Disney, Do or Do Not?

When you think Honeymoon, what do you normally think? Some island in the Caribbean, maybe a trip abroad to a new country? Well those are not your only options! If you love Disney as much as I do, think about doing a Disney Honeymoon! I have just come back from my Disney honeymoon and even though it got interrupted slightly (thanks Hurricane Matthew), it was still a really great experience! Although it is not the traditional adventure, it is still worth pursuing as a viable option for a honeymoon. Here are some tips that I learned from planning and experiencing my own trip to the most magical place on Earth.

• 1) Do use the dining plan if you are able
• 2) Do bring a refillable water bottle with you as well as a rain jacket
• 3) Do add on the Memory Maker option to your vacation
• 4) Do not take your souvenirs all over the park with you (if you are staying at a Disney hotel)
• 5) Do not miss out on all the extras outside of the Disney parks themselves
• 6) Do not forget to get the bride and groom Mickey ears and happily ever after pins

1) The Disney dining plan is by far one of the best parts of a Disney vacation for sure! Each Disney food option costs a certain number of “dining credits” whether it be quick service, similar to a fast food restaurant in terms of service or table service, similar to a sit down restaurant. There are several different options for the meals plan, ranging from just quick service to deluxe dining. Deluxe dining plan is, in my opinion, the best option because you get three meals per day, per person, whether it be quick service or table service. And as certain Disney restaurants cost more than 1 meal per person, the extras come in handy!

2) It is Florida and therefore it will be hot and humid pretty much anytime you go. That being said, staying hydrated is especially important! Bringing a refillable water bottle will not only keep you hydrated throughout the day, it will also save you money so you don’t have to keep buying water bottles. Also, it will rain pretty much every day at least for a little while so keeping a rain jacket in the bottom of your bag is definitely a good idea.

3) Adding the Memory Maker to our vacation package was one of the best choices I ever made because having access to all the pictures that the professional photographers took as well as all the pictures from the rides was more than worth the cost of the add-on. Me as a “scrap-booker” was so excited to see all the photos that were captured of our vacation and because there was only two of us, it meant that we were both in every shot.

4) Another thing I loved about Disney was the ability to have any souvenir that I bought while out at the parks sent back to my hotel for pickup later on. I didn’t have to lug around all the things I picked up for friends and family and I was able to pick up all the souvenirs I wanted without having to think about carrying it back to the hotel.

5) There is so much to do outside of the 4 Disney theme parks so don’t limit yourself to just doing the parks! Most of the resorts have a signature restaurant that goes along with the theme of the resort (Ohana in the Polynesian Resort for example) and there is transportation between the resorts without having to go into the parks. Disney Springs is a wonderful shopping district that is accessible without a park ticket and has everything from restaurants to bowling to movies! It’s definitely worth looking at if you’re not quite ready for bed yet after a day in the parks (Disney Springs is open till midnight most days) or you’re just trying to wait out the rainy weather. There is also Disney’s Wide World of Sports and mini golfing too!

6) Now I know it’s kind of cliché for some people, I’m sure you’ve gone to Disney and seen people walking around with the bride and groom ears and thought to yourself that they are a little cheesy. But let me tell you, they will make some really cute photos! And they will also let people know you are celebrating which is more of a possibility to get free stuff (and who doesn’t like free stuff, right?). When we went to dinner the first night we wore our happily every pins and mentioned to the waiter that we were there on our honeymoon. We were offered complimentary champagne, as well as a phone call from Mickey singing a happy anniversary song. It was so adorable and the champagne was lovely. It was a small gesture but it really started the trip off right.