the very near future. Every year since 2007 Disney World ticket prices have increased and each time it was the first week of August. In 2006 there were 2 price increases. So as we are rapidly approaching the ‘magic date’ in 2010 perhaps you ought to think about buying your tickets now if you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World.

Of course it may be that prices stay the same. Perhaps Disney has decided that now is not the time to raise prices. Only time will tell.

Remember that how you buy your tickets is very important. Always buy either direct from Disney itself of from a Disney Authorized Ticket Agent. By buying from an authorized agent you know that you are getting the best possible deal and that the tickets are legitimate.

At the moment my recommended agent has some great deals available including a free upgrade to a 5 Day Magic Your Way Base Ticket when you buy a 3 day ticket. You can have the tickets delivered right to your door so that you are already to go.

Find Disney Ticket Deals

Just click on the link above for the very best Disney World Ticket Deals.

Photos by expressmonorail

Disney Magic has a number of different itineraries to choose from in 2010.

The Disney Magic is certainly sailing the Seven Seas (well almost) for 2010 with varied itineraries for the year.

Photo by wyscan

You will still be able to sail out of Port Canaveral Florida on the Disney Magic on 7 night Bahamas and Caribbean cruises. But if you are looking to sail to Europe on a Disney cruise then the Magic has some exciting itineraries for you.

The Disney Magic is heading to Europe for the sumer. There are sailings from Barcelona to the Mediterranean and then she moves to the port of Dover in England for Northern European itineraries.

Photo by flickrized

So here is where you will find the Disney Magic in 2010!

She will start with the 7 night Caribbean cruises – alternating Eastern and Western Itineraries with each cruise departing on a Saturday out of Port Canaveral.

Disney Magic Eastern Caribbean Cruises

Eastern Caribbean Cruises will sail on 2nd,16th and 30th January,13th and 27th February, 13th and 27th March 2010.

The Magic will then sail to Europe for the summer and the Eastern Caribbean cruises will resume with these departure dates: 23rd October,6th and 20th November,and 4th December.

Eastern Caribbean Disney Magic 7 Night Itinerary 2010

Saturday Port Canaveral Florida
Sunday At Sea
Monday At Sea
Tuesday St Maarten
Wednesday St Thomas/St John
Thursday At Sea
Friday Castaway Cay
Saturday Port Canaveral Florida

On select dates the Magic will sail to St Croix or Tortola instead of St Maarten.

Disney Magic Western Caribbean Cruises 2010

The Western Caribbean cruises on Disney Magic will sail on 9th and 23rd January,6th and 20th February,6th and 20th March and 3rd April.

Then when she returns from Europe the Western Caribbean sailings will start again. Sailing dates are 16th and 30th October,13th and 27th November and 11th December.

Western Caribbean Disney Magic 7 Night Itinerary 2010

Saturday Port Canaveral Florida
Sunday Key West
Monday At Sea
Tuesday Grand Cayman
Wednesday Cozumel
Thursday At Sea
Friday Castaway Cay
Saturday Port Canaveral Florida

Disney Magic 14 Night Repositioning Cruise April 2010

Repositioning cruises can be a great value on any cruise line and Disney is no exception. The per night price tends to be lower on repositioning cruises. This 14 night Disney Magic Transatlantic Cruise could be just the one you are looking for.

Disney Magic sails from Port Canaveral on April 10th arriving in Barcelona on April 24th. The port stops are:

Castaway Cay
Madeira, Portugal
Cadiz, Spain
Gibraltar, UK
Barcelona, Spain

Disney Magic 10 Night European Cruises 2010

Disney Magic will sail 10 night cruises out of Barcelona on May 5th, May 26th, August 18th and September 18th. The ports of call are:

Valletta Malta
Naples Italy (Pompeii)
Civitavecchia Italy (Rome)
La Spezia Italy (Florence, Pisa)
Ajaccio Corsica
Villefranche France (Monte Carlo, Cannes, Nice)
Return to Barcelona Spain

Disney Magic 11 Night Cruises 2010

The Magic will alternate the 10 night European cruises with 11 night itineraries out of Barcelona. The difference between the 10 and the 11 night is an additional port stop in Tunis. Sailing dates are April 24th, May 15th, August 7th and 28th. The port stops are:

Valletta Malta
Tunisia Tunis
Naples Italy (Pompeii)
Civitavecchia Italy (Rome)
La Spezia Italy (Florence, Pisa)
Ajaccio Corsica
Villefranche France (Monte Carlo, Cannes, Nice)
Barcelona Spain

Photo by twodolla

Disney Magic Northern European Cruises

There are just 4 Northern European sailings for the Disney Magic which depart from Dover on June 6th and 24th and July 6th and 18th 2010. These were very popular last time they were offered so you should get your quote as early as possible. The ports of call for the Northern European cruise are

Oslo Norway
Copenhagen Denmark
Warnemunde Germany (Berlin)
St. Petersburg Russia
Tallinn Estonia
Stockholm Sweden
Return to Dover England

Disney Magic Transatlantic to Port Canaveral

The Disney Magic will return to Florida sailing out of Barcelona on September 18th 2010. The itinerary details are:

Saturday Barcelona Spain
Sunday At Sea
Monday Gibraltar United Kingdom
Tuesday At Sea
Wednesday Madeira Spain
Thursday At Sea
Friday At Sea
Saturday At Sea
Sunday At Sea
Monday At Sea
Tuesday St Marteen Netherland Antilles
Wednesday Tortola British Virgin Islands
Thursday At Sea
Friday Castaway Cay
Saturday Port Canaveral Florida

The Disney Magic then starts the 7 night Eastern and Western Itineraries again.

11 Night Southern Caribbean Disney Magic Holiday Cruise

The Disney Magic sails this special Christmas Holiday cruise on December 18th 2010

Saturday Port Canaveral Florida
Sunday At Sea
Monday At Sea
Tuesday St Maarten
Wednesday Guadalupe
Thursday Barbados
Friday Martinique
Saturday At Sea
Sunday St Thomas
Monday At Sea
Tuesday Castaway Cay
Wednesday Port Canaveral

What happens when due to freak weather conditions it snows in Orlando? Disney’s Blizzard Beach is created! Well although of course this is just a story that is how the Disney Imagineers came up with the concept for this amazing Water Park.   So what will you find at Disney’s Blizzard Beach?

For those of you who like to drop 13 stories down at a speed of up to 60 mph then head straight for Summit Plummet. Looking for something a little more relaxing? Then you can float around the park on Cross Country Creek. Just pick up a raft and float around this lazy river attraction.

Blizzard Beach has many water slides to keep family members of all ages happy.  For those of you not quite ready for Summit Plummet then try it’s slightly  smaller brother Slusher Gusher. Or for a great family water slide try Teamboat Springs.  Other favorites are Runoff Rapids, Downhill Double Dipper and Snow Stormers.

Or just want to chill out in the wave pool? Melt Away Bay is a huge gentle wave pool where you can swim or float around in an inner tube raft. The perfect place to relax and think about your next ride on Summit Plummet…….

What is the best time to visit Blizzard Beach? This Disney park definitely gets busy and will close when it reaches capacity which happens often in the summer months. So arrive early. Ideally around 45 minutes before opening time.  Head to the slides as quickly as you can and you will cut down your wait in line. You might want to designate one member of your group to go and find a good place to hang out for the day too – go and grab that lounger before someone else does!

Mid afternoon can also be a good time to arrive. A lot of guests arrive early so are leaving at this time of the day so crowds can be lighter.

Blizzard Beach also has Extra Magic Hours for it’s hotel resort guests. It can be a good thing to take advantage of this as it will get you in earlier or allow you to stay later. Park hours and Extra Magic Hour schedules vary so be sure to check opening hours before you plan your trip. And weather reports too. Disney’s Blizzard Beach closes during rain storms for safety reasons.  Often the storm passes and the park re opens so this can be a great chance to get into the park when most guests have already left.

How does Blizzard Beach compare with Disney’s other water park Typhoon Lagoon? Blizzard Beach is the newest of the 2 parks and most definitely has the best slides if that is what you are looking for. But Typhoon Lagoon has a spectacular surf pool. Yes, Blizzard Beach has a gentle wave pool for you to enjoy but at Typhoon Lagoon we are talking 6 foot tall waves! Typhoon Lagoon also has a Shark Reef where you can get up close and personal with the fish, and yes even some (very small, friendly) sharks.

If you want to know more about the Disney Water Parks then I have written a couple of comprehesive guides which will show you how to get the most from your visit, including more on the best times to go and how to get the best value on tickets.   Check out these free guides:

Disney’s Blizzard Beach

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Photo of Blizzard Beach used by Creative Commons and king permission of Anthonut

Is your idea of fun dropping 13 stories in an elevator? Well you have found your perfect ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror!

Disney is known for it’s brilliantly themed attractions and the Tower of Terror is certainly one of the very best.

Enter the Hollywood Hotel Tower of Terror and you will experience The Twilight Zone. Board the elevator and you will glide past ghostly images through scary hotel passageways. Then prepare to be plunged into darkness before being dropped 13 floors to the ground! The ride is not over yet as the elevator goes up and down in a random sequence – you never know when it is going to end! Sound like your idea of fun?

Every great Disney ride has a themed back story and the Tower of Terror is of course no exception. The Hollywood Tower Hotel opened in 1919 and quickly became one of the favorite ‘haunts’ of the movie star elite of the age. But then tragedy strikes on October 31st 1939. Five guests enter the elevator of the hotel just as lightning strikes the building. The child star, her nanny, two young starlets and the bell hop vaporise – never to be seen again  (well not until much later as you will find out on the ride). All the other hotel guests run from the building leaving their belongings behind.

The Hollywood Tower of Terror mysteriously re opens in 1994 at Disney MGM Studios. Dare guests enter the building and find out what lies behind the imposing building?

Based on the television series The Twilight Zone The Tower of Terror is as you would expect 13 stories high. Walt Disney Imagineers s watched all 156 episodes  of The Twilight Zone many times over so that they could recreate the mood and feeling of the series. The star of The Twilight Zone Rod Serling appears throughout the ride on audio and video screens. Original clips were taken from the series and additional voice overs were provided by an actor specially for the  Tower of Terror ride.

The attention to detail is amazing – right from the moment that you step into the line. The hotel looks as though it has remained untouched for over 50 years – cobwebs and dust cover authentic and reproduction furniture and belongings. You really do feel as though you are stepping into a time warp.

The suspense and, let’s not gloss over this, fear, are built up slowly. By the time you get to the elevator most guests are pretty scared! The Bell Hop Cast Members do a brilliant job of remaining in character and setting the scary mood of anticipation.

Enter the ride vehicle and travel along ghostly passage ways and you may just see some of those unfortunate elevator occupants from 1939. Then comes the moment everyone has been waiting for – you enter the elevator. Yep it’s scary. Yep you feel as though you are going to rise up out of your seat with your stomach following you just a little while later. And there is a lot of screaming.

Dare you ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror? Well you need to be over 40″ to enjoy the attraction. Don’t underestimate how scary it can be for the kids either ( and some adults as well). It is all in good Disney fun but you be the judge of whether your child is going to see the funny side or not! There is a Child Swap option where all your party has to stand in line only one time – each of you can look after the child while the other experiences the ride. Ask a Cast Member for more details.

The lines for Tower of Terror can be long. It is one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World. So how to avoid those lines? Use a Fast Pass. As soon as you get to the park head to the Tower of Terror. If the line is already past 20 minutes ( and it could be up to 120) then get a Fast Pass.  This will give you a set time window to come back to the ride and get into the Fast Pass Line.

Want to know more about the Tower of Terror? Find out the secrets and see some amazing pictures? Then head on over to my Guide to the Tower of Terror.

Are you thinking of booking a stay in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Hotel? This beautiful Disney World hotel is one of my favorite places to stay, but of course rooms are pretty pricey – so is it really worth a stay here?

Disney’s Grand Floridian was designed to evoke a different era. Think Victorian seaside elegance and you have the Floridian. It is also located in one of the best spots in the whole of Walt Disney World – on the monorail circuit on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon. You can even walk to the Magic Kingdom from the Grand Floridian. So for location it really can’t be beaten.

Disney World hotels are known for their excellent service. And the Grand Floridian is the flagship hotel so here you will find great Cast Members who will go out of their way to help you.

How much does a standard room at the Grand Floridian cost? Room rates start at $399 and will rise according to season. Concierge level rooms start at $520 per night. Are concierge level rooms worth it? You will have access to the Sugar Loaf Club and Royal Palm Club which has continental breakfast, snacks and evening wine. Reviews of the concierge service are generally positive and the upgrade can be worth it if you plan to use the lounge often. But otherwise the rooms are exactly the same as the standard rooms in design. Concierge level guests are also have the opportunity to participate in the exclusive Wildlife Discovery Excursion. This is a very limited and extra cost private excursion of Animal Kingdom’s Kilimanjaro Safari. Some guests that this alone is worth the splurge on a concierge level room.

The Grand Floridian has great recreational facilities including 2 swimming pools, a fitness facility,tennis, jogging track and of course the full service spa.

Whether you are staying at the Grand Floridian or are just a guest of Walt Disney World you must try out at least one of the restaurants in the hotel. Victoria and Albert’s is one of the finest restaurants in the region – not just Disney World. This adult only dining experience is truly very special. Perfection does come at a price though. The fixed price menu is currently $125 with wine pairings an additional $60. Reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

Citricos is another Grand Floridian restaurant which is often overlooked by Disney guests. Another excellent dining experience this restaurant has a Mediterranean influence and serves entrees of steak and seafood specials.

Narcoossee’s restaurant is a real treat particularly if you like lobster. This restaurant is located in a separate building overlooking the Seven Seas Lagoon so you get a great view of Magic Kingdom.

If you are looking for a Disney character meal then 1900 Park Fare is the place to be. At breakfast you will find Mary Poppins, The Mad Hatter and Alice. Cinderella and Prince Charming will be there for dinner. All meals are buffet style. 1900 Park Fare is one of my personal favorites. Sure it can get pretty noisy but you get a lot of interaction with the Disney characters and the food is pretty good too.

You can even have your wedding or vow renewal at the Wedding Pavilion at the Grand Floridian resort. Who can imagine a more romantic location for the Disney fan that getting married overlooking Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom. You can even hire a coach and horses so that you really can have that fairytale come true.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is a fabulous place to stay for your Disney World vacation. But even if you don’t stay at the resort then make sure that you stop by and just soak in some of the atmosphere, try out the restaurants of just people watch in the lobby. You will be whisked away to a bygone era of elegance and style – right next to Disney’s Magic Kingdom.

If you want more information including lots of pictures of the resort and where to find the best rooms then check out my Guide to Disney’s Grand Floridian Hotel